Provided I get the vaccine soon, would you take your DCs and spend a few weeks in Europe? My family lives there and I miss them. The kids are in remote school (can’t skip it) and I could also work remotely. Does this sound manageable? I am not sure it does tbh.
I’ve been fully vaccinated (2 doses) since Jan 7. Let me tell you, other than a sense of relief for your own personal safety, life doesn’t change much. I‘m mainly restricted by state and workplace quarantine requirements on return from travel, but I also have the sense that we aren’t safe until we’re all safe. What with variants potentially spreading, my personal line in the sand is waiting on a few more vaccinated than just 10% of the population.
This is how I view the variant situation: I haven’t seen my mother in 1.5 years and she lives alone (widowed). I would like to take the opportunity to see her before mutations become widespread. She seems very depressed over the phone. Once variants are established it might be another year till I see her. Edit to say I am high risk.
How would remote school work from Europe? Is not live teaching? Wouldn't you have to wake up 3 am for a 9 am class?
The time difference works the other way. School from 3 pm to 9pm.
A lot of kids in my DC's class have been logging onto remote school from countries in vastly different time zones from NYC and it seems to be working for them. Kind of a memorable adventure.
Half of my family is overseas so I understand you miss them. But even putting safety aside, I think the logistics would be too difficult. I used to work at the europe office with headquarters in NY. The time difference made it very stressful. I was always working till 1 or 2 in the morning. How would the schedule work with your DC doing remote school? Maybe during the summer when they don't have school. But I personally would not feel comfortable traveling with young children till majority of the population is vaccinated
DCs are 10 and 13, not that young but very healthy and fit. 13 year old would have no issue with the schedule and is completely independent. My issue would be with the little one who has ADD and who must be monitored closely. My DH is her personal manager and he wouldn’t come with us. So it would all be on me. I also have to add that I am starting a new job soon. that doesn’t make it easier. Sigh! But I want to see my mother!
Timing doesn't sound right. I would at least wait till the Summer. Is will be safer, you would have some time to establish a relationship with your new boss/team and DC will be out of school. Your company may look at it and think that you are not taking the position seriously enough if you go. I would not do it unless you know you will have help while you are there.
Can your mother come to you instead? It seems like it would be easier and won't require your kids to make the adjustment.
It would be much easier but she won’t get vaccinated soon, due to slow roll out over there. Also, unless Biden changes this rule for fully vaccinated people, she would have to stay in Mexico for 2 weeks before being allowed to come into the US. This doesn’t work for us at all.
@Anonymous can she be trusted to travel safely? I would bring her here for the summer and let her get vaccinated here.
As I said, she‘d have to stay in Mexico for 2 weeks in a hotel or someplace Before she would be allowed to enter the US. This sounds very unsafe for an unvaccinated elderly woman so we won’t do it.
Yes! once you are vaccinated, go go. I haven't seen my family in over a year for this reason. Just do it, you'll be so glad you did.
I would go but do it for a shorter amount of time. Are they off in March? go for 4 days or something when there's no school, come back and quarantine.
Nope, this is a no go. People aren't being allowed to travel because of a pandemic not because Biden doesn't like Europoeans. Rules exist for a reason and you should follow them. Bring your mother over as soon as she can travel directly.
a. there is no current rule against travel and b. op is allowed to go home and c. they will both be vaccinated. We cannot give people un followable advice. OP - life is short. see your family.
There are rules against travel elsewhere (and every nation should be 100% closed to non-essential travel) and op seems to be suggesting that these rules are a vendetta rather than good public health regulations.
We should all stay home until the first vaccination cycle is complete. Period. It is not unfollowable (I've been at home since March, not getting on a plane or going into a restaurant until every adult who wants a vaccine has one) and it is immoral to be traveling internationally right now.
@Anonymous There are lots of rules related to travel related to showing negative covid tests before flight. US requires negative tests in order to return. Most of Europe is not allowing US citizens in. I guess if you and the kids have a foreign passport you can try. But given all the other points mentioned it doesn't like a good idea right now.
If I had a comfortable place to stay and work - absolutely!
Has your mother been vaccinated? If not, then absolutely no. If she has, then does she live in a house with a yard or a small apartment? What kind of situation are you potentially putting yourself and the kids in (and your mother!) if the new variants worsen the situation and your mother's area goes into a lockdown and you are stuck there? I would weigh all the worst case scenarios and if you could deal with them, go for it.