A Hobbit's Life for me

Last weekend, Adam and I took our first trip out of the city.  We've committed to visiting as many places as possible in these 2 years, including at least 1 trip out of the country per month and plans to visit other cool places in the UK on free weekends.  We also plan/hope to tag along with any visiting friends to places they want to see.  Traveling is extremely accessible over here.  Going to another country is as easy as going to another state in the US, so we're going to do it while we can.

Our first trip was to Cardiff, Wales with a stop in Bristol, England on the way.  Bristol is about 2 hours south of Birmingham, but we took the scenic route.  When I say scenic, I mean SCENIC.  We drove through parts of the Cotswolds.  The Cotswolds are villages within and along the English Countryside that are straight out of a picture book, or (nerd alert) a Tolkien series - rumor has it, the hobbit shires in the movies were inspired from these parts of England.   We stopped in a charming little town, Winchcombe, and had the most delightful cheese scones (big fluffy biscuits) and coffee.  We immediately made plans to return to a bed and breakfast out that way sometime soon and take a long walk along Cotswold Way.  It was seriously like walking through one of the scenes from Sense and Sensibility - if you haven't heard of this movie, cool - that means I've hit a bigger audience as non-friends of mine must be reading this blog.

After navigating our way through the tiny roads and back to the highway, and getting stuck in hours worth of traffic, we made it to Bristol.  The weather was lovely, so we jumped on a boat tour down the canal.  After that we walked back towards the city center and to Cabot Tower.  It was a trek up hill and a climb up about 100 steps that would make any claustrophobic cringe, but the view was entirely worth it.

While catching our breath at the bottom, we found a comedy show to go to that night.  We felt the best way to continue our culturcation (yes I made that word up - culture and education) was to submerse ourselves in an evening of dry British humor. While we were slow on some of the political jokes, and somewhat on the other side of the spectrum from the mid show talent, we found it highly entertaining.

Sunday morning we woke up, found a Starbucks (no shame) and hit the road for Cardiff.  Wales being a separate country, yet part of the UK, worked out seeing as all we had to do was pay a 6 pound toll and not show our passports - awesome, since we forgot them.  Oops... amateur move.  Anyhow, once we found parking at a rugby stadium (further peaking Adam's interest), we jumped on the bus tour at Cardiff Castle.  The city is on the coast and healed our claustrophobia.  Both of us being from water bordered towns, we loved the fresh, open air.  After the bus tour, we drove further up the coast and it was seriously breathtaking.  I love a sunny, clear sky more than anyone, but there's something extremely serene about grey cloudy skies over miles over oceans and cliffs.

All in all, great first trip.  We became pros at the whole driving thing and got some much needed fresh air and scenic views.   Monday we drove out to Solihull (a Birmingham suburb) which is quite a nice little town with some fun shopping and great houses and then further north of the city to this great, huge park.  Cows literally walk alongside card and golfers.   It was weird, but fun.  We'll be back.

Still no job, but I do have a bank account - woohoo!

In the works, our June trip to Paris! I've been dying to go to Paris since I was 14 in French class, even though my teacher gave me a name I couldn't pronounce (Mireille), so this is a big deal for me.  Adam only got to spend about 12 hours there last time he was in Europe, so we're hitting all the big touristy sites shamelessly.

I was disappointed not to find the Princess in Wales, but I bet she's waiting for it to warm up some before taking the baby royals out on trips, so c'est la vie.  Abientot!

Left is Right

I realize it’s been a while since my last post and want to apologize to my loyal readers for the silence… sorry Moms.  It’s been a busy, and somewhat internet-less week.  You can probably tell what part of this post will be about from the title, and you’d be right, which is really wrong.  See what I did there?

Yes, we bought a car! And bigger than that, we’ve been driving it on the left side of the road! The trick to it is to constantly say to yourself “left side, left side” and sometimes scream out loud “LEFT SIDE” when one of you turns onto the right side of the road (cough, it wasn't me, cough). You’d think it would feel at least a bit normal since we’re on the right side of the car, but it doesn’t really help.  Nor does it help that we’re shifting gears with our left hands.  By the way, many thanks to the aforementioned mothers (and fathers) of ours who both had the foresight to teach us to drive standard transmission vehicles all those years back.  Automatics aren’t easy to come by here, but we’re quite pleased with our selection.  Like our flat, it’s just what we pictured for ourselves.  We’ll be taking it to tour some of the English Countryside this weekend as Adam has Monday off for a Bank Holiday.  In case you're wondering what it feels like to go against everything you ever learned about driving, here's a taste of what we're going through (excuse the profanity, though sometimes that's what is going through my mind).

In other big news, we moved into our place! It’s slowly, but surely, starting to feel like home, many thanks in part to Amazon Prime and Ikea (y’all, it was my first trip and it was glorious).  We have more space than we thought we’d have, which is a bonus considering we moved out of a spacious 3BR ranch style house in Jackson.  

As for daily life, Adam is still trucking along at work.  He’s at his first client this week.  He’s learning a lot, and I think it’s safe to say this move has proven itself a beneficial move for him career wise.  He’s in a larger office working on bigger clients, and in case I haven’t mentioned it recently, we’re in a different country.  Sure, they speak English here (though sometimes it doesn’t sound that way-see this video), but it’s still an extremely different culture and businesses operate differently. 

I’m still on the job hunt.  I had a fairly horrendous interview last week, two actually.  To summarize, the company completely misrepresented the position.  I had another interview this morning, which didn't pan out.  I can't seem to find a job like what I did in the states and I'm told I'm quite overqualified for some jobs while also being underqualified for others.  Fingers crossed I find something in the middle soon.  Emotionally, I'm about here today...

Until then, I’ll focus on my efforts to meet Kate whilst not seeming like a stalker.  Perhaps we'll see them having a picnic this weekend.  They seem to enjoy the quiet life.  Here's a few more pictures that document life abroad.

Nice night out enjoying some chicken wings 

My first meat pie - it lived up to its bland expectations 

That's like 10 American dollars people.

Confession of the day: sometimes I find myself thinking in British accent. 

Till next time, mates! Kind regards, A&J

Beans for Breakfast

Cheers mates! In all seriousness, it's not a British stereotype… everyone really does say "Cheers" and they say it in several contexts - hello, goodbye, thank you, excuse me, etc.  I think I like it.  It feels friendly and warm which is appreciated considering it's been a windy week.  It also helps soften the transition out of the South where smiles and waves are as frequent as news stories about Kim Kardashian (which I don't miss).

Milestone alert - we've completed week one! Here's the low down on what we've accomplished.

• We opened a bank account, and while this may not seem exciting, it's a big deal.  It took us three visits, several emails and calls to convince Barclay's that we are legitimate citizens, and they still aren't convinced of such of me (hopefully something we'll remedy once we have a utility bill in my name).  
• We found an apartment! 
• We witnessed two big events - The General Election and the 70th Anniversary of VE Day.  
• We also explored the city and as you may have seen on Instagram, ate some tasty food.  On the nice days when the sun peaks out, Birmingham truly is a beautiful place.  Adam and I are both so impressed at the landscaping and beautiful green spaces.  Below is a picture from a garden we passed behind the library.  There are beautiful colors everywhere! 

Now, onto the good part - our new place! We chose option 3, Carpathian Court! Why, you ask?

• Option 2 was not really in the running… when I said dated, I meant DATED… 1970's wallpaper, just not good.  We also didn't like the feel of the building or neighborhood.  Just to the right of the canal was a big rubble pile.  
• Option 4 was great, but Harborne was not only far out, it also didn't have the neighborhood charm, it seemed to be a quieter crowd.  
• Option 1 was new and pretty, but lacked warmth and was on the outskirts of the neighborhood.  

The minute we walked into Carpathian Court we felt at home.  It was exactly what we pictured living in.  The view directly overlooks these great streets and a cafe, which we tried, and loved - beans and all.  If all goes well we'll move in this week! Here's a pic from the outside, we're the second window up.  Also, here's a picture of the clock tower in town square.  When I say charming, I mean charming.

A friend posted a link to my Facebook page that shows some of the differences between British and American homes.  Most apply, though not all, so I wanted to share.  http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2015/05/watch-confusing-things-about-a-british-home/

Not as exciting to us, but still a big deal - Thursday was the General Election.  I'm not sure what your average American citizen knows about British politics, but I knew very little.  Here's the run down as I understand it and the video that helped me (classy version of School House Rock's I'm just a Bill).  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAMbIz3Y2JA

The General Election takes place every 5 years and constituencies elect MP's; the majority party's leader gets to be Prime Minister.  The Conservatives won the majority, so David Cameron stays in office.  There's also the Labour Party, UKIP, The Green Party, Independents, and several others.  I think there was at least one big shocker, but other than that, it seemed pretty calm.  Adam and I were surprised at how frank the media outlets are.  We were watching what felt like The Soup, but it was actually BBC 2 evening news.  Strange, to say the least.  

Friday we were at the Library of Birmingham (which is incredible, at least to a nerd like me) and stumbled upon a VE Day celebration.  Vintage clothes, actors and performances overtook the square. We loved catching some national history and pride, and having an excuse to waive a British flag. 

Tomorrow Adam heads to work.  If I'm being honest, I'm a little nervous.  We've been in a bubble, together, for a week now and he'll be off being productive, making his own friends, and I'll be… well, I guess that's for the next blog post! We ended up saving London for another weekend, so I still haven't met Kate, but it's only week 1 of the 100 we have here, so I'm not worried yet.  Till next time friends!

House Hunters - Haywood Edition

Today was a fun day! I personally LOVE looking at houses, even if I'm not in the market.  I love home shows, including House Hunters International.  However, I often disagree with the buyers' choices, and I have a feeling some of you may feel the same way after viewing the videos below.  That's ok!

We were able to look at 9 furnished apartments (only 4 options highlighted below), and we were very impressed.  For a big city, none are too small (though they aren't big) and none were just awful.  There were those on the lower end, a few in the middle, and a few towards the top.  In the end, we were down to two and put in an offer tonight for our choice - but sorry folks, you'll have to wait until our next post to see what we choose! There's a chance our offer and contract requirements may not be agreed upon, in which case, our backups are great choices.

We are renting (seeing as we'll only be here two years) and our relocation specialists, provided by KPMG, are doing the negotiating for us.  They also found all of the options we saw today.  Many thanks to David (whom you met via social media this morning) for a fun and informative day.  He did a great job showing us around the city and we feel like very informed Brum renters now!

To catch those of you up who need it, Adam and I bought a lovely NE Jackson home in July.  We were inclined to rent, but the market told us better and we sold very quickly.  It was a great first home, but life changes, and you just roll with it.  We sold about 85% of our furniture.  Much of it was starter home material, though we sent some to our storage facility in Fairhope (the Haywood's), including cherished pieces such as Adam's precious leather recliner and my treasured dining room set, along with kitchen items, china, etc.  We brought nothing but clothes with us here (which most definitely won't all fit in any of these locations… guess I'll blog about the solution to that problem later).  We are shipping a couple of small boxes that include some small pictures and items that we hope make our Brum place feel like home.  I'm sure we'll also visit Ikea and other comparable affordable home stores to help us nest.

So, here it goes! I've uploaded 5 videos - the 5th goes along with the 4th shown site visit.  Know this: each location actually looks MUCH better in person.  I also apologize for the landscape v. portrait views.  This amateur videographer (me) was working with my handheld camera and didn't consider what it would look like once uploaded.  Just turn your screen sideways.

Option 1 - The Mint Building, The Jewellery Quarter

Pros: New tidy furniture, beautiful floors, open kitchen/floor plan, good building, great neighborhood

Cons: A bit standard/vanilla, outdoor entrance; not as centrally located in neighborhood

Option 2 - The Canal, near Brindley Place

Pros: Good space, AMAZING view, convenient to canal shops and restaurants

Cons: Very dated decor and minimal furniture

Option 3: Carpathian, The Jewellery Quarter

Pros: Great space, including separate dining space; Juliet window and view, central in neighborhood

Cons: Carpeted, closet/storage space

Option 4: Harborne (that's the neighborhood/part of town)

Pros: Space, french doors/decor, balcony, updated, rooftop terrace

Cons: distance from City Centre/commute; a bit cold/standard building

This is the rooftop terrace at Harborne - the video is narrated, I just thought the view was too great not to share.  You can see how green Birmingham is even on a dreary day!

That's all for now! Up later this week… which location we're moving into and more fun facts about Britain! Still haven't met Kate, but looks like we may make a trip to London this wknd!

Tea for Two

I realize it's only day two of our 730 day (approx.) adventure, but it's safe to say that Adam and I REALLY like it here so far.  Birmingham is a big city, and it has the big city feel we've been wanting for some time now.  We speak the language, and we can find our way around… so far so good.  I'll start the blog with an update on what it's been like our first two days, and maybe sometime later will back track to all we did to prep for this trip.  The last month has really been a blur, but I'm making a point to remember and document as much as I can of this time in our lives.  I'll do my best to post on interesting topics relating to how things are different here and any exciting trips we take, and also will post on requested subjects (i.e.- things friends and family ask to hear about more).

Day 1 - We began with our flight from Mobile to Atlanta at 11:50am.  Our connection was to Amsterdam set to leave at 3pm… there were mechanical issues with the plane, but thankfully a new plane was located, but we were delayed until 6:00. On a stroke of luck, the one and only Avery Shannon happened to be flying thru Atl and met us at the international terminal for drinks.  The flight to Amsterdam took off around 7:20 and was an 8 hour flight - we both watched The Theory of Everything (which I highly recommend to the others under rocks who haven't seen it) and a few episodes of Parks and Recreation; we landed in Amsterdam at 9am local time, flew to Birmingham and landed at 12:25.  We were picked up by arranged car service (thanks KPMG) and delivered to our temporary accommodations (a nice, conveniently located corporate apartment).  We took a 3 hour nap, woke up and walked around a bit, finding a charming little canal and tasty restaurant, came home, and crashed.

Day 2 - We slept, and slept some more.  We woke up and caught up on Game of Thrones and then went out to explore our new city - starting with the Bullring.  This place is HUGE.  I'd venture to say it's the equivalent of our Mall of America.  Lots of American stores and lots of resources which I think we'll find useful along the way.  There we had a slice of pizza from the Foodcourt, tried (unsuccessfully) to get me a cell phone and hit the road.  We stumbled upon Adam's office, which is located in the Business District.  Looks pretty swank.  We then found the Birmingham Cathedral and happened to catch the Evening Prayer Service.  We then headed home, stopped at a pub and had a beer on the terrace.  On the way home, we grabbed a few groceries (the essentials: spaghetti makings, wine, cereal and tea) and called it a night.  Currently I'm working on this post as Adam cooks.  

All in all, two good days.  The weather has been nice, cool, but not cold, and the people have been extremely welcoming.  Pics and links to our visits below.

Coming up later this week: House Hunters International - Haywood Edition. We weren't selected for the show, but I figure who needs HGTV producers, right?! Sadly, I haven't met Kate yet, but I think she's a bit busy (in case you missed it… the new Princess was born). Until next time, cheers!

First dinner - fish & chips, mushroom gnocchi and crispy arancini balls

The Bullring

Adam's office

City Hall

charming street

The Wellington Pub

Quick stop at Tesco's (local grocery)

Temporary Corporate Apartment