We’re moving to America!
Perhaps you’ve seen our recent video update sharing our big news? We thought it worth sharing a bit more detail about our decision-making, and planning processes.
What prompted this decision?
Back in February 2021, I had the opportunity to apply for a voluntary leaver scheme from my role as a product manager. I’ve been a product manager as a “career” since 2002. I’ve had the privilege of working on some of the best products my company has delivered. But I’ve reached a career ceiling as the company works to consolidate into a smaller set of regional offices that aren’t realistic for me to commute. The lack of career opportunity as a result of this location strategy was starting to frustrate me, and really took a lot of the pleasure out of the work I was doing. So, Phil and I mulled it over, looked at our financial position, prayed a lot, and ultimately decided that I would apply to be a paid leaver.
My application was successful, and my leaving date is set for the 30th of November. At that point, I will receive what, in the States would be called a “severance package.”
Phil, himself, took a paid leaver package from his job back in July of 2019. Back then we agreed he would take a six-month break because we had trips back to the States planned and, with our mortgage paid off, we didn’t need the extra income. He was able to tackle a list of “honey do” tasks around the house and generally focus on his gardening hobby.
Why up and move, why not just travel?
The obvious question was what we were going to do with our time if I wasn’t working full-time in a corporate, 9-5 job. First and foremost, I knew I needed a break from the “rat race”. And Phil agreed. He’s seen and heard my frustrations with the work and knew I was not enjoying it like I used to.
So, we agreed that for the next year, we’d spend six months in the States and six months here, travelling and spending more time with my Dad and our family and friends across the pond to tick off some of the items from each of our bucket lists. You can read more about these here.
But, as the weeks progressed and we were contemplating what to do with our car, and our house, and our dogs over that epic year, we realised that it probably isn’t practical to leave our life here for six months and then try to pick it back up again. The adventures that we want to have are going to take more than six months to come to fruition and we didn’t want to be tied to an empty house in the UK that we’d have to worry about keeping secure and maintained for such a length of time.
And, while we’ve been thinking all this through, we talked about the people we’d be leaving here, and the community we’d be moving into if we move back to the States. We have Phil’s parents and close friends from church whom we see regularly and will sorely miss, but relatively few contacts in the wider community, even though we’ve lived in this house for 18 years now… I’m not even sure of some of my next-door neighbour’s names; and they’ve lived here for three years already. We exchange pleasantries, and pass food back and forth throughout the year, but we’re not close.
Why not rent out the house?
We considered the option of a short-term rental of our house here in the UK, but we’re worried about damage and wear and tear on our property that would be difficult to get fixed if we were thousands of miles away in a different country.
We considered an option of long-term rental; handing it over to property managers to deal with while we’re away. But that doesn’t appeal, either. We live in an area that doesn’t always attract the best tenants and have heard horror stories about lengthy eviction battles if you need your property back.
So, we decided it would make sense to get our house ready to put on the market for sale. We own it outright, with no mortgage, and the proceeds of the sale could help fund our adventures.
At the same time, our church is considering calling a pastor to establish a permanent congregation here in the UK, so although we offered the house to the church to rent, we’ve got a relatively small house. Comfortable for a couple, but a bit tight for a family. So, their use of the house would largely depend on who accepts the call, and when that individual would get their visa to live and work here in the UK.
On balance, we felt it best to put our house on the market and, if the church does have need for it while it’s for sale, we can then take it off the market if appropriate.
What about the stuff in your house?
It’s a great question. Whether we put the house on the market to sell, or we’re able to share it with our church, clearing it out is much the same. So, this is the current phase and focus of our adventure.
We’ve got a steady trickle of items going through eBay to try to sell, and VERY slowly, we’re working through every nook and cranny to clear out the clutter (I am naturally a hoarder; if something could be re-purposed or re-used and isn’t taking up much space, I struggle to just get rid of it… I’ve got toilet rolls and glass condiment jars for crafting aplenty!) The big furniture items that we ultimately take with us will depend on what gets negotiated with the next person who will live here.
We’ve started to feel out international moving companies and will investigate getting a big 20, 30 or 40-foot container to ship what doesn’t get sold, scrapped, or given away. And we’re looking at less expensive options for just shipping boxes of our personal things if we decide not to take much of the furniture. It’s such a balancing act. We could easily replace most of the stuff without the expense of shipping it but getting rid is almost as much a palaver as just packing and moving it.
What about your dogs?
We’ll bring them with us. There are companies that will transport pets by air. It’s expensive – as much for each dog one-way as for both of us, round trip. This was one of the big reasons our six months here, six months there idea didn’t really appeal; too much money (and stress) carting our girls back and forth with us.
Anna, in particular, is not a very good traveller. She HATES the car and her anxiety about it causes her to be sick if she’s in the car for any length of time.
Will Phil be able to work in the States?
We hope and expect so, yes. We’ve kicked off the process for Phil to get a visa. We’re at the first step of that process; we’ve filed the “I-130 Petition for alien relative” application with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services and are awaiting a response, which can take anywhere from 10 weeks to 7 months if we’ve correctly read their websites. Of course, with everything going on in Afghanistan, it’s possible they’ll be busy on higher priority cases than ours, so this currently feels like the “long pole in the tent.”
Assuming that the petition is approved, again, if we’ve read the site correctly, he’ll then need a criminal records check, a medical assessment, and an interview at the US Consulate in London. It’s a lengthy process, and it reminds me why we chose to live in the UK when we were first married… I was able to get my visa at the British consulate in Chicago in one quick visit, a week after we were married, with an application I took with me. I spent more time getting the marriage certificate and my passport name change than I did getting the UK visa, as I recall.
What about the rest of your UK life?
We’re still investigating all the nuances of this, but we expect to move our permanent UK address back to Phil’s parents’ house and change our address to their house as appropriate. Unless and until Phil becomes a naturalised, permanent US citizen, he’ll need to keep affairs in order here, and since we’re both UK citizens, we will continue to have voting rights here, which we will exercise, just like I have done as a US expat for the past 20+ years.
And, we fully expect that we’ll come back to the UK for holidays; basing ourselves mainly with Phil’s parents when we do.
Phil’s visa, along with what ultimately happens with the house, are the key things keeping our plans from finalising. And your prayers about these two key items would be very much appreciated. God may have other hopes, dreams or opportunities that arise before our plans come to fruition, and we’re open to all he has in store for us.
Where will you live in the States?
We’re planning to live in the south suburbs of Chicago, with my Dad. Although he downsized in 2020 to a smaller house, it has a spare bedroom and there is plenty of outside space for us to have a lovely garden, greenhouse, chickens, and anything else we might want to experience. Plus it’s close to our home church, and lots of friends and relatives.
What about you?
Are you contemplating a big change in your life? Have you recently made a big move? What did you have to consider when you moved? Have any comments or questions about our big plans? Drop us a note below. We’ll use your feedback for future videos and articles and answer your questions as best we can.
