So here's the quick background: following the repeated 'requests' of Andrew's employers, Andrew, Karen, Sadie (2 1/2) and Parker (1) moved from Maplewood, New Jersey to London, UK in mid August of 2010. We plan on staying for 2 years.
The initial decision to come over was made reluctantly. We had bought a house in Maplewood three years ago and were just starting to feel settled in. The kids are young, and not exactly at a stage in life where travel, or frankly any disruption from routine, is all that easy. Karen had reached the stage where she was ready to go back to work, which won't be possible over here. As for London, it is surely a world class city but also one with several well-publicized negatives: cool and wet weather, expensive, far away from family and friends. I've lived here before (2002-5) but had not exactly pined away for a chance to return. There was, in sum, a lot to be said for staying put.
And yet, there were positive things to be said for doing it. For me the career pull was unambiguous and the move means greater job security, proximity to colleagues, a bump up in pay. For Karen, the chance to experience a new city and culture. For the kids, a opportunity to acquire an English accent for free. Once over the jetlag and an initial case of stomach flu (Parker), they have not seemed to mind being here. I guess you can say that if we didn't do this now, it would become a lot harder later on. So here we go.
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