House Hunters International - General Discussion

[chocolatine]

3 hours ago, mojito said:

All three places were clean and bright and pretty newly done; not dingy, inexpensive places.

I noticed that too. Cologne is not a cheap city - it's a business hub and also very beautiful and historic - so finding a place for $700 or less was a tough ask. The place they ended up choosing wasn't very central, which is why it was so well-priced. Cologne has a great public transit system though, so they can still get around easily.

3 hours ago, chessiegal said:

The Cologne, France couple was a new episode.

Do you mean Cologne, Germany? ;)

Edited January 30, 2018 by chocolatine

[Irlandesa]

2 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

If, when I was 9-10 years old, I had found out that my parents had passed on a house with an indoor pool I would have pouted something fierce.  

I'm much older than that and I wanted to throw a tantrum when they bypassed both of the houses with indoor pools . Swimming is about the only exercise that I like enough to maintain for any length of time.  Having a (lap) pool in my house is on my dream list. 

If it weren't for the fact that it didn't have a pool, I would have liked the one they chose.  The historic guest house was adorable.  I also really liked this episode because of the grandeur of the houses they were looking at.  We don't get that very often with European HHI unless they are looking to open a B&B. 

I wonder what he or she does for a living.  They made it seem like they mainly moved to Poland for the climate and so their kids could learn Polish.  There was no mention of how they were able to afford that house.

[biakbiak]

Growing up I had friends with indoor pools, mold and chlorine made it a nightmare perhaps times have changed.

[abbyzenn]

What a difference between that horrible military wife in Eindhoven and the wife in Cologne!!!  The military wife was one of the worst people that has been on this show.  I did wonder if those girls were hers.  At least in the little we saw the girls didn't act/think like her.  

Cologne:  Very nice couple.  I thought the stand alone cottage was terrible - there really wasn't any living room just that couch in the kitchen.  The high rise apartment was very nice but it was a treat to see someone who stuck to their budget.   The studio was much bigger than that cottage.  At the end I'm surprised they didn't put up a curtain to hide the bed.  Had to laugh that after all her talk about seeing the bed they had arranged the sofas so that you looked directly at the bed!!!  With that nice patio area in front I would have arranged the sofas for that view. I would think in the warmer weather that patio would be nice place to relax/sit/drink wine.

[stormy]

The couple moving to Poland was a good episode. I liked them a lot.

But I don't remember them saying if they had jobs. The wife was Polish but had an Australian accent when speaking English it seemed.

All in all a good episode with a likable couple for me.

[chocolatine]

39 minutes ago, stormy said:

The couple moving to Poland was a good episode. I liked them a lot.

But I don't remember them saying if they had jobs. The wife was Polish but had an Australian accent when speaking English it seemed.

I was wondering about that as well. The wife is Polish, but like you said she had an Australian accent, so she must have lived there for a long time. It seems like neither spouse had a recent credit history in Poland, so they would have had to pay for their $1.2M house in cash, plus the guest house renovations they talked about. They said their original budget was $1M, but shrugged off the $200k difference like it was no big deal. Inquiring minds want to know.

[hisbunkie]

Quote

The military wife was one of the worst people that has been on this show.

I'm embarrassed for her husband and children. Poor thing is not sophisticated enough to understand that not knowing where the Netherlands is is not something to brag about.  Perhaps she needs to spend a little more time reading instead of shopping?  

What's really sad is that her husband appeared to be an enlisted military man, they do not make a lot of money.  For many members they find themselves having to reenlist because of debt.   

[Ohwell]

1 hour ago, hisbunkie said:

Poor thing is not sophisticated enough to understand that not knowing where the Netherlands is is not something to brag about.

Exactly.

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, hisbunkie said:

What's really sad is that her husband appeared to be an enlisted military man, they do not make a lot of money.

It is unconscionable how little they make. I am a member of an Angel group that supports deployed military. We are forever putting together showers for pregnant dependents and organizing Christmas gifts for the kids of parents deployed.  It's so sad how they have so little.  Most  have to use food stamps or other assistance programs just to make ends meet.  And God forbid anything should happen as the current government drags its feed for literally months before paying accrued benefits. 

I can only hope that nasty wife was acting a part and not the real thing.

[scrb]

They start low, since they have a high school education and little experience of any kind.

But if they're able to get a couple of promotions and stay in the military long enough, they can leave with a decent pension and still be in their 40s or even younger and start another career in the civilian world.

They get aid for college and health care for life I believe.

Then discounts on cars and other goods.  I used to work at a job which required visiting a naval base and saw a lot of nice cars on base. On another forum, vets boast about getting deals on OLED TVs which cost over $3000 from the PX.

 

I'm not saying it's the most lucrative career but it's not bad for people who start out with just high school education and little experience.  Generally people who enlist do not have many educational and career options when they enlisted.  Kids from families with means go to college and if they have interest in the military, will look at becoming officers.

[seacliffsal]

For those who enlist in the military, the pay is low even when becoming a NCO.  Yes, there are a lot of new cars on bases, but there are also many repossessions on those cars as what looks (and is) bright and shiny and fairly reasonable actually becomes much more expensive as insurance, taxes, and maintenance are added.  There are benefits and other incentives (education, health), but then the VA hospitals have become notoriously mismanaged and it often takes quite a while before one is able to get an appointment, etc.  

Related to the military family episode (as this is the HHI thread...), the husband did state that he would earn more money by taking the assignment in the Netherlands, so I hope that their budget will be okay.  I am nervous for them though, as it looked like the wife was carrying a Chanel purse and she was looking at fur in that one shop (which is not inexpensive).  The wife said that she did 'shopping therapy,' so I wouldn't be surprised if she justifies her spending habits as her husband 'owing' her due to their frequent moves.  They did end up with a beautiful home (I would have chosen the city center one) and I hope they are happy (especially the girls) and that they are not heavily in debt.

[aguabella]

On ‎1‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 6:08 PM, debraran said:

yes, I will, lol, my daughter wants to move. I know banned words are "natural light" dishwasher, dryer and second or third bedrooms for guests that aren't coming. I will agree to city center if it has a park nearby ; )

Yep, we're definitely drafting your daughter as "buying buddy", lol!

[LizBug]

House Hunter moving from DC to Frankfurt:  Cricket had her way younger brother (Issac) along for a second opinion/bonding time.  She admitted that she likes "quirky"  ... so it shouldn't have surprised me that she went for apartment #3.  Yes, it was close to her work.  Yes, it was under budget.  To me, it was the least attractive of the apartments ... smallish, a veritable rabbit warren of rooms, poorly equipped kitchen (for someone who loves to bake and requires gluten-free that kitchen didn't make sense).  But, the strangest feature was the shower in the kitchen.  Couldn't really wrap my head around that one.

I probably would have chosen the apartment with the terrace, even though it was $50 over budget.  It had large open space, an open terrace, an enclosed sunroom, the kitchen was fantastic.   

[chocolatine]

5 hours ago, DallasGypsy said:

But, the strangest feature was the shower in the kitchen.  Couldn't really wrap my head around that one.

When my parents and I first moved to Germany in the early 90s we were dirt-poor and rented a mother-in-law suite that also had a shower in the kitchen. We joked about it at the time, but it's not an experience any of us ever want to repeat. I know the other two apartments were decoys, but I can't believe she didn't find anything better in her budget on her actual apartment hunt. 

[Mittengirl]

I think Cricket is so in love with being “quirky” that she went with that apartment so people would say “Typical Cricket, so quirky with the kitchen shower.”   Doubt she really liked it, but would never admit it, lest she be seen as “normal”.

I don’t recall seeing a toilet - if all the plumbing was in one room ...?

[chocolatine]

1 hour ago, Mittengirl said:

I don’t recall seeing a toilet - if all the plumbing was in one room ...?

There was a separate water closet. I think even Quirky Cricket would have balked at a kitchen toilet.

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, chocolatine said:

I know the other two apartments were decoys, but I can't believe she didn't find anything better in her budget on her actual apartment hunt. 

Plus we know from past experience that they have already moved into the apartment for which they are supposedly shopping so one wonders if the decoys were available after the lease was signed and she is now regretting her initial decision.

You'd have to be exceedingly quirky to think a kitchen shower has any merit.

[chocolatine]

6 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

Plus we know from past experience that they have already moved into the apartment for which they are supposedly shopping so one wonders if the decoys were available after the lease was signed and she is now regretting her initial decision.

Frankfurt is a big city - despite what the realtor said - so there are many apartments on the market at any given time. I'm 100% certain that there were better options available within her budget when she was looking for apartments.

[mojito]

Quote

I probably would have chosen the apartment with the terrace, even though it was $50 over budget.  It had large open space, an open terrace, an enclosed sunroom, the kitchen was fantastic.   

I would've been okay with the basement apartment. 

I cannot see the appeal of the chosen apartment. But Cricket probably wouldn't approve of my house either.

[Bossa Nova]

On 1/26/2018 at 11:06 PM, mrs ra said:

Military family moving to the Netherlands. 

The wife was unbelievable!  I couldn’t believe she is a wife and a mother. She was more self centered than the average teenager!  The husband had a budget, which I assume was based on his knowledge of their finances, and she just dismissed it as if it did not matter. She already has a ridiculously large wardrobe,yet she expects to continue to amass more clothes. She approached every house only looking for how it fit her needs and was not willing to compromise at all. 

Re: Military couple, Sasha and Ronelle: I have never been to this HH forum, but purposely sought it out to vent about the above recent episode. So glad a few others had to post about that wife too. I was so disgusted and aghast at her ! She gives new meaning to narcissism. And those two lovely daughters, just tagging behind Sasha & Ronelle while they were filmed shopping and making more clothes purchases for Sasha at what appeared in a high end clothing boutique in that Netherlands' town.  No focus on the girls at all. They were like appendages. The wife, Sasha says "I don't care about a budget". "Its what I want, no compromise. " So they end up choosing the most expensive house, above budget because she needs "5-6 bedrooms" !

 

While she was very pretty, and even allowing for some production editing to make 'a story theme " about them (i.e. her personal clothing /shopping excesses). There was something eerily cunning, manipulative, and uncomfortably sly, even evil about her. Yes I know that's a strong word, but I cant quite nail it. Her glare at the camera, her glare at him, the detached interaction with the daughters. Then the last scene shows her lounging by the pool drinking wine, while husband Ronelle mows the lawn. And we see the one bedroom converted into a dressing room/closet for all her mega collection of tacky clothing. Mind you all that stuff had to be shipped from the U.S. to Europe , on a limited military employee salary (low rank at this point, I assume due to his young age, thus a lower salary and budget).

 

Yes, I found her Facebook page too. Many vanity pictures just about her. Not her daughters, her husband, or much else. Frightening.

Edited February 8, 2018 by Bossa Nova

[BlossomCulp]

I saw part of one yesterday with a young family relocating to Warwick England for hubbie's job.  Overall a good episode, the manufactured "he wants old world charm" "she wants closets" was there but the young couple didn't have their hearts in it!  They ended up getting the old world charm that was a few minutes from hubbies work rather than the decoy house where he'd have had a commute but she'd have had the US style house she claimed she wanted.

Anyway what struck me about this episode though was what deep pockets the company sending hubbie over must have.  I'm positive they are paying the rent on the house or seriously subsidizing it. but on top of that they must have paid to ship all the couple's furniture over from the US.  I couldn't help wondering how common that is - I mean know it happens but wow!   IME the company covered a lot of our expenses but drew the line at moving an entire household, clothing, personal possessions and some stuff yes, no problem, but we were expected to rent a furnished house.  This was the situation that I found most common among other expats we met as well.

[AnnieBeez]

4 hours ago, Bossa Nova said:

Re: Military couple, Sasha and Ronelle: I have never been to this HH forum, but purposely sought it out to vent about the above recent episode. So glad a few others had to post about that wife too. I was so disgusted and aghast at her ! She gives new meaning to narcissism. And those two lovely daughters, just tagging behind Sasha & Ronelle while they were filmed shopping and making more clothes purchases for Sasha at what appeared in a high end clothing boutique in that Netherlands' town.  No focus on the girls at all. They were like appendages. The wife, Sasha says "I don't care about a budget". "Its what I want, no compromise. " So they end up choosing the most expensive house, above budget because she needs "5-6 bedrooms" !

 

While she was very pretty, and even allowing for some production editing to make 'a story theme " about them (i.e. her personal clothing /shopping excesses). There was something eerily cunning, manipulative, and uncomfortably sly, even evil about her. Yes I know that's a strong word, but I cant quite nail it. Her glare at the camera, her glare at him, the detached interaction with the daughters. Then the last scene shows her lounging by the pool drinking wine, while husband Ronelle mows the lawn. And we see the one bedroom converted into a dressing room/closet for all her mega collection of tacky clothing. Mind you all that stuff had to be shipped from the U.S. to Europe , on a limited military employee salary (low rank at this point, I assume due to his young age, thus a lower salary and budget).

 

Yes, I found her Facebook page too. Many vanity pictures just about her. Not her daughters, her husband, or much else. Frightening.

Military takes care of having it packed up and moved. You're entitled to so many thousands of pounds, depending on rank. Vehicle is also transported.   https://www.move.mil/entitlements

[doodlebug]

12 hours ago, PuhLeeze said:

Military takes care of having it packed up and moved. You're entitled to so many thousands of pounds, depending on rank. Vehicle is also transported.   https://www.move.mil/entitlements

My guess is that she decided what they would take and what would be left behind and made sure all her crapola was shipped while hubby and daughters got the bare necessities.

I loved the house hunting on the Riviera last night if only for the house porn.  The place they chose, at $2.8 mil, was gorgeous.

[biakbiak]

I don't think anyone knows his rank but based on the base he was assigned and the fact she apparently leads a military community group,  you could also make the assumption he wasn't a basic enlisted man.

Edited February 8, 2018 by biakbiak

[copshop]

Apologies if I missed previous discussion of the Atlanta to Abruzzo couple. I guessed the house grandma was born in was going to be it, but why not just show us the house as one of the choices?! I wanted to see more of those gorgeous floors. The husband was so nice and accommodating.

[doodlebug]

The couple moving to Prague (such a beautiful city!) who bought the apartment that was $200 grand above budget seemed to lack common sense to me.  The husband bragged about how tough they were in negotiations to buy the place with major roof problems, but I don't think we ever heard what they actually paid.  Then, months later, they've moved in, but haven't even started repairing the many leaks in the roof.  Do they not understand how much structural damage occurs when roof leaks are ignored?  If he was such s great negotiator, why didn't the previous owners have to fix the house before the sale or why didn't they have enough money left over to get the roof fixed immediately?  

I presume with the historic nature of the housing in their neighborhood, there were probably local laws requiring historically accurate repairs and ceramic tiles, etc ain't cheap; so the roof repair was going to be pricey.  Also, apparently no one told them that flat roofs are notorious for leaking and that, using the rooftop terrace prior to fixing things was likely to exacerbate the problem- a lot.  Inviting family and friends up to the roof for parties was a really bad idea unless/until the roof has been properly repaired.  The apartment itself was beautiful, but it wasn't going to stay that way unless they fixed the roof pronto.

Edited February 9, 2018 by doodlebug
wayward punctuation

[Pickles]

The Prague couple. He said he had worked in IT, I think. But, they were moving to Prague so he could be a writer or, in reality, retired. They have that tiny child. Are they sitting on piles of money? How can you retire at his age? I also noticed that we never heard what they paid for their Prague place. Odd, especially after he emphasized all of the difficult negotiations.

[answerphone]

I'll admit I speed thru here to see which couple had the most snark written about them, and often choose those episodes from my DVR recorded episodes.

?

[mojito]

Prague Couple with Toddler

Stairs were a pain for having to walk up them with a stroller and groceries. No mention of the daughter getting up and down them. He got giddy over the loft room with the ladder. He could totally see this being his daughter's room (so could I). It's as though they actually thought  their daughter would be able to negotiate stairs and a ladder someday and wouldn't fall and break her neck before that time. As a matter of fact, they didn't seem to think any place was perilous to their daughter. I guess between keeping an eye on her, allowing her to climb, and perhaps being  able to understand "No!" they felt they could keep her safe.  I liked that the most about them. 

[Irlandesa]

Maybe it's not fiscally sound but I've been loving the "let's go over the budget" theme this week.  The apartment in France overlooking the ocean was gorgeous.  (I'd lose that little nob meant to turn on the stove top.)

And I didn't care that they overspent in Prague either; although I suspect the budget given is arbitrary. 

[biakbiak]

27 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

.  (I'd lose that little nob meant to turn on the stove top.)

I know a few people who have that and tgey just leave it out so it doesnt go missing.

[Ritalin Smoothie]

Frankfurt: That apartment ain't quirky; it's a bit sad.  It should work for a single person though. 

Villefranche-sur-Mer: Once I saw their Manhattan condo at the beginning of the show, I knew they had $ to burn.  The $700K above the original "budget" is the biggest overage of this show in my memory.

Prague: If I were his mother, I would rather stay in Miami.

Edited to add: I really like this week's programming because in general, I'm way more interested in properties in non-English speaking countries than ones in U.K., Australia, N.Z., etc. 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Ritalin Smoothie
After thought

[stormy]

I'm getting tired of the couples that

 have to quit their jobs, sell everything and uproot their children because the only way they can have quality time as a family, is to move to a foreign country. Really?

There's no place in the US where that's possible?

[chocolatine]

Austin, TX to Cuenca, Ecuador: The wife kept talking about the son not being able to walk for 20 minutes and not being safe near a busy street as if he was a toddler. He looked seven or eight years old to me, and the streets didn't look that busy.

The husband complained about the age of the appliances in the first apartment. It always bugs me when people do that in third-world countries. The standard of living isn't going to be as high as in the US; that's why cost of living so much cheaper. You can't have it both ways.

[stormy]

Also mom kept harping on the fact that she had to have a tub to bathe her son because he doesn't like showers and how will she get him clean.

She talked about him as if he's an infant yet she's ok letting him play outside with other kids on his own in Ecuador?

[seacliffsal]

Finally saw the Frankfurt episode with the "quirky" renter.  First of all, when one has to tell everyone else how "quirky" they are, that just kind of shows that no, they aren't.  Secondly, how could she be satisfied at all with the apartment she chose?  I would have been so happy with either of the other two.  Yes, I know that she had already rented the apartment, but I still like to comment on what we see in the episode itself.  I could so totally see myself in the other apartments.  The "quirky" one?  Not so much.  Sigh.  I guess that means I'm not quirky, which I can totally live with...

[doodlebug]

5 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

Finally saw the Frankfurt episode with the "quirky" renter.  First of all, when one has to tell everyone else how "quirky" they are, that just kind of shows that no, they aren't.  Secondly, how could she be satisfied at all with the apartment she chose?  I would have been so happy with either of the other two.  Yes, I know that she had already rented the apartment, but I still like to comment on what we see in the episode itself.  I could so totally see myself in the other apartments.  The "quirky" one?  Not so much.  Sigh.  I guess that means I'm not quirky, which I can totally live with...

I agree, she was way more impressed with her quirkiness than I was.  Except for the nice shared courtyard, there was nothing to recommend the apartment she chose.  The shower in the middle of the tiny kitchen wasn't even the worst of it, IMO.  The living room was so small, there wasn't room for anything but a single armchair and end table in it.  A studio apartment would've been more practical.  I don't know how her brother could stay with her when he visits.  Maybe she doesn't want guests, otherwise, it made no sense.

Edited February 11, 2018 by doodlebug

[debraran]

14 minutes ago, stormy said:

Also mom kept harping on the fact that she had to have a tub to bathe her son because he doesn't like showers and how will she get him clean.

She talked about him as if he's an infant yet she's ok letting him play outside with other kids on his own in Ecuador?

I watched this with my daughter, who is 25 and she said they seemed to be babying the kid, was there something wrong with him.  The walking part didn't hit me at first but  she's right, shouldn't be a big thing for him.

I saw a Huff Post article on people moving to that country and how they can't have high expectations but the standard of living will be lower and money will go further, but you can't keep wanting what you had here.

But that's the theme on HHI  ; )

[mojito]

Austin to Cuenca Couple with the very special Nico. (Beware! This couple has fired me up.)

Dear Americans Moving to Places Like Cuenca, Ecuador,

Your presence in Cuenca  dilutes the city's charm. Too many Americans have already moved their asses into Cuenca. You are ruining these places, making them noisy, creating the demand for "modern" homes that look like they were built in the US of A, creating the need for the high rises you scorn, and flooding a city so much that you can go a long way speaking only English.  You want local charm? Then don't ruin places by moving to them and just come down for vacations instead. Short vacations. You want local charm? Stay in Austin and be the local charm.  There.

You want more time with your family? You must be awfully stupid if you will let a place in your native country dictate the kind of relationship you have with your family.

In short, other countries are not the panacea for your obvious inability to establish a work-life balance, and your relocation  there is not contributing to local charm, it's detracting from it.

P.S. Your son Nico ain't all that special so stop acting like he's some sort of prince who has special needs  to be catered to. He's just another American kid with two annoying American parents.

[SmithW6079]

23 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

Finally saw the Frankfurt episode with the "quirky" renter.  First of all, when one has to tell everyone else how "quirky" they are, that just kind of shows that no, they aren't.  Secondly, how could she be satisfied at all with the apartment she chose?  I would have been so happy with either of the other two.  Yes, I know that she had already rented the apartment, but I still like to comment on what we see in the episode itself.  I could so totally see myself in the other apartments.  The "quirky" one?  Not so much.  Sigh.  I guess that means I'm not quirky, which I can totally live with...

Yes, totally agree. That apartment was awful. Its only saving grace was that it was apparently near her work. I wondered what she did there. She gave up her bakery in DC for this job, but was she still in food service? I could barely listen to her; her voice was like a knife to my ears.

The first two apartments were so much better. If budget was such a concern, then the basement apartment was the best choice. It was a nice place. There are these things called curtains and drapes that can hide the interior of an apartment from the outside.

I couldn't watch the gay couple moving to France, once I heard the American partner whine some pretentious BS about wanting what he wanted so screw the budget in the intro trailers. 

The couple moving to the Czech Republic were OK. The wife was kind of screechy, and the husband was annoying with the daughter's nickname. 

[TVForever]

46 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

The couple moving to the Czech Republic were OK. The wife was kind of screechy, and the husband was annoying with the daughter's nickname. 

The Minky!! 

[juliet73]

On 2/10/2018 at 12:05 AM, Ritalin Smoothie said:

 

Villefranche-sur-Mer: Once I saw their Manhattan condo at the beginning of the show, I knew they had $ to burn.  The $700K above the original "budget" is the biggest overage of this show in my memory.

  

I looked them up because I had to know about their NYC apt! They live in the penthouse and a similar (if not the same) floor plan is available in their building for over $8 million! 

[debraran]

On 2/11/2018 at 9:12 PM, SmithW6079 said:

Yes, totally agree. That apartment was awful. Its only saving grace was that it was apparently near her work. I wondered what she did there. She gave up her bakery in DC for this job, but was she still in food service? I could barely listen to her; her voice was like a knife to my ears.

The first two apartments were so much better. If budget was such a concern, then the basement apartment was the best choice. It was a nice place. There are these things called curtains and drapes that can hide the interior of an apartment from the outside.

I couldn't watch the gay couple moving to France, once I heard the American partner whine some pretentious BS about wanting what he wanted so screw the budget in the intro trailers. 

The couple moving to the Czech Republic were OK. The wife was kind of screechy, and the husband was annoying with the daughter's nickname. 

Yes, the France couple had money to burn, lots of it, so it's fun, but please don't keep mentioning budget as your issue. I'm sure you can't spend too much but this isn't like most buying in France, just enjoy that you can and make the issue having a bedroom for friends. ; )

The Czech couple, did they get the seller to fix the leaks in the end, I missed part of that. I'm assuming they didn't buy it "as is" for that price. As for his Mom, if it's just to be a babysitter, I hope she embraces it, being uprooted at an older age to a place where you don't know anyone can go both ways.

[doodlebug]

4 minutes ago, debraran said:

The Czech couple, did they get the seller to fix the leaks in the end, I missed part of that. I'm assuming they didn't buy it "as is" for that price. As for his Mom, if it's just to be a babysitter, I hope she embraces it, being uprooted at an older age to a place where you don't know anyone can go both ways.

No, they showed them living there several months later and specifically said they had done nothing about the leaks in the roof.  The husband said they negotiatred well with the sellers, but there was no mention of the price they’d paid, either.  You’d think that, if they’d been that tough, either the sellers would’ve fixed the roof or they would’ve done it themselves with money they’d saved on the cost.

[stormy]

I loved the couple that moved to Costa Rica.  Best couple ever.

[mojito]

OK to Costa Rica

Because the husband wasn't much of a smiler and stated that he didn't want guests to stay for long (they have children), I at first wondered if perhaps what he wanted was to go somewhere alone. He seemed a bit grumpy (except for stating that it wasn't until he had two kids that it hit him that he was married). So I was pleased that he got what he wanted in the end: a small place, true downsizing, and a place with a view. Clearly, he was a guy who wanted to shed all the stuff in his life. Glad he kept his wife, and glad that she eventually felt the freedom of having less.

[roseslg]

On 9/24/2017 at 3:01 PM, mojito said:

Quote

Hawaii to Australia: While the guy seemed down-to-earth and I admire people who seem to be able live life without security and stability, it makes me roll my eyes when Americans put on accents of the place they live. His "Australian" accent kept slipping in and out. (I knew a girl in high school who spent a year in England. She kept back with an English accent. Pretentious git.)

I am writing in defense of "pretentious" accents. I have this theory that people who are good with languages are also good at taking on regional accents once they've been submerged in it a while. That has happened to me twice in my life, and I never tried to take on another accent. With time, your most recent accent gets watered down.  Some people have an ear for language, some don't. I had a boss who was born and raised within 10 miles of me, and left the area for a number of years without his accent changing, and co-workers found it hard to believe that his accent was my native accent. It was. 

Just read this, and while I think some accents are put on, I think it can happen unknowingly.  Whenever I am on the phone with someone from Ireland, my accent becomes Irish.  I've had to make a conscious effort to not do it, and it still happens.  I've spent about 3 days in Ireland, worked in the US with folks without Irish accents.  It's like my brain short-circuits or something. 

[juliet73]

Costa Rica ep:  I thought she might have a hoarding issue.  Even though he was kind of grumpy, I liked that he didn't want/need space for "stuff."   I didn't understand why she kept harping about how they were always going to be together because the condo was so small.  If they need some alone time, why couldn't one of them just go to the other condo? 

[Andyis]

OMG. I know this has already been talked about to death on here, and I've read and enjoyed all your comments, but only just watched the Jon and Eliza episode and have to add my 2 cents. I have watched A LOT of HH and never before have I been so repulsed by someone on there as I was with Eliza. Cannot believe that she would have the heart to make her husband drive 2 hours EVERY DAY just so the dog can have a slightly larger patch of grass and she can have an "open plan" living area. Because she can't walk the dog with all her abundant free time as a stay at home housewife? (God knows she needs the exercise). She is literally the most selfish, heartless, awful, bratty, self-entitled human I have ever come across. And how ungrateful was she when Jon had booked out an entire boat for them or surprised her with a bottle of wine? She literally doesn't have one single ounce of goodness in her. What in the world is Jon even doing with her? He's a good looking guy. And she is average to say the least and overweight. Not to say that's a big deal normally but you would think with a personality like that, she would really have to be a complete knock out to make up for it.  Surely he can find someone with a nicer personality? God knows there are more good people out there than bad ones? Or someone attractive/in his league at the very least? Jon, you can do way better mate. Wake up to yourself. 

Edited February 14, 2018 by Andyis

[KLovestoShop]

I didn't like the Costa Rica husband.  Grumpy Cat has nothing on him.  And if I had to hear him say "It's not the visitors, but the length of stay",  I was going to climb through the TV and slap him.  I knew he'd get his way, with the tiny sliver of an ocean view.