Money

This week has been pretty strange to say the least. Yesterday, marked weeks until the day that I get on the plane to leave for The Netherlands. I know, I can't believe it is that soon either! Today, I learned that my company is not going to keep me on board after I move to Europe. It's fine, but I was expecting for Loek and I to have that as extra income, and it would have been nice to know before a week and a half before my last day. So, it is a little shocking to suddenly not have a job, like I planned. I didn't mention the possibility before because, I didn't want to jinx it.

I really love to read, and I really love to own books. I think they are great conversations starters and I like for people to automatically know I am smarter and more obscure in my references that they are.( Please read sarcasm in that last statement) Which is why it surprised people when this bibliophile purchased an Amazon Kindle. I am in love with it now and I think they are great for expats to have. I chose the Kindle specifically for a few reasons. 

When you are preparing to move some place new, especially abroad, it is important to do your research. Often, the idea of the city in your head is not going to match reality. Loek tried to tell me about Holland in the Summer. He told me all about how our home would not have AC and neither does his office. In my Southern mind, I could not imagine. I was convinced that I was going to die of heat exhaustion. I knew it was bound to be colder there than here. But no air, the Dutch must be insane.

I think I have mentioned a few times that I am a worrier. I am almost always in a panic about something. I don't want to be this way, I just am. So you can imagine what my blood pressure was like in the weeks leading up to the Debt Ceiling Deadline. That's right, full on panic tizzies about what Congress was going to do and how that would effect the exchange rate when I was ready to move. 

I have been remiss at my duties dear readers. I haven't been keeping you all as up to date in everything that is going on with my preparations of becoming an expat. I am sincerely sorry for this. Things have just been pretty hectic lately and work has been really stressing me out. You see, last week I changed positions and have been slowly transitioning my clients over to other people in preparation for my departure. It is absolutely necessary, but has really been taking its toll on me, because I allow myself to get too emotionally involved.

I am no longer a car owner. Under normal circumstances, this would be a near impossible thing living in Metro Atlanta as I currently do.  But I am lucky enough to be able to carpool into work with my mom for my remaining work days. So, why you might ask am I so excited to no longer be a car owner? Because this means besides my student loan, I don't anyone a thing in this world. 

I feel like I have not been present this week on my blog nor twitter. This is mostly because, after two years of work for the company I work for, (being the 3rd person hired and growing it from infancy,) this has been the most challenging week ever. I don't know if it is the debt ceiling or what, but clients have been even pickier than normal. As trying as this week has been, I keep on reminding myself how little time I actually have left to bring in a steady paycheck.

I realize that a lot of people are interested in just how one moves to Europe from the States. This is a difficult task if you are not in the military, have a job that few in the world can do, or you are not in love with a European who is willing to sponsor you. Even meeting one of these simple requirements makes the task of moving your entire life across the Atlantic Ocean difficult. Each Tuesday, I plan to discuss the ways I have prepared to take this big step: