Trepidation & Nervous Already!

[alanmf1]

As you may know Lyn arrives in the Uk on 11th May.

I am aware that quite a few couples have successully made the transition to living in the UK in the past 12 months or so.

I would be grateful for any advice in helping Lyn settle in during her 1st few weeks here.

I have managed to get a week of work initially but obviously very concerned for her sanity when i return to the grind stone.....

Again,
Much appreciated...

VBR

Alan

[sars_notd_virus]

Take her to all the big shops Asda, Tesco, Designer Outlet and let her go out on her own ,ride a bus ..the weather is beautiful am sure she will manage and will meet loads of filipinas around while shopping

[Arthur Little]

As you may know Lyn arrives in the Uk on 11th May.

May is an ideal month for Lyn's arrival ... heralding - as it does - the advent of our summer!

[KeithD]

.... and tornados and flooding

[Dedworth]

Buy the Argos Rice Cooker

[steve monty]

I can't offer first hand advice yet, but I would show Lyn the local area and make her feel comfortable in her new surroundings. Like Dedworth said have a welcoming present, a rice cooker Take her to the food shops, show her where the rice is

I hope everything goes well Alan! I bet you can't wait!

[joebloggs]

register her with the local doc and dentist and on here
change bills to joint names
and yes a rice cooker, and a trip to your nearest pinoy food store

[subseastu]

Yep, rice cooker, try to find your nearest indian / chinese / filipino food shop so she can eat what familiar to her. Take her out and about clothes shopping. Don't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do. My wife was her 5 years before she felt comfortable to get on a bus!! Find the websites on the net that allow her to watch her filipino channels (there are a few about). Slowly introduce her to family and friends.

that should about do it, oh yes remember to throw any evidence of past girlfriends......like what I didn't do Nearly had to buy a return to the phils 3 days after the wife arrived!! That took some smoothing over!!!!

[stevewool]

just enjoy each others company , no rush into anything, the local shops and dont rush round them like we men do, just take your time, primark i find is a good shop and its not because i am tight either

[alanmf1]

I have full confidence that Lyn will settle in well but cant help the nerves! Its a big step for her and i've been living alone for over 7 years!!

I'm just about as ready as i can be, i feel, so ,bring it on!

@stu ..yes noted Done!

[philphil61]

Hope it all goes well for you....

My advice - even though it's near summer she'll still need some warmish clothes (long sleaved tops. trousers/jeans etc) - I've just returned after over 2yrs in Philippines and it's still bloody cold - at first I was sleeping fully clothed - now in this sunny weather I still get goose bumps lol

For foods - depending on her current lifestyle/location - if she's from close by the waters (so to speak) then I assume she'll eat anything that comes out of the ocean from crabs to all kinds of fish - the fresh type (our available fish here are restricted but tapia is a good choice for starters - she'll know that one.) and of course rice - plain boiled bugas - no added anything - just pan after pan of plain boiled rice for breakfast, dinner and tea....
Our pork is leaner where as baboy is straight from the pig with everything attached.
Plain grilled chicken from the superstores will almost be like her lechon manok except you'll need to find the soy sauce or whatever it is they use.

[grahamw48]

I have full confidence that Lyn will settle in well but cant help the nerves! Its a big step for her and i've been living alone for over 7 years!!

I'm just about as ready as i can be, i feel, so ,bring it on!

@stu ..yes noted Done!

I had been living alone for 22 years when I brought the ex over.

Had to buy another plate !

[scott&ligaya]

what is her experience of larger towns? has she been brought up in the provinces or the city, biggest thing Ligaya missed was her friendship group in Hong Kong when we came over here but luckily we are settled by the 2nd largest hospital complex in europe so loads of Filipino couples around ans soon got established, she had lived since she was 19 in modern cities like Singapore and Hong Kong so Birmingham was if anything a let down compared to what she was used to regards trasnsport. shopping malls etc , I had never noticed really until she pointed out how much litter was around and for example. She did miss her "tabo" and her broom thing (walis something or other) though until we moved to our current place where we have a bidet in the main bathroom. Made her week LOL. As others have said introduce her to one thing at a time, do not bombard her with everything new at once including relatives and friends. Try to resist showing her everything at once especially if western style living is very new for her. My mahal was so happy when she found salmon heads for sale for 50p each in the Birmingham city market halls!!! ohhhhh and buy a decent rice cooker , enjoy the anticipation of the next few days and have a blast when she arrives.

[keeperlit]

I have full confidence that Lyn will settle in well but cant help the nerves! Its a big step for her and i've been living alone for over 7 years!!

I'm just about as ready as i can be, i feel, so ,bring it on!

@stu ..yes noted Done!

take her to kfc macdonalds these places have filipinos working there it will be nice for lyn to see a fellow filipina at least she will know she is not alone,,,,i know the feeling alan i live on my own for over 8 years,,,,karen says she will be ok,,,,because filipinos can adapt to anything,,,,must be true karens cousin is living in canada and its still just below freezing,,,,anyway we will be back in the philippines when lyn arrives here in the uk,,,,so we just want to say congratulations and best wishes ,,,,john and karen

[alanmf1]

@Scott, much appreciated
@John & Karen.. Cheers have a nice trip and will let you know when we are coming home to Antrim!!
Happy Holidays

[scott&ligaya]

your welcome

you can always bring her to the Birmingham barrio fiesta, june 18 and 19 near to our place at Woodgate Country Park, she should be well settled in by then and missing all those filipino foods. she can stock up as they several stalls there from some of the bigger Filipino stores/businesses plus lots of barbacued foods YUMMY or ma sarap!!!!!

[alanmf1]

@Scott...sounds good i will try that and there is the one in Milton Keynes i think also in June
She'll be busier than me!!

[keeperlit]

@Scott, much appreciated
@John & Karen.. Cheers have a nice trip and will let you know when we are coming home to Antrim!!
Happy Holidays

sounds good alan ,we would love to meet up

[scott&ligaya]

you are up early, chatting to your honey I guess another thing that came to mind was and is a classic for most Filipinas TAKE HER TO A BIG CARBOOT SALE give her £20 and watch her bargain..... especially for stuff like childrens sports tops(nike, adidas etc). She will love it and you..... then find a local agent for one the reputable balikbayan box companies and watch her fill it up over the weeks and then stand on it whilst she use 5 miles of brown tape to seal the bulging contents hehehehehhehehe. Have a great day and remember your house will never bet he same but in a good way.

just thought of one more , get a decent international call provider, there are cheaper but we find 18185 an online provider to be dependable and very clear line, we pay 12p calling a from the landline to the mobile and 15p mobile to mobile(plus the local call to the providers UK host line.

[Englishman2010]

All the best for you two when she comes over, you must both be very excited

[somebody]

A great time for you both. One thing I can advise is look for the supermarket near you that sells asia veg meat n fish your wife can adapt but the veg is very important. Both the morrisons and large Tescoss near us sell eddoes and other veg which all thou not quite as the wife knows them is good enough Plus look for the local greengrocers which sell asian region veg n fruit Also get used to visiting morrisons in the eveing when meat n fish is reducded to clear so the qunaities of often very expensive sea food she wants to buy don't cost a kings ransom

Be prepared for the day it all sinks in as well its ok she has not made a mistake she doesn't hate you its just homesickness

[malditako]

taking her to the shopping mall would be great

[scott&ligaya]

oh just thought about another important thing, chances are your hiney will be used to mancure, pedicure, facial, hair do, massage on a regular basis at little cost.. she will be shocked at the cost in the Uk so I reccomend you connect with the local fiipino community, try catholic church if desperate and they will usually have one trained beauty therapistor good amatuer in the group who will usually visit you at home.... this is a MAJOR BROWNIE POINTS tip which will ensure much even when she is mad with you LOL

[Dedworth]

oh just thought about another important thing, chances are your hiney will be used to mancure, pedicure, facial, hair do, massage on a regular basis at little cost.. she will be shocked at the cost in the Uk so I reccomend you connect with the local fiipino community, try catholic church if desperate and they will usually have one trained beauty therapistor good amatuer in the group who will usually visit you at home.... this is a MAJOR BROWNIE POINTS tip which will ensure much even when she is mad with you LOL

Interesting............. I've never thought about that as a Brownie Point opportunity always advised her to wait till she goes home and then get for a fistful of pesos. Noted.

We've used 18185 for a few years, clear lines as you say, cheap web based sms, monthly itemised billing from your card - for a couple of pence more much better than some of the phone card cowboys.

[gWaPito]

register her with the local doc and dentist and on here
change bills to joint names
and yes a rice cooker, and a trip to your nearest pinoy food store

I agree with getting her registered with the above....dont forget to get your council tax changed as well.....as for the rice cooker, jane could never get on with it......her preference is always the saucepan and egg timer, just like in PH........I enjoy watching her cook eggplant....no saucepan this time just over the naked flame on the gas hob, barbecue stylie.....plenty of smoke and burnt eggplant skin floating all around the house.......just like in the PH ........the main thing is, she's happy

[grahamw48]

Build her a 'dirty kitchen' in the garden.

[Dedworth]

..dont forget to get your council tax changed as well.....as for the .....

Best to keep Stum single person allowance and all that

[gWaPito]

Build her a 'dirty kitchen' in the garden.

She prefers it inside, too cold outside. The other hazard is frying fish. You cld end up on your backside with the oil on the floor....aah she says, just like home

W einvested in one of those fat stoppers recently, money well spent.

[scott&ligaya]

Hi Alan.. re the above .........if you do not already have one, buy a large barbacue and make sure you get one of those fish holders otherwise she will cook fish directly on your hob LOL.. only around 10 days or so for you now, correct?

[alanmf1]

Cheers Scott.. many thanks
Yes..... wednesday week!!