House Hunters International - General Discussion

[aguabella]

If the apartment was furnished wouldn't the pots and pans be there already?

?? Depends. I've seen units advertised as furnished, partially furnished, turn-key, etc.

If it's considered turn-key and none of the kitchenware has walked away ...

[aguabella]

Let's be honest here, the Aberdeen wife didn't like the spacious over-budget house because she would have to walk 4 minutes the bus stop.....just sayin'.....

 

I appreciate others kindness towards the husband's needs for his "job".  I'd like to know exactly how often he's being actually paid for his work.  Seemed more like an annoying hobby that he had to mention every frickin' second he was on camera.  And he frosted the cake when he made the favorite statement, "this would really work for me".....with no acknowledgement of how it would work for his wife or daughters!  

 

Frankly, I didn't care where they ended up because I just found them to be whiney, annoying people in general.  Too bad for those girls!

That was my hunch, too. Actors receive voice training so it's common that they supplement their income by occasionally doing voiceovers. Punched their names in while viewing the episode. IIRC, his linkedin profession was "Actor" with a high school education and minimal activity.

The wife, OTOH, had worked a string of supervisory positions over the years. I assumed they agreed he'd fulfill the SAHM role, working whenever possible or practical, while she supported the family and furthered her education.    *** ETA - Also, PHD candidates typically receive on-campus positions, frequently doing the bulk of classroom teaching, freeing up full professors for research.  So, when I heard about her school work during the episode, I assumed she was working there and most likely, the main breadwinner.

BTW, it was either her field of study or hobby but her info did mention "paganism". Guess for HH that fell under their policy of avoiding religious controversies so they didn't mention that interesting factoid.

Edited January 16, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

Hi! This is what she said:

"If anyone watches #househuntersinternational tonight and comments on my 'fake' accent.. I've lived in the UK for 2 years "

 

IIRC, further along in that twitter feed, someone asked her about the accent very nicely and she responded rather meanly, calling them a "troll".  Hey, she put her full name and info out to publicize her business.  Why be surprised and annoyed when people ask obvious questions in a reasonable, respectful manner?

 

BTW, she spelled her name in the old-world, Gaelic / Celtic manner.  Her bio indicated that she had a Welsh grandmother.  Somehow, I suspect she's spent more time in the UK than just the last 2 years. 

 

HHI probably believed the plot sounded more romantic if she'd given up everything in TX for the love of her life.  Would viewers care if the plot had been Wales to Wales instead of TX to Wales???

 

Everyone glad they omitted her other career as an occasional beauty queen?  Anyone see that online?  "Mrs. UK - Wales" or something, lol!!!  (No offense to her but it sounded as if whoever paid the entrance fee won the pageant, lol.)

 

Sorry I don't have links to the above.  Remember seeing it after the initial airing.

Edited January 16, 2016 by aguabella

[SmithW6079]

Let's be honest here, the Aberdeen wife didn't like the spacious over-budget house because she would have to walk 4 minutes the bus stop.....just sayin'.....

Why? Just because she was fat? I think that's unfair. She had a walk to the bus stop and then an undisclosed ride into the city. The other apartments were actually in the city.

Personally, I've never understood people who move to foreign countries to move to the suburbs. I think suburbs are the same no matter where you are.

[Homily]

Personally, I've never understood people who move to foreign countries to move to the suburbs. I think suburbs are the same no matter where you are.

 

And so, to some extent, are cities.  If you're moving overseas with kids sometimes suburbs make sense - better schools and safer neighbourhoods for one thing.  Also if you're not going to be clubbing it and socializing with all those friends you make 5 minutes after you move someplace why pay city prices for your rental?  We lived in a suburb of London when we were over there and aside from not having to deal with homeless people begging right on our doorstep I don't think we missed out on anything!

Edited January 16, 2016 by Homily

[CherryAmes]

And so, to some extent, are cities.  If you're moving overseas with kids sometimes suburbs make sense - better schools and safer neighbourhoods for one thing.  Also if you're not going to be clubbing it and socializing with all those friends you make 5 minutes after you move someplace why pay city prices for your rental?  We lived in a suburb of London when we were over there and aside from not having to deal with homeless people begging right on our doorstep I don't think we missed out on anything!

Yeah, we lived in England for 8 years and I don't think even after 8 years that we had made enough friends to fill a backyard the way HH people seem to have after a couple of months! 

 

I hear you about the cities!  We lived in a small town north of London and loved it.  Best of both worlds really.  London at our doorstep but a safe neighbourhood where we could walk everywhere - and it was a market town too so that was a real bonus.  I wouldn't have wanted to live right in London but I can understand why people without kids who think they're going to be spending most of their downtime in clubs and pubs might want to.

[magemaud]

The Trieste woman reminded me of Melanie Hutsell in the old SNL "Delta Delta Delta can I help ya, help ya, help ya" skit, complete with kind of a slack jawed expression

[Mittengirl]

I would imagine people choose to live in suburbs in foreign countries for the same reason people live in the suburbs in the U.S. Personal preference. I have absolutely no desire to live in a large city - too much noise, too much hubbub and too many people. I don't like other people well enough to want to live with a few million of them. I am not a bar or nightclub person, nor do I enjoy going out to eat after being at work all day. Different strokes...

I think how long you are going to be in the country makes a difference as well. If you are moving to Rome, for instance, and are only going to be there for a year or two, I can see wanting to be "in town", if you want to visit all of the museums, restaurants and art galleries, etc. But, if you are moving there for a long term, I can understand wanting to come home to peace and quiet.

[DownTheShore]

Anyone know if the Tulsa-to-Madagascar wife with the bad back and allergies managed to stick it out there? That episode was repeated the other night and I always thought that they should have gone with the modern apt for her health's sake. The husband annoyed me, saying that it was more like a European living experience than a Malagasy one, yet he was complaining that you'd experience the city as soon as you walked out the door.

I also wondered why they went through the expense of shipping a king-sized mattress from the US to Madagascar. I understand that the type she needed probably wasn't available there, but I bet she could have gotten one in South Africa that would have been much cheaper to ship.

[aguabella]

Anyone know if the Tulsa-to-Madagascar wife with the bad back and allergies managed to stick it out there? That episode was repeated the other night and I always thought that they should have gone with the modern apt for her health's sake. The husband annoyed me, saying that it was more like a European living experience than a Malagasy one, yet he was complaining that you'd experience the city as soon as you walked out the door.

I also wondered why they went through the expense of shipping a king-sized mattress from the US to Madagascar. I understand that the type she needed probably wasn't available there, but I bet she could have gotten one in South Africa that would have been much cheaper to ship.

 

I remember skimming her blog(s), DownTheShore, but didn't get a good sense of how much time they spend on the island.  Sounds as if they're frequently in the U.S.  Perhaps you can determine that.  At the new year, she mentions starting their family in 2016 so the mission could be wrapping up - those assignments are usually relatively short.  (They must have a good funding source!)  Her name's unique and distinctive so punch "Bailey Kuert" into any search engine to locate her multiple forms of social media.

 

Guess I know too much about how RTV is actually filmed;  sorry, I didn't believe for a second that they shipped anything overseas.  Sure, I may be incorrect.  That gave HHI a dramatic, demonstrative scene.  BTW, she mentioned very little about the HHI experience, IIRC.  Not surprising b/c they're under the revised nda.

Edited January 17, 2016 by aguabella

[DownTheShore]

Thanks for her name. You're right, there isn't much substance about filming the show other than comments about it being "reality tv" in recent tweets.

[Ottis]

I would imagine people choose to live in suburbs in foreign countries for the same reason people live in the suburbs in the U.S. Personal preference. I have absolutely no desire to live in a large city - too much noise, too much hubbub and too many people. I don't like other people well enough to want to live with a few million of them. I am not a bar or nightclub person, nor do I enjoy going out to eat after being at work all day. Different strokes...

 

 

Where have you been all my life, lol...

 

So the couple who wanted a second home in France ... was it just me, or was their budget ($160k) in no way sufficient to achieve their goal (a second home for them and their four kids)? They needed to add about $40k and find a home with at least 3 BRs and 2 BA. That never came up, however. The real estate guy didn't even do the "this is above your budget but I think you will see why when we go in" trick.

 

Also, did this episode have wayyyyy more padding after each commercial, where they repeated far more detail than needed about the prior home(s)?

Edited January 19, 2016 by Ottis

[Bronx Babe]

Haddon Heights, New Jersey to Curasao -- hilariously transparent producer-driven "suspense" re: the obsessive reminders that the wife was a financial advisor, all the better to set us up for a "surprise" when, "against" her better judgement, the couple "picks" the most expensive home.  "As a financial advisor, I have to watch our budget"  "I need to crunch the numbers"  "Let's go home and I'll crunch the numbers"  "Lots of numbers to crunch"  Soft-spoken hubby:  "If I were one of your clients, how would you advise me?"  (it was never stated what he did)

[Pine]

I liked the 3rd home in France episode for $125k.  I actually thought they were going to buy the complete remodel,  and we would get to see a later show about them re doing it.  The home they chose was just so closed in almost claustrophobic to me, otherwise I did like the finishes.   

Edited January 19, 2016 by Pine

[DownTheShore]

I thought the second-home-in-the-South-of-France couple (and wasn't it amusing that HHI labeled the map "South of France"?) was totally unrealistic with their budget. I was hoping they'd go with the remodel too.

[KLovestoShop]

Did not like the husband on the Grand Cayman episode and unless the couple's disagreement was producer driven, I don't see how this couple will stay married.  She wanted a vacation home and he wants to live there permanently.  I also don't get the whole "we want an ocean view" but a lot of the times they wind up with some inland place======or an ocean view that consists of a tiny sliver of blue water about a 1/2 mile away.  I laugh when couples say "Oh a great water view" when the real view is a parking lot of a condo complex.  

[magemaud]

 

Trieste, Italy, the girl moving for work. The two apartments that were 30-minutes away by foot were ridiculous choices. Couldn't the producers find any other apartments that were within 15 minutes or so? Why would we believe that anyone would consider a walk that far every day? (Unless there's public transportation, but since they never mentioned it, I wonder.)

I too wondered about the availability of public transportation in Trieste because from my experiences traveling (elsewhere in Italy) there was always good transportation in the larger cities. I looked it up and found Trieste's bus transportation is described as "extensive" and "efficient," so that 30 minute walk to work was obviously a red herring. They didn't mention that yes, it would take a half hour to walk to work but the bus on the corner would get you there in ten minutes!

And the girl buying the house and going to school in Stockholm, somebody made some wise investments if she could raid a $400,000 college fund!

Edited January 21, 2016 by magemaud

[Grneyedldy]

And the girl buying the house and going to school in Stockholm, somebody made some wise investments if she could raid a $400,000 college fund!

Did I miss something on that one? She was going to Stockholm to go to school, yet she was spending all her college money on an apartment? Also she was 21, so what has she been doing for the last 3 yrs since high school? She came across as spoiled and entitled. Also where were the living expenses coming from? And the property taxes?

Edited January 21, 2016 by Grneyedldy

[magemaud]

My friend's son is going to grad school in Sweden, although not in Stockholm, and the colleges there are free. But before he was accepted into the program, he had to prove he had a place to live when he went there, conveniently with his Swedish girlfriend! They said on the show that rental properties were so much in demand that there a was several years' wait for them and the only way the girl could move there and go to school was to BUY a place. I suspect she "came from money" and might have been traveling (and working on her photography hobby) between high school and college or maybe she took some college courses in the US but was going to complete her studies in Stockholm. She did mention falling in love with Stockholm when she was there for a Summer course, but I can't imagine buying a property in another country that you might only use for a couple of years. 

[Grneyedldy]

Thanks for the info. I would think besides sub-letting (they showed how short term that was) there had to be room rentals, right? It just seemed like there had to be a lot more to that story.

[Lsk02]

I found the Sweden girl on fb. It looks like she attended school in Madison before moving to Sweden. I still cannot get over the $400k college fund!

[NYGirl]

Get over yourself Peter.  You lived in Brooklyn...not Manhattan.  You don't have to be so snobby about "suburbia".  You're a father now..think about your child before yourself.  I'm glad your wife knows more than you.  She at least wanted you to have a small commute to spend time with your family.  

 

I wanted to slap the smirk off his face.  Really.

 

I'm shocked that they took that first one.  I thought for sure he would bully her into taking the one in the city.

[TVForever]

I remember skimming her blog(s), DownTheShore, but didn't get a good sense of how much time they spend on the island.  Sounds as if they're frequently in the U.S.  Perhaps you can determine that.  At the new year, she mentions starting their family in 2016 so the mission could be wrapping up - those assignments are usually relatively short.  (They must have a good funding source!)  Her name's unique and distinctive so punch "Bailey Kuert" into any search engine to locate her multiple forms of social media.

 

Guess I know too much about how RTV is actually filmed;  sorry, I didn't believe for a second that they shipped anything overseas.  Sure, I may be incorrect.  That gave HHI a dramatic, demonstrative scene.  BTW, she mentioned very little about the HHI experience, IIRC.  Not surprising b/c they're under the revised nda.

Sorry if this has already been discussed in the thread, but how has the nda been revised? I'm assuming that's the "non-disclosure agreement".

[Empress1]

Get over yourself Peter.  You lived in Brooklyn...not Manhattan.  You don't have to be so snobby about "suburbia".  You're a father now..think about your child before yourself.  I'm glad your wife knows more than you.  She at least wanted you to have a small commute to spend time with your family.  

 

I wanted to slap the smirk off his face.  Really.

 

I'm shocked that they took that first one.  I thought for sure he would bully her into taking the one in the city.

Brooklyn is still very urban. (When I saw they were moving from Brooklyn I knew immediately that they lived in Park Slope. They screamed Park Slope gentrifiers.) Two and a half million people live in Brooklyn. My mom's from Brooklyn and she's very much a city person. My grandmother spent almost her entire life in Brooklyn and never learned how to drive; she didn't have to. I definitely agree that dude was obnoxious and smug though.

 

I've been to Amsterdam - it's a lovely city. Great to walk around, very picturesque. I think they could have a nice life there. I wonder how the wife will adjust, going from a very specialized career to a SAHM in a foreign country.

[NYGirl]

I am born and raised in Brooklyn.  I figured more Park Slope than Williamsburg hipsters.  My point was Brooklyn is not Manhattan even though it is urban, however there are some areas that make it a little bit like suburbia with tree lined blocks and such.

[truther]

I am born and raised in Brooklyn.  I figured more Park Slope than Williamsburg hipsters.  My point was Brooklyn is not Manhattan even though it is urban, however there are some areas that make it a little bit like suburbia with tree lined blocks and such.

I grew up in Manhattan.  I agree with this.  

[NYGirl]

I loved the couple in Italy last night.  They were just so pleasant even though he had that certain area he wanted to live in.  It was a beautiful area so I don't blame him. I'm so glad they picked that first apartment I just loved it!  I loved no complaints about kitchens, outdoor space for a dog, or the size of the fridge... all except for her wanting a tub.  In fact all 3 apartments were really nice.

 

I had a crush on the husband.  He was sexy.

[DownTheShore]

Oh, good golly, Sarah the vet school student in Glasgow! Granted her mom is a bulldozer but it looks like that's the only way to deal with that girl. She's already graduated from college, so she has to be at least 22, but she acted like she was 14.

It sounds like mom is funding all the post-grad expenses but Sarah didn't seem to appreciate it or take it into consideration. I'll say right out that I'm not one of those females with a horse fascination, so I emphasized much more with the mom than with the daughter in this episode, because it seemed really clear that Sarah used horses to avoid human interactions. I understand being introverted and shy, because I was that way, but damn, at least I understood that I had to make the attempt to be social and to have human friends. I don't blame the mother for wanting the apartment to be more centrally located, rather that isolated near the vetinerary school; at least that way Sarah will be forced daily to be among people other than in a school setting.

[Dawning]

I am inherently sympathetic to someone who doesn't much like to socialize and doesn't want a roommate (though I also paid for my solo grad school apartment), but Sarah was a bit much. I was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt with regard to not showing much emotion in appreciating what she was getting etc., but she didn't make it easy. The "I don't want stairs" thing was just ridiculous. I was glad that that was more of an annoying red herring than an actual line drawn in the sand.

[magemaud]

I had the Glasgow episode on in the background and wasn't paying close attention except hearing Sarah's mother saying over and over that SHE was paying for the apartment and that Sarah didn't want "all those stairs." I did watch the final selection and was amazed to see that she was referring to a THIRD floor "flat". I thought she must be talking about having to climb at least four or five flights of stairs, not two! What 22 year old in presumably good health complains about that! And I had to laugh when the narrator said something in the recap like, "Sarah from California has always wanted to be a vet, so it's off to Glasgow Scotland for school..." Huh? We don't have veterinary schools in California or elsewhere in the US? Sarah seems like the type who would be happy to live at home for her schooling, close to her animal friends, holed up in her childhood bedroom surrounded by her horse statues and stuffed animals like she was twelve.

Edited January 27, 2016 by magemaud

[Pine]

I just watched the Glasgow episode.

Whoa! I was introvert, and have always been horse crazy. I don't know this girl at all, but, I know this girl. Thinks she knows everything already. Her horse was well cared for, but her riding was atrocious. Because she already knows it all. I don't blame her Mother at all, that a lot of money to put out for someone who is not grateful, and thinks they are special. Good thing they nixed the roommate idea. LOL. Why ruin someone else's time at college.

Maybe she didn't get into UC Davis.

[TwirlyGirly]

magemaud, on 27 Jan 2016 - 02:18 AM, said:magemaud, on 27 Jan 2016 - 02:18 AM, said:

<snip> And I had to laugh when the narrator said something in the recap like, "Sarah from California has always wanted to be a vet, so it's off to Glasgow Scotland for school..." Huh? We don't have veterinary schools in California or elsewhere in the US? Sarah seems like the type who would be happy to live at home for her schooling, close to her animal friends, holed up in her childhood bedroom surrounded by her horse statues and stuffed animals like she was twelve.

 

It may be she wasn't accepted at any vet schools in the U.S. In the U.S., at least, it's more difficult to get into vet schools than medical schools, partially because there are far fewer of them. (I have no idea whether this is true of the rest of the planet, though). So, vet schools here tend to be very choosey as to who they accept, and the competition is fierce.

 

A quick Google search indicates while there are 13 medical schools in California, there are only two schools offering a DVM degree.

Edited January 27, 2016 by TwirlyGirly

[Patti Jean]

That Vet student girl was a piece of work!  I thought it was pretty ironic that she didn't want to climb stairs. I'm sure all her future patients will be on flat ground, with no hills to climb. Suck it up, buttercup!

 

I did wonder if she was on the higher functioning end of the Autism spectrum. She seriously was lacking in social skills and just seemed a bit "off"  That may have also explained Mom's attitude.

 

All I know is that we didn't have nearly that amount of drama when finding an apartment for my DS to live in when he was about to start grad school in KY. We did have a grand time looking for open floor plans, stainless appliances and hardwood floors, For the record, he had none of those in the apartment he is renting,  And he is JUST FINE!

[DownTheShore]

I was trying to give Sarah the benefit of the doubt, given how much of the show is producer-driven, and that perhaps she does have some disability, but her mom seemed like a nice woman, just one who has become exasperated by Sarah's stubbornness. Mom had a wedding ring on her hand, but there was no talk of a dad coming over to Scotland to visit her. I'm sure we can all surmise the possible psychological backstory that might exist here.

I just rolled my eyes at all the horse tchotchkes, figurines, pictures and stuffed animals that she has decorated her apartment with. I wonder if she realizes that she's going to have to study about other animals, not just horses?

[abbyzenn]

I can't believe how nice all the apartments have been for the last two college student shows - the one in Sweden and the Glasgow one.  I don't recall seeing the kitchen in the first Glasgow flat, but the other 2 as well as all 3 Swedish ones were very nice and modern looking.  Laughed when Vet girl complained there wasn't a dishwasher in the one - how hard is it to wash dishes for one?  And she strikes me as the type that has a bowl of cereal for dinner and I certainly don't seeing her throwing parties!

 

Kinda funny how thru out the show it made it seem like she didn't want or need friends but the closing scenes she was walking around talking to a Scottish girl so she was able to make at least one friend.

[AlleC17]

I was thinking that about her riding too.   Her position  was bad and that horse was hollowed out and not using itself properly.  However, her attitude seemed uncaring/ungrateful but I kind of put that down to her being a shy girl in front of a camera.  The mom was all kinds of pushy, but I get where she was coming from.

 

Regarding not wanting to walk up several flights of stairs:  I get that too if you are bogged down with groceries etc.  Otherwise its not a big deal, but when bringing home stuff it could be.

Edited January 27, 2016 by AlleC17

[Pickles]

The vet girl last night--I bet she did not get into any of the US vet schools. As someone said above, it is extremely competitive. But, how does it work when she graduates from the Scotland school? Can she come back to the US and be a qualified vet here? Is it just a matter of taking and passing boards here?

I was assuming the mom was divorced and remarried, but that is just speculation.

[DownTheShore]

I figired that the Scottish girl she was talking to was someone hired for the scene, not really a friend.

[TwirlyGirly]

Pickles, on 27 Jan 2016 - 4:07 PM, said:Pickles, on 27 Jan 2016 - 4:07 PM, said:

The vet girl last night--I bet she did not get into any of the US vet schools. As someone said above, it is extremely competitive. But, how does it work when she graduates from the Scotland school? Can she come back to the US and be a qualified vet here? Is it just a matter of taking and passing boards here?

I was assuming the mom was divorced and remarried, but that is just speculation.

 

"To practice as a veterinarian in the United States, you must have either 1) graduated from an AVMA Council on Education (COE)-accredited school (please refer to our list of accredited veterinary colleges for the names of accredited schools); or 2) successfully completed an educational equivalency certification program such as that administered by the AVMA's Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)."

 

University of Glasgow is a COE-accredited school.

 

"After earning your degree from a COE-accredited veterinary school, or earning an ECFVG or other state-accepted educational equivalency certificate if you graduated from a listed, non-accredited school, you will also need to complete all state veterinary licensure requirements. This includes passing the national licensure examination administered through the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, as well as any state-specific examinations."

 

https://www.avma.org/ProfessionalDevelopment/Education/Foreign/Pages/ECFVG-working-in-us.aspx

 

Vets can't speak directly with their patients; all of their communications are with their patient's owners. Depending upon the situation with their pet, sometimes those owners may be quite distraught. I'm wondering if this girl is going to be able to develop the "bedside manner" necessary to be a successful veterinarian? As the owner of two darling fur-babies myself, I can tell you I absolutely wouldn't use a vet who isn't able to "connect" with me when dealing with one of my babies in need, no matter how technically proficient they might be.

Edited January 27, 2016 by TwirlyGirly

[Babalooie]

Here in the Gainesville, Florida area, farthest from the ocean, UF has a fine vet school, as this area of Florida is agricultural.   I, too, kept wondering why Sarah had to go all the way to Glasgow.  It seemed like another "student and pushy mother go apartment hunting" episode to me at first, but then it was evident that this chick needed a kick in the pants or jumper cables or something!    You may be right about the autism.

[AlleC17]

"To practice as a veterinarian in the United States, you must have either 1) graduated from an AVMA Council on Education (COE)-accredited school (please refer to our list of accredited veterinary colleges for the names of accredited schools); or 2) successfully completed an educational equivalency certification program such as that administered by the AVMA's Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)."

 

University of Glasgow is a COE-accredited school.

 

"After earning your degree from a COE-accredited veterinary school, or earning an ECFVG or other state-accepted educational equivalency certificate if you graduated from a listed, non-accredited school, you will also need to complete all state veterinary licensure requirements. This includes passing the national licensure examination administered through the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, as well as any state-specific examinations."

 

https://www.avma.org/ProfessionalDevelopment/Education/Foreign/Pages/ECFVG-working-in-us.aspx

 

Vets can't speak directly with their patients; all of their communications are with their patient's owners. Depending upon the situation with their pet, sometimes those owners may be quite distraught. I'm wondering if this girl is going to be able to develop the "bedside manner" necessary to be a successful veterinarian? As the owner of two darling fur-babies myself, I can tell you I absolutely wouldn't use a vet who isn't able to "connect" with me when dealing with one of my babies in need, no matter how technically proficient they might be.

I guess it depends on where she ends up practicing.  We have only a few equine vets where I am at, and the main two don't have a great 'bedside' manner, but are good vets (and one is more than good) which is more important to me.  But if there are many to chose from and they are comparably good, I think most people would want to deal with a personable professional.  lol  Maybe she will practice in a more remote area. 

 

Back on topic, I did like the flat options she was offered.  The architecture in Glasgow was really pretty!

[JennyMominFL]

Just one minor point.. The 3rd floor there is most likely the forth floor here. They go Ground, 1st, 2nd 3rd, usually.

[Mittengirl]

According to Wikipedia, U of Glasgow had the 7th best veterinary medicine school in Europe, as ranked by some school ranking group. It's graduates are automatically licensed to work in South Africa. And they have their own equine hospital. No idea how rare that is.

I thought they mentioned at the beginning that Sarah was going specifically for their horse program. I would think if she can get into one of the top vet programs in Europe, Sarah must not be too much of a slouch academically. It doesn't strike me as being the same as the students we saw going to med/vet school in the Caribbean.

[Peanutbuttercup]

Graduate education is much, much cheaper in Europe than in the US, even for US students. So it may have been a savvy financial decision to head to Glasgow. Veterinary practice doesn't necessarily pay very well -- best not to start out with a load of student debt if you don't have to.

I agree that Sarah was extremely introverted and shy -- but her mother's being overbearing and pushy and belittling her isn't going to help. You can't bully someone into changing their personality.

I thought the stairs thing was probably producer-scripted drama to give mom & daughter something to bicker about, and something for Sarah to put up as a reason why the third apartment wasn't the obvious choice.

[Pickles]

TwirlyGirly--thanks for all of the info!

[SmithW6079]

I agree that Sarah was extremely introverted and shy -- but her mother's being overbearing and pushy and belittling her isn't going to help. You can't bully someone into changing their personality.

Sarah's mom was a bitch. I feel bad for the girl. She probably had to grow up being told everything was wrong with her. Even running away to another country for school isn't getting her away from her mother. Of course, it's also on Sarah that if she really wanted to get out from under her mother's thumb, she should be paying for her own schooling.

Her mother made it sound as though Sarah wanting to devote her time to her studies was a bad thing. If Sarah was a party girl, her mother would have been complaining about that.

The US-to-Spain couple was just odd. I was sure they had taken the third property, especially when they kept going on about a B & B; I figured they were listing their spare room on Airbnb.

Edited January 28, 2016 by SmithW6079

[DownTheShore]

I'd have to take the oppposite POV. That was one exasperated mother, with a daughter who wanted to still suck at the teat yet not acknowledge that she was. I bet her mother found the college for her; she wouldn't have wanted to leave her horses. Her seeming intrasigence might have been payback for being pushed out of her comfort zone.

It was mentioned that she spends six hours per day studying. I didn't get the impression that her mother wanted her to be a party girl, merely that she wanted her to be in a place where she would have to interact with people - or at least come across them - during the course of her day, rather than being locked away in an apartment alone.

Anyone who's attended college has probably had at least one roommate-from-hell along the way. That doesn't mean that all of them are. But if you want a place that's way more expensive than what your mother wants to pay, you compromise and bite the bullet and agree to a roommate to defray the costs. If not, then you try to accomodate the wishes of the person who's paying your way.

[AlleC17]

Anyone who's attended college has probably had at least one roommate-from-hell along the way. That doesn't mean that all of them are. But if you want a place that's way more expensive than what your mother wants to pay, you compromise and bite the bullet and agree to a roommate to defray the costs. If not, then you try to accomodate the wishes of the person who's paying your way.

 

Which she did, by getting the apartment with the stairs.  I think the 'I won't do stairs' was more producer driven, actually.    Did anyone catch the move to Rio episode?  It was for a short term for the wife's job, and hubby would work from home.  They show him out on the balcony with laptop in hand:  wouldn't it be a bit too hot out there?

[Tara1665]

Did Rio couple seem a bit "off" to anyone else?

[Pickles]

I thought they seemed pretty normal. What was off about them?