Arrived and settled on 23 August, 2011
DHL picked up my 11 boxes of stuff on Monday morning at about 11.30, so the journey really started. Loaded up at 6.45am Tuesday morning for the journey to LHR for the flight - Mum, Dad and my brother came with us, brother driving a rented Ford Galaxy to get all of us plus luggage in.
Got into Chicago O'Hare a few minutes early and headed off for Immigration.
I cornered a CBP officer and confirmed with him that I needed to complete a white I-94 and that the customs declaration only needed to have the back completed if I was bringing with me things that I'd had for less than a year or was planning on selling in the US.
Joined the immigration queue - we actually joined the USC/LPR queue as they said it didn't matter which. Got a youngish female CBP officer who took the brown envelope, opened it and started stamping forms left, right and centre. She chatted away with the two of us (Gin had come over to the UK a few days before so that we could journey back together), stamped everything that needed to be stamped and sent us on our way.
Picked up the bags from the carousel and went through to the customs point - they looked at the declarations, and waved is on through - even with 4 large suitcases, two cabin cases and two backpacks
No stresses at immigration/customs whatsoever! No secondary, nothing. Of course, that hadn't stopped me getting stressed about what could happen when the plane was coming in to land...
Over 3 hours at O'Hare, then onward flight to SLC where we were picked up by Gin's parents in her dad's old pick-up with topper (the only vehicle big enough for 4 people plus all the luggage.
Home and in bed by about 10.30pm.
Wednesday, and we were up early (the joys of an early night!) ready for errands - Gin handed me the keys to the car so that I could start getting used to driving in the US (only done it once before for a week on holiday) and we were off up to the county seat for the marriage license, then T-Mobile for my new sim card (Gin and her family are on T-Mob so it's easier, even though I do lose 3G from my iPhone), and finally grocery stores for bits and pieces.
Got home for lunch and there were the 11 boxes dumped on the drive - a little battered and bruised from their journeys though. We had lunch and then dived into the boxes - all 11 unpacked and some of the stuff sorted away by dinner time. Only a few breakages (5 glasses, a mug, a Le Creuset baking dish and a sponge tin dented to buggery), so not too bad all considered.
The stresses and strains then left me in bed all day yesterday suffering, but I'm better today, so hopefully it'll all be OK now, and, of course, Gin is off work as it's the weekend from tonight.
Only thing left to sort is my health insurance - the company I was going to go with (Humana) requires me to have lived in the US for 6 months prior to taking out the insurance, so back to square one. Gin's health insurance from her employer is a lot more money to add me on than the quotes I was getting, so if we can beat that, it'd be good. More to look into tonight and this weekend, I think - wonder if I'll have to speak to an insurance agent...
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