Her move to USA - how do we ship all of her "stuff" here.

[MaxxumUSA]

I can do DHL but that will be terribly expensive.

Any experience with shipping  your wifes posessions here to the USA?

She is in Samara, I am in Amsterdam, NY.

- David

[Mir]

What kind of stuff is it?

[catzenmouse]

I've heard Meest mentioned several times over the years. Quite a few just bring a bit at a time when they return for visits.

Ken

[MaxxumUSA]

What kind of stuff is it?

Mostly clothing, household items, paperwork, some books.  Stuff.

Not moving any furniture.

[groovlstk]

Have her bring whatever clothes are "in season" when she arrives and talk her into leaving her other clothing behind. She'll pine for home so you'll likely be filing for AP when you do your AOS. Then, if she packs lightly for her trip home she can stuff her suitcases with her remaining (or next season's) clothing.

My wife is returning to Moscow for the first time in Sept., she'll have been in the US for 10 months by then, and she's planning to bring along an extra suitcase so that she can bring her remaining clothing to the US.

[philb]

I don't know how much stuff you are talking about.  I looked into all of the available options when my wife came and found the cheapest and easiest route was paying the excess baggage fees to the airlines. They charge $50.00 per piece for being up to 20 lbs over weight.  So for $100.00 you can carry an extra 40lbs.  An additional piece of checked luggage is $125.00 (if I remember correctly).  These costs my vary depending on the airline.  My wife flew on Lufthansa.

[Sohkay]

Max,

Use two big roller suitcases. Most airlines will allow 50lbs. per case, and 70 lbs. for an up charge. I think I paid $50 x 2 my last trip to Ukraine to take two large 70lb. suitcases. (Wine, Christmas gifts, coffee, medicines in addition to everything else.) This will be cheaper and much easier than shipping. Will you be going back to travel with her? If so, you could bring almost 300 lbs. worth of stuff between the two of you. I'm also going to guess that she's going to be replacing many FSU clothes with American duds after she gets here.

[Phil dAmore]

Clothing?  Books?  Stuff?.   I sent my stuff over via sea container.  They charge by the volume (in cubic meters, or fractions thereof) and NOT by weight.  Way, way cheaper than air.  Sure it takes longer but what's the hurry?

As an inbound personal -effects shipment her stuff will not be subject to any customs duties.  A good freight forwarder can arrange it all from pickup to delivery.  Save a few bucks by having her do her own packing (inventory EVERYTHING).

Upon arrival in the U.S. (it will probably arrive in the Port of NY) you can try and go pick it up yourself.. saving the delivery, but unless you have a high tolerance for union BS and have spent some time on the docks before I don't reccommend this course of action.  Any common carrier (NOT UPS) can deliver it to you.

Just paperwork and books?  Are you sure it isn't a boatload of shoes?

[MaxxumUSA]

Are you sure it isn't a boatload of shoes?

Phil...  She's a russian woman.  TONS of shoes, of course.  Forgot to mention that.   

I'm about 70% sure I will be taking my son with me to Russia, and the three of us will return.  My son will pack light as usual, and I will pack light, and we can bring as much as we can back with us.

Thinking about it - that may cover just about everything.  6 large suitcases - 5 for her - 1 for me and my son.  We each get a carry on also.

Still looking for ideas if anyone has a revelation about this.

Thanks for the input so far.

- David

[TigerPaws]

Unless she has a $hit load of "stuff" you may be over thinking this, once she arrives and gets her barrings she will most likely have a completely different idea of what she wants and or needs to wear as well as what possessions she wants.

My suggestion is that if you can not bring it over in your luggage she will most likely not be needing it a least for a while.

TigerPaws

[BC]

Internal joke at our house..  When packing for a trip, my wife always forgets something.. that way we have to buy new when we get there.

[TigerPaws]

  BC,

With us it is "Splash! Woops!" or it got wet and the mold (an ever present problem here aboard SeaQuest OE) ruined it.

TigerPaws

[Simoni]

I flew over to pick her up with no bags.  She flew back with me, checking our alloted 4 bags.

Each time we return home she brings a few more things with her, but very little.

And most of the clothes she brought the first trip have been replaced.

We do have shopping malls in America, you know :-)

[tim 360]

Check out Meest.  I have heard they are very reasonable. Cheers, tim360

[tim 360]

Here ya go Maxum: 800-288-9949


http://www.meest.us/parcel.asp

If it is alot of stuff and heavy use the boat option. cheerio, tim360

[Wayne B]

David, when I went to get Anna, I packed very light...(1 pair of underwear) and I wore two of her dresses back to the US....it was very uncomfortable.....especially the three thong panties.....

[catzenmouse]

David, when I went to get Anna, I packed very light...(1 pair of underwear) and I wore two of her dresses back to the US....it was very uncomfortable.....especially the three thong panties.....

Yeah, yeah.... I can hear it now in your house.

"Vayne, don't vear my panties! You stretch zem!"

"But Honey, they make me feel so darn sexy!"

 

[SANDRO43]

and I wore two of her dresses back to the US....it was very uncomfortable.....especially the three thong panties.....

... and her high heels, too ? Must have been sheer bloody murder.

[Wayne B]

Ken, Anna actually said....My future husband vear my panty....vhat the 'heal' I do heer? I to Kharkiv....amerikanski no rite  :noidea:        Sandro...the heels were not a problem, until we or I was going through customs in Houston...... :usdeyes: to get out of that....                                                                                                                           

[Markus]

Go to the Army/Navy store and buy some duffle bags. You will have to pay the excess baggage charges on the airline, but it's still cheaper than shipping via DHL. Airlines charge different costs for excess baggage. Check which airline charges the least. Just don't go through London where the dollar is worth 50 cents. Paying in Euros in somewhat cheaper than paying in British pounds. Plus, Britian charges higher taxes for departing their country, unless you are a connecting passenger.

Mark

[acrzybear]

Ken, Anna actually said....My future husband vear my panty....vhat the 'heal' I do heer? I to Kharkiv....amerikanski no rite  :noidea:        Sandro...the heels were not a problem, until we or I was going through customs in Houston...... :usdeyes: to get out of that....                                                                                                                           

I don't think that's what you had in mind when you were thinking of getting into her pants

[aikorob]

Really the only way that sense, is to pack light going over there, and load up on the way back.
That's what we are planning to do in the spring.

That being said--anyone who has any suitcase space coming back from Odessa--please contact me

[Rvrwind]

Too Easy Max - Ya' ship all her stuff to Kamchatka, rent a couple of big azz frieghter canoes, load everything up & hire a couple of natives to paddle & ya' head for Alaska!!! 

[MaxxumUSA]

I'm about 70% sure I will be taking my son with me to Russia, and the three of us will return.  My son will pack light as usual, and I will pack light, and we can bring as much as we can back with us.

Thinking about it - that may cover just about everything.  6 large suitcases - 5 for her - 1 for me and my son.  We each get a carry on also.

Nope - my son is not coming.  I will pack light, take 1 bag with another packed into it.

We will load the crap out of 4 large cases, and possibly take a 5th if we need to.  The rest of the stuff will either wait until next visit or be shipped somehow.