Six Month Well-Expat Check Up

Last year we started this planned unraveling of our life in Texas.  We sorted, packed, and discarded possessions and put our house on the market.  I left a wonderful job as an auditor in the midst of testing for my CPA.  We said goodbye to family and friends and moved our life to England.  

We knew that we would have to rebuild that life once we arrived and hoped that it would happen quickly and easily. But life doesn't always follow our timetable, does it?   (Which can be reeeeeally annoying).

I started reading every expat blog that I could find and decided that I would give myself six months to get over the initial adjustment.  And during that six months, I wouldn't even think about throwing in the towel and running back home.

I did not, however, promise that I wouldn't whine about it.

Exhibits A through G. 

18 days in... the Honeymoon Phase
1 Month Well Expat Check Up
Minor Breakdown at 40 days... Lose the Attitude
2 Month Well Expat Check up
3 Month Well Expat Check up
Some proper whining... Get Out your Mini Violins
Still struggling with patience... A Hug for You 

And now it's been six months since we started this adventure.  

It has been a challenging six months to say the least.  Everything has been up in the air.  We are still essentially living out of suitcases.  And the insecurity of it all has been tough.  But, it looks like the dust is finally starting to settle.  

The magic phone call has come!!!  TE has been offered a wonderful, exciting job.  It's perfect for him and he is really looking forward to working with some terrific people. 

We've also found a more permanent housing situation, a terrific apartment with beautiful London views.  By the end of July, if all goes as planned, we will be living on the Thames and TE will be going off to work everyday.   There is still some final paperwork to be done, but things are looking great. By the way, it's a two-bedroom apartment so I expect to start having lots of visitors!  Pretty Please!

The house back in Texas sold a few weeks ago which was a little bittersweet.  It was our first home together and there were wonderful memories of special times in that house. Selling a house a country away is certainly not an easy process for anyone involved, but we got through it. 

And I've finally added a few letters behind my name.  Six years ago, I decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and return to school to get my accounting degree.  After graduating, I began the process of testing to become a CPA.  I studied like crazy and passed the first 3 tests on the first try.  Unfortunately, not the fourth one.  Three days before we left Texas, I retook the test and waited 3 months to find out I passed!

It's been a few more months of jumping through hoops, but a week ago in the mail I received a small little card with Selena, Certified Public Accountant in black and white.  A little anticlimactic, but it represents the fulfillment of a huge dream and some really hard work.  I'm pretty proud of that little card.  It will be interesting to see how the credentials will translate to working in England.  I start looking for employment this Fall. 

It's been a stressful six months, but it's also been wonderful.  We've been able to travel a little and we had a terrific visit from my daughter.  I'm completely smitten with England and London.  I'm so looking forward to the next six months.  We'll have a few weeks to get settled in the new apartment before the Olympics and a visit from my mom and step-dad. 

There were days when I wondered if we would EVER be settled here.  It's funny how everything finally happened at the same time.  And now on to the next phase of life.  But not before a celebratory cruise!  We leave Sunday to cruise out of Italy and will be visiting Sicily, Athens, Turkey and Crete.  I give you fair warning now... there will be pictures!

Thanks so much to everyone who has helped me get through this initial transition... the Englishman who is my rock, his parents who've been so supportive, Sugar Bear who is my heart, family and friends back home for the facetime and phone calls, my new friends on this side of the pond and my cyber friends... thanks so much for your comments and encouragement!  (Sorry, that sounded like a cheesy award ceremony speech, didn't it?)

I'm looking forward to what the future brings and I'll try not to whine so much moving forward. (No promises.)  I don't have any posts scheduled while I'm gone so I'll see you in a week or so. 

xoxo

Selena