...

....

..... we really don't know where. :(

We are leaving Tokyo on 12 November. :( :(

It looks like we will move to Huntsville, AL...


but...

...it might be temporary...

... we still might end up in Brussels. :D

We just wish they would make a decision.

We were in Huntsville a couple of weeks ago and actually signed a contract to build a house. :)

Luckily, it has a contingency in case we end up somewhere else....however....we never thought we could end up in Huntsville and then move six months later. :rolleyes:

Our cruise and travel plans are highly contingent on where we are living. So, it looks like FUN is still a go (unless we end up in Brussels before March) but Sea2Sea is still on the books if we do move to Brussels.

Oh well, it could be worse, we could have ended up in the unemployment line. :(

Uncertainty is so hard :hug:

I'm sure all will work out for the best. Brussels could be exciting!

Best of luck to you both - it has been great traveling with you to Tokyo and I hope you get Brussels, if that is your wish - keeping fingers crossed FUN will remain on your travel books -

Good Luck! I know it will all work out for you. We love Belgium, both Brussels and Brugge. I bet Huntsville is nice too but never been there. I know what a great experience Tokyo has been!

More adventures for the Levin family lie ahead!

Good luck Marc and Arlene!! Overseas living requires so much tolerance for ambiguity....not easy, but so rewarding! Hard to believe your time in Japan is nearing the end! We'll be anxious to hear how this all evolves for you!

American TV, woohoo!!! I am selfish and will just be glad to have you back! I hope your move is a smooth one.

Marc and Arlene,
I don't know if I could stand all the packing up and unpacking!
But you have the temperment to do it and I am sure everything will work out well.
Lynn

I'm sure everything will work out for the best. It will be nice to have your closer. Good Luck. Tom.

Hope it works out exactly the way you want! Good luck, Marc & Arlene!

Worlds apart...Brussels - Alabama. It looks like you favor Brussels ;) Me too. Best of luck wherever you are assigned as long as we get together on FUN!

Hey, finally someone who moves almost as frequently as we do! :eek:
:D

Best of luck, Marc and Arlene, and I'm sure it will all work out for the best! Please keep us posted.

Wait, isn't Huntsville where you wanted to go??? Or is my mind failing me? Which is a distinct possibility. Of course, if it is where you want to be, but only temporary, then that is unsettling as well.

So, good luck Marc - hope it all works to your advantage and that you get to do all the cruises you signed up for, and end up being where you want to be.

Marc & Arlene, here's hoping you have an easy move and end up where ever you want to be. You have some wonderful cruises planned. Hope all works out for you.

......................

Susan

Marc and Arlene, it's no fun being in limbo. I've been there many times in my former life when my husband's company moved us around.

Huntsville or Brussels? Two ends of the spectrum there. But, you two will make the best of wherever you live. I hope you make all of your cruise plans. That should keep you smiling!

Well, if you move to Huntsville, you'll have a lovely new home! And I bet you're smiling..you probably sold your home at the right time and are building at a good time too!!

Limbo is hard, but I know it will all work out in the end. Now that you are an ex-pat at heart, and have the wanderlust, Brussels just feels so much sexier than the US!

I'm still looking for opportunities to live abroad again. Until then, I just travel.

All the best to you both. Would I be correct in saying Japan is an experience you wouldn't have missed? I absolutely adore Brugge so you may have visitors if that's where you end up. Lee and Michael

Best of luck with the move, Marc and Arlene!

Marc - Thanks for letting us know where you may land next.

It's never a dull moment, is it? Dull would be good when trying to plan a move. Worlds apart is right.

Here's hoping it all works out for the best. You two deserve it.

I'm with Karen. Selfishly, it would be so nice to have you two back here.

Cheers, Anne

As Marc's post suggests, we have really been "riding the rollercoaster" the last few weeks. We really want Brussels if possible as it would aford the opportunity for so much travel around Europe. Consequently we have really been praying and keeping our fingers crossed. It seems like every time we get a "little news / update" our hopes are dashed as we are told the chances are small. Then, a few days latter when I have finally resigned myself to Hunstville (albeit not that bad considering we would have a new house) they come back and tell us Brussels is still in play. We put the contract on the house when they told us the chances of Belguim were about 3%. Now they tell us our chances are as much as 50%. Our contingency runs out the end of September, but we don't know if we will know anything definite by then. Last night Marc got a call asking if we would be able to move to Hunstville in November and rent until we know something definite possibly in February or so and then move to Brussels. Easy for them to say... do we let the house go and take a chance that if we don't get Brussels they won't have sold it to someone else? Do we stay with the contract after the contingency expires and take a chance at loosing our earnest money? The contingency is based on Marc's company "transferring him to Huntsville" If we are only in Hunstville for 6 months will the builder treat that as a transfer and not return our earnest money? (The house is due to be completed in mid February) Do we buy new cars? (We don't own any right now) What would we do for transportation if we end up in Hunstsville for 6 months before they send us to Brussels? Buy a cheap one and then sell it when we leave or when we buy "new / permanent" ones? Do we get our stuff out of storage or leave it where it is in Florida? We don't even know at this point where we will be spending the holidays. It is really difficult planning for this move when we don't know for sure where we will end up or when. It would be so much easier if they would just send us directly to Brussels. We have had our hopes up and then dashed about 4 times in as many weeks. Right now we are in back in "hopeful" mode. We'll have to keep you posted.

Arlene, yes, you and Marc have been "riding the rollercoaster". I wish you both the best of luck and hope all goes the way you hope.

Nancy

Wow, Arlene, you really are on a roller coaster. I'm so sorry that you and Marc are going through this and hope it will be resolved sooner rather than later.

The reasonably good news for you is that the real estate market is in the tank. Call your builder or realtor and renegotiate your terms. Sounds simple, but you do have a bad housing market on your side. I wouldn't worry about the car yet. Of course I remember that Marc even worried about the wasted address labels, so......just know that you have a ton of people here holding their collective breaths for you!

Oh, Arlene, I like things in black and white too. Especially, when I want something as badly as you want Belgium.

Personally, I would proceed as though Belgium were going to happen in February. If that were the case, what would you do? Rent a house? Rent a car? What would it hurt to not finalize things now and wait it out until you know about Belgium for sure?

Oh gosh that kind of uncertanty would just KILL me. Hope it all works out as you hope.
----------------
Helen

Oh my Arlene/Marc. How difficult this must be for both of you. All those factors Arlene - I would just be going crazy and I mean CRAZY. You two handle this so well. I hope things work out to your advantage all the way around.

Miss you guys, we had so much fun on B2B with you.

Take care, keep us all posted. My hope is that you come out in the end on top and everything works to your advantage.

Good luck with all the logistics! Luckily you have the housing market on your side as far as re-negotiating or lengthening your time frame on committing to the new house.

I agree with Andi - if you want Brussels, then plan for what works with that possibility - you will be able to secure favorable options in Huntsville if that is the outcome.

Wow, Marc and Arlene, what a roller coaster. Hope everything works out the way you want it to.

Hi Arlene and Marc,

My very best wishes that things work out for you, sooner rather than later! I can only imagine the emotional upheaval you are going through, such frustration!

Thinking of you both and hope you'll keep us all updated!