https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 08 Nov 2026 08:55:08 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-728436 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:59:51 +0000 Penny Lane 728436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ree723: what you said is exactly why I'm terrified of having a baby outside of nz or australia!! you'll acclimatize eventually. then you'll go somewhere else and it will be like 25 C and you'll be shivering. promise ;) </p> <p>@oceanbee59: I've lived here for 6 years now and until this summer had never had more than maybe 3 days of sun in a row. I was convinced I'd accidentally moved to a different city without noticing ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-728419 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:46:57 +0000 oceanbee59 728419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Penny Lane: Here for post-grad work, but in no rush to move back! I was hoping the same about the summer - everyone kept saying "oh this can't last" and I was just pretending they must be wrong!! I wish they all were... ha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724269 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 08:11:27 +0000 TheSwissWifeStyle 724269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lozza: I live in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, about an hour away from Sion! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724214 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 07:30:52 +0000 Ree723 724214@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Monkey: That is the million dollar question! We're open to either the States (as that's where my family is) or the UK (as that's where DH's family is), but we've also thrown Canada in the mix as we think it would be a great place to live and would be convenient for visiting both families! As for the main differences in antenatal care in the US vs Australia, I think it is best summed up in saying that pregnancy is treated as a medical condition that needs to be managed in the US, whilst in Australia it is viewed as a natural course of life that doesn't require a lot of medical intervention unless complications arise. They don't do any unnecessary testing (GBS comes to mind), internal checks (absolutely no point to them), and won't induce without significant medical necessity until 41+3....just to name a few of the differences that sprang to mind right away. Basically, it's a very hands off, laid back experience, but with the comfort of knowing you are well looked after. Oh, and did I mention the awesomeness of socialized medicine?! We did not pay one cent for our little one's birth (nor do we pay for insurance as it's included in our taxes here) and had phenomenal care. I just loved every single thing about it.</p> <p>@Penny Lane: How awesome that you lived in Darwin! We're loving it so far but it's just hot!! Everyone keeps saying we'll acclimatise but I have my doubts! Regardless, we have a great place right on the beach (not that we'll ever swim in it between the salties, stingers, and sharks!) so it makes it all worthwhile. So it's a great day to be a kiwi, hey? I just linked the speech from MP Williamson to my Facebook as I absolutely loved it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724155 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:53:58 +0000 Mrs. Monkey 724155@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gracecat: Wow! That's soon. If you haven't already, you might want to check out the Tokyo Pregnancy Group. I've only been to one meeting so far, but there were a lot of members who had also recently arrived in Tokyo. When are you due? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724153 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:52:33 +0000 Mrs. Monkey 724153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: The language barrier has been tough. I've studied off and on since coming here and know enough to get by with day to day things, but I rely on DH a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724134 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:43:18 +0000 gracecat 724134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Monkey: next week! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724133 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:41:49 +0000 Lozza 724133@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TheSwissWifeStyle: Where in Switzerland are you?<br /> We'll actually be there this summer for a wedding (wedding is in Sion, we'll fly into Geneva). I'll be 29 weeks pregnant, so while everyone else is hiking in the mountains, I plan to install myself at a cafe for many hours at a time :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724112 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:06:12 +0000 TheSwissWifeStyle 724112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Ugh, yes the grocery store! meh. </p> <p>All the European Bees should try and meet up! I'm open to visitors any time :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724110 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:02:10 +0000 lamariniere 724110@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@crumbs: I understand exactly what you mean about the gloom. I can handle winter, I can handle cold and snow, but I NEED sunshine! I feel like we barely saw the sun this winter.</p> <p>@theswisswifestyle: I kind of envy you as I speak French fluently but don't get to use it here (other than with the DH)...although some people hear my son speaking French on the playground so they will speak it to us.</p> <p>I think the grocery store is my biggest language challenge. I like to read labels and know what's in my food, and here, I have no idea. Often if there is a second language on a label it is in Italian, which I can decipher better than German, but it's still rough. When we first moved, I bought a whole duck, thinking it was a whole chicken! So I've at least learned what chicken is :-). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724098 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 05:39:21 +0000 SugarplumsMom 724098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a Californian living in Sweden with my Swede and soon to be toddler. We decided to settle down here - it's so family friendly. We bought our forever home in a small village in between 2 larger cities, I love it! However, I'm not in love with the weather. It's not as cold as people may think, but during the winter it's gloooooomy, during a bad winter, you won't see the sun in weeks! Summer makes up for it when it's sunny from 03:30-22:30! Everything grows out there during this period. I'm an instant gardener. </p> <p>@lamariniere: There is a language barrier. They're taught English in school, so most can speak it, but everything is in Swedish. Also, a lot of the older Swedes don't speak English very well, or not at all. But that all seems irreverent because they're not a talkative bunch. So even if there wasn't a language barrier, they hardly ever talk. I struggled through this coldness for sometime. If I didn't have my own little family to occupy me, I wouldn't choose to live here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724093 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 05:29:41 +0000 Penny Lane 724093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oceanbee59: oh, the weather. I had my hopes that the summer would never end. Do you live here or just on holiday? :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724083 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:52:29 +0000 oceanbee59 724083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Penny Lane: I'm not too far from you :-) from the US but I love your country, even with the weather this week! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724075 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:31:10 +0000 TheSwissWifeStyle 724075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: I'm trying to learn French but I suck. I know enough to get by-ish. But I get very flustered. I'm supposed to start lessons with my FIL soon. I'm so not motivated. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724068 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:24:54 +0000 Mrs squirreld 724068@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm an West Australian born &amp; bred, DH &amp; I dream of moving to the states one day... sigh if only it wasn't so hard! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724061 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:00:17 +0000 anniegurumi 724061@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hello! I'm an American living in Shanghai and we've been here for 1.5 years! :) so happy to meet other overseas/expat mommies! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724056 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 03:38:40 +0000 lamariniere 724056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Monkey: living in Vienna has been an interesting experience so far. There is definitely a language barrier, but most people speak pretty decent English. The loooongest winter of my life has just come to an end and we are relishing in the spring. The best part of Vienna is that it is incredibly kid friendly and there is so much to do with children. </p> <p>For other bees, how have you dealt with the language barrier if you don't speak the local language? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-724036 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 01:53:01 +0000 TheSwissWifeStyle 724036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm an American living in Switzerland. Hoping to move around more with DH's job. Some place warm next please! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723976 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:08:00 +0000 Arden 723976@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Monkey: We were in Albania before. We have been to Kosovo though, we just haven't lived there yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723960 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:50:08 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 723960@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wheres_c: Guadalajara</p> <p>@sloaneandpuffy: :) Well, if you ever make it this way we can have our own Hellobee meetup... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723922 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:07:09 +0000 Penny Lane 723922@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Monkey: oooh, i'd love to go to tokyo one day! envious!!</p> <p>@Ree723: you're in darwin?! i lived in darwin when i was a kid! i loved it, and wish i could go back!!</p> <p>hi! i'm a kiwi married to an american living in wellington, new zealand. we're eventually moving back to the US (i'm hoping AFTER we're done having kids, i'm terrified of the american medical system!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723921 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:06:44 +0000 Mrs. Monkey 723921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: That's really exciting. Were you in Kosovo before?</p> <p>@sloaneandpuffy: Totally counts! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723918 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:05:41 +0000 mamimami 723918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Baby Boy Mom: I will be sad when you leave Mexico! I mean, despite the fact that you're nowhere near me and I don't actually know you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723889 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:51:13 +0000 mamimami 723889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wheres_c: Mexico City </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723874 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:43:28 +0000 wheres_c 723874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sloaneandpuffy: @Baby Boy Mom: which parts of Mexico? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723836 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:18:19 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 723836@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in Mexico as well, have had both kids here and we have about a year left before we head back north. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723823 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:06:31 +0000 mamimami 723823@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Gringa in Mexico here. It's not over any seas but its a different country if that counts :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723621 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:08:06 +0000 Arden 723621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm currently back in my birth country (USA), but I've been a long time expat and we (DH, DD, and I) will be moving back overseas (this time to Kosovo) next year! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-723612 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:03:12 +0000 Mrs. Monkey 723612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: It's tough being away from family. It's funny because I never got homesick though until I was pregnant.</p> <p>@lamariniere: Congrats! What is it like living and raising your family in Vienna? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-overseas-bees#post-721846 Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:35:18 +0000 lamariniere 721846@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hello! I'm an American married to a French guy and we live in Vienna with our toddler. Just got my 2nd bfp last week, so we'll be expanding at the end of this year! </p>