UPak WeShip

Hello everyone. This week our Business Profile Blog highlights the international removals company UPakWeShip. I spoke with British expat and company President Mark Nash about their operation.

Hello Mark, can you tell us a bit about your background and what bought you to America?

Hello. When I was 22 years old I went out to Saudi Arabia working for an American moving company. As much as Jeddah was not exactly paradise I did enjoy the expat lifestyle, the weather, the friendship between other Brits, Aussies, Europeans and Americans all out there in the same boat. After 5 years I returned to England and within 18 months started EuroUSA with a friend on mine, all the while I was wishing to move overseas again. I was hoping to open up an office in France or Belgium but business went in the American direction and our USA operation began in 1994. When it made financial sense I suggested we open up an office in the USA and I’ll volunteer to run it !! In 2000 we realized many shippers would like to save money and pack everything themselves so we developed a self pack budget moving company and opened a division called UPakWeShip. I tell people we are sort of like the Southwest / Ryan Air folks of the moving business.

How has UPakWeShip grown over the last 11 years?

We now have 88 terminals in the USA where you can drop off your shipment or we can collect from your door. For small shipments we have baggage rates starting at $560 through to your door anywhere in England and have services right up to a self loading 20 or 40 foot shipping container. For small fragile shipments we recommend our U Crate, which comes in 2 sizes, where you can load small pieces of furniture and other items in the crate lock it with your own padlock and we will ship it right through to your door. We have weekly sailings to England, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and India and bi- weekly to most other places around the world.

Have you moved any unusual items or had any strange requests? 

Over the years, EuroUSA has moved many shipments for famous film stars, rock stars and sports personalities. A couple of years ago we moved a family from England to Kentucky which involved packing their whole house and loading it into a plane that we had to charter so that the family and 2 dogs could travel with the shipment. I think the whole move was planned around the little dog who just had to fly over with its owner! I have moved an 80 something year old British lady from Washington DC back to England as she was moving over to get married ( for the first time !) Various interesting jobs for the US Government, United Nations, NASA, British Military, some high ranking diplomats, Arab Royal Family etc and as much as its interesting meeting and working with these people, personally you cant beat chatting and helping out Mr & Mrs normal who are often more friendly, more generous and make the whole process more fun.

Is there anything you can't move or have had to refuse to move?

As a company policy we refuse to ship guns of any sort. I suggest not shipping any liquids in case they leak. Certainly no hazardous items, drugs, hard pornography, jewelry (as you cant get insurance) nothing live, like plants, officially no food stuff, also for most countries don’t ship alcohol or cigarettes as you will be charged duty and vat and it will end up cheaper to have just bought them locally.

Where in America are you based?

We are based in Charleston SC although we cover the whole country. We used to be in Baltimore but moved the offices south about 4 years ago after we got fed up with the winters, traffic, house prices and 3 of us going through divorces - it was time to move South!! Charleston is in my mind the best city in America, full of charm, character with a European influence and friendly locals.

Can you ever see yourself returning to the UK?

I must say I have nothing against my home Country, I enjoy going back on trips, I consider myself a Brit even though I have citizenship here, I just enjoy living in other places and think it’s a great experience and if I ever feel the need or something goes wrong I can always move back, but in the meantime I’m enjoying it here! 

 To find out about more about UPakWeShip's popular rates and destinations visit their web site or take a look at their Brits In America page. For more information contact them at 1 866 868 6386 or 1 843 225 7217

Brits In America TV Show

Bulletin - March 15th 2011 Are you a Brit living and working in America? Do you fancy starring in your own reality show? This morning we received notification of a new series in the works, the press release is below... www.BritsInAmerica.us is sponsored by Moneycorp, Inc. Moneycorp, Inc is a subsidiary of TTT Moneycorp Limited and was established in 2005 to provide local support and assistance to our referring partner network based in Florida and across the United States. Thousands of people move to or purchase property in Florida every year from all over the world. In doing so, they will need to exchange their local currency into Dollars and transfer it here. The Moneycorp Group has a range of services to help people get the best rate, at the best time. Moneycorp's Florida team are here to assist companies working with clients with international payment requirements. Contact Moneycorp today on 407 352 5890 for more information or view their Brits In America webpage Here. Additional Sponsors Contact Us General Information - info@britsinamerica.us. Advertising Questions and Information - advertising@britsinamerica.us. To add a British Group to our Expat Pages - groups@britsinamerica.us. To inform us of a British Business - business@britsinamerica.us. Alternatively use the Online Form Here. TV SHOW A MAJOR CABLE NETWORK & WORLD OF WONDER PRODUCTIONS IS NOW CASTING NATIVE BRITS WHO'VE SETTLED AND OPENED A BUSINESS IN AMERICA FOR A NEW TV SHOW. SEEKING A LARGER-THAN-LIFE BRITISH FAMILY THAT RUN A BUSINESS TOGETHER. THIS LUCKY FAMILY OR EXPERT WILL ULTIMATELY HAVE THEIR OWN DOCU-SERIES ABOUT THE INS AND OUTS OF THEIR DAILY LIFE AS THEY FACE THE CHALLENGES OF RUNNING A FAMILY BUSINESS. WE ARE ALSO ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A BRITISH EXPERT AS WELL. To Submit, send an email to: BRITSinAMERICATVshow@gmail.com and mention you found the details at www.BritsInAmerica.us when contacting. Send a bio on your family, what brought you to the US, and the family business. What challenges do you face juggling business and family? What's it like being British in America? What are the pros and cons? Describe the different personalities that make up your family and workplace and what makes them unique. Lastly, attach photos of the business and your family and a phone number where you can be reached. Offer Of The Month20% Off all Banner Ad prices until March 31st 2011. Pay just $100 $80 for an EXCLUSIVE Banner Ad on www.BritsInAmerica.us Banner Ads are exclusive - meaning we will only place 1 banner ad in any category of business in any area of the website. For instance if you are a Realtor in New York and choose to advertise with us with a banner ad then there will be no other Realtor banner ads featured on the sub menu pages of the New York section. See The Banner Ad Information Page for more details. Companies who've already taken advantage of this great offer include... Join our free Social Network for British Expats or those looking to make the move to the USA at www.BritsInAmericaNetwork.us.

March 2011 Newsletter

Newsletter - March 2011 www.BritsInAmerica.us is sponsored by Moneycorp, Inc. Moneycorp, Inc is a subsidiary of TTT Moneycorp Limited and was established in 2005 to provide local support and assistance to our referring partner network based in Florida and across the United States. Thousands of people move to or purchase property in Florida every year from all over the world. In doing so, they will need to exchange their local currency into Dollars and transfer it here. The Moneycorp Group has a range of services to help people get the best rate, at the best time. Moneycorp's Florida team are here to assist companies working with clients with international payment requirements. Contact Moneycorp today on 407 352 5890 for more information or view their Brits In America webpage Here. Business Profile Seeking a new challenge? Looking to live and work in America? It is a dream for many. LET MINDMYBACK GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE MAZE OF APPLICATIONS, LEASES AND CONTRACTS. There are a lot of sharks out there. www.MindMyBack.com act as your guardian angel, they will look over figures and sales particulars, a sales contract or property lease and give an opinion. They will advise where they feel there are difficulties that need addressing and point out potential scenarios and how to avoid them. www.MindMyBack.com perform more than just due dilligence and can save you a lot of money, and trouble. View their Brits In America webpage Here. Recent Additions Some of the British run US businesses added this month to Brits In America include... Deep Water Travel Cruise Planners The Telly Bankruptcy From Abroad Expat Emporium The British Shoppe Filters Fast of Florida The Library Coffehouse Car Hire Florida Mobile Auto Diagnostics Monstercuts The Mailbox Center Blind Design Additional Sponsors Contact Us General Information - info@britsinamerica.us. Advertising Questions and Information - advertising@britsinamerica.us. To add a British Group to our Expat Pages - groups@britsinamerica.us. To inform us of a British Business - business@britsinamerica.us. Alternatively use the Online Form Here. The Brits In America Newsletter Keeping you up to date with all that's new at www.BritsInAmerica.us We've come a long way since our launch in January 2010. The website started out covering Central Florida only. We now feature all of Florida, New York, Texas and California. In the next couple of months we'll be adding South Carolina and New England so if you know any Brits living in those areas then send them our way. We've had over 1.1 million visits to site in 14 months and are growing. If your business isn't already included on the site then see the Advertising Pages to find out how you can list it. With prices from $99 it's a very affordable form of advertising and a great way to connect with new British clients. Offer Of The Month20% Off all Banner Ad prices until March 31st 2011. Pay just $100 $80 for an EXCLUSIVE Banner Ad on www.BritsInAmerica.us Banner Ads are exclusive - meaning we will only place 1 banner ad in any category of business in any area of the website. For instance if you are a Realtor in New York and choose to advertise with us with a banner ad then there will be no other Realtor banner ads featured on the sub menu and information pages of the New York section. See The Banner Ad Information Page for more details. www.BritsInAmericaNetwork.us is our new Social Network for British Expats in America or those looking to make the move to the USA. Like Facebook, it's free to join, you can create your own profile page, invite friends to join and make new friends too. You can join in with any of the discussions or start one of your own. Become a member of one of the many groups - already there are groups for Brits living in or interested in moving to Florida, New York, Texas & many other States. A group to find and socialise with fellow Brits, and for those looking to make the move to the USA, to ask any questions they may have about the moving process, and many more. New groups are being added all the time, you can even start one up yourself. You can also add pictures & videos, post your own blogs, chat with your friends online in our chat room or enjoy any of the online games. What's going on? Brit Chat Our network has a chat feature and so we are planning to do a scheduled Brit Chat each month, at a time that suits Brits in the UK and USA. We will have a different general topic each month eg. Immigration, Visas, Real estate, business, British sports, etc, and are looking for moderators who have expertise or substantial knowledge to head up the chat and offer advice, answer questions etc on specific topics. If you are interested in taking part then please see the Brit Chat Information Post Here. Blogs Keep up to date with all the news from the new Orlando City Soccer Club. Steve Crane is our blogger with inside access. He's interviewed the manager and staff and even played with some of the team. You can follow all his posts Here. Follow Steve Woodward and his family on their journey from the UK to the USA, via the visa application process, finding the right business premises, renting/buying a house, finding medical insurance, car insurance, driving test and licence and everything else inbetween. Steve simply wants a better life for his family and wants to get out to Florida "before England dissappears beyond the U bend." Read his blog Here. Forum Popular topics this month have included What do you miss and what do you like? Are you an Expat living in America, what are you missing from home? Bread, Sausages and Pints are mentioned a lot, maybe you have something different? Discrimination. We've heard from a fair few Brits who have found it hard to settle in the USA, the locals just haven't taken to them because they are from abroad. Have you ever been treated this way? A question asked by one of the network members was how do I go about Setting Up A US Business whilst in the UK? If you've got a question to ask then our forum is a great place. Groups There are many groups you can join on the Brits In America Network, some we've set up and others have been created by members. This month we're highlighting the Real Estate Group. The group is for general discussion on real estate and a good place to start before moving to a particular location. There's several discussions started including; if you swapped your UK house just what would you get in America? and a guide to buying a home in the USA.

British Sports In The USA

It's an exciting time to be a fan of traditional British sports. This week I have some news about T20 Cricket, The Orlando City Soccer Club and The 6 Nations Rugby Championship.

Cricket is the second most viewed sport in the world. I spoke with Yog Melwani about T20 Cricket and how they are revolutionising cricket in America.

Twenty20 Cricket Association, LLC (T20CA) is a US-based entity organizing and promoting the most exciting format of Cricket, Twenty20 Cricket. There is a growing hunger in America for organized T20 Cricket.  T20CA is satisfying that hunger by propelling a nation wide change of direction in US Cricket - for all ages.

The T20CA League is an American T20 Night Cricket League, which consists of two divisions, currently with a total of ten teams. These teams will compete in the T20CA Championship.  Each team will play the other teams in their respective divisions. Then the top two teams from each division will qualify for the playoffs. The winners of the playoffs will advance to the finals, while the other two teams will play for third place.  The tournament will be played over three months. The T20CA Championship will be held in Orlando, Florida, in 2011. This night cricket tournament will provide a sporting event alternative to the American public, comparable to other mainstream sports. As interest grows, T20CA will also develop a Women's T20 Cricket League.

Our organization will provide a platform for all cricketers – students, amateurs, semi-professionals and professionals - to perform.

We invite you to show your spirit and support as fans of T20CA! Join us as we make National Sports History with T20 Cricket.
407.49.GO.T20 (407.494.6820) www.T20CA.com

Like and share our facebook page - T20CA

 

This weekend sees The Orlando City Soccer Club play their first game against Philadelphia Union at The Citrus Bowl. You can read more about the behind the scenes preperation for the launch of the club here on our Social Network. 

 The 6 Nations Rugby Championship is well under way and you can catch all the action live on BBC America. Games to come include...

England vs. 2010 Champion France (in London)

Saturday, February 26, 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT - Pre-show 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT 

Calcutta Cup - England versus Scotland (in London)

Sunday, March 13, 11:00 a.m. ET / 8:00 a.m. PT - Pre-show 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT 

Millennium Trophy - Ireland versus England (in Dublin)

Saturday, March 19, 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT - Pre-show 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT 

Brits In America Network

Hello everyone. Our Brits In America Social Network has been online a couple of weeks now, it's a place to meet fellow Brits living in the USA, or to find advice and help if you are looking to make a move across the pond. If you've not checked it out then visit www.BritsInAmericaNetwork.us .

 Here's just a sample of some of the things going on...

Chasing The Dream
Follow Steve Woodward's journey from the UK to the USA, via the visa application process, finding the right business premises, renting/buying a house, finding medical insurance, car insurance, driving test and licence and everything else inbetween. Steve simply wants a better life for his family and wants to get out to Florida before England disappears beyond the U bend. Read his latest post here

Top Gear vs Top Gear
A vital debate about the important issue of the day, ie which is better UK Top Gear or US Top Gear. Have your say here

Fans Of Disney
Are you mad for the mouse? Join our Fans Of Disney Group here and tell us what you love.

Orlando City Soccer Club
Steve Crane is documenting the launch of the new Central Florida Soccer Team, he's got behind the scenes access and has just spent the weekend at the clubs open tryouts. Find out how he got on here

Strange US Laws
Read our collection of our 20 favorite strange US laws. Find out where your horse must wear tail lights, where a cat can legally be labelled a 'bad cat' and where a man with a mustache may not kiss a woman. Read all 20 here

What do you miss and what do you like?
Expats, have your say here on what you miss from the UK and what you love in the States.

On the Brits In America Network you can join in any of the discussions, post your own Blog, join any of the many groups or start your own, upload photos and videos, post a status update, add one of the many Apps to your home page, create an event, ask a question, add a profile pictrure, check out our t-shirts, take part in a live chat or arrange to talk face to face in our video chat room. Join now at www.BritsInAmericaNetwork.us

Smitten By Britain

Hello everyone. At Brits In America we meet a lot of Brits who love the USA so this week I thought it would be a nice idea to talk to an American with a love of Britain. So I spoke with Melissa Stoey who produces the excellent Smitten By Britain website. Melissa has an insatiable appetite for all things British. She lived in England twenty years ago and her love for Blighty has never left her. She is also the mum of a Briton which makes her as pleased as Punch.

Hello Melissa. Where abouts in America do you live?
Pennsylvania

If you could live anywhere in Britain, where would it be and why?
This question is so unfair for a true Britophile like me because there are so many places to love.
At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter to me as long as I am there. The great thing about Britain is it is so accessible I would never be too far away from another great place to see.
I just want to be there, period.

City/Town/Countryside: Which do you prefer?
Even though I live in a rural area I am a city girl at heart and I love Britain's cities. Naturally I have been to London many times, as well as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Cambridge, Oxford, Bath, and Nottingham, but I'm very much looking forward to seeing York, Newcastle, Chester and Manchester in 2012.

Your top 3 places In Britain?
Again, city girl: London, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Where is the one place you would not return to?
Last year I would have had a terrible time answering this question, then I spent a night in Hounslow this summer. Safe to say, I won't be returning.

Who would be your ideal travel partner?
My husband. He is so easy going and does everything I ask. What more could you want?

What is your best British travel experience?
To date it would have to be the bus tour we took through Glencoe, Scotland. We used Rabbie's tours and they were superb. The guide was very informative and had a wicked sense of humour. I know it sounds cliche but he played a Scottish soundtrack during our tour that really added to the ambiance. Now just the first few chords of Loch Lomond brings tears to my eyes. Very good memories indeed. I highly recommend Rabbies tours.

What annoys you most when travelling?
People who don't know where they are going and stop dead center right in front of you while you're walking. I had quite a few near misses this summer while touring London.
If you need to stop and look at a map, move over to the side and out of the way of oncoming traffic.

What would be your one piece of advice for people travelling to Blighty?
This goes for travelling anywhere in the world and that is to blend in as much as possible. Make yourself as much a part of the scenery as you can and don't make it so obvious that you're a tourist. Have respect for the country and culture you are visiting; be sensitive to what is socially acceptable as far as attire, behaviors and manners. And remember the saying "When in Rome..." Get out of your comfort zone, stay away from McDonald's and live like the locals as much as possible.

If you could travel to anywhere in Britain right now, where would it be? 
The northeast, specifically Whitby, York, Durham and Newcastle which are at the top of my list for summer 2012

What can you not travel without?
A camera - without it, what's the point?

What stops you from just moving to the UK?
 I'm divorced from my British husband and remarried to an American now so I have no right to live in the UK at the moment, despite having a son with dual citizenship. As you know the UK government has tightened the immigration laws quite a bit in the last few years so my only hope now is to find sponsored employment.

If you did make the move is there anything from America you'd miss?
 Other than my family, no there isn't much I would miss. An American sized clothes dryer maybe? I dare anyone to live in the U.S. and not miss their large load, quick drying clothes dryer when they move to the UK. (I'm not bashing the British clothes dryer. I understand why it's small. It's out of necessity. Island living equals small houses, small kitchens and small appliances.)

Honestly, Britain has changed so much in the last twenty years and dare I say it, become more "Americanized",  so many of the conveniences I missed the first time around are now part of the culture: cable TV, shops open on Sunday, more fast food restaurants and 24 hour conveniences. I'm not saying these things make one happier but as an American they are the things I grew up with and what I missed most twenty years ago. What I didn't have was the kind of technology we have today. I think Expats have it much easier now when it comes to keeping in touch with their loved ones. They can use email, Facebook and Skype. In 1988, we made expensive monthly calls and actually posted handwritten letters. Imagine that?

www.smittenbybritain.com is the home of the Britophile and is full of all things British. If you're missing 'home' then this is a great site to visit. 

Parts of this interview originally appeared on The Blighty Traveller

Some new sections from Brits In America

Hello everyone. Today I have some information about some of the additional areas of the Brits In America website and a competition for you to win one of two great prizes from Miniature Picture Cards.

If you like Facebook then you'll love our Brits In America Network. It's a place to meet fellow Brits living in the USA, or to find advice and help if you are looking to make a move across the pond. You can create your own profile page, invite friends to join and make new friends too. You can join any of the groups - we currently have groups for Brits living in or interested in moving to Central, West and South Florida, and New York. A group to find and socialise with fellow Brits, and for those looking to make the move to the USA, to ask any questions they may have about the moving process. You can even add pictures & videos, post your own blogs and chat with your friends online in our chat room. We're in the last stages of testing the site but you can sign up (for free of course!) Here, you can even use your Facebook id to log in.

Our Blogs and Articles pages hold not just our weekly postings but a selection of other informative and entertaining Blogs from a variety of Authors. You can get involved and be a guest Blogger or even start your own weekly or monthly Blog and have it updated and promoted on our site. We are also gathering information from expats for a selction of Expat Experience Articles. If you'd like to tell your story about your move to the USA, good or bad, then we'd love to hear from you. You can use our Online Form to send us your details or see the Articles page for more information.

If you have some time to kill why not visit our Just For Fun section? You'll find a selection of fun themed quizzes. How much do you know about Florida? Are you a whiz with Walt Disney World trivia? How many US State Capitals can you name? Do you know when each President was in Office? You can also test your knowledge of current US television shows or take our Best of British quiz.

To celebrate the launch of this section we have a competition running where you could win one of two great prizes from www.miniaturepicturecards.com.

All you have to do is answer the question posted on our Just For Fun page and you could be the winner!

Remember Brits can still list their Business for FREE on www.BritsInAmerica.us find out how Here.

The British Television Podcast

Hello everyone. This week I spoke with two Americans who have an obsession with British Television, so much so that they produce the weekly British TV Podcast.

 
The British TV Podcast began in 2009 and is co-presented by Ryan Johnson and Chrissy Cameron. Every episode they review the latest British TV, look ahead to the coming weeks broadcasts, keep you up to date on any US DVD releases for British shows and much more.

Ryan is a 49-year old American living in Seattle. He became a fan of British television during the Monty Python invasion of the early 1970s. In 1993 he moved to London for a year just so he could see British television first-hand. Since moving back to the States sixteen years ago he has continued to keep up on British TV by trading tapes back and forth. In the late 1990s he worked for three years for About.com as their British TV Guide and has been interviewed twice by BBC Radio including a 2007 interview for Radio 4 when BBC America canceled Benny Hill. He has written over 1200 British TV reviews over the years (you can read them here).

Chrissy has been a British TV fan since the early 80s. Growing up in the 1970s she remembers when her relatives would watch shows such as Monty Python and Upstairs Downstairs on PBS. Her interest was piqued when she got cable TV in the 80s when networks like A&E and MTV would import British TV shows to fill their schedules. She is a big fan of stand up comedians, and her favorite actors include Marc Warren, Lesley Sharp and Lee Ingleby. She also follows British politics just so she'll get all the jokes on Have I Got News For You.

Their latest podcast, show 67, includes a feature on "Shameless", which is currently in its 8th season in Britain on Channel 4 but also has an American remake running on Showtime. Chrissy and Ryan talk about both versions and how they compare. Plus there's a review of "The Sinking of the Laconia," the new Derren Brown specials, and the return of "Hustle" along with all the regular features.
 

There are many ways you can access the British TV Podcast, on their website, on iTunes or on the Brits In America website where you can download shows and listen to the latest offering.

Elegant Weddings of Orlando

Hello everybody.  Many people in the UK dream of getting married in The Sunshine State, but with so much long distance planning and organization they just wouldn't know where to start. I recently spoke with expat Helen Ronchetti who is helping people achieve their dreams with her company Elegant Weddings of Orlando.

Elegant Weddings of Orlando is a wedding planning and coordination company that organizes weddings for locals here in Orlando as well as having a large British client base of people who are embracing the trend for destination weddings in the sun and combining a Florida vacation with a wedding and honeymoon.

Being British ourselves we understand how difficult it is to put that most special day in the hands of someone so far away when most communication is done by internet and email and it is not possible for the Bride & Groom to look at locations and meet with vendors themselves – apart from photographs a lot of couples only see the venue for the very first time on the day of the wedding so a huge amount of trust is necessary between the wedding planner and the Bride & Groom.

We can arrange anything from a simple ceremony for two to a large wedding and elaborate reception for many guests and we are used to planning all of this at a distance.  Elegant Weddings has trusted and experienced vendors for anything from Photographers to Bag Pipers to Dove Releases – and pretty much anything else you have imagined having at your wedding and we can put together a custom wedding package to include as many or as few wedding services as you need.

Look beyond Disney and the other theme parks and Orlando has some stunning wedding venues – beautiful lakeside gazebos, beaches, gorgeous garden settings, luxury hotels – and all minutes from the popular holiday villas and resorts.

Take a look at our website www.elegantweddingsoforlando.com and please feel free to contact us at helen@elegantwedding.us and see how we can help you plan your dream Orlando Wedding. 

Throughout 2011 we will try to feature as many US based British run businesses as we can here on our Blog. If you'd like to be share your experiences and be featured then please contact us and remember Brits can still list their businesses for FREE at www.britsinamerica.us.