Last week, in a valiant effort to find housing, Hubbalicious and I embarked upon a marathon of apartment viewings that would bring any sane person to the edge of reason (and DID, in fact take two otherwise sane persons to that particular locale). In the span of two days, we saw no less than 15 apartments. We crossed the center of Stuttgart a multitude of times. We circled blocks looking for parking. We took wrong turns. We shook realtors hands. We kept a wide smile on our faces as we tried to communicate our opinions to each other using only our eyes and telekinesis. We found the absolute end of our house hunting rope.
We saw places that were on the fifth story of a walk-up building. We saw places which, we soon learned, COULD be magically transformed from an office into an apartment, for the price of a kitchen and a shower installation. We saw one BEAUTIFUL place … which would have required an additional move in cost of 10-15k Euro, to “buy” the kitchen from the previous tenant (other than that, it was pretty darn perfect). We saw one place that had the master bathroom (save the toilet) in the bedroom itself, in a modern effort to be cutting edge….
The process of apartment viewing goes something like this: I get up early and start scanning a few trusted websites – alternating between the sites and a translation site to figure out what I’m reading. I’m getting a little better at German – I’ve learned the words for “rent” “room” and “kitchen”. Once I find a place that looks good – I toggle over to Google Maps to see if I can figure out the neighborhood it’s in and whether that is a place we’re targeting.
Once that’s done, I either call the number on the real estate web page and hope the person who answers speaks English, or I send an email via the automated tool on the site. The phone call is nice because I get usually instant gratification in the form of a viewing appointment. The automated tool is good because it emails me a copy of the message I’ve sent, and attaches a link to the ad – which I am usually frantically searching for, when the realtor calls me back to set up an appointment.
I usually try to get the realtor to share the address with me as soon as possible. This allows us to execute a “drive-by” to make sure that: 1) I read the map correctly and that the neighborhood is the desired proximity to city center (where the mass of shops and restaurants and main train station all sit), 2) that the neighborhood itself has a few shops and restaurants where we can be part of a small community and 3) that the building is well represented in the ad. If these criteria aren’t met, I can call and cancel the viewing appointment – but usually we go anyways to see what we can learn. In some cases the realtor doesn’t get back to us quickly or the address isn’t disclosed – and then we adapt what we like to call “stalking behavior”.
Armed with a few photos from the ad, and perhaps a floor plan, we’ll skulk around these neighborhoods, in search of the advertised apartment. One of us (names withheld to protect the innocent) is even bold enough to sneak into an apartment lobby behind a resident, or creep between the buildings to see if the tree shown through the window in one of the photos is indeed in this back yard. Am I proud of this (okay, yeah, it’s definitely me)? A little bit – I’m sleuthy like that! But, I also get that it’s not appropriate behavior and one that isn't necessarily going to ingratiate us to any future neighbors.
Hubbz and I stalked an apartment early in this process and fell utterly in love with it. The street is sweet and quiet and tree lined. The building is old and well cared for. There is a bakery on the corner where we can go for Sunday coffee and rolls. There is a hair salon on the next block that looked like a place I might be able to trust for a cut and color in a foreign land. The photos and floor plan in the ad look like they fit all of our criteria….but the realtor – well, he’s not really quick to return our calls.
We keep looking at GREAT places – but none of them have had the cumulative points that this one does. We have a serious, unrealistic crush on this apartment. It makes us yearn, and moan in the anguish of a probable unrequited love. It makes us giggly and sparkly when we let ourselves hope and plan for how we’d arrange furniture or where we’d have dinner. Most importantly, it makes us let other, perfectly good, apartments, sit vulnerable to capture by someone else in the hopes that perhaps we will capture the heart of this landlord, this realtor and fulfill our city living dreams. It is downright embarrassing how we pine for this little place, despite the fact that we haven’t even been inside to see yet!!! It’s seriously a case of “I don’t know you, but I love you”. Until now….
This week, I am on a business trip – and, wouldn’t you know it, that illusive realtor called and offered a viewing for this weekend. So, Hubbz, armed with a cell phone, a digital camera, and all of my faith in his decision making skills, went to tour the inside of the Holy Grail Apartment.
The good news is, we were right – it’s a great place and we’d love to live there. The bad news is – the guy who showed it to Hubbz is not yet authorized to represent it – and frankly, isn’t sure that the landlord wants to rent to Americans. So the realtor will speak to the landlord on our behalf. And we’ll continue the waiting game – the weighing-all-other-apartments-against-this-one game – until something gives. Keep your fingers crossed, my loved ones out in the blogosphere. Wish us luck!!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
HOUSE HUNTING
Our first stop in the house hunting process was the Base Off- Post Housing Office. They keep a listing of homes and apartments through a contracted property management company that works on base. They are so helpful – but, after a few property visits, we determined that there weren’t a lot of places on the list that we were interested in renting – and what good ones we found went really fast. At first we focused on the small (CUTE) towns near the base where Hubbalicious will be working. But after some consideration of what our lifestyle will be like (namely, me not working and wanting to be able to walk to shops and restaurants nearby), we’ve decided to focus our search on downtown Stuttgart.
Once you have looked at a few of the properties offered by the on-base housing company, you can ask for permission to use German realtors to help you in your search (realtors are a necessity with no single listing service for housing searches). The permission part is important because the realtors charge a fee and, without permission, that fee won’t be reimbursed by the base. So, Hubbz and I are now working with a multitude of realtors, searching for a place to live. It’s feast or famine when it comes to whether they will return our calls - and when they do, we’re rolling the dice on whether or not we can communicate!
Typical German apartments do not come equipped with KITCHENS (!?!), light fixtures or closets. Families move into apartments with their own sinks, cabinets, dishwashers, etc and use wardrobes for closets (And I always wondered why the Ikea catalog had these items so heavily featured). It’s a little surreal to walk into an apartment with an (always tiny) kitchen that consists of nothing but pipe fittings and wires for lighting sticking out from the walls! Small bedrooms feel a lot smaller when space is occupied by big wall units for hanging up your clothes.
The typical deposit for an apartment in Germany is 2-3 months rent. The realtor also gets a fee of 2-3 months rent upon move in. Thankfully (mercifully) the housing office will pay for the realtor and float us the deposit – else the move in cost would be about 10,000 Euro! We’re focusing on places that have kitchens included and lighting furnished. The Navy will pay our rent (up to a specific ceiling) and a stipend for utilities. As tenants, we will also pay any property taxes and co-op dues for our apartment, along with the garbage, electricity, water and cable we’re accustomed to paying for in the US.
We do our searches online, and then send emails to the realtors representing the properties to arrange a viewing. It’s slow going. Some realtors call within minutes of my email – others after a week! Housing is very expensive in Stuttgart, so few citizens actually own their homes. Many rent for decades. This makes people like Hubbz and I less attractive tenants. Further complicating our situation is that we require a different lease (provided by the Housing Office) which, among other things, allows us to give only 30 days notice to vacate (as opposed to the 90 days that German contracts require). So, we’re not exactly the prettiest girl at the prom when it comes to the tenant pool. But we’re keeping at it, and the places we’ve seen lately have all been good options – if not yet the Shangri-La we’re seeking :)
What does the perfect apartment look like? Well, for us, it will have 3 bedrooms (allowing space for an office and a guest room) and 2 bathrooms. By German standards, this is a palace! We would like to have in-apartment laundry (as opposed to basement laundry room) and reserved parking. Of course, we require a kitchen and light fixtures, unless the rent is low enough that we can work a deal in which a kitchen and lights were installed in exchange for a higher monthly rent. We’d like it to be an easy walk to restaurants and shops – and close to a train station.
The base will lend us any furniture we need, including wardrobe/closets, a washer and dryer, and an American sized refrigerator (German ones are about half the size of US versions). The trick seems to be finding a place with room for these items! We’ll get there…it’s only been 3 weeks :)
Once you have looked at a few of the properties offered by the on-base housing company, you can ask for permission to use German realtors to help you in your search (realtors are a necessity with no single listing service for housing searches). The permission part is important because the realtors charge a fee and, without permission, that fee won’t be reimbursed by the base. So, Hubbz and I are now working with a multitude of realtors, searching for a place to live. It’s feast or famine when it comes to whether they will return our calls - and when they do, we’re rolling the dice on whether or not we can communicate!
Typical German apartments do not come equipped with KITCHENS (!?!), light fixtures or closets. Families move into apartments with their own sinks, cabinets, dishwashers, etc and use wardrobes for closets (And I always wondered why the Ikea catalog had these items so heavily featured). It’s a little surreal to walk into an apartment with an (always tiny) kitchen that consists of nothing but pipe fittings and wires for lighting sticking out from the walls! Small bedrooms feel a lot smaller when space is occupied by big wall units for hanging up your clothes.
The typical deposit for an apartment in Germany is 2-3 months rent. The realtor also gets a fee of 2-3 months rent upon move in. Thankfully (mercifully) the housing office will pay for the realtor and float us the deposit – else the move in cost would be about 10,000 Euro! We’re focusing on places that have kitchens included and lighting furnished. The Navy will pay our rent (up to a specific ceiling) and a stipend for utilities. As tenants, we will also pay any property taxes and co-op dues for our apartment, along with the garbage, electricity, water and cable we’re accustomed to paying for in the US.
We do our searches online, and then send emails to the realtors representing the properties to arrange a viewing. It’s slow going. Some realtors call within minutes of my email – others after a week! Housing is very expensive in Stuttgart, so few citizens actually own their homes. Many rent for decades. This makes people like Hubbz and I less attractive tenants. Further complicating our situation is that we require a different lease (provided by the Housing Office) which, among other things, allows us to give only 30 days notice to vacate (as opposed to the 90 days that German contracts require). So, we’re not exactly the prettiest girl at the prom when it comes to the tenant pool. But we’re keeping at it, and the places we’ve seen lately have all been good options – if not yet the Shangri-La we’re seeking :)
What does the perfect apartment look like? Well, for us, it will have 3 bedrooms (allowing space for an office and a guest room) and 2 bathrooms. By German standards, this is a palace! We would like to have in-apartment laundry (as opposed to basement laundry room) and reserved parking. Of course, we require a kitchen and light fixtures, unless the rent is low enough that we can work a deal in which a kitchen and lights were installed in exchange for a higher monthly rent. We’d like it to be an easy walk to restaurants and shops – and close to a train station.
The base will lend us any furniture we need, including wardrobe/closets, a washer and dryer, and an American sized refrigerator (German ones are about half the size of US versions). The trick seems to be finding a place with room for these items! We’ll get there…it’s only been 3 weeks :)
THE SCRATCH HEARD ROUND THE WORLD
Last weekend, our two-week car rental came due. We called Avis to ask for an extension, but the cost they quoted us was more than two times the cost of the initial rental. No worries, we thought. We booked another car online for half the price and scheduled the pick up for the same time as the original car drop off. We book through the USAA website, which is automatically discounted 25% and covers the loss/damage coverage the rental companies offer. …or so we thought.
So we dropped off the rental and smugly handed over the keys…ready to trot off and retrieve the next rental car and commend ourselves on the hundreds of Euro we were saving by virtue of our quick thinking! When the check in clerk made his rounds to check out our car and pointed out a one inch scratch in the paint, below the left front headlight. Can you see it here?? Just above the gray plastic piece?
Seriously, this thing was a minor scratch…but they saw it and we were liable. The man ran off to the computer and did 3 minutes of research and came back with a report that indicated that the cost of repair would be….884 EURO!!! HUH?? Which of course, they wanted to charge our credit card for immediately! We nodded and reacted with calm surprise. We asked what the next steps would be, signed the slip admitting our responsibility for the scratch and shuffled toward the pick up desk, dragging our tails behind us.
We called USAA immediately after leaving the garage (if you don’t count the 10 minutes it took us to figure out that we needed to dial a “+1” before the US number) and explained the story. Turns out the USAA website link we used does NOT cover your deductable, but the major costs and liability, big whoop. So in actuality, the claim went directly to our car insurance, as it would have regardless of how we booked the car. Our hundreds of dollars of savings passed quickly before our eyes. Frankly had we bought a black sharpie and colored in the white plastic showing through the scratch, none of this would have happened.
Save the day – we realized that the credit card we used also had rental car coverage and it DOES cover the deductible. So, assuming the credit card insurance comes through, we’re back in business! The lady I spoke with today with the credit card insurance policy said that she had a call just yesterday where the German rental company found damage while SEARCHING UNDER A RENTAL CAR. Now this is a thorough culture!!! Let this be a lesson to you all – if you rent a black car, especially in Germany, buy a black sharpie and don’t be afraid to use it!
So we dropped off the rental and smugly handed over the keys…ready to trot off and retrieve the next rental car and commend ourselves on the hundreds of Euro we were saving by virtue of our quick thinking! When the check in clerk made his rounds to check out our car and pointed out a one inch scratch in the paint, below the left front headlight. Can you see it here?? Just above the gray plastic piece?
Seriously, this thing was a minor scratch…but they saw it and we were liable. The man ran off to the computer and did 3 minutes of research and came back with a report that indicated that the cost of repair would be….884 EURO!!! HUH?? Which of course, they wanted to charge our credit card for immediately! We nodded and reacted with calm surprise. We asked what the next steps would be, signed the slip admitting our responsibility for the scratch and shuffled toward the pick up desk, dragging our tails behind us.
We called USAA immediately after leaving the garage (if you don’t count the 10 minutes it took us to figure out that we needed to dial a “+1” before the US number) and explained the story. Turns out the USAA website link we used does NOT cover your deductable, but the major costs and liability, big whoop. So in actuality, the claim went directly to our car insurance, as it would have regardless of how we booked the car. Our hundreds of dollars of savings passed quickly before our eyes. Frankly had we bought a black sharpie and colored in the white plastic showing through the scratch, none of this would have happened.
Save the day – we realized that the credit card we used also had rental car coverage and it DOES cover the deductible. So, assuming the credit card insurance comes through, we’re back in business! The lady I spoke with today with the credit card insurance policy said that she had a call just yesterday where the German rental company found damage while SEARCHING UNDER A RENTAL CAR. Now this is a thorough culture!!! Let this be a lesson to you all – if you rent a black car, especially in Germany, buy a black sharpie and don’t be afraid to use it!
EATING IN GERMANY
Dear Friends, do you remember when you would ask me if I was excited about moving to Germany, and I replied with a shrug and said: “I’m excited about living in Europe. Germany is less exciting – I didn’t study Germanic based languages and I’m not a huge fan of German food or beer”. Does this sound familiar? The reason I remind you of this is simply to point out that I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. Strangely enough – after having visited Germany no less than 7 times before moving here – I had no idea how delicious eating can be here!! This is good and bad – good because Hubbz and I are enjoying our time here and having a “German” experience with gusto…bad because the party HAS to end soon. Soon is when my jeans get any tighter….and soon is just around the corner!!
In addition to the German foods we are learning about, we have discovered a multitude of Italian restaurants which are DELICIOUS and the wonderful world of Kebab that is spread throughout our neighborhoods. We are enjoying the heck out of what we once knew as schwarma or gyros – called “döner” here. YUM!
In addition to the German foods we are learning about, we have discovered a multitude of Italian restaurants which are DELICIOUS and the wonderful world of Kebab that is spread throughout our neighborhoods. We are enjoying the heck out of what we once knew as schwarma or gyros – called “döner” here. YUM!
DRIVER'S LICENSE:
As American residents, we can drive for about 30 days in Germany before we are required to have a German Driver’s License. There is an agreement between the German government and the US which allows us to procure a US FORCES German License. License procurement involves : 1- having a valid US license, 2-taking a Driver’s Ed Class (about 3 hours) and 3- taking a written test (in ENGLISH!) of about 100 questions.
Now, Hubbalicious has been the only driver of our rental car here in Germany. This was not our original plan (Avis, our go-to company, allows me equal permission to drive the car as a spouse without even being there to flash my license at the time of check-in). However, when we arrived, weary and ready for the freedom of the open road, the counter person at the German Avis counter informed us that, yes, of course I could drive…for the added cost of 17 EURO PER DAY. I smiled sweetly at my husband and said “Call me Miss Daisy”. BUT – this arrangement has given Hubbz a distinct advantage in the driver’s test arena. He’s been assimilating some of the signs and behaviors of German drivers, as I punch in GPS coordinates and try to find the German street sign we’re looking for to make the next turn. So when we started to read the study guide, answers came so naturally for him – and I was a series of shrugs and wrong answers…whoops!
How hard can it be, you might ask? Like the US, they drive on the right side of the road in Germany. The cars are built like US cars, save the speedometer being in Kilometers per Hour instead of Miles per Hour. All of this is true!! The driving itself, is not THAT different. The driver’s TEST, however, is another animal. It all boils down to three little words: Right of Way. Yep. There are some real strict rules about Right of Way – and the test really requires that you knuckle down and learn them. The test includes diagrams of three cars at four way stops, sometimes with horse drawn carriages, sometimes with traffic cops. And asks you… “In what order should these cars proceed?” Um…..huh?
The test included 75 questions about how many meters you can park from a cross walk (5), about the minimum speed on an Autobahn (60 kph) and how long your license will be suspended if anyone in your car doesn’t fasten their seat belt on base (one week for the first offense). It included about 7-10 diagrams (gulp) and 25 road signs that you match to their definition from a list they provide. (Sidebar, the road sign thing was harder than it sounds….consider the fact that in the US you’ve been looking at those signs for 16 years before you’re tested on them….).
Anyways – I was STRESSED about this test. No amount of studying seemed to help me try to cement these diagrams correctly in my brain. No amount of self-talk seemed to relieve the feelings of anxiety I had about taking this bloody test!! The fact that failure (which happened to about 25% of first time testers) meant only you had to re-take the test was somehow no comfort at all!! This demonstrated to me that I was letting anxiety triumph over logic – a bad sign in the world that exists in my head. I studied that practice test for a pretty solid 24 hours – but soon realized that I knew the answers due more to the fact that the question itself was familiar, than because I could confidently understand the scenarios in the diagrams. What ultimately saved my bacon was that 90% of the test questions were taken directly from the practice test. Hubbz passed with a 99/100 and I with a 97/100.
Apparently I was visibly anxious enough about the test that Hubbz skipped a prime gloating opportunity and refrained from celebrating his 2 point victory over me. He just smiled and hugged me and said “Good job Babe!!”. Yeah, he’s a keeper :)
Now, Hubbalicious has been the only driver of our rental car here in Germany. This was not our original plan (Avis, our go-to company, allows me equal permission to drive the car as a spouse without even being there to flash my license at the time of check-in). However, when we arrived, weary and ready for the freedom of the open road, the counter person at the German Avis counter informed us that, yes, of course I could drive…for the added cost of 17 EURO PER DAY. I smiled sweetly at my husband and said “Call me Miss Daisy”. BUT – this arrangement has given Hubbz a distinct advantage in the driver’s test arena. He’s been assimilating some of the signs and behaviors of German drivers, as I punch in GPS coordinates and try to find the German street sign we’re looking for to make the next turn. So when we started to read the study guide, answers came so naturally for him – and I was a series of shrugs and wrong answers…whoops!
How hard can it be, you might ask? Like the US, they drive on the right side of the road in Germany. The cars are built like US cars, save the speedometer being in Kilometers per Hour instead of Miles per Hour. All of this is true!! The driving itself, is not THAT different. The driver’s TEST, however, is another animal. It all boils down to three little words: Right of Way. Yep. There are some real strict rules about Right of Way – and the test really requires that you knuckle down and learn them. The test includes diagrams of three cars at four way stops, sometimes with horse drawn carriages, sometimes with traffic cops. And asks you… “In what order should these cars proceed?” Um…..huh?
The test included 75 questions about how many meters you can park from a cross walk (5), about the minimum speed on an Autobahn (60 kph) and how long your license will be suspended if anyone in your car doesn’t fasten their seat belt on base (one week for the first offense). It included about 7-10 diagrams (gulp) and 25 road signs that you match to their definition from a list they provide. (Sidebar, the road sign thing was harder than it sounds….consider the fact that in the US you’ve been looking at those signs for 16 years before you’re tested on them….).
Anyways – I was STRESSED about this test. No amount of studying seemed to help me try to cement these diagrams correctly in my brain. No amount of self-talk seemed to relieve the feelings of anxiety I had about taking this bloody test!! The fact that failure (which happened to about 25% of first time testers) meant only you had to re-take the test was somehow no comfort at all!! This demonstrated to me that I was letting anxiety triumph over logic – a bad sign in the world that exists in my head. I studied that practice test for a pretty solid 24 hours – but soon realized that I knew the answers due more to the fact that the question itself was familiar, than because I could confidently understand the scenarios in the diagrams. What ultimately saved my bacon was that 90% of the test questions were taken directly from the practice test. Hubbz passed with a 99/100 and I with a 97/100.
Apparently I was visibly anxious enough about the test that Hubbz skipped a prime gloating opportunity and refrained from celebrating his 2 point victory over me. He just smiled and hugged me and said “Good job Babe!!”. Yeah, he’s a keeper :)
On Base or Off Base?
House hunting here is full of new rules and experiences. Without the guidance of our base housing office, we would 1- have a hard time affording local housing and 2- have no idea what questions to ask when we were looking at potential places to live. Here’s what we have learned:
Our first concern when arriving in Stuttgart was whether or not we’d even be allowed to live off post. The literature we received back in VA stated that the housing office could insist that we live on base. On base housing consists of basically six apartments in three story buildings. They call them stairwells. The only stand alone houses are Flag Housing – and we’re never gonna qualify to live there! There are advantages to stairwells: They all have US and European power outlets. They are rent free and utility cost free – they come with cable, phone, power, etc… And have an English speaking office that you call when you are in need of a repairman, etc. The downside is that there are actually 4 bases in the USAG Stuttgart area –and the base they assign you to live is almost never the base where you work. Your neighbors are all Americans (which is nice for making friends, but not exactly the experience of living in Germany for some of us).
Hubbz and I arrived hoping to embrace the full “living in Germany” experience, and to live off post – but we had friends who arrived just 2 months before us, that were told that they had no choice and were assigned base housing. There were too many vacancies on post, and, frankly it’s waaaayyyy cheaper for the US government to house us on post than help us live in town. They were disappointed, but ultimately this is a good outcome for their family. They have young children and the husband will be deployed frequently from Stuttgart, so the support they will have from military neighbors and the ease of moving in immediately is/was valuable. They got a newly renovated place, which Hubbz and I saw last weekend. It is really nice and spacious and they have made a lovely home there!
By the time Hubbz and I arrived in Stuttgart, the rules had changed. The base has changed the rule to instruct all families with soldiers with ranks E7 and below to live on base. So, right now, we couldn’t live on base if we wanted to!! (which we don’t). So, now we’re in the midst of navigating German real estate. We’ve learned a lot so far – but have yet to find our holy grail of apartments.
Our first concern when arriving in Stuttgart was whether or not we’d even be allowed to live off post. The literature we received back in VA stated that the housing office could insist that we live on base. On base housing consists of basically six apartments in three story buildings. They call them stairwells. The only stand alone houses are Flag Housing – and we’re never gonna qualify to live there! There are advantages to stairwells: They all have US and European power outlets. They are rent free and utility cost free – they come with cable, phone, power, etc… And have an English speaking office that you call when you are in need of a repairman, etc. The downside is that there are actually 4 bases in the USAG Stuttgart area –and the base they assign you to live is almost never the base where you work. Your neighbors are all Americans (which is nice for making friends, but not exactly the experience of living in Germany for some of us).
Hubbz and I arrived hoping to embrace the full “living in Germany” experience, and to live off post – but we had friends who arrived just 2 months before us, that were told that they had no choice and were assigned base housing. There were too many vacancies on post, and, frankly it’s waaaayyyy cheaper for the US government to house us on post than help us live in town. They were disappointed, but ultimately this is a good outcome for their family. They have young children and the husband will be deployed frequently from Stuttgart, so the support they will have from military neighbors and the ease of moving in immediately is/was valuable. They got a newly renovated place, which Hubbz and I saw last weekend. It is really nice and spacious and they have made a lovely home there!
By the time Hubbz and I arrived in Stuttgart, the rules had changed. The base has changed the rule to instruct all families with soldiers with ranks E7 and below to live on base. So, right now, we couldn’t live on base if we wanted to!! (which we don’t). So, now we’re in the midst of navigating German real estate. We’ve learned a lot so far – but have yet to find our holy grail of apartments.
Hotel Living
Given that this is “moving season” for the Army (summertime has lower impact on school aged children) – the base is flooded with new and naïeve folks like us, bouncing around trying to figure out which way is up. This also means that the base temporary housing is full, so we were told pretty early in our moving preparations to find a place to stay in town. We were given a list of approved hotel options from the base from which to make our choice. There were many hotels – all unfamiliar to us in their city placement, and most new to us in their brand names. We contemplated a German brand with an Embassy Suites type set up – with a living space separated from the bedroom and microwave/fridge provided – thinking that the extra space may quell any frustrations of having to sleep/wake at the same time or not have any solitude whatsoever. However, ultimately we decided to rack up some hotel points with a US Chain that had American style beds and at least some guaranteed English channels on the tv.
The setup at our hotel, although not luxurious, is pretty great. We are close to the two bases that we frequent most regularly. Breakfast is included in our room rate, as is parking and internet for one laptop. We get 15% off of all of our meals purchased in the hotel (still dang pricey), and there is a “PCS Lounge” downstairs which has free sodas, a microwave, a big screen tv with the movie channels unscrambled, and a foosball table/toys for the kiddos - and a washer and dryer for our use (whoopee!!).
Laundry in Germany is an experience. Once you figure out how to use the machines (with all buttons and dial stops in German), you realize the following things:
1- The washer door locks as soon as you hit start, and won’t stop until the load is done….so DON’T drop a sock as you load the washer!!
2- German dryers are “condensation” dryers; which means there is no vent for the steam produced by the hot air on your wet clothes. So: it takes a long time for things to dry…I mean, like 2 hours….AND – when you pull the clothes out they are hot and damp so it takes a few minutes to determine whether they are actually dry or not. (Once they cool, the last bit of moisture evaporates to get them to the final dry stage). Opening the door and pulling the clothes out requires one to exercise a lot of caution…they are H-O-T. I’m talking “Hot Potato” hot. “Oven mitts would be good here” hot (Note to self: Perhaps a pair of Ove Gloves would be a good purchase for when I am doing laundry at home in the future).
The logic behind the condensation dryer makes sense – given that the buildings here are frequently a hundred years old. No vents were plumbed in 1910 apartments, and today’s citizens require the ability to do laundry in house. However – this process means that a load of laundry can take us 3 hours from washer to hanger – and that’s quite an investment of time. Add to that the added complication of there being one washer and dryer for use of all of the families using the PCS Lounge, and we’re spending 12 hour days attempting to do laundry each time – and not necessarily getting it all done.
Hotel living has its ups and downs. On one hand, it’s nice to have someone else making the bed each morning, and having breakfast immediately ready when we’re hungry in the morning is a definite luxury. The downside is that we’ve been eating out for every meal for pretty much a month now. This is impactfull on our waistlines despite our best efforts (If fabric could scream, you’d hear the cries from where you sit reading this now, I’m sure). But Hubbz’s new command has been amazing about giving him time to get settled here and find a place to live. So, really, we’re spending a ton of time together, and it feels a lot like a European vacation…with hot damp laundry :)
The setup at our hotel, although not luxurious, is pretty great. We are close to the two bases that we frequent most regularly. Breakfast is included in our room rate, as is parking and internet for one laptop. We get 15% off of all of our meals purchased in the hotel (still dang pricey), and there is a “PCS Lounge” downstairs which has free sodas, a microwave, a big screen tv with the movie channels unscrambled, and a foosball table/toys for the kiddos - and a washer and dryer for our use (whoopee!!).
Laundry in Germany is an experience. Once you figure out how to use the machines (with all buttons and dial stops in German), you realize the following things:
1- The washer door locks as soon as you hit start, and won’t stop until the load is done….so DON’T drop a sock as you load the washer!!
2- German dryers are “condensation” dryers; which means there is no vent for the steam produced by the hot air on your wet clothes. So: it takes a long time for things to dry…I mean, like 2 hours….AND – when you pull the clothes out they are hot and damp so it takes a few minutes to determine whether they are actually dry or not. (Once they cool, the last bit of moisture evaporates to get them to the final dry stage). Opening the door and pulling the clothes out requires one to exercise a lot of caution…they are H-O-T. I’m talking “Hot Potato” hot. “Oven mitts would be good here” hot (Note to self: Perhaps a pair of Ove Gloves would be a good purchase for when I am doing laundry at home in the future).
The logic behind the condensation dryer makes sense – given that the buildings here are frequently a hundred years old. No vents were plumbed in 1910 apartments, and today’s citizens require the ability to do laundry in house. However – this process means that a load of laundry can take us 3 hours from washer to hanger – and that’s quite an investment of time. Add to that the added complication of there being one washer and dryer for use of all of the families using the PCS Lounge, and we’re spending 12 hour days attempting to do laundry each time – and not necessarily getting it all done.
Hotel living has its ups and downs. On one hand, it’s nice to have someone else making the bed each morning, and having breakfast immediately ready when we’re hungry in the morning is a definite luxury. The downside is that we’ve been eating out for every meal for pretty much a month now. This is impactfull on our waistlines despite our best efforts (If fabric could scream, you’d hear the cries from where you sit reading this now, I’m sure). But Hubbz’s new command has been amazing about giving him time to get settled here and find a place to live. So, really, we’re spending a ton of time together, and it feels a lot like a European vacation…with hot damp laundry :)
Trying to catch up!! / In Processing
It's been a busy week (and a half!) for us over here. Between that and the fact that we are sharing one free internet login, I haven't had many opportunities to touch base with you. Sorry about that! I’m going to try to keep up with a number of entries for today. Just ignore the dates I post until further notice. I’ll let you know when I’m all caught up and able to post closer to the actual day our experiences unfold :)
- IN PROCESSING CLASSES: We spent last week mostly in class, hearing from representatives from most of the entities on base. This is really helpful for someone like me, who is still new to the services on a base, and is happy to have so many resources in a foreign land. However, for people like Hubbz, who have been in the military for almost 15 years and have heard these kinds of speeches a million times, it was more of a snore fest. However, for both of us, it was a big reminder that we are out of the Navy world and smack dab in the middle of the Army. Up until last week, neither one of us truly understood that "Hoo-ah" was both a question and an answer, an expression of woe, and of course, a rallying cry. We sat through a 10 minute brief that was punctuated with "hoo-ah"s to the point that I was (surprise, surprise) unable to neutralize the look of shock and amusement that decorated my face. I'll try to recreate a moment of the experience for you here, but keep in mind, that this pales in comparison to the actual experience.
All in all, the experience was really valuable. We learned about Customs rules, and what our medical procedures will be and even where to find information about touring the area on base. All in all, there is a lot to offer here – now if we can just remember who to call for what!
Hoo-ah?
- IN PROCESSING CLASSES: We spent last week mostly in class, hearing from representatives from most of the entities on base. This is really helpful for someone like me, who is still new to the services on a base, and is happy to have so many resources in a foreign land. However, for people like Hubbz, who have been in the military for almost 15 years and have heard these kinds of speeches a million times, it was more of a snore fest. However, for both of us, it was a big reminder that we are out of the Navy world and smack dab in the middle of the Army. Up until last week, neither one of us truly understood that "Hoo-ah" was both a question and an answer, an expression of woe, and of course, a rallying cry. We sat through a 10 minute brief that was punctuated with "hoo-ah"s to the point that I was (surprise, surprise) unable to neutralize the look of shock and amusement that decorated my face. I'll try to recreate a moment of the experience for you here, but keep in mind, that this pales in comparison to the actual experience.
SPEAKER: Welcome to USAG Stuttgart, Hoo-ah! My name is XXXXX . I work in the office of Col. XXXX, Hoo-ah. So, I am the first point of contact, Hoo-ah, if you get in trouble and you need a helping hand. Hoo-ah?
CROWD: Hoo-ah!....you get the drift. Most of the information was not presented in quite this fashion. But the experience really drove home the fact that we weren't in Kansas anymore!
SPEAKER: Hoo-ah. I'm not saying that I'm going to bail you out, Hoo-ah. But, I'm here to help, Hoo-ah?
CROWD: Hoo-ah!
All in all, the experience was really valuable. We learned about Customs rules, and what our medical procedures will be and even where to find information about touring the area on base. All in all, there is a lot to offer here – now if we can just remember who to call for what!
Hoo-ah?
Friday, June 11, 2010
A Warm Welcome
Hubbalicious and I had discussed the notion of renting a car upon arrival in Germany and decided that the mobility would be a nice freedom for a couple who was stuck in a hotel and curious about our surroundings. Hubbz’s new command was very accommodating throughout the transition process and had reached out a multitude of times via email to make sure that he (we) was getting his questions answered. In the days leading up to our departure from the US, they emailed offering a ride from the airport and an escort directly to base to get the check in process started. We demurred, since we already had the car reserved, and figured we’d be pretty fried upon arrival. It would be nice to be fresh and clean and rested before we attempted to put our collective best foot forward with the new command.
Hubbz and I were flabbergasted, as we pushed our ridiculously loaded luggage cart out of customs, to discover a sign with our names on it and two smiling faces to greet us at the Stuttgart Airport. Two of the staffers from Hubbz’s new office were there waiting to welcome us and get us familiarized with the base and surrounding area. They loaded our luggage into their car (barely making it fit!!) and took us off to the base to get us checked in.
Security at the new digs is tighter than our old base. Each person in an arriving car is ID’ed, and badges are scanned to verify that we are who we say we are, and that we’re currently cleared to enter the base. First stop was the base office to get our ID’s into the system. This involved having our pictures taken. So, with oily face and rumpled hair and clothing, I posed for my new ID picture – looking quite the part of the refugee in my new home country!!
The command staff also took us to check Hubbz in at his new command (so he wouldn’t have any leave charged against him). They showed us the Exchange building and the building where the bank, post office and our indoctrination classes would be held. They had made us a binder with maps and directions to the military installations from our hotel, and hours and locations of all of the base buildings. They even had a bag of snacks and German beer at the ready to welcome us to our new community. We were so touched and so impressed with their thoroughness and kindness. What a warm welcome to our new home!!
After our new friends dropped us off at our hotel, we spent an hour freshening up and grabbing a bite to eat – and then took a taxi back to the airport to pick up our car. We rented a wagon in anticipation of the numerous suitcases we’d need to move. Ironically, we got a Ford. But in the rental place’s defense…they also offered us two Korean cars also.
Since we were now cleared to enter the base without an escort, our first stop was the post exchange – to purchase our new GPS unit. In the past, I’ve shunned the idea of having an all knowing entity directing me from one place to another. But, given that we’d be navigating new road signs, new road rules, and a hundred different roads that all sound like “Farfignugen strasse” to our untrained ears – we figured it was actually an investment in our well being and the safety of others.
It was a big, busy day for a couple of weary travelers – but we were filled with excitement and adventure and the promise of an interesting next few years!
Hubbz and I were flabbergasted, as we pushed our ridiculously loaded luggage cart out of customs, to discover a sign with our names on it and two smiling faces to greet us at the Stuttgart Airport. Two of the staffers from Hubbz’s new office were there waiting to welcome us and get us familiarized with the base and surrounding area. They loaded our luggage into their car (barely making it fit!!) and took us off to the base to get us checked in.
Security at the new digs is tighter than our old base. Each person in an arriving car is ID’ed, and badges are scanned to verify that we are who we say we are, and that we’re currently cleared to enter the base. First stop was the base office to get our ID’s into the system. This involved having our pictures taken. So, with oily face and rumpled hair and clothing, I posed for my new ID picture – looking quite the part of the refugee in my new home country!!
The command staff also took us to check Hubbz in at his new command (so he wouldn’t have any leave charged against him). They showed us the Exchange building and the building where the bank, post office and our indoctrination classes would be held. They had made us a binder with maps and directions to the military installations from our hotel, and hours and locations of all of the base buildings. They even had a bag of snacks and German beer at the ready to welcome us to our new community. We were so touched and so impressed with their thoroughness and kindness. What a warm welcome to our new home!!
After our new friends dropped us off at our hotel, we spent an hour freshening up and grabbing a bite to eat – and then took a taxi back to the airport to pick up our car. We rented a wagon in anticipation of the numerous suitcases we’d need to move. Ironically, we got a Ford. But in the rental place’s defense…they also offered us two Korean cars also.
Since we were now cleared to enter the base without an escort, our first stop was the post exchange – to purchase our new GPS unit. In the past, I’ve shunned the idea of having an all knowing entity directing me from one place to another. But, given that we’d be navigating new road signs, new road rules, and a hundred different roads that all sound like “Farfignugen strasse” to our untrained ears – we figured it was actually an investment in our well being and the safety of others.
It was a big, busy day for a couple of weary travelers – but we were filled with excitement and adventure and the promise of an interesting next few years!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Experienced Travelers Travel Light....
You wouldn’t know it to look at me, but when it comes to packing…I am a total chick. Yes, I know, I have travelled a lot. I should be used to packing light. I should have one suit and two blouses that I can wear for a week and a half in stunning but efficient combinations. I should roll one petite and lithe suitcase onto the plane at my heels and effortlessly slide it into the overhead. Then take my seat looking fresh, graceful and mildly bored with the long flight ahead of me…
Instead, I am a chick. Being a chick means I have a multitude of cosmetics that travel with me. It means that using hotel shampoo and conditioner is waaayyyy too risky for my chick hair, and while I can cram my necessary products into 3.5 fl oz bottles designed for travelers like me – the amount of little bottles I need will more than fill a quart sized ziplock bag that the TSA requires. I need my lotion, my sunscreen, my hairbrushes, and my cosmetics. Being a chick also means that I need multiple accessories, like: more than one pair of shoes. Actually, I need more than three pairs of shoes…and, in the spirit of full disclosure….I frequently take more like six pair along with me.
So, chick that I am, when I travel for more than a weekend, I check a bag. I check a big bag. When I realize that I have a little extra room in my suitcase – I don’t pick 5 items that I probably can struggle through without so that I can downsize to a carry on sized bag…I add 10 more things until that big suitcase is full. That’s right, people. I am THAT girl.
It turns out, that when it comes to packing….the Hubbz is a bit of chick too (In a very masculine and manly way, of course)! This is perhaps why we are so compatible: that “think it through and prepare for every scenario” compatibility. So, as we gathered the items that had to make the immediate journey with us to Stuttgart, we realized....we were bringing a lot of stuff!!
Future PCS’ers…I am here to tell you this: check the baggage allowances on the airline you’re using to get overseas. Consider the ridiculous practice that airlines are now implementing in which they charge you for each bag, with an extra charge for out weighing their imposed single bag weight limits. I swear I saw dollar signs flash across the eyes of the very kind woman who checked us in for the flight. Because, get this, we rolled up on the airport with: four suitcases, one large seabag, a military issue backpack that was bigger than any I had ever seen before, two laptop bags and my large carry on bag which was a LARGE LL Bean Boat and Tote with my purse and various other items stuffed inside. (PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT: Highly Recommend the LL Bean Boat and Tote, btw. I have two and I truly do want one in every size!!!).
We had, in a fit of inspiration, decided to check the baggage allowance for our carrier when our packers reached critical status (we figured if we got to the realm of utterly ridiculous, we could off load items to the express shipment). We then discovered that this carrier would permit 3 bags of 100lbs each without charge for Hubbz as he was traveling on orders (phew!). My elite status allowed two bags under 75 lbs for no charge – and the rest we humped through the airport, praying that the gate agent wouldn’t demand a gate check as we boarded our first small regional jet.
I am happy to report that not only did we arrive with all of our carry on baggage in our possession – but that we were reunited with each and every one of our beloved bags at the luggage carousel in Stuttgart! Ah, it was a happy reunion. I smiled and offered to help as my big strong Hubbz loaded up the luggage cart with our multitude of house sized suitcases. I smiled broadly as with Herculean strength, he pushed the cart through customs and I sashayed along next to him carrying only my purse…and then it hit me like a ton of bricks….How the heck are we going to fit all of this into our hotel room??
Instead, I am a chick. Being a chick means I have a multitude of cosmetics that travel with me. It means that using hotel shampoo and conditioner is waaayyyy too risky for my chick hair, and while I can cram my necessary products into 3.5 fl oz bottles designed for travelers like me – the amount of little bottles I need will more than fill a quart sized ziplock bag that the TSA requires. I need my lotion, my sunscreen, my hairbrushes, and my cosmetics. Being a chick also means that I need multiple accessories, like: more than one pair of shoes. Actually, I need more than three pairs of shoes…and, in the spirit of full disclosure….I frequently take more like six pair along with me.
So, chick that I am, when I travel for more than a weekend, I check a bag. I check a big bag. When I realize that I have a little extra room in my suitcase – I don’t pick 5 items that I probably can struggle through without so that I can downsize to a carry on sized bag…I add 10 more things until that big suitcase is full. That’s right, people. I am THAT girl.
It turns out, that when it comes to packing….the Hubbz is a bit of chick too (In a very masculine and manly way, of course)! This is perhaps why we are so compatible: that “think it through and prepare for every scenario” compatibility. So, as we gathered the items that had to make the immediate journey with us to Stuttgart, we realized....we were bringing a lot of stuff!!
Future PCS’ers…I am here to tell you this: check the baggage allowances on the airline you’re using to get overseas. Consider the ridiculous practice that airlines are now implementing in which they charge you for each bag, with an extra charge for out weighing their imposed single bag weight limits. I swear I saw dollar signs flash across the eyes of the very kind woman who checked us in for the flight. Because, get this, we rolled up on the airport with: four suitcases, one large seabag, a military issue backpack that was bigger than any I had ever seen before, two laptop bags and my large carry on bag which was a LARGE LL Bean Boat and Tote with my purse and various other items stuffed inside. (PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT: Highly Recommend the LL Bean Boat and Tote, btw. I have two and I truly do want one in every size!!!).
We had, in a fit of inspiration, decided to check the baggage allowance for our carrier when our packers reached critical status (we figured if we got to the realm of utterly ridiculous, we could off load items to the express shipment). We then discovered that this carrier would permit 3 bags of 100lbs each without charge for Hubbz as he was traveling on orders (phew!). My elite status allowed two bags under 75 lbs for no charge – and the rest we humped through the airport, praying that the gate agent wouldn’t demand a gate check as we boarded our first small regional jet.
I am happy to report that not only did we arrive with all of our carry on baggage in our possession – but that we were reunited with each and every one of our beloved bags at the luggage carousel in Stuttgart! Ah, it was a happy reunion. I smiled and offered to help as my big strong Hubbz loaded up the luggage cart with our multitude of house sized suitcases. I smiled broadly as with Herculean strength, he pushed the cart through customs and I sashayed along next to him carrying only my purse…and then it hit me like a ton of bricks….How the heck are we going to fit all of this into our hotel room??
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Our Journey
Some of you know, that my last job has taken me to many places around the globe. This, along with the actual work that I do there, and the folks that I meet in these places, has been a huge source of enjoyment in my adult life. It has also been a font for that golden commodity known as “Frequent Flier Miles”.
I am absolutely loyal to one airline, and, somewhat like the George Clooney character in Up in the Air, I do what I can to maximize the miles in my account, which in turn, maximizes my comfort in transit. I have gotten fairly adept at evaluating the type of plane offered on the routes I take in order to maximize my chances at the upgrade to first or business class. I have a little script I’ve worked up to help the reservations operator understand that the guaranteed confirmation to business class, is far more important to me than the route or even the date I arrive at my destination. I have ground this down to a system that works for me – and I am not afraid to spend an hour doing research about the flight options before I even pick up the phone to book (I always use the phone, since the agents can help me weigh the options far better than the computer can).
In the years I have spent with Hubbalicious, my passion for flying in business class, and earning the miles to ensure this, has been a source of humor and teasing on his part. He would shake his head and laugh when I wrung my hands at my waiting list status on the night before a trip. He would stand behind me as I knit my brow over my screen and pages of scrap paper trying to organize my best route. And when I called him once from Bangkok to tell him I’d be coming home a day later in order to guarantee my flight would be in business class, he responded by singing Fergie’s Glamourous to me at $2.51 per minute (mock if you will, but the ability to recline with your feet up during a 12 hour flight is like being offered an in flight massage – who would turn that down!?!?)
But, oh the jokes are over, as Hubbz drank the Kool Aide himself a year or so ago. He is now equally or MORE focused on the comforts that having “status” on an airline can bring. He now yearns for the access to airport lounges, and automatic 5 inches of extra legroom in coach. He marvels at my ability to get gate agents to waive extra baggage fees or take just one more look at whether a better seat is available. He yearns for the “upgraded” seat on long flights, where mysterious glass cups and real silverware materialize, and warm chocolate chip cookies are passed around an hour before landing. Oh yes, my friends, I have created a monster, and the monster calls me from airports asking “Is there any magic you can work for me?”
I share all of this, not to brag, but to set the scene for our impending flight to Germany. I asked fairly early in the process if we’d be able to request my favorite airline for the trip. Wouldn’t it be great if I could work some magic to get us upgraded for a long flight in relative comfort? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a celebratory glass of champagne as we took off for our next new adventure? Wouldn’t it be fantastic to be able to arrive refreshed from at least a few hours of good sleep? Hubbz wasn't enthusiastic about making a bold request such as this. It's one of those situations, he explained, where you don't want to annoy the person with all of that ability to make you miserable! I could certainly see his point.
There were a number of hoops to jump through before the Navy would buy our plane tickets. Some of them I have referenced in earlier posts (medical clearance and fancy new passports, to name a few). There were further checks and balances once those first hurdles were cleared. It basically goes like this….the VA base says we are cleared to go overseas based on the screenings we do in Norfolk….they send that info to the German base we are supposed to join. Germany gives us the final thumbs up and sends that message back to Hubbz’s squadron in VA. Then, someone at the squadron has to walk that approval over to the personnel department, who forwards it to the travel folks, who book our tickets. It’s all basically a system of checks and balances to ensure that everyone agrees that we are an appropriate family for the move. The problem with this system, is that any latency sets off a chain of shrugging and head scratching events that result in a basic lack of final confirmation that you’re actually moving!! Poor Hubbz had to make many phone calls and patiently ask about the status of our paperwork. A poor admin officer from his squadron was making personalized trips to the office that was receiving and stamping our forms, just to make sure that our paperwork wasn’t buried in a pile somewhere. All in all, it took a month to do what could have been done in a week…but it DID get done – and we DID finally get those golden tickets.
Our tickets didn’t arrive until most of our stuff was packed out of the house…but we were happy to see that they were 1) for the day we had hoped and 2) that we would be traveling together (both unfounded doubts had crept into our collective consciousness in the “wouldn’t that suck” category). The bummer of it was that our tickets weren’t on a carrier on which I had any “status”. So we flew the 8 hour flight in the cramped and crowded part of an Airbus 330 and tried to sleep sitting upright. My dreams of champagne toasts dashed, as Hubbz tried to balance his water glass in his teeth to reach the book that had slid down under the seat just inches from his nose.
All in all, it was fine. The trip consisted of one long flight over water, bookended by two small regional flights that seemed to go from ascent to descent without any “hang time” in the middle. We weren’t able to have seats together on the flight into Stuttgart – so we didn’t have a shared “moment” as we flew low in final approach for the runway and took in an aerial view of our new hometown. I met my beloved at the end of the jetway with a smile and a “welcome home” and with that, our Ex-Pat tenure had begun.
I am absolutely loyal to one airline, and, somewhat like the George Clooney character in Up in the Air, I do what I can to maximize the miles in my account, which in turn, maximizes my comfort in transit. I have gotten fairly adept at evaluating the type of plane offered on the routes I take in order to maximize my chances at the upgrade to first or business class. I have a little script I’ve worked up to help the reservations operator understand that the guaranteed confirmation to business class, is far more important to me than the route or even the date I arrive at my destination. I have ground this down to a system that works for me – and I am not afraid to spend an hour doing research about the flight options before I even pick up the phone to book (I always use the phone, since the agents can help me weigh the options far better than the computer can).
In the years I have spent with Hubbalicious, my passion for flying in business class, and earning the miles to ensure this, has been a source of humor and teasing on his part. He would shake his head and laugh when I wrung my hands at my waiting list status on the night before a trip. He would stand behind me as I knit my brow over my screen and pages of scrap paper trying to organize my best route. And when I called him once from Bangkok to tell him I’d be coming home a day later in order to guarantee my flight would be in business class, he responded by singing Fergie’s Glamourous to me at $2.51 per minute (mock if you will, but the ability to recline with your feet up during a 12 hour flight is like being offered an in flight massage – who would turn that down!?!?)
But, oh the jokes are over, as Hubbz drank the Kool Aide himself a year or so ago. He is now equally or MORE focused on the comforts that having “status” on an airline can bring. He now yearns for the access to airport lounges, and automatic 5 inches of extra legroom in coach. He marvels at my ability to get gate agents to waive extra baggage fees or take just one more look at whether a better seat is available. He yearns for the “upgraded” seat on long flights, where mysterious glass cups and real silverware materialize, and warm chocolate chip cookies are passed around an hour before landing. Oh yes, my friends, I have created a monster, and the monster calls me from airports asking “Is there any magic you can work for me?”
I share all of this, not to brag, but to set the scene for our impending flight to Germany. I asked fairly early in the process if we’d be able to request my favorite airline for the trip. Wouldn’t it be great if I could work some magic to get us upgraded for a long flight in relative comfort? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a celebratory glass of champagne as we took off for our next new adventure? Wouldn’t it be fantastic to be able to arrive refreshed from at least a few hours of good sleep? Hubbz wasn't enthusiastic about making a bold request such as this. It's one of those situations, he explained, where you don't want to annoy the person with all of that ability to make you miserable! I could certainly see his point.
There were a number of hoops to jump through before the Navy would buy our plane tickets. Some of them I have referenced in earlier posts (medical clearance and fancy new passports, to name a few). There were further checks and balances once those first hurdles were cleared. It basically goes like this….the VA base says we are cleared to go overseas based on the screenings we do in Norfolk….they send that info to the German base we are supposed to join. Germany gives us the final thumbs up and sends that message back to Hubbz’s squadron in VA. Then, someone at the squadron has to walk that approval over to the personnel department, who forwards it to the travel folks, who book our tickets. It’s all basically a system of checks and balances to ensure that everyone agrees that we are an appropriate family for the move. The problem with this system, is that any latency sets off a chain of shrugging and head scratching events that result in a basic lack of final confirmation that you’re actually moving!! Poor Hubbz had to make many phone calls and patiently ask about the status of our paperwork. A poor admin officer from his squadron was making personalized trips to the office that was receiving and stamping our forms, just to make sure that our paperwork wasn’t buried in a pile somewhere. All in all, it took a month to do what could have been done in a week…but it DID get done – and we DID finally get those golden tickets.
Our tickets didn’t arrive until most of our stuff was packed out of the house…but we were happy to see that they were 1) for the day we had hoped and 2) that we would be traveling together (both unfounded doubts had crept into our collective consciousness in the “wouldn’t that suck” category). The bummer of it was that our tickets weren’t on a carrier on which I had any “status”. So we flew the 8 hour flight in the cramped and crowded part of an Airbus 330 and tried to sleep sitting upright. My dreams of champagne toasts dashed, as Hubbz tried to balance his water glass in his teeth to reach the book that had slid down under the seat just inches from his nose.
All in all, it was fine. The trip consisted of one long flight over water, bookended by two small regional flights that seemed to go from ascent to descent without any “hang time” in the middle. We weren’t able to have seats together on the flight into Stuttgart – so we didn’t have a shared “moment” as we flew low in final approach for the runway and took in an aerial view of our new hometown. I met my beloved at the end of the jetway with a smile and a “welcome home” and with that, our Ex-Pat tenure had begun.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Getting Back to “Us”
Sara Smiley, a popular military spouse blogger and author, recently wrote a column in which she described the experience of preparing to send your solider/airman/sailor off to deployment (http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/144186.html) . In it, she describes the stress and tension that comes with preparing to live apart from your spouse, as well as the increase in arguments that can arise as you mentally prepare to live independently. She writes: “It’s even easier to say goodbye if you are angry with that person, which is why military spouses often fight in the weeks leading up to a deployment.” I have heard this before, from many sources, actually. Each time Hubbz has prepared for a deployment, it is in the brochures that he carries home from work, or in the spiel given by the counselors who brief the families in his detachment about what to expect during the deployment.
Each time I read about this, I must admit, I feel a bit smug. “That doesn’t happen to Hubbz and I”, I think. I know it DOES happen. The concept itself is logical, and the incidence is real and discussed amongst my military spouse colleagues – but we, somehow, are immune to this. Our “countdown time” is tender and bittersweet. There are many more sad smiles across the table, when a group conversation turns to a concert or an event that we will miss spending together. There are far more hand squeezes and quiet hugs shared between us, when the realization of the time we’re about to spend apart strikes one of us in a fleeting thought. We are patient with each other as one rehashes for the umpteenth time, how to execute a task that the other usually takes care of. Doing so is acknowledging that this is an act of love and caretaking that must now be done through careful verbal instruction, instead of quietly and quickly behind the scenes, to keep our small family running at its current operating speed. We are lucky. We are blessed. We are strong….and I am smug….until it comes time to PCS.
Somehow, we are the anomaly. The stressors that the experts warn about are those that we quickly sail past – but the DAY that the orders show up for our next change of duty station, the couple on the cover of the romance novel is replaced by Mr. “Just Do It My Way, and Don’t Ask Questions” and Mrs. “Once Again, You are Doing It Wrong”. Hubbz and I are both “type A”, oldest siblings with a penchant for organizing things and people. As I’m sure you can quickly surmise, when it’s time to get things organized for a long-distance move, we both have a clear idea of what needs to be done, and in which order it should be executed…..and that creates a situation with two Chiefs with no tribe to boss around. Not exactly the recipe for harmonious teamwork.
This tension seems to peak just about the day before the packers arrive and then the acrimony seems to dissipate in major chunks as each truck drives off with more of our stuff inside. That last Friday, with our last shipment done, and our old house keys labeled on the kitchen counter in wait for the new tenants of our house – there was a final noticeable lift in the weight, despite the weariness in our bones. We were done – we were “us” again…and our next adventure awaited us in Germany.
Each time I read about this, I must admit, I feel a bit smug. “That doesn’t happen to Hubbz and I”, I think. I know it DOES happen. The concept itself is logical, and the incidence is real and discussed amongst my military spouse colleagues – but we, somehow, are immune to this. Our “countdown time” is tender and bittersweet. There are many more sad smiles across the table, when a group conversation turns to a concert or an event that we will miss spending together. There are far more hand squeezes and quiet hugs shared between us, when the realization of the time we’re about to spend apart strikes one of us in a fleeting thought. We are patient with each other as one rehashes for the umpteenth time, how to execute a task that the other usually takes care of. Doing so is acknowledging that this is an act of love and caretaking that must now be done through careful verbal instruction, instead of quietly and quickly behind the scenes, to keep our small family running at its current operating speed. We are lucky. We are blessed. We are strong….and I am smug….until it comes time to PCS.
Somehow, we are the anomaly. The stressors that the experts warn about are those that we quickly sail past – but the DAY that the orders show up for our next change of duty station, the couple on the cover of the romance novel is replaced by Mr. “Just Do It My Way, and Don’t Ask Questions” and Mrs. “Once Again, You are Doing It Wrong”. Hubbz and I are both “type A”, oldest siblings with a penchant for organizing things and people. As I’m sure you can quickly surmise, when it’s time to get things organized for a long-distance move, we both have a clear idea of what needs to be done, and in which order it should be executed…..and that creates a situation with two Chiefs with no tribe to boss around. Not exactly the recipe for harmonious teamwork.
This tension seems to peak just about the day before the packers arrive and then the acrimony seems to dissipate in major chunks as each truck drives off with more of our stuff inside. That last Friday, with our last shipment done, and our old house keys labeled on the kitchen counter in wait for the new tenants of our house – there was a final noticeable lift in the weight, despite the weariness in our bones. We were done – we were “us” again…and our next adventure awaited us in Germany.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
The Pack Out
I know that I am waaaaayyyy behind in documenting this process. I'm going to try to be diligent and report it all - and to do so in digestible pieces...but y'all know I can get a good head of steam when I'm trying to tell a story!!!
The pack out/move process was interesting at times, boring at others and somehow both exhilarating and exhausting. It was also TERRIBLE for a diet conscious couple (more on that later)...
Day 1 of a 4 Day process - this was a day for packing. Two folks from the moving company arrived, armed with boxes and tape and a ton of newsprint (which, we have learned, will haunt us when we get to the UN-packing part of the equation). This, the first day, was the day with the highest risk of confusion about what stuff will go in which shipment - so Hubz and I were vigilant and smiling and available at all times for clarification. On the night before, we made our best attempts to store everything that wasn't to be packed up into two closets and our office - thus giving us "no pack zones" in the house that the movers wouldn't even enter! It worked like a charm :)
Military lore dictates that you must feed and tip your movers to ensure careful handling and storage of your stuff. Hubz and I love an opportunity to be good hosts, so our packers and movers were greeted with doughnuts and coffee upon arrival. We filled the fridge with sodas and bottled water, and bought some single serving bags of chips for snacking. We encouraged the movers to help themselves. We also provided lunch each day. This is probably a little over the top - but we figure every little bit helps. The downside is that Hubz and I sat, mostly bored, surrounded by doughnuts and chips and sodas. Breaking up the boredom was the pizza, or hamburgers that the movers requested each day for lunch.... I can say with 100% certainty that the majority of chips, doughnuts and sodas were consumed by us each day....sigh...what can you do?!?
After the packers had bundled, boxed and numbered all of our stuff, a new crew showed up on Day 2 to pack it all up into a truck - which would take our items to a yard - where they would be placed in a crate - which will go into a big shipping crate (think a boxcar on a train) and placed on a huge cargo ship en route to our new home continent. Yes, folks, as I type this - 80% of our worldly possessions could be sinking to the bottom of the sea. It's a nice perspective to be able to look around this tiny hotel room where I sit in Germany, and realize that I have absolutely everything I need to live. :)
At the end of Day 2, Hubbz and I re-organized our "no packer zones". We pulled a few items out of the closets and office to be held over for the quick shipment, and made sure all of the luggage items would fit in our suitcases, and unpacked every box and china keeper so that each item about to be packed would get wrapping and cushioning by the professional hand (thus ensuring it was covered for full replacement value by the moving company's insurance).
By now, all of our linens, our shower curtain, our dishes and even our bed was out of our Norfolk home. This meant, it was time for us to pull up stakes and find a new place to sleep. The remainder of our Virginia lodging was provided by our dear friends, the Johnsons. Yet another fantastic friendship that Hubz made years ago, and I have gleefully climbed aboard his coat-tails to enjoy. The Johnsons provided us with the ability to end each day with a hot shower and a visit (and sometimes a beer) with friends, and to talk about our adventures in moving, and to laugh with their super-cute kiddos about what Sponge Bob did today. I can't think of a better way to wind up our long days.
By Day 3, we had moved into pack AND move days. Day 3 was "Storage Day" during which we said goodbye to items that would stay in storage in the US while we went overseas. (The cost of this is also covered by the Navy). All of our 110 volt appliances, my china and fancy stemware, and the majority of our holiday decorations made up the bulk of this pack out. By now, there was really little else to be done, and the day dragged. Hubbz went to work to tie up the loose ends from his job. I cleaned a few rooms, but really most of the rooms in our house still had random items in them for the movers (like, a dresser we deemed too big for German housing) or - had all of my china laid out across the floor... So, in the end, I spent many hours sitting on the floor of my almost empty bedroom and changing the address on our accounts online...(and eating chips and doughnuts....)
Waking up on Day 4 felt a little like Groundhog Day. We were tired but grateful that we had only one more day of moving left. We cleaned the house as we waited for the movers to pack our express shipment. We also dropped off my Honda for shipping to Germany. The Navy will pay for one car to be shipped overseas. We decided that the Explorer would be too big for European streets, so our plan is to ship one car and while we wait the 6-12 weeks for its arrival, to buy a "commuter car" on the cheap from a family leaving the base.
Day 4 was the day they packed up and moved our express shipment. The express shipment arrives in your new home country while you are still in temporary housing - usually 2-3 weeks after you have arrived. What to include in this delivery was the source of much head scratching for me....what could I possibly need in 2-3 weeks that I could live without upon arrival? By design, this package arrives and gives you the ability to live a bit more comfortably in your temporary base housing - and perhaps in your first week in a new place, as you bridge the time until your big household goods shipment arrives. As I understand it, some families include more toys for the kids, a few pots and pans for cooking in your kitchenette in temp housing and air mattresses and linens so you can sleep in your new empty house. However, Hubbz and I already knew that we'd be staying in a hotel in town when we arrived (no kitchenette) - and figured we'd wake up there on moving day - so the question of what to bring was puzzling.
Ultimately, our express shipment was pretty non-traditional. Hubbz pared down his uniforms and shipped a few of those. We included all of our dvd collection (my experience has been that tv in German hotels have very few, if any, English language channels), a laundry basket and some extra hangers to make the hotel living a little easier, and lots of books. We also included my printer - which happened to be dual voltage and would allow me to work more affordably from our hotel room.
The end of Day 4 (which was the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend) found us tired, homeless and down to one car - which was for sale. It was a little eerie, a little freeing - and it felt like progress!!!
The pack out/move process was interesting at times, boring at others and somehow both exhilarating and exhausting. It was also TERRIBLE for a diet conscious couple (more on that later)...
Day 1 of a 4 Day process - this was a day for packing. Two folks from the moving company arrived, armed with boxes and tape and a ton of newsprint (which, we have learned, will haunt us when we get to the UN-packing part of the equation). This, the first day, was the day with the highest risk of confusion about what stuff will go in which shipment - so Hubz and I were vigilant and smiling and available at all times for clarification. On the night before, we made our best attempts to store everything that wasn't to be packed up into two closets and our office - thus giving us "no pack zones" in the house that the movers wouldn't even enter! It worked like a charm :)
Military lore dictates that you must feed and tip your movers to ensure careful handling and storage of your stuff. Hubz and I love an opportunity to be good hosts, so our packers and movers were greeted with doughnuts and coffee upon arrival. We filled the fridge with sodas and bottled water, and bought some single serving bags of chips for snacking. We encouraged the movers to help themselves. We also provided lunch each day. This is probably a little over the top - but we figure every little bit helps. The downside is that Hubz and I sat, mostly bored, surrounded by doughnuts and chips and sodas. Breaking up the boredom was the pizza, or hamburgers that the movers requested each day for lunch.... I can say with 100% certainty that the majority of chips, doughnuts and sodas were consumed by us each day....sigh...what can you do?!?
After the packers had bundled, boxed and numbered all of our stuff, a new crew showed up on Day 2 to pack it all up into a truck - which would take our items to a yard - where they would be placed in a crate - which will go into a big shipping crate (think a boxcar on a train) and placed on a huge cargo ship en route to our new home continent. Yes, folks, as I type this - 80% of our worldly possessions could be sinking to the bottom of the sea. It's a nice perspective to be able to look around this tiny hotel room where I sit in Germany, and realize that I have absolutely everything I need to live. :)
At the end of Day 2, Hubbz and I re-organized our "no packer zones". We pulled a few items out of the closets and office to be held over for the quick shipment, and made sure all of the luggage items would fit in our suitcases, and unpacked every box and china keeper so that each item about to be packed would get wrapping and cushioning by the professional hand (thus ensuring it was covered for full replacement value by the moving company's insurance).
By now, all of our linens, our shower curtain, our dishes and even our bed was out of our Norfolk home. This meant, it was time for us to pull up stakes and find a new place to sleep. The remainder of our Virginia lodging was provided by our dear friends, the Johnsons. Yet another fantastic friendship that Hubz made years ago, and I have gleefully climbed aboard his coat-tails to enjoy. The Johnsons provided us with the ability to end each day with a hot shower and a visit (and sometimes a beer) with friends, and to talk about our adventures in moving, and to laugh with their super-cute kiddos about what Sponge Bob did today. I can't think of a better way to wind up our long days.
By Day 3, we had moved into pack AND move days. Day 3 was "Storage Day" during which we said goodbye to items that would stay in storage in the US while we went overseas. (The cost of this is also covered by the Navy). All of our 110 volt appliances, my china and fancy stemware, and the majority of our holiday decorations made up the bulk of this pack out. By now, there was really little else to be done, and the day dragged. Hubbz went to work to tie up the loose ends from his job. I cleaned a few rooms, but really most of the rooms in our house still had random items in them for the movers (like, a dresser we deemed too big for German housing) or - had all of my china laid out across the floor... So, in the end, I spent many hours sitting on the floor of my almost empty bedroom and changing the address on our accounts online...(and eating chips and doughnuts....)
Waking up on Day 4 felt a little like Groundhog Day. We were tired but grateful that we had only one more day of moving left. We cleaned the house as we waited for the movers to pack our express shipment. We also dropped off my Honda for shipping to Germany. The Navy will pay for one car to be shipped overseas. We decided that the Explorer would be too big for European streets, so our plan is to ship one car and while we wait the 6-12 weeks for its arrival, to buy a "commuter car" on the cheap from a family leaving the base.
Day 4 was the day they packed up and moved our express shipment. The express shipment arrives in your new home country while you are still in temporary housing - usually 2-3 weeks after you have arrived. What to include in this delivery was the source of much head scratching for me....what could I possibly need in 2-3 weeks that I could live without upon arrival? By design, this package arrives and gives you the ability to live a bit more comfortably in your temporary base housing - and perhaps in your first week in a new place, as you bridge the time until your big household goods shipment arrives. As I understand it, some families include more toys for the kids, a few pots and pans for cooking in your kitchenette in temp housing and air mattresses and linens so you can sleep in your new empty house. However, Hubbz and I already knew that we'd be staying in a hotel in town when we arrived (no kitchenette) - and figured we'd wake up there on moving day - so the question of what to bring was puzzling.
Ultimately, our express shipment was pretty non-traditional. Hubbz pared down his uniforms and shipped a few of those. We included all of our dvd collection (my experience has been that tv in German hotels have very few, if any, English language channels), a laundry basket and some extra hangers to make the hotel living a little easier, and lots of books. We also included my printer - which happened to be dual voltage and would allow me to work more affordably from our hotel room.
The end of Day 4 (which was the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend) found us tired, homeless and down to one car - which was for sale. It was a little eerie, a little freeing - and it felt like progress!!!
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