Nearly 4 years ago we were expecting our 3rd child in July. It was a busy time.
In reflection in many ways it feels like the visa process has been a bit like a pregnancy, full of adjustment and a fair amount of uncertainty.
Thankfully we are drawing near the end of that process, our petition has been approved and we will be heading for our interviews at the embassy in London next week. So this week I have been over in Arlington, Texas, home of the Pais Movement’s global office checking out some of the relocation prospects.
Starting over fresh in a new culture and location is a interesting experience, there are so many things that you would expect to be the same, but in reality so many things are different.
This week I have been so grateful for some of the people who have welcomed me and taken the time and patience to unpack some of those differences. School staff who have explained to me some of their schooling systems over here, realtors who have shown me around the different areas of Arlington and friends who have advised me on all sorts of local info from the best grocery stores to some of the best family activities in the area. There is so much to organise like housing, furnishings, medical, transport etc, but it is good to remember all the ways things like this have always worked out in the past, even when they have seemed desperately impossible.
The more I prepare for the role the more excited I am to get started. Just today I have spent time with many of Pais Movement leaders from around the world as we gathered for the annual Pais leaders summit. Much of my new role will be to resource them and their leadership teams to help them equip and train their teams of apprentices on the ground in communities like Nairobi, Vancouver, Auckland, Chennai, Brisbane, East Lancashire, Fort Worth and Neumunster.
You can check out a little more of what the new role will involve in the short I made below,
As we get closer to the big move, we would appreciate your prayers over the next few weeks for the following;
- visa interviews
- shipping & sale of UK house clearance
- our fundraising for flights and resettlement costs
- Housing, transport and schools
If you would like to help launch us into this new role we’d love you to do so via gofundme.com/riley-relocation.