Comments on: Small house

By: Meg

Meg — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 17:58:34 +0000

Thanks so much Jane. I love comments like yours because I can relate to them so much and I love hearing that people love my blog One thing I do like about bungalows here in the UK is the larger space around them (front and back and sometimes side gardens). Terraced houses, as you know, will never have that much space! I do love my house despite my slightly negative post (I was frustrated the day I wrote that! As is sometimes the case…) and we’ve since converted the loft and we now have an extra room and bathroom/shower room. It’s great, I love it!

By: Jane Hakes

Jane Hakes — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 04:55:00 +0000

Hello from another expat. I, too, mourn (literally) for an American-size home, but as I’m married to a Brit it simply will never happen. In Dallas, where I’m from, for the price of our humble bungalow in Kent, we could have a 4-bed, 2-car garage with a swimming pool! And of course we could actually USE the pool almost all year round, too.

I’ve been here 12 years and have no little ones, thank goodness (just grandchildren in Texas and step-grandchildren here). The school system in the UK makes me crazy!

Love your blog.

By: meg

meg — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 10:13:26 +0000

Hi Ingrid,
thanks for your comment. I think Sweden is probably more expensive than the UK?? At least that’s what I’ve heard. You are just down the road. Hope you are enjoying Chichester! Nice blog – lovely photos.

By: Ingrid Lindow

Ingrid Lindow — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 09:49:54 +0000

Hi! I like your blog. I too live in the south of England (in Chichester ) with my aunties family. Sorry about the house, it is always a question about money I think. Compared to Sweden , where I come from, I don’t think it is too expensive, just about the same.

Check out my blog! Glad to have found your blog

By: meg

meg — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 04:07:46 +0000

Thanks so much Jennifer! I really hope it helps and you enjoy reading it and can relate to some of the parent’s experiences. And let me know your feedback

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 22:42:41 +0000

Thanks Meg, I have ordered your book and am very much looking forward to reading it. I’m actually very relieved to have found this site, and to recognize my own feelings and thoughts in the posts here. I’m not alone after all 😉

By: meg

meg — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 15:20:32 +0000

Oh that’s funny about the garage doors. When we visit my parents in the States I’m always amazed at their garage doors (even though I grew up with automatic garage doors as a child!) it’s just something you don’t see every day here and you get used to NOT having that or seeing that. I’m so glad you’ve settled in and are enjoying the space – have to admit, I AM jealous! But you are so right. Home is where we are with our families and for me, my home now is our house here in the UK and I love it.

By: Heidi Mulligan Walker

Heidi Mulligan Walker — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 15:10:51 +0000

Hi there Meghan, As always another great blog post. I have to say we are LOVING the house we are renting in Cary, North Carolina, housing and family neighborhoods were a huge factor in where we decided to move to after Beijing. London was an option but housing and schooling would have been a challenge. After a good sized apartment in central Beijing with great storage and an amazing communal play area for the kids – where they had the freedom to come and go as they pleased – we specifically chose this area of the US due to the fact it is so family oriented, lemonade stands feature every weekend, every community has a clubhouse with pool, and most of the houses have so much space and yet they still have what they call a “bonus room” which is often the kids play room. Believe me after dealing with the UK housing market for 15 years we were more than ready for plenty of space, closets, garage and basketball hoop and are loving every minute. We definitely don’t take it for granted – we know what it is like to not have this space so will enjoy it for as long as possible. The funny thing is I keep leaving the garage door open when I pull out, after not driving for 18 years and never having had a garage I am totally not used to automatic garage door openers.

The other thing I have learned after moving our family around a bit over the last few years is that home is definitely wherever you are all together – whether that is a huge house or a one bedroom apartment:)

Have a great week and come and visit us in North Carolina any time!

By: meg

meg — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:58:12 +0000

Absolutely fantastic! I totally agree. The best of both can be much better than just one culture My kids are very British and relate to all things British too. I do American history lessons each week with them which contributes to my attempt to instill some sort of American-ness in them. Thanks for your post Jennifer and hope to hear from you again on this blog.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:35:42 +0000

I too am a New Zealander bringing up my child in the UK. Having been born here 4.5 years ago, my child relates to all things British – the Union Jack, Jessica Ennis and local accents. I however, seem to be heading back more to my Kiwi-ness since I became a parent, and draw on many of the stereotypical traits and habits of a New Zealander. I actively encourage my child to kick her shoes off and run around barefoot; to get her clothes and self as muddy as she can; to climb up the trees and on to the high stuff in the playground. It’s these actions that frequently result in me getting ‘the look’. I breastfed and co-slept. When my child joined pre school, I got ‘the look’ because I didn’t jump for joy when she achieved the highest test mark in her class at the end of the year, and when her ‘value added’ was the highest of all pupils (at age 4!). I often feel like a square peg in a round hole when it comes to parenting and I do worry that my daughter might start to feel that she’s not quite like the other kids. But I try to look on the bright side and not let it bother me; I’ll try to give her both the best of British and the best of New Zealandness as she grows up.