Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Dutch or English

Is this my last entry from over here? Quite possible, since from today on it will be busy, busy, busy.
I do have a question though or rather, I would like some opinions.
Up to now I wrote here in English, at least, I tried so that Jack could also read my entries and I could practice.

Sunday we will get on that plane and from than on I would like to write Dutch updates also, that way my parents can read it. Hmmm, it does mean I have to watch my language from than on.
Let me know if there are more people who would like an update in Dutch now and than.

As for the rest, I am busy packing.
Although, everything that goes with FedEx is in the boxes. It is amazing how easy you can decide on leaving things behind. Although I do find things now that I would have liked to bring, but tomorrow these 12 boxes will be picked up so they are closed now.
Keeping my fingers crossed here that the box, filled with Lego will stay in one piece and customs doesn't decide to open it up. Maybe I should have put the Lego in bags, but didn't think of that before.

Friday morning my furniture will be picked up by a second hand shop and Saturday the last stuff will be moved out.

This week I also picked up the info from our dentist, doctor and some other stuff.
Went to town hall to inform them of our immigration. And thus cutting our ties with this country.
Ever where I come they talk about how exiting it is and a huge step to start living in another country. Up to now I hadn't had that feeling yet but this week it suddenly is there.
Mainly because we had to let go of our health insurance over here and step into the US system and there we had my first culture shock.
And believe me, I am still shaking.
We will have insurance now, but not nearly the full coverage that is so normal over here and the costs are insane.
And honestly, that is the type of excitement I don't need.

Also on another item my nerves are having a hard time.
Both my dogs, will they fly with us or not, do we have to decide to leave them behind for about a month. It all depends on the temperatures this Sunday. Those need to be below 85 degrees Fahrenheit, which is around 29 degrees Celsius. And right now the temperatures fluctuates around 85 degrees, the magic number.

Ok, enough time wasted now on the computer, time to go back to packing and making decisions, LOL.
Maybe I will write another up date from here, maybe not, if so...
I'll see you from the other side.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Packing

Ok, after much consideration, we decided to use FedEx to send over most of our stuff.
It seemed insane to get a container or a moving company for the few things that we will bring and than pay around 3000 euro's for it, but slowly I am starting to wonder if it wouldn't have been worth the money just to reduce stress.
LOL, off course I can do this, but we are dealing with the Dutch and US offices right now and they are giving us conflicting information.

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh.

So, now that I let that go, it is time for coffee so I can think things through.
Already mailed back to the Dutch office that the forms they sent me are so different from what I got from the US that I am wondering if it all will be ok.
I mean, before you know it you have to pay a lot of tax when the stuff crosses the border and since we are moving, it is all my own and not for sale or something.
Now the Dutch part wants me to write down every single piece of clothing I put in there, determine what fabric it is, what color, size and men or womens clothing.

Weird, don't expect they want me to know that when I am at the border with my two suitcases.
Ma'am, what fabric are your boxershorts made off, and is it a man's boxer or a womans?
LOL, I think my coffee is working now.
So I am going to wake up my son, he can help packing and later get me some more
duct tape.

Thanks for listening...

Monday, August 10, 2009

7 months...

exactly,is how long it took to get our visa's after sending in our application.
And I guess I should be telling you everything about how the interview went, how we picked up Jack from the airport and he got to join us while we had the interview.
This even though he had to bring his suitcase and laptop, which caused him to wait outside for a bit longer while we got to go inside already.
And I should tell you about how easy it was, how friendly and helpful the people in the Consulate were. And how we now have another 'between us' joke about how we received our visa's over a Jungling beer I tasted in Gettysburg.

How we had a cook out on the Saturday after with friends, family and lots of doggies.
And how some people managed to get me all emotional over a photoalbum they made that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
How the house was decorated with the Stars and Stripes and Jack a bit worried was over how people would react to that, while I wondered what on earth he was worried about?

Or I should tell you about how Jack spent a whole morning tearing out my carpet in the living and dining room and ended up with blisters all over his hands.
Or how we went to Bourtange with my Dad and Jack got to set foot in Germany also.
And how much Jack liked the old town with its history and how I never will forget his face when I bought some zoethout and started chewing on it.
I think he thought I lost it there, chewing on the twig of a tree.

But...I am not.

Instead I am going to tell you that our flight is booked, the rent on my house is canceled and I am busy packing.
There is no way back anymore, sooooooo
ready or not, here we come!