Yes, today marks the day that we left South Africa exactly one year ago. What a milestone! In this year we have achieved a great deal, some of it was very easy to do, somethings took a bit longer and were not as easy but in general, I believe that the move over to the UK was quite painless.
In no particular order, we've sorted out the following (and most of it was done in the first month of arriving here):
- Extended the rental on our home in Alexander Close, met our landlords and are on very good terms with them and the estate agency.
- Sorted out internet, telephone, tv and broadband (it's worth coming to the UK for that alone!)
- Successfully opened bank accounts with Barclays and all of us have credit cards now.
- Purchased three family cars and all (so far) seem to be running well, arranged servicing and updated M.O.T.’s and license/registration.
- Secured a place in school for Ewan in a school that is literally three blocks away from our house.
- Secured a place in good school for Faye – her school is round the corner from Ewan’s. Update - Faye actually managed to complete Year 3 in just 7 months, she's now in Year 4
- Had fun in the snow, Kevin's bought snow sleds that we have to try out as soon as possible this winter!
- Bought Christmas decorations, tree and all the other odds and ends you need with kiddies for a merry christmas.
- Managed to be a part of the birth of my second grandson, Daniel, even though we are so very far away.
- Secured permanent positions in jobs for Kevin and Hayzel
- Secured clients for my self-employment as a transcript typist.
- Figured out how the oil central heating works and sourced oil topping up when necessary.
- Ditto to the salt tablets that we have to put into our water supply on a regular basis to stop lime scale build up (something South Africans don't seem to have to worry about)
- Purchased furniture, crockery, cutlery, beds, bedding, cupboards, washing machine, tumble dryer, kitchen appliances, carpets, outside garden furtniture, garden tools, lawnmower and generally furnished the house to the point where it is now getting rather full!
- Organised National insurance numbers, drivers’ licenses, National Health membership, self-employment registration with Her Majesty's Revenue Services (me), sourced accountant to take care of my tax returns and other financial assistance.
- Visited lots of places in Norfolk – including the sea side - and still have thousands of places to see!
- Travelled to Wales as a family for Auntie Jean’s special birthday celebrations.
- Travelled to Wales and then on to Scotland for a wonderful holiday with Auntie Jean (me)
- Been visited by my Auntie Barbara and Uncle Les during my birthday week.
- Got ourselves a puppy.
- Seen the spectacular fireworks display in Norwich for the Mayor’s Celebrations.
- Became familiar with the bus routes, which bus to take, where to go, how to get around.
- Became familiar with driving in the UK
- Experienced the NHS hospital care first hand – Hayzel - and found it very good indeed.
- Found all the best places to shop.
- Learnt the value of Tesco’s coupons system – it is possible to get as much as £10 off per shop if you are clever and watch how and when you buy your groceries! For instance, we bought some groceries the other night and Hayzel also bought a top – when we came to pay, she had quite a few individual discount vouchers (from previous purchases) and we added them all up, it meant that she basically got her top for free. I am now an Orchard member and am getting special deals on promotional items and foods that are in my ‘profile’ (part of Tesco’s market research programme). I have amassed enough Virgin Flying Club points to fly anywhere in Europe for half price.
- Learnt how to pump our own gas!
- Got Faye started in Brownies and Ewan in Martial Arts (L’il Dragons)
- Managed to pay for and book our short holiday back to South Africa in February next year.
There's much more I could list here and I will have forgotten some important things I'm sure, that Kevin or Hayzel will remind me about. But I think we all need to be proud of ourselves and give each other a good group pat on the back. Well done folks!
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