First week in the UK?

[MarBell379]

Im interested to find out what people did (or are planning to do), for the first week their partners came to the UK.

Ive got the week off (bar one day that I cant get out of Grrrrr), and I wish I could take more time but have used it all visiting Philippines already this year!

The first weekend (she arrives on a Friday), I have my 2 kids and want to take us all out somewhere (possibly Legoland as I'm not so far away) so the kids get used to her in a fun setting. I think we'll all be off to my sisters the day after (probably just the afternoon, allowing for a lie in to catch up on lost sleep and assist with jetlag recovery).

Ive no real plans for the rest of the week though, other than a very vague 'show her around'.

Any ideas as to what works well, or what we NEED to do that Ive maybe not thought about?

Thanks

[Florge]

I would suggest taking her out for shopping.... buying her toiletries and stuff (if she hadn't bought her own)...

I would like to spend my 1st week in UK with shopping.... hehehe...

[MarBell379]

LOL - THATs a given
Might even take her out on the Friday afternoon to make sure she's warm enough for the first weekend
Ive spent a FORTUNE insulating my house better this year in preparation for her first winter here. I moved in last winter and it was COLD. Hopefully Ive done a good enough job to avoid another £600+ electricity bill!!

[GaryFifer]

I would suggest taking her out for shopping.... buying her toiletries and stuff (if she hadn't bought her own)...

I would like to spend my 1st week in UK with shopping.... hehehe...

Ah no way. Not shopping again I have been in too many SM malls in PI, so why would my mahal wish to see more of the same. Introducing to the family and some of the food of the UK. Strawberries would be nice Perhaps I would take the kids to a funfair at Alton Towers. For the missus a local or a London show. I have many ideas.What did you guys do?

[IainBusby]

Like you I took a week off when my wife first arrived in the UK and because I didn't want her to be stuck in the house when I returned to work, I made a point of taking her into town on the bus, showing her around so she could get her bearings from most of the shopping areas, find her own way back to the appropriate bus stop, get off at the right bus stop and then find her way back home from there.
Iain.

[mickcant]

Im interested to find out what people did (or are planning to do), for the first week their partners came to the UK.

Ive got the week off (bar one day that I cant get out of Grrrrr), and I wish I could take more time but have used it all visiting Philippines already this year!

The first weekend (she arrives on a Friday), I have my 2 kids and want to take us all out somewhere (possibly Legoland as I'm not so far away) so the kids get used to her in a fun setting. I think we'll all be off to my sisters the day after (probably just the afternoon, allowing for a lie in to catch up on lost sleep and assist with jetlag recovery).

Ive no real plans for the rest of the week though, other than a very vague 'show her around'.

Any ideas as to what works well, or what we NEED to do that Ive maybe not thought about?

Thanks

Hi MarBell379,
This is a good subject I have been wondering what to do myself, I have tickets to see the "Sound of Music" at Southampton on her 4th day, I live on the Isle of Wight, so that is easy enough to get to.
I have been wondering how quickly to introduce her to my siblings and families here, there are so many of them, and not all are convinced she will be here! So think we will do that slowly.
Mick.

[IainBusby]

I have been wondering how quickly to introduce her to my siblings and families here, there are so many of them, and not all are convinced she will be here! So think we will do that slowly.
Mick.

I didn't tell my son, daughter, brothers or my sister my wife had arrived, I just turned up with her on their doorsteps, one by one, knocked on their doors and introduced her. I think it makes things less awkward if their not expecting it.

[mickcant]

I didn't tell my son, daughter, brothers or my sister my wife had arrived, I just turned up with her on their doorsteps, one by one, knocked on their doors and introduced her. I think it makes things less awkward if their not expecting it.

Hi IainBusby,
I think that sound a good way of doing it, thanks.
Mick.

[MarBell379]

I didn't tell my son, daughter, brothers or my sister my wife had arrived, I just turned up with her on their doorsteps, one by one, knocked on their doors and introduced her. I think it makes things less awkward if their not expecting it.

Wow - Ive done the opposite here. My kids are just 8 and 5 so In an effort to break things tothem slowly Ive told them shes coming but not that we're getting married. I will do that when theyve met her and had a month or so to get used to her being here. I guess I need to tell my ex wife at the same time to be polite. It DOES have a bearing on her as my children still live with her :(

Bus schedules are a great idea. I'll have a look into that as I havent used a bus myself for a loooong time so I dont have a clue where the routes go. There's a busstop very close by to the house though

[LEAHnew]

Interesting my fiance did the same he had 1 week off when i arrived, what we did... trying to remember..
yes I agree to Florge shopping - we had some shopping for my personal stuff
then meet his parents and sister ( had dinner),
1st pub hang out,
roaming around the city and nearest park,
1st UK dinner date
dinner with his son..
taking a walk in the local store (familiarizing the area where we lived)
registering me at NHS
and the rest it's secret.

It was also my first week that I felt dizzy roaming around by car maybe because I'm not used to seat on the left side which in the Phil. that's the driver's seat and the cars passing were in the opposite direction so we ended up staying mostly at home

About the bus, I'm discovering my own well, with the help of travelinemidlands journey map

p.s
expect she will be using computer right away as she keep in touch with the family in Phil telling she arrives safely..so therefore your computer MUST BE FREE FROM VIRUS that might cause TAMPO

GoodLuck and Have a safe trip to your fiancee

cheers,
Leah

[IainBusby]

Wow - Ive done the opposite here. My kids are just 8 and 5 so In an effort to break things tothem slowly Ive told them shes coming but not that we're getting married. I will do that when theyve met her and had a month or so to get used to her being here. I guess I need to tell my ex wife at the same time to be polite. It DOES have a bearing on her as my children still live with her :(

Bus schedules are a great idea. I'll have a look into that as I havent used a bus myself for a loooong time so I dont have a clue where the routes go. There's a busstop very close by to the house though

I was the same, I knew the number of the local bus that went into town but that was about it, to be honest at first it was like the blind leading he blind.

[Florge]

LOL..

I like that bus trips... I told my bf that but want to do it alone.. a very nice adventure for me actually but bf said no as he said it would be unsafe to travel alone.. duh! I lived in manila and been traveling alone... and how dangerous can Manchester be compared here? (or am I mistaken?)

Would have to ask that bf takes a week off as well to show me around town...

[GaryFifer]

LOL..

I like that bus trips... I told my bf that but want to do it alone.. a very nice adventure for me actually but bf said no as he said it would be unsafe to travel alone.. duh! I lived in manila and been traveling alone... and how dangerous can Manchester be compared here? (or am I mistaken?)

Would have to ask that bf takes a week off as well to show me around town...

Hi Florge

I understand your bf point of view. You probably have more hair raising experiences in Manila than he realises. But it is the fact you do not know which particular areas are unsafe,would concern him.Small time crime is problem in Britain.

Don't be alone at night time. Usual common sense stuff. Don't carry anything around that is visible to thieves-makes you a target for mugging. Things such as expensive mobile phones or IPods. City can have drug problems and opportune thieves will nick a phone or your bag for a quick sell for their drug fix.

I would assume the city is as safe as most. Forum members from Manchester will be able to tell you of places to avoid at night. I only visited.

But Manchester is easy to get around on foot, and the Metrolink tramway is there too. Go visit Piccadilly Gardens.

How about going to a Manchester Utd game? They are one of the biggest clubs in football these days. I am sure it would be an enjoyable experience. I would love to go there.

[ginapeterb]

I like this thread very interesting, hmmmmm I liked Ian's experiences of what he did when Louella arrived in Uk, well Ian what did I do, we arrived back at 1 am, at a very cold Heathrow terminal 3, we got the transport around to my car, and Gina said, oh I have seen your car in your photos, so she was expecting it.

We picked up the car from Q park, then made it on to the M25, and I asked Gin if she wanted to go through central London and see Buckingham Palace, she said, why not !

So thats what we did, at 2 am, we were driving around all the sights and laughing, she was not believing it all, I said, come on honey lets go home and sleep, as I took off the first week to be with her, took her home to the house, and got her settled, it was strange, I remember Gin clung to the curtains and windows the 1st few days back at work, she read for most days, brought lots of books with her, I encourage her to walk to the shops, and get the buses to town, and I took her into our town and showed her where the library was, got her a membership, plus took her to the bank and got her an account sorted out, cards, visa that sort of thing.

Then I promised her we would have a great day out in London at the weekend, and she loved every minute of it, we had a great time, went to all the usual sights, and after a while she got used to life here, it takes time to adjust, even now she still gets homesick, but at christmas in the first year, I sent her her home, to make sure she had a chance of going home, she came in September, and went home on December 12th, didnt come back to following year in January 14th, it was a long time for me, but she was happier.

Adjustment is not easy, some girls take forever others take to Uk like water off a ducks back, best of luck,

[IainBusby]

LOL..

I like that bus trips... I told my bf that but want to do it alone.. a very nice adventure for me actually but bf said no as he said it would be unsafe to travel alone.. duh! I lived in manila and been traveling alone... and how dangerous can Manchester be compared here? (or am I mistaken?)

Would have to ask that bf takes a week off as well to show me around town...

Depends if your a scouser or not.