Lesley
In January 2008, my husband and I consulted a lawyer.
No, not a divorce lawyer. Our interest was immigration.
As a student my husband visited the USA and was smitten. In my first real job, I was send to the USA to install software. We had visited, together, many times since, and over the years became determined to make the big move from our home in the South of England, to the USA.
Would we have done so if we’d seen the economic crash coming? Somehow, I doubt it, but we didn’t. We applied for a visa, packed up the house, and waited.
After many months we got approval from the US and had to travel to London for an interview at the American Embassy. It seemed strange to see Embassy guards with machine guns on the streets of London, security was tight, understandably so. When they discovered I had a pen (an expensive pen) which included a nail file, I had no choice but to throw it away, or miss our appointment. I’d only had it for a couple of months, and hadn’t realized it was a potential weapon!
All went well and just about the point where the pound dollar exchange rate took a nose-dive, I arrived in the USA. I’d set out with more than enough money to rent a house, buy furniture etc., but arrived with an economic crisis in full swing, no US credit rating, and significantly less cash. The struggle began.
Twelve months later, our particular American Dream was more like an American nightmare. We spent what little capital we had left on a one day webinar by Chris Malta, and joined his ecommerce forum. While I was learning the forum ropes, I found that most people (including me) had the same problem. They all had to write content, whether for their blog, their store or as articles for article marketing. So one day, I offered to help; it was time to become a writer.
This blog is all about what I did, what I learned and what I’m still learning. If you want to read about writing, you’ve come to the right place!
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Hi Lesley:
Great post about changing situations and how to cope with it. It is the motivation of life that keeps you going. I am glad you are doing well professionally and survived in this economy to do better.
All the best
Fran A
Fran Aslam the Onlinewriter recently posted..Creating A List that Shows Responsiveness
Thanks Fran, they say that ‘may you live in interesting times’ is a Chinese curse, when we first moved, our times were far too ‘interesting’ for comfort, and I am delighted to be looking back on them!
Thanks for your comment.
Hi Lesley,
I came across your site via you leaving a comment on a guest post I had made on another blog (how’s *that* for examples of guest blogging and blog commenting bringing results!!)
Nice clean layout of your blog, and I’m fascinated to investigate your story further!
Regards from my side of the pond,
Gordon
The Great Gordino recently posted..Setting Goals – How Do You Account For Luck
What a fabulous name – where did it come from? Great to see you at my new site, yes, its strange the way we all seem to connect from one site to another, but as you say, at least it shows that commenting ‘works’. Will look for your site and pay a visit. Please top by again!
Hi Lesley,
It was the name of an act I did early on in my entertainment career. The act was rubbish, but name makes me laugh, and I have used it for branding myself online since around 2003.
I’m getting back into the online ‘game’, so hopefully more people will be seeing it!
Gordon
The Great Gordino recently posted..Setting Goals – How Do You Account For Luck
Hi Lesley, this is a very touching story. I have lived in America my entire life and do not understand why people want to come here. The economic times are so bad. I would love to have a chance to visit London; it would be a dream come true. However, I admire the audacity you and your husband had for going on a journey into new territories. It must have been a ride. There are many opportunities if you just look around. Many of us are in the same boat, and I think it’s blog posts like yours that can help people relate to one another so that they know they are not alone. Thank you.
Hulbert Lee recently posted..Comment on How to Focus on Having an Optimistic Personality by How to Focus on Contributing to SocietyHow To Focus Better
Hulbert, thanks for stopping buy and leaving a comment. I hope you do get a chance to visit the UK sometime. The UK and the USA are surprisingly different, both have a great deal to offer the world, and I feel privileged to be able to bridge the gap. Thanks for your comment.
Sorry, I meant I would love the chance to explore the south of England.
Hulbert Lee recently posted..Comment on How to Focus on Having an Optimistic Personality by How to Focus on Contributing to SocietyHow To Focus Better
Thanks for your comment. Don’t forget the rest of the UK, there’s a lot more to the British Isles than the South of England!
It’s great to hear that you’ve done so well with writing!
It is very inspiring to hear your real life story and what you went through. Hard situations are what lead us to better ones. I am sure you are now more comfortable than you were when you first moved .
Brandon Patton@tri cities homes recently posted..Effective Online Real Estate Search
Thanks Brandon, yes, things are somewhat better now, largely due to writing!
I am writing but sometime i am forgot many useful words. I thing in writing words create a big role. I read you post and i got many thing though your post. I just want to try.
Is this a joke? ‘I think in writing words create a big role?’
REALLY?
Hello, please advise, where did we stay in Sicily, (hotel please), glad all is good in the USA
Natalie
We stayed at the Villa Igiea. Planning to go back?
Hi Lesley!
Glad to hear some post who will truly inspires the readers. I love your fighting spirit. I just hope you will not stop writing. Keep it up and I’ll be expecting more articles from you. Good luck!
Maryden25 recently posted..Starbucks Via Coupons Printable
Leslie,
Love your Twitter feed!
I’m curious as to where you lived in the South of England–I used to live near Southampton.
Bobbi
Bobbi, thanks for taking the time to comment. In the UK I lived in Maidenhead. Did you enjoy Southampton?
Lesley
I loved living in Southampton, near the harbour with its ships and ferries, Calshot Castle, and the Isle of Wight.