Clean bill of health

The day before New Year’s Eve. Five days before the big move to Houston. As you can imagine, nothing much has happened over the holidays. We’ve been too busy with visitors, illnesses and parties to even think about the move (although last night I did dream about house hunting, so my conscience must be telling me it’s time to crack on with it again).

Before everything shut down for Christmas, we were called for health checks to see if we were fit enough for our new lives in the States. Can you remember how, as a child, your mum would always ask whether you had clean underwear on before you left the house? Well it felt a bit like that! The last time I’d seen the Company-preferred doctor he was a crusty old man who barely glanced at us before declaring us fit for life in Trinidad. How things have changed! This time it was a very young, very attractive, very thorough doctor who did the business. The medical lasted a full hour and was very intense. Nothing was left out. We were examined from head to toe, subjected to a hundred personal questions and a bucketful of blood taken for a battery of tests. It was a great relief, when a few days later, the nurse called to say that everything was ‘normal’. Fortunately, it was sufficient to prove that the kids were up-to-date with their inoculations for them to receive their health certificates!

Still no joy with Abigail’s visa though. Because the rest of us already have E2 visas Abigail must also enter the States with an E2 visa (apparently). And guess what? Trinidad and Tobago don’t issue E2 visas! It was suggested that we might have to go back to England to obtain it. Whilst we normally look forward to trips back home a whistle-stop trip with a toddler and a one-year old doesn’t quite fill me with joy! The temporary solution (so as not to delay David’s start date) is for us all to go on visa waivers and then all leave again within 90 days. I hope it gets sorted out before then!

The horrors of red tape

It's finally the weekend and I can relax in the knowledge that I won't be receiving any more e-mails with attachments needing urgent completion. Last week seems to have been lost under a flurry of a paperwork. I'm sure there was never this much paperwork for our previous moves. Is that because the US is more difficult to get into, or is it that the people involved in the move are just better organised? There have been forms to set up bank accounts, forms for medicals, registration forms for Alfie's school, insurance forms, and horrendous forms for Abigail's visa.

I have filled in the same form for Abigail's visa 3 times now, made two visits to the US embassy, spoken to the rudest people, broke down in tears and still have no visa for her. The rest of us already have visas from our last trip there, so we're ok. Abigail was born after we were there, so she doesn't have a visa. We followed the advice we were given from the appropriate people in my husband's company, turned up at the embassy and were turned away for not having the correct paperwork. This happened twice. We were then told that the system had changed and we now needed a special package. (Two other families have only just obtained visas to work in the US, has it really changed so suddenly? Why did this person not know the system since she is paid to be an immigration specialist?) Anyway, we now await the company to forward the appropriate completed forms for us to take to the embassy. They were promised 3 days ago and still have not arrived. We then have to wait for the embassy to call us for interview (current wait time 3 weeks). It doesn't seem promising that we will have the visa in time for our move on 5 January.

There have been lots of steps forwards this week but a huge step backwards, which could potentially delay our move.

Back to the here and now! Here in Trinidad it's 0730. The sun is up and it looks like it is going to be a beautiful day. We've got friends coming by later. We'll probably have a dip in the pool followed by a few ice-cold Caribs whilst we bbq. We've got to make the most of our beautiful garden whilst we can!

Timing is everything!

When is the best time to upheave your family and drag them half way around the world to a new country and culture? Is there ever going to be a good time? I doubt it. There are going to be problems and obstacles no matter how well you try to time it. Saying that, I think we've surpassed ourselves this time - we've probably found the worst-possible time for our next overseas posting.

It is now 11 December and we're right in the middle of our Christmas preparations. Our 3 year-old asks everyday whether today's the day Father Christmas is coming. We have friends arriving in 10 days time for a 2 week visit and our big move is planned for 5 January (2 days after our guests leave). See, perfect timing! Will we be ready for it? I doubt it. But we will make that flight somehow!