Before a job opportunity even gave us the option of moving abroad, it was aways something that Matt and I wanted to do. The world is a vast place, full of wonder and possibility, beauty and adventure. We asked ourselves - we have the choice to live anywhere in the world, do we really want to spend the rest of our lives living in Nottingham?
There are lots of reasons we decided to make the move, but these are our main ones:
Weather
The weather in England gets us down. The cold. The grey days. The rain. The perpetual hope of a summer and the inevitable disappointment when another year passes by with very little warmth or sunshine. I love being outdoors, especially now that we have Henry and I see how much he enjoys it too, but when it's raining, windy and so dark that it could still be night, it's not going to happen. This means from November until March we’re often trapped inside, with very little to do. Virginia enjoys four real seasons, but what we're most looking forward are the summers there, where temperatures reach up to 32'C. Life instantly feels better when you wake up and the sun is shining. It's invigorating and energising. The whole family will be able to have a much more active lifestyle, and I must admit, I'll very much enjoy being able to wear skirts, shorts and dresses with bare legs, which I just can't do in the UK!
Space
Where we live in the East Midlands, it is busy, the roads are packed, houses are crowded together and villages and towns merge together. Even houses on the pricier side are semi-detached and don't feature off street parking or much of a garden. Travelling around Virginia, it was incredible to see the vast amount of space, not only in and around homes, but in the forests and mountains that are waiting to be explored.
The homes in Virginia are something else. They're spacious, beautifully designed, immaculately maintained, and part of communities that pride themselves on being safe and attractive neighbourhoods. It's commonplace for the different home communities to share a clubhouse, outdoor pool, tennis courts and playgrounds. The size difference of the homes is unbelievable. We will be able to live in a home we could only dream of owning in the UK.
Lifestyle
We love the sense of community in Richmond and how the layout of the houses brings families together. Whilst viewing a property, we spoke to a family who told us about the neighbourhood evening get-togethers around a fire pit, with music and smores and laughter. Everybody knows each other, lifelong friends are made and the children play together. We love how the secluded and gated nature of the neighbourhood homes means it's safe for children to play outside and there are plenty of mum and baby groups to join. There's even the opportunity for me to go to a gym that has free daycare for Henry whilst I'm busy getting fit!
Adventure
I don’t want our lives to be stagnant or static. I look at our life if we stay in the UK and see more dull grey days. We want to experience a new adventure, a new challenge, that will inspire Henry to live the life he chooses and follow his own dreams. Living in the USA will also open up a lot more possibility for holidays and travel. Florida and New York in particular are reached with a very short plane journey, whilst the beauty of the Caribbean is also within a reasonable distance.
Of course our lives in America won’t be perfect – we’ll still have the same day to day issues over there that we do over here, we'll get homesick, I know there will be plenty I'll miss about the UK, and I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that Henry will probably call me mommy instead of mummy. But this is our dream, and I'm happy that we've had the confidence to follow it and turn it into a reality. We can't wait to see what our American adventure brings us!
Labels: American Adventure, Expat Life, Lifestyle
