FAQ's on our move back

My postings have decreased recently mostly because I am running out of different ways to say- "wait, where the hell did the last 18 months go???!!!"

We are heading into our third weekend left in London and also the last weekend of JP's twenties (Don't forget he turns 30 on March 18- make sure to send him loads of "You're OLD" messages!!). We rented a private room at a karaoke bar in East London tonight for our friends to play out all their American Idol fantasies in front of those who know and love them best. It should be a lot of fun- there are many times when we are out with our friends that we end up at someone's flat circa 2am having Ipod sing-a-longs that get us always wishing for a microphone, so hopefully the celebration is giant and fun tonight.

My very first posting on this blog was a FAQ's on our move to London. I thought it fitting that as we reach the end and are facing a lot of questions from co-workers, friends, and family that I try to answer what I can:

1. When do you leave London? We are leaving London on the evening of April 1.
2. When do you get back to the US? We land in the US on April 23. The three weeks between leaving and landing we will be spending time in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam exploring some of Southeast Asia's amazing beaches, cities, and countryside.
3. Where are you living when you move back? After much debate and back and forth- we have decided to move back into our condo for the short term. We will move in there on May 12. The time between we will be spending at a hotel in Laguna Beach (thanks EY) while we get the condo in order for our move in.
4. What is happening with the townhome you bought? The build has been pushed back and framing has yet to start. They are no longer giving us expected move-in dates but rather trying to guess when the framing will at least begin. We are ok with this as we need two jobs to qualify for a mortgage and as of March 25, we will only have one income! We anticipate hopefully moving into the townhome sometime in the fall of 2009 if all goes well.
5. Am I going back to EY in the US? At press time, there is a hiring freeze at EY which impacts me returning to anything. I am currently exploring some job options from here via phone interviews and such, but am waiting to do the aggressive job search when we return to the US.
6. Are you looking forward to going home? Yes and no. It is bittersweet as we love our friends and lifestyle here but are ready to return to better weather and a lifestyle that includes less alcohol and more vegetables.
7. What was your best trip or favorite memory of your time in London? How do you chose such a thing? It is tough, each trip was unique, and all our memories include a lot of laughter and fun. If I had to chose though- I would say Italy was my favorite trip and our Valentine's Day party last year was my favorite memory. There are many others in close second!
8. Would you do it again- relocate to another country? My honest answer is yes- but not necessarily with EY. All the logistical parts of moving abroad were made much more difficult by EY, but the experience of integrating into another culture, becoming much more self aware of how Americans are perceived abroad, and meeting people from every corner of the world has been the highlight of our experience here!
9. What will you miss about London? Our friends, our flat, the trips, public transportation, and the variety of things to do.
10. What are you ready to leave behind? THE WEATHER, public transportation (it's a love hate thing), the fast pace, and the lack of customer service.