House Hunters International - General Discussion

[mojito]

Grants Pass, OR to Tarragona, Spain

Fairly easy-going, well-traveled couple. They're in a city where people speak Spanish and they seem comfortable with their fluency (they lived in Peru for a while). No special demands for their dog. Or outdoor space. Or beach or coffee shop proximity. Or bedrooms for all their guests (I don't think the 2-bedroom request was real). She's working on a Master's degree, neither will be working. 

Husband: No stairs (or an elevator) and a tub would be nice as I'm rehabbing a broken knee.

Wife: Let's stay at $1200 or under. AC would be nice.

Dog: Just put me down in a sunny space so I can sleep.

I loved that they picked the studio for $700. 

[aghst]

Yeah probably the most responsible choice to go for that studio.

Maybe when one or both start to work and he's recovered from his knee, they could go for something like the first place, which was roomy, modern and had that rooftop terrace.

Been to Taragona and that Roman arena.  Is the grad school program in English?  Don't know what global health is but apparently she's planning to work in Spanish-language countries?

While it's good to save money, it must be an adjustment to go from that large home in Oregon to a studio.

[Crashcourse]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

She's working on a Master's degree, neither will be working. 

I thought she said she'd be working part-time online, but I didn't catch what the work was.

[proserpina65]

On 12/14/2022 at 8:54 PM, ArtFossil said:

“I left the midwifery course I was studying and, through weeks of intensive yoga and meditation practice, crafted a path forward that would provide me with the experience and structure needed to construct a new paradigm for birth and conscious connection. I now work as a doula and Radical Birthkeeper, childbirth mentor, Transformational Life Coach, and Birth Story Listener based in York, England.”

Oh dear. 

In other words, a quack from whom every pregnant woman should run as fast as they can.  Also "I couldn't hack the midwifery course but want to pretend it was my choice to drop out".

15 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

I know plenty of moms who wish someone had listened to them, instead of forcing them endure what they did during the birth process. 

I suspect that isn't what she means.  It sounds very touchy-feely, woo woo, no medical intervention ever, to me.  And very unsafe.

Edited December 16, 2022 by proserpina65

[eel21788]

19 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

I know plenty of moms who wish someone had listened to them, instead of forcing them endure what they did during the birth process. 

Essentially, the doula can only work from the bellybutton up. The midwife or doctor should be capable of working from both the bellybutton down as well as cover the upper half, too. If you don't have the northern advocate in sync with the southern advocate, it can turn into a power struggle.

If the doula announces "we don't want an episiotomy" because she thinks she is implementing a preplanned scenario that she promised the mother, then the delegate from down under needs to be able to mediate and tactfully explain "you can have the episiotomy now, or I can sew up a grade IV tear after we're finished."

The "tactfully" part is what is usually is deficient, especially with doctors. They don't seem to pay as much attention in their Introduction to Bedside Manner course as they should.

Edited December 16, 2022 by eel21788

[Notabug]

On 12/15/2022 at 9:53 AM, cinsays said:

a radical birthkeeper?  wonder what that actually means

She is part of a movement called Freebirthing.  These are people who believe that the woman herself must be in direct control of every aspect of her pregnancy and birth.  That means no regular prenatal care, most don't see a doctor or midwife at all,  Then, they believe that birth must take place in the home with the woman surrounding herself with loved ones and delivering the child herself.  No one else is to touch her or the baby unless she expressly gives permission and no medical professionals are to be present.  

The idea is that the woman herself, if given the opportunity to manage her own experience, will be able to determine on her own whether there is anything wrong during the pregnancy and birth and then will know what to do.   That can include seeking traditional medical care at that point, but it is completely the woman's choice.

If you google it, you'll find some freebirthers who describe vaginal exams in labor as assaults and who express disappointment if anyone other than themselves touches the baby as it is being born, even if that person's actions helped the birth to happen more easily. They're hardcore.

So, she intends to offer her services as a 'consultant' to women who want to do this and encourage them.  

[howiveaddict]

9 hours ago, mojito said:

Grants Pass, OR to Tarragona, Spain

. 

Dog: Just put me down in a sunny space so I can sleep.

I loved that they picked the studio for $700. 

Did anyone notice they let the dog stand on the bed in apartment number 2.  I thought due to that it would be the one they would pick and already lived there.  But, no. I like dogs but I would not think of letting one stand on a strangers bed.

[tessaray]

Time to move on from birthing comments, please. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 12/15/2022 at 2:40 PM, eel21788 said:

It seems as though she would have an easier time finding clients in the good, old US as long as she was willing to keep traveling been Half Moon Bay, CA, Nederland, CO and Vashon Island, WA.  

I assume Ashland, Oregon, isn't on the list because she'd have too much competition.

On 12/16/2022 at 10:50 PM, howiveaddict said:

Did anyone notice they let the dog stand on the bed in apartment number 2.  I thought due to that it would be the one they would pick and already lived there. 

They also let it up on a couch in one of the apartments.  I can't remember if it was sitting or standing, but both present a contact point with upholstery I don't think should be imposed without permission. 

[eel21788]

6 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I assume Ashland, Oregon, isn't on the list because she'd have too much competition.

Those were just the first 3 that I thought of. You can add Ashland if you want to. It would be convenient to stop there on the way from Half Moon Bay to Vashon.

[Grizzly]

Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  I'm waiting for that dress to not cover everything it should. Blue's voice is too breathy. After living with 5 people, I'm surprised she's being so picky. How many prison beds has she been on? All 3 apartments seem big enough so her pick should be based on best location. Splashing the cash, might have to try using that phrase.

[Thumper]

Very adventurous of her!  I got a kick out of her traipsing around looking for an apartment in her heeled slide sandals.  lol.
Working from home can be isolating.  I hope she made some friends.

[aghst]

Did she have a bit of an accent?  Doesn't sound like she grew up in London?

Thing is there are all kinds of digital nomad visas and she seem to be working entirely online.

So why go all the way to Cambodia, try to learn a difficult language?

I believe she could have found apartments around $1000 in places like Spain, Portugal.

Maybe not as roomy and the apartments she saw were relatively modern, with amenities like pool and somewhere to do yoga.

I guess you wouldn't find that in Europe for that price.  But could be relatively close to a beach and maybe join gym.

Might end up costing a bit more but she'd be closer to friends and family.

Some of the Vietnamese episodes they've had, the budgets were less than $1000 so maybe SE Asia isn't as cheap as it used to be.

 

 

[BAForever]

38 minutes ago, aghst said:

Did she have a bit of an accent?  Doesn't sound like she grew up in London?

Agree aghst. Couldn't tell if it was an affect or an accent. 

Again with the "expats" term. HHI is following  the trend with no longer saying "Master Bedroom", but still using "expats". Interesting. 

[mojito]

5 hours ago, aghst said:

Did she have a bit of an accent?  Doesn't sound like she grew up in London?

Funny you ask that. I have no ear for accents beyond being able to match one person's accent with that of another. (Shocked the crap out of a guy once in the middle of Texas when I asked him if he was from Antigua.) When this HH started talking, I instantly thought her accent didn't sound authentic. Maybe because I was expecting her to have a North American accent?

She stated that she wanted to lead an interesting life, which struck me as something you would say about how you'd want others to view your life. I didn't hear anything about any of her interests. She really seemed like she was valuing her life based on how it seemed to others.

Hope she enjoys whatever it is she does in Phnom Penh. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

The realtor on the Phnom Penh episode said that Cambodia isn't cheap any longer, the way it used to be.   And house hunter wasn't believing what the realtor said until she looked at the first place, and was shocked at the price. 

[javajeanelaine]

I found this house hunter pretty annoying with her demands.  Also her speech affectation.

[Grrarrggh]

Cambodia hunter was raised in and from London, so what speech affectations are people talking about? I thought she seemed nice. She had an actual job and reasonable tastes to go with a reasonable budget. Now, the gas thing was a bit off but everyone has their phobias. 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Grrarrggh

[StatisticalOutlier]

15 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Now, the gas thing was a bit off but everyone has their phobias. 

Or made-up phobias.  How did she get over it, so she was able to live in a place with a gas stove that she was afraid would explode?  I was assuming they'd explain, but they didn't. 

I can tell you for sure that if I looked at a house that had snakes all in it, I would not be able to live in it as long as the snakes were still in it. 

[aghst]

Well they're discovering there are health issues with gas stoves.

Some cities are banning gas hookups from new construction.

They're trying to have everyone migrate to induction stoves and cookware.

 

 

[StatisticalOutlier]

6 hours ago, aghst said:

Well they're discovering there are health issues with gas stoves.

I thought she said her fear was that it would spontaneously explode.

[aghst]

Sure, but I was just mentioning that there may be other reasons to avoid gas stoves, besides this house hunter's fears.

 

 

[Grizzly]

Florence, Italy. Gorgeous city. He was certainly straight out of central casting. That was a sweet story about their dads being friends growing up. Of course they were going to get the place she wanted. Just like she got shoes and a diamond ring. That apartment did make the most sense for the family.

[buttersister]

Florence, I miss you! After hearing him kvetch about living back in the centro, I give points to Sam for telling the producer, no, (not going to say some stupid thing), he wanted to remain married after the show. Bravo for following Rule #1. 

R1: Just because it’s in the HHI script, doesn’t mean you say it.

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by buttersister
Autocorrect not

[aghst]

Yeah what are the odds that their parents knew each other growing up in Israel but that they meet in Italy, because of train tickets, though I don’t recall seaTs being assigned.

Supposedly locals are priced out of centro, especially around all the tourist attractions, where restaurants and bars have higher prices.

If they really plan to be there long term, having more space makes sense.  They didn’t say where the school for the kid or his business is so that would figure into the equation.

Sounded like he also planned to work from home at least some of the time.

Do they plan to dine or hang out often in bars and cafes or make use of that large beautiful kitchen a lot?  They’ve been married awhile and have a young child so maybe not as much time for fun for themselves.

Certainly if they didn’t have the kid, there are so many things to do, not just in Florence but Tuscany, Italy, all of Europe.

[chessiegal]

4 hours ago, aghst said:

Yeah what are the odds that their parents knew each other growing up in Israel but that they meet in Italy, because of train tickets, though I don’t recall seaTs being assigned.

I remember at least 1 train having assigned seats. We assumed the train was open seating and were surprised when someone told us we were in their seat. I think it was from Munich to Florence.

[aghst]

Maybe different in Germany.

In Italy I’m often carrying a large suitcase, which won’t fit in the main cabin.  So I leave it on the end of the trains, where people board and get off.

So I try To sit as close to the end of trains, to keep an eye on it or to move it if it gets in the way of others boarding the trains.

In any event it’s an unbelievable coincidence that they end up on the same train.  As opposed to say being fixed up by their families.

[chessiegal]

My husband said I was wrong about train to Florence. Munich and Florence were 2 different trips. 😄 We flew to Florence from Paris. His memory is that all our train tickets had seat assignments when we were going around Europe, but were told on most trains it was open seating.  The exception was the trip to Vienna from Munich, and the Chunnel from London to Paris.

Edited December 23, 2022 by chessiegal

[Grrarrggh]

8 hours ago, aghst said:

In any event it’s an unbelievable coincidence that they end up on the same train.  As opposed to say being fixed up by their families.

Not really. I'm a lover of "real life is stranger than fiction" because man oh man, it is! 

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 12/23/2022 at 11:45 AM, aghst said:

In any event it’s an unbelievable coincidence that they end up on the same train.  

That story is giving me life.  If I were them, it would be the first thing I ever tell anybody.

[ArtFossil]

On 12/21/2022 at 10:27 PM, Grrarrggh said:

Cambodia hunter was raised in and from London, so what speech affectations are people talking about? I thought she seemed nice. She had an actual job and reasonable tastes to go with a reasonable budget. Now, the gas thing was a bit off but everyone has their phobias. 

She has an obvious accent and it is not "London."

[Grizzly]

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I laughed when husband complained house #1 was too clean. Does he want something that's dirty? Poor Taniel seems so uncomfortable with the arguing. If this is producer driven, they found a couple who really sells it. That dress is not flattering on her.

[chessiegal]

Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. The kids were cute. Since I don't have anything else nice to say, I'll leave it there.

[aghst]

Romantic Zone seems like a tourist area.

How is that more authentic Mexico?  Is he going to take his little boys to the bars?

But what do you know, he agreed to eliminate the only choice in the Romantic Zone.

Totally producer-driven.

Their notion of good TV is fake binary choices, supposedly dramatic tension.

They didn't even mention where the kids' school was.

This may have been snowbirds, live in Mexico during the winter, while maintaining permanent residence back in Chicago.

They traveled all over and their favorite place is Mexico?

[Vivigirl10]

10 minutes ago, aghst said:

How is that more authentic Mexico?  Is he going to take his little boys to the bars?

These episodes always bug me.  When one parent seems in denial that there are children to consider and they are in a different phase of life now - one that doesn't include regular bar hopping and other typical single-life excursions.

But I agree, it's all likely completely producer driven. 

I did enjoy seeing the homes they toured! 

[kirklandia]

PV - wife wanted a "suburbial" life.

[chessiegal]

9 hours ago, kirklandia said:

PV - wife wanted a "suburbial" life.

She used another made-up word. Can't remember what it was.

[kirklandia]

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

11 hours ago, kirklandia said:

PV - wife wanted a "suburbial" life.

She used another made-up word. Can't remember what it was.

Maybe you're thinking of the episode of original House Hunters that aired just before this - the woman talked about painting a room "celestrial" blue.

[mojito]

Chicago to Puerta Vallarta

While watching this, I wondered if Taniel has a Screen Actors Guild card.

[chessiegal]

38 minutes ago, kirklandia said:

Maybe you're thinking of the episode of original House Hunters that aired just before this - the woman talked about painting a room "celestrial" blue.

Because I evidently have nothing better to do, I watched and got to the part where she said she needed something "more bigger". Not made up but not correct usage.

[cinsays]

Just watched the episode with the quirky couple and their child that moved to Spain and he wanted a castle/tower and she needed a room for her boas.

The agent sure has his hands full trying to deal with their wishes and personalities. The husband is someone I could take in small doses - seems to be trying to be overboard quirky.

Did I mention he was quirky? Goodness.

[Bluesky]

On 11/22/2022 at 12:57 PM, proserpina65 said:

They weren't getting married at Westminster Abbey.  They were getting married at Westminster Cathedral, which is the largest Catholic church in the UK.  Two different places.

That cathedral looked huge.  Who are they inviting anyway.   

[cinsays]

So, just watched the one with the couple moving to Spain so one of them can work on her masters and the other plans to learn about herself, so they are living off their savings.

They go with the place centrally located so the finding-herself gal can be near the bars and the student has a 30 minute plus walk back and forth to school.

So, the one gal needs to get to the bars immediately upon waking? a 30 minute walk for her is too much?  ugh..  a bit selfish

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, cinsays said:

So, just watched the one with the couple moving to Spain so one of them can work on her masters and the other plans to learn about herself, so they are living off their savings.

Snort.

1 hour ago, cinsays said:

So, the one gal needs to get to the bars immediately upon waking? a 30 minute walk for her is too much? 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when they were talking about the student having a 30-minute walk, the learning about herself one said she would walk with the student and they could talk and whatever.  With no mention of the learning about herself one having an additional 30-minute walk to either meet the student on campus to walk back with her or to get back home after walking with the student to campus.

[aghst]

Yeah the Tarragona one, there must be a bus she can take instead of a 30 minute walk?

They went for the school but there are other things to do than bars.  It’s a coastal city so hang out on the beach?  Barcelona is nearby, probably an hour by train.

Even if that partner was unimaginative about how to spend her time, why didn’t the HHI writers make up something, like she wanted to be near the beach or she was going to work online so she needed an office?

Curious about these Americans going to grad school in Europe.  It’s one thing in an English-speaking country but in Spain?  I may have missed that the other house hunter was fluent?

Even if she gets her degree, would it get recognized in the US for job opportunities?  Grad schools in US offer job placement services too, unless she plans to look for work in Spain or Europe.

Maybe it’s easier to get admitted to schools, not have to take the GRE?  Or maybe lower tuition or they offer scholarships?  Housing is certainly affordable, under $1000.

[Irlandesa]

6 hours ago, aghst said:

Yeah the Tarragona one, there must be a bus she can take instead of a 30 minute walk?

Probably but it may be more efficient to just walk. 

I did a semester abroad in Spain when I was younger and the school was on the outskirts of the city on the other side of town where I lived. It was about an hour walk there, including going through the city center and a bit outside of it, and an hour back.  Truthfully, unless a person has physical limitations that make walking 30 minutes difficult for them, 30 minutes will probably feel like nothing.  I found it to be a lot more interesting to walk through the downtown of European cities with a specific destination in mind than I find it to walk 30 minutes around my neighborhood for exercise. I barely noticed the first because I had a destination/purpose while the latter feels like a chore. Plus, all the storefronts had displays. 

In addition, they're probably closer to getting their daily supplies living downtown and if she's going to the school I think she's going to, part of her classes will be online.

6 hours ago, aghst said:

Even if she gets her degree, would it get recognized in the US for job opportunities?  Grad schools in US offer job placement services too, unless she plans to look for work in Spain or Europe.

It depends on what she's getting her grad degree in.  If she needs to get a specific certification (like an MD) or is in a program, like law, where the name of the alma mater matters, then it could be an issue.   But if it's just a general graduate degree, then I doubt it'll matter.  Since she's doing the whole degree there, she doesn't have to worry about transfer credits.

Edited January 1, 2023 by Irlandesa

[mojito]

2 hours ago, aghst said:

I may have missed that the other house hunter was fluent?

She mentioned something about her classes being in English.

 

2 hours ago, aghst said:

Maybe it’s easier to get admitted to schools, not have to take the GRE?

Grad schools in the US have been trending away from the GRE.

[seacliffsal]

I liked the realtor-I don't recall seeing him before.

Story lines are getting limited and theirs was the "modern versus traditional" and it really showed how much of a reach that plot was with the second flat that had brick but which the grad student labeled as too modern for her, but when they went to the third flat all of a sudden the brick was traditional and she liked it.  So, in a 20 minute show (really less because they repeat the options, etc.) they couldn't even keep the story straight.  Brick is too modern (even in a room with more traditional detailing) except when it isn't.

[aghst]

I like the look of brick and stone that you see in some European interior construction.

But I wonder if those materials shed particulates that could get on and into your possessions or worse, get kicked up and you breathe them in.

 

[eel21788]

On 6/22/2022 at 8:57 AM, aghst said:

Coventry girlfriend wanted her own bathroom.

She didn't want any bathrooms. She wanted a palatial spa.

Every house she walked into it was, "Oh my God! The bathroom is horrible! It looks like a bathroom! It has a sink, a toilet and a tub/shower! That is so horrible! It looks like a bathroom! How can I even set foot in a bathroom like that? It looks like a bathroom! This is totally unacceptable, and remember, I want two of them! It looks like a bathroom!"

They also didn't ask if the one that had all the fireplaces had central heating. Were those quaint fireplaces in every room the only source of heat? Because somehow, I can't see her being interested in any fireplace that wasn't there solely for decorative purposes.