Relocation & Expat Coach

'New Year's eve is like every other night: ...

... there is no pause in the march of the universe,
 no breathless moment of silence among created things
that the passage of another twelve months may be noted;
and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening
that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.'
Hamilton Wright Mabie

via www.spiritualreflection.eu

Paperwork!

'Although it has been subject to strong criticism for a long time, bureaucracy and its variants can still be found in a large number of organisations.'

As we work through the 'selling process' we are find out just how many pieces of paper we have to submit, review, agree, sign ... !  I'm not sure whether the information about the complexities of selling have been pubished, as we are finding out step-by-very slow-step.

Not only do we have to complete and sign forms that we don't understand - the new process is not to use a legal firm that can support you in the process.  So how do you move forward? 

We've been lucky with the Estate Agents that we selected and that have sold the house - they have one person allocated to supporting each sale.  Not only did it take a couple of days to work through the paperwork, recently we were asked to sign the contract - the sale contract.  The challenge with this is that it is written in bureaucratic legalese with references to a 'standard contract'.  When we enquiried as to what the clauses were in the 'standard contract', the Estate Agency didn't know, so we contacted the Conveyancing Agents.  They sent us the original paperwork that we completed.  We explained that we were looking for clauses 'x' in the 'standard contract' and they send us a very old frequently photocopied copy of the 'standard contract'.  With great difficulty we battled our way through this contract in line with the sale contract and found that we were now doing the legal work!  It's a scary position to be in ... but we have been very lucky with the Estate Agency representative - they have supported us.

Now we are in the position of having returned the paperwork ... and know no more!  We have put in a request for an exchange date and a completion date, but these new processes don't allow you to get confirmation.

Towards the end of last week we found out that the VAT rate to be charged on these services is dependant upon when we exchange and that in the UK this goes up by 2.5% on the 1st January, 2010; but that our Conveyancing Agents don't seem to worry about the additional charge that will be made to us.

So although we found the purchasing process in Madeira an unusual one, we were supported all the way through the process with clear understanding of what was happening when.

Planning ... what a challenge when you are unable to find out the dates that are required for planning!  Watch for the next challenge in organising the moving companies. 

Your Relocation & Expat Coach.
Spiritual Coaching designed to suit your requirements.

'Whatever you think you can do ...

... believe you can do, begin it.  Action has magic, grace, and power in it.'  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A fabulous quote that I found when doing some research on the internet.  My understanding of this quote is that if you really want to do something, start it.  By starting it, you will begin the action to do it and you'll see the magic starting to happen around you.

I've recently experienced this myself.  2009 for me has been a magical year and the realisation of this has suddenly come to light ... yes, the year has been a hard one; but the magic moments have made it a very special year.  Twice special friends have travelled with me to Madeira and seen the magic of the island (for those who do not know, I am moving from the UK to Madeira).  I have been in contact with a number of friends from my school days - people that I thought, when I left boarding school in South Africa to return to Malawi, I would never see or speak to again.  We email, we facebook, we skype!  It's been magical.  I'm meeting up with a cousin of mine, who again I haven't seen since I left school - he lived in South Africa (recently USA and now the UK) and I've travelled extensively - so to be able to meet in London this week is magical.  I've experienced special, quiet, meditative moments (sometimes as short as 10-minutes, other times as long as a couple of hours); which ave allowed me to really focus on myself, my health, my business and my future.  Business opportunities - there are a number of business opportunities that have been brought my way ... watch for updates throughout 2010 on these.

So although the world has said it is in a financial recession, I know that my life has taken a different path.  How?  As a coach who works with individuals and organisations that want to grow in their own understanding and development, I have used a number of these skills working with myself and my own coach - I am clear about how I wish my future to be.  I've developed a real understanding about what my future will focus on.  I've learnt how to face the fear of giving up something that is fundamental to my financial stability.  I've truly learnt to trust my own intuition.  All of this and more has allowed me to experience a very magical 2009! and by starting it and taking action, I've seen the introductions to relationships, the business opportunities, the peace, quiet and calm that I've been asking for, all start to come in to my own life.

So ask yourself, what magical experiences did you have in 2009?  What did you believe that you could do, that you could start now?  I look forward to hearing how 2010 develops for you.

Expat Coaching designed to suit your requirements.

Season Greetings!

The next step ...

... or is this the final step?

As we work through the process of selling our house in the UK, the question came to me ... is this just the next step or the final step in the process of emigrating?

For a number of people I would guess it would be seen to be the final step, as working through the process of emigrating, is a long and in some cases very slow process; and those seeing this as the final step will be celebrating their success in moving.  For others it will be seen as the next step, with many more small steps in front of them!

For me I'm seeing this as the next step in the exciting process of leaving one environment and moving into a new environment.  There are still a number of immediate steps that have to be addressed, but I've just finished filling in the paperwork to sell the house and it feels like a huge step forward.  Is it?  After agreeing to sell the house this does feel like a huge step forward.  The paperwork is now with the solicitors and we are in the waiting game - paperwork and legal processing!

So the next step has been started and we are working through what now needs to be done to move out ... re-directing post, changing details on services, organising packers ... to mention just a few.  Watch for the list - I'll publish it under Hints and Tips.  Any suggestions added would be gratefully received.

Want to convert your dreams/aspirations to achievable goals? 

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life'

Find Barbara's biog on http://www.internationalcoachinginstitute.org/coach_referral_service/display_detail.php?trf=91

Interesting place to be ... !

We are just negotiating the sale of our house in the UK - yes our dream is coming true and we are moving - but I've suddenly remembered that the outstanding items on the house in Madeira are still just that - outstanding!

Thankfully the house is in a state in which we can move into it, but it will mean that areas of the house we would like to have completely finished before we moved - won't be.

How does this impact what we are doing now?  It doesn't.  We had to make the decision that we would move and sort these little things out once we are there.

Where does this leave us?  In a very interesting position ... we are in the process of selling the house in the UK around Xmas and New Year.  We are just waiting for the final moving date to allow us to truly plan our move.  What are our options?  When it comes to moving from one country to another you must truly understand what you need in the house/environment you are moving into, before you finalise your plans.

We are just working through what we need - electricity, running water, gas (for water heating), internet connection, telephone, mobile, and the list goes on.  If you are in this position, what do you need? 

Once we have the actual moving date from the Estate Agents, we will be able to create a plan of each step that we need to take.  I'll publish these as we create them.

Want to convert your dreams/aspirations to actually moving? 

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life'

Find Barbara's biog on http://www.internationalcoachinginstitute.org/coach_referral_service/display_detail.php?trf=91