moving to netherlands

The High Exchange Rate for Peace of Mind

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.

Being an always plan for the worse case scenario kind of gal, I began looking for solutions to change my money into Euros, before August 2nd. It also didn't help that the price for a Visa in The Netherlands went up more than 400 Euros in July. At first, I looked into getting a passport card from Travelex. A kind of pin card that you can pre-load with Euro's before you go. Apparently, I wanted to do too big of a transaction for the day, so my bank blocked my getting one. When I called to get it unlocked, the customer service rep recommended my calling my local branch and seeing what exchange rate they could offer me for buying Euros. I did, and it was a few pennies better in my favor. But, when you are talking a few thousands of dollars, those pennies add up.

So, I emptied what was in my savings account and purchased Euros from my bank. It was pretty easy, except for that they didn't know to type in The European Union as opposed to The Netherlands in order for me to get Euros, not Guilders. Luckily, I caught the mistake. The Euros were then mailed to the bank and I could pick them up 2 days later. The fee was like $10.00, it was really so easy.

Was this a better exchange rate than if I had used the ATM in The Netherlands? Who's to say? But I feel at ease knowing that I have enough Euros available to pay for my Visa.

In this case, peace of mind trumps cost. I needed one less thing to worry about.

Flickr Image above by donaldtownsend

Tags:

Section:

Money
Moving

I'll Be Missing You! Paycheck Edition

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1671

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.

When I leave my job in September, there are potentially a few freelance gigs here and there, but basically, that is it for the money to come in. For first time since the age of 16, that I will have nothing that I have to go to. during the week.How do you cure an American of her workaholic tendencies? I get a lot of self satisfaction in my work ethic.The unknown scares me a little, (okay a lot.) From all I can tell, finding a job as an expat can be a challenge, especially after some new E.U sanctions.

It is time to really investigate what it is that I want to do with my life. Why is it that when you have plenty of time to do fun things, you have no money to do them? The future hubs and I will be fine financially, as long as we stick to a budget. i.e. no retail therapy. I think the bigger adjustment for me ,more so then moving to a whole new country, is going to be not bringing in the bacon and not have something to fill up my time. Very thankful for a Museumkaart!

I don't want you to worry though, because I have a grand plan. It will just take awhile to execute.

Image: Kittikun Atsawintarangkul / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tags:

Section:

Money
Moving

Let's Talk About Stuff Baby!

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=809

It always takes me off guard when more often than not, I tell someone I am moving to the Netherlands and marrying at Dutchman, they ask me not about my upcoming nuptials or what I am going to be doing once I move there. Instead they say “OMG, I could never do that, what about your stuff?” As if their possessions weigh them down and are therefore I am supposed to be weighed down by mine.

Let’s talk about stuff shall we? Currently, my fiance lives in a one room apartment that is about the size of my current bedroom. It works for him, but we are moving into a brand new apartment that is currently being built in Utrecht. It is about 65sq meters or for those of you use to American, 699sq feet. Not big, but not really bad for a one bedroom apartment. There are going to be two of us living there. Loek already has a sofa, desk, entertainment system and coffee tables. As well as, an oven the size of a microwave, a 4 burner stovetop and a washer. (You get a box when you move into most apartments in NL, it is up to you to add the floor and appliances) We are buying a new bed because something in the apartment has to be my style as well as a new closet or two because Loek’s is falling apart and I love me some clothes.( Very Undutch I know.)

When I leave the States in October, I will be taking Atticus as my personal Item, a carry on doctors bag by DVF, I die, I got it for 60! Then I am checking two rolling duffels, one is the biggest suitcase per cubic cm I could find.( A Kaitlin packing tip: Duffels fit more than traditional suitcases) With these three bags, I plan on taking all the stuff that matters to me in the world. Okay, maybe that is not entirely true, I left 4 Albert Heijn sinaasappels (oranges) boxes of stuff in Loek’s apartment when I visited in April.

My DVF Bag

In the next week, I am going to do a series about how I chose what to take, how I freed myself from my possessions and how I learned that stuff doesn’t really matter, it is the experiences you have and the person you love that make you who you are. I would love to hear back from you as to your struggles with stuff, or how you were able to purge your junk.

Image by: dea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tags:

Section:

Moving

Loek and Kait, An Engagement Story

Loek and I got engaged in April while I was in Holland. We had talked about wanting to be engaged before I made the big move across the ocean, so I had an inkling it was coming. Before I left, both Loek and my mom were acting a little suspicious. I spent the entire time in Holland waiting for it to happen.

On Saturday the 9th, we decided to go to the Keukenhof. The Keukenhof is this huge flower park in Lisse, the town where Loek grew up. It is a popular tourist attraction in Holland that is only open from the beginning of April until Mid May; when the flowers are blooming of course. (Seriously, it is beautiful.) It is also the most crowded of any place I went in the Netherlands. In my mind when we were traveling to the Leiden Train Station where you catch the bus to the Keukenhof, I thought that this would be the perfect place for Loek to propose. Then I saw the crowds. For those of you who have actually known me for a long time should know that I have no problem with being the center of attention, but I am very much a private person, unless you know me very well. So the thought of Loek proposing in front of all these strangers, made me very nervous. But still, the Keukenhof is beautiful. We spent about 4 hours walking around the park, I ended up lobster red!

Flowers at the Keukenhof

After we finished looking at everything, Loek announced that it was time to leave. Leave! Maybe I was wrong, it doesn’t happen often. Loek then informed me that he wanted to show me more of Lisse. We had already been there earlier in the week to see his parents, but had really only seen the street where their house is. Loek took me up the street to the opening of the forest. The trees were pretty spaced out and while I have an obsession with trees, after the beauty of the Keukenhof, this forest was slightly disappointing. After about 5 minutes, we came to a clearing where there was a quaint little farm, complete with ponies and two giant pigs. I remember thinking to myself at the moment we came upon it, that it was an odd place for a farm to be, in the middle of the wood. We walked a few minutes more and suddenly standing in front of us was a small castle. Kastel Keukenhof and we had the grounds all to ourselves. Loek suggested that we sit and rest on a bench for awhile. It was there that he got down on one knee and proposed. That’s right at a castle! Apparently, I asked Loek if he was serious. It all happened really fast, but was the best moment of my life thus far.

It seems that, Loek and my mom had been conspiring because he had asked her permission to ask for my hand. A few weeks before I left for Holland, my mom and I went ring shopping just for fun. I had seen the perfect ring and my mom had apparently taken a picture of it and sent it to Loek. My mom went back, got it and sent it to him. I mean he paid her of course. Now let’s talk about this ring.It is a cushion cut peridot, my birthstone, surrounded by small diamonds. It is unique enough that I love it, but also not very ostentatious. Which is good because, the Dutch are not very ostentatious. I love it. And, it didn’t break the bank.

I am very excited to be getting married to quite possibly the sweetest man on the planet who I know loves me, . Loek and I have not started wedding planning yet, because we have so many other things in the immediate future to figure out. All I know is that it will be taking place in Holland, and I promise to keep you updated on the plans as they unfold.

Tags:

Section:

Preparation Tuesdays- Atticus Edition 1

I am bringing my cat to The Netherlands with me. His name is Atticus, he just turned a year old and he thinks I am his mother. Not in the normal way that people claim their pets are like their children. You see, I got Atticus when he was very young, too young in fact to be away from his mother.

I found Atti on Craigslist, yes I know, I should have gone through the ASPCA or Humane Society, but really I just skipped a step. Atti was up in Braselton, a good hour away from Atlanta on a good day. I drove up after work to see this kitten when he was about 5 weeks old. I feel in love and was told that they would hold Atti for me until he was old enough to be away from his mother. ( His mother was a stray cat that had her kittens in the peoples bush). I had just made it to my exit when I got a call, saying that the kittens were being taken back into the woods by their mom and that they had managed to grab Atticus, if I wanted to come back and get him.

I drove all the way back to Braselton, stopping along the way to get some cat milk substitute at the pet store and a syringe,(he wasn’t on solid food yet) I came home on my lunch break everyday for 2 weeks to feed him his fake milk in wither the syringe or in a bottle. You can see why Atti thinks of me as his mommy.

When I decided to move to Holland as opposed to having Loek move to the States, Atti was a huge factor. I could not imagine leaving him, but I did not want him to have to be quarantined for 30 days. Luckily, there are ways to get him to the country without having to do that process.

If you are planning on moving a pet. Your first call should be to the Consul of the Country you are planning to move to. They can provide you with the necessary forms you need to have completed by an USDA accredited vet.( It would also be a good idea to ask about any fees you will have to pay at customs for your pet, thank you Holland for being 0!) The Netherlands requires an EU Form 998 Veterinary Certificate. Atti will have to get a rabies shot as well as a few more vaccines and a microchip. This has to been done 90 to 21 days before we depart. Be sure to check the specifics for where you are moving. You then have to get the form certified by the USDA. You should send this in at least 2 weeks before departure.

After looking into what is required to bring your pet over by the country you are choosing to move to,you should then start looking into what airlines will actually transport your pet over. For me, I did not want Atti to have to transfer planes, so I choose to go with either Delta or KLM, as they were the only ones to offer a direct flight from Atlanta. In the end, I chose to go with KLM, even though really they have a partnership with Delta, so it isn’t a huge deal. I choose KLM because they are in charge of pets at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, and also because they had the best flight time. I will be landing in Amsterdam at 1:05 pm , local time on October 5th.

The last thing that you have to decide, is where to keep your pet on a flight. I debated for a long time about where to keep Atti, with me or in the cargo. In the end, I decided that with such a long flight, Atti, myself, and the other passenger's would be happiest if he was not in the cabin with us. You see, I was on an hour long flight on my way back from Philly after my layover from Amsterdam and there was a dog on the flight. Worst flight of my entire life. I also have to purchase an airline approved car carrier.

So far, I have not gone through the process of getting Atti moved, but I will keep you updated as I move through the steps.

Yes, that is my fiancee in the picture, and no, Atti is not actually that huge!

Tags:

Section:

I Have My Ticket!

I just wanted to stop in for a quick moment to say that I have my ticket! I am leaving Atlanta on October 4th at 10pm. Everything is happening so fast! I am leaving in 83 days! I miss Loek soo much so I am super excited that in 84 days I will get to see my fiancee again! I never want to be in another long distance relationship again, it is really hard. So freaking excited!

This amazing flickr photo was taken by: caribb

Tags:

Section:

Moving

Stereotypes and Ignorances

People have all sorts of stereotypical ideas about other cultures: The French are rude, Germans are militant and direct, all Russians are mobsters, Americans have a crappy education system-Hey one of those is unfortunately true. you get it, I don’t need to go on. Most of the time, these opinions are based on word of mouth or what we see on television. A lot of these stereotypes come from ignorance for other cultures norms.
It is my opinion that if you go to a place thinking that its people are a certain way, you will never be disappointed by lack of evidence. If you go with an open-mind you will be surprised about how most of the assumptions you had were wrong. When I met Loek’s friends for the first time, I was extremely nervous about what they thought about Americans, (Would they ask me about the Bush years? Would they think that I talked like the Jersey Shore cast? Yes, that show has even made it to The Netherlands.) I was arming myself for what stereotypes I would have to overcome, after all, I was an American.
Much to my relief, the only questions I was asked were about dining habits. I was asked if I ate pancakes everyday like the Americans on tv. To which I answered that I haven’t had a pancake in probably a year and that I live in the South so I eat a lot more waffles, because of Waffle House which is open 24 hours a day. (Man, am I going to miss the hashbrowns)They also asked me if in America it was polite to eat with a hand in your lap. That one threw me for a loop. They explained that was how Americans ate on tv. It wasn’t until later in the week that I realized that when I was eating my left hand in my lap. I noticed that everyone around me was eating with both their knife and fork and I was using only my fork unless I was cutting something. Hence the assumption that it is polite to put your hand in your lap. Because I can’t really put it too many other places.
As I live in The Netherlands, I am sure I will encounter many cultural differences. I will do my best to describe them to my readers not from a place of ignorance but from more of an anthropological study, it was one of my 9 majors in college (some habits die hard)
Do you believe stereotypes about other cultures or do you make your own opinions when you travel?

Tags:

Section:

American in Europe

Worry, Why Do I Let Myself Worry?

I don’t want come across as one of those people who don’t realize how truly blessed they are, you know, the ones who complain about the opportunities given to them that most people will never get to experience. That being said, moving to a completely different continent is proving to be more challenging than I could ever imagine. By nature I am a worrier. Seriously, it is the only thing about me that drives the fiancee nuts, (well, that and my constant planning, which comes hand in hand with being a worrier). Right now,here is what has me stressed. I am sure I share some of them with anyone about to embark on a big relocation.

Money: Let’s face it, money is almost always going to be an issue. I am worried about being let go from my current position because of all the rumors running rampant about me. ( I am not actually moving to Asia this summer, last I checked, The Netherlands is in Europe and I am not moving before October). I have to pay off some things before I move, I have to figure out what to do with my car. The exchange rate sucks for Americans, so even though I am saving lots of dollars, that doesn’t equate to lots of Euros. With the visa I am getting, it will be a few months until I can legally work and find a job. We will be living off of Loek’s salary and on a serious budget. While I realize that millions of people do this everyday, I have been basically supporting myself ever since I was 16, so having to rely on someone else is going to be tough for me. Add to that, trying to plan a wedding in Europe with plenty of notice so that friends and family from the US can be there without an income, is going to be tough.

Loneliness: I am abnormally close to my mom. We currently live together, so that I can save money to move, we also work at the same company so we carpool together. Thankfully, we don’t work on the same floor because that would just be too much. I have never lived more than 4 hours by car from my mom. I have been to Europe more times without her though so maybe that will help me out a little. In addition to my mom, I am also super close with my half-sister who I full love and several cousins. I have a large and close knit family, many of whom, as much as I love them, will probably never make the plane ride over to see me.(wimps). I also have some great friends. I still talk to people from 1st grade and I made the wedding cakes for both of my best friends of the last 14 years (thats right Christy and Hayley, over half our lives). While I don’t get to see my friends as often as I would like, practically no one lives by me, it is comforting to know that we are mostly all still in the same state. I am worried that I won’t know where to meet people in Holland and Loek has the same problem I do, where everyone moved away after college. He also lives in a different town than any of his co-workers so they don’t hang out much outside of work. In the words of Paul Rudd’s character in one of my favorite movies ever, “I got to get some fucking friends”.

Other adjustments: Here are some of the changes that I am worried about with moving to a place that speaks a completely different language, and just does things differently- the Dutch are so logical! I am worried that I will not be able to cook the recipes that I have in my vast variety of cookbooks. I worry that I wont ever learn Dutch. That I won’t be able to find a job, that Loek will get tired of no longer having disposable income. That I will be seen as a tacky American. That Loek and I wont be compatible at living together,( he has never lived with a girl before). That there will be a problem with my visa. That my cat wont be able to come. That my mom wont be as close as Loek’s mom is to our future children. That no one will come to our wedding. That I won’t be able to sleep with it being sunny until 11pm during the summer. That I will be depressed with the cold and dark that comes with Winter. I know a lot of this is irrational, but I have already told you that I am a worrier.
How do you overcome your fears? This peach is open to suggestions!

Tags:

Section:

American in Europe

A Georgia Peach Abroad

Follow

Subscribe

The High Exchange Rate for Peace of Mind

I'll Be Missing You! Paycheck Edition

Let's Talk About Stuff Baby!

Loek and Kait, An Engagement Story

Preparation Tuesdays- Atticus Edition 1

I Have My Ticket!

Stereotypes and Ignorances

Worry, Why Do I Let Myself Worry?

Navigation

Recent comments

Ik Tweet!

Blogs I recommend!

Blog posts

Tags

Sections

Follow

Subscribe

Search

moving to netherlands

Navigation

Recent comments

Ik Tweet!

Blogs I recommend!

You are here

Blog posts

Tags

Sections