MEET THE
RUTTGERS
Names: Natalie and Thomas
From: Natalie is originally from Washington state and Thomas is from Minnesota. They lived in Portland for 7 years and still call Oregon home.
How did you meet your spouse? Orientation weekend at college at an Italian festival in downtown Portland. There was live music and dancing and a friend introduced us so that we could dance together. ️
Where are you in the medical journey? We are currently entering year three and we are starting our transition off of the island of St. Vincent and on to Baltimore for rotations.
Medical School Timeline:
- Accepted in June 2017
- Moved and started school in August 2017
Where did you move from and to?
We moved from Portland, OR to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and now to Baltimore, Maryland.
How did you make the move?
We sold next to everything we owned except for a small storage unit of meaningful items, expensive things, and a few suitcases that we took to the island. We flew and it was a 25-35 hour trips.
How much did you budget for the move?
Not enough for the international move. We took out the recommended loans and had about $8000 in savings. The cost of moving, trips home, and groceries/utilities added up quickly over a few terms. We didn’t realize that everything (besides rent) would be at least twice as expensive as it is in the States.
How did you find housing?
We found housing on the island through the school. My husband visited the island before we moved and ended up finding an Airbnb that was willing to rent to us long term. It was right by campus and a perfect place for our family.
For Baltimore, we’re relying heavily on friends that have gone before us and chose a town close to the hospitals he will be doing rotations at.
What are you glad you did?
I forced myself to get out and be in community with other spouses even when it was hard. Being on an island, especially as a new mom, was extremely isolating and I needed people to lean on.
Best moving tip for med school?
Sell as much as you can! Learning to live with less in this season has been so freeing and makes moves so much easier.
