We are a pretty normal family, who left the UK and made a new life in America

In 2014 we were a normal family in Essex, England. Struggling to juggle childcare, working, money and the ever increasing stress it put on our family. Laura and Dave both worked in London and commuted in every day. Work From Home was 6 years away and we would leave our children at 5.30am every weekday and get home at 8pm. Tired and stressed, not being there for our young children something had to change..

About the Shroders

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Where it started

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The big move..

November 2014 and we were at our wits end. We knew we needed one of us to stay home with the kids, we were missing out on them growing up and we were too tired at the weekends to make the most of it.

Dave saw a job advetized online that matched his experience but was based in Houston, Texas. He had always wanted to move to the US from the age of 9 when he first visited so applied. 3 weeks later we were at the embassy, getting visas and planning the move! The job gave us enough money to have one parent at home and a the chance of an experience of a lifetime, so just after Christmas we packed everything up and headed all the way to Houston.

Houston was amazing, we were so lucky to call it home for two years. Texans are the most hospitable, friendly people you will ever meet, our children had a parent at home with them as they grew up and we got to experience everything Texas had to offer.

Making Florida Home

Mid 2016, the Oil Price hasn’t recovered and we are faced with a choice. We could either go back to the UK, or I could take up a new role with my company in Orlando, Florida. Honestly it wasn’t a choice! Orlando was already a second home to us, Dave had been going every year for the previous 25 years and Laura had been 7 or 8 times. Even the kids had been a few times.

We packed everything we had up and headed on the road again, 13 hours in the car to our new home in Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida.

Meet The Shroders

So who are we??

Dave – Dad, Husband, producer of all content both written and filmed, ATM. Dave was really the driving force behind The Shroders being in the US. Formally fat, now just chubby, largely grumpy despite how lucky he is, Browbeaten and the solver of all problems

Laura – Incredible Foreman, below average cook. Perimenopausal, so angry 85% of the time, the other 15% being just mildly annoyed. Had lived in the same street as her parents for all but 2 years of her adult life prior to moving to America.

Freddie – The greatest “Ragebaiter” this side of the Mississippi, High Schooler, aggressively passionate West Ham Utd fan and someone who’s bucket list of things to do and places to go has basically been completed prior to his 16th Birthday

Harriet – Teenager… Prior to being a teenager, the most amazing child ever, polite, thoughtful, tidy, funny, beautiful. I assume she is still most of these things, but since she turned 13 I haven’t seen her for more than 8 minutes.

Why we are writing this

The Blog has always been a hit and miss constant throughout our time here, but over the last few years life got really busy and keeping up with it was challenging. I realized though that while the blog initially was for Friends and Family back home to keep up with what we are doing, we have a wealth of experience through this adventure that would help others considering or actually making this move.

My goal is to share not only the good things we have done, but the pitfalls and the challenges. How living here is different from being in the UK and whether or not it is the right move for you and your family.