For the meantime, enjoy:
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
The loneliest month of the year
If there is at all any, it could very well be June. June is when most expats leave a post or go on their long summer vacation. Transition normally runs between May, June, July and August for most but since expats take the vacations they have accumulated before moving on to the next post that would most likely start in September, most will be on vacation in June and July. This would also be the time when expats who aren't due to change post take a month to a couple of months break. If you are one of the few who have decided to stay put for that season, then you better have many local friends or family visiting.
If I am right about June then that makes April & May (together with September and December) the busiest months of the year when social calendars burst with invites. September is of course when the next batch of expats arrive where welcome parties or dinners would be in order while April and May, dotted with 'despedida' parties here and there.
Our vacation starts late this year due to T's commitments (what else is new), which, by the way, I don't begrudge him. Most of our friends have already either left for good or have gone on their long vacation, so it's pretty quiet right now...in my world that is. That doesn't mean that it is quiet here in Nicaragua as this is the time when tourists abound. Just recently (I think only a week ago), Matthew McConaughey was here (in San Juan del Sur) surfing his buns out during the day and partying his guts out at night.
At this time of the year, the hot spots in Nicaragua (read: popular beaches) would also be expensive; ex. our favorite place on the Pacific, Hacienda Iguana where you can rent a beachfront condo unit (2 BR) for between $170-200 per night would now cost around $300-350 and most likely be fully booked, giving you less options while in-country.
We are going on our vacation still albeit shorter than usual (3 weeks) and quite late. This couple of weeks have been a tad lonely, thank god I've been kept busy by V and preparing for our vacation (don't get me started on the papers we needed to do this). On one hand, I appreciated having been kept busy but am a bit annoyed at all the ridiculous requirements (am just hinting but will spill my guts when this vacation is over) we had to fulfill to do this. So, am I excited? I guess so, at some level I always am if going to a new place. I'm just amazed at the irony of how technology has developed to make it easier for people to travel while all else pertinent to the act of traveling itself remains inconvenient. Absurd.
Anyway, I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I am taking my leave for some weeks, in case you bother to pop by and don't see a new post. But that also means that (hopefully) I would have plenty to write about under the 'travels' tag.
If I am right about June then that makes April & May (together with September and December) the busiest months of the year when social calendars burst with invites. September is of course when the next batch of expats arrive where welcome parties or dinners would be in order while April and May, dotted with 'despedida' parties here and there.
Our vacation starts late this year due to T's commitments (what else is new), which, by the way, I don't begrudge him. Most of our friends have already either left for good or have gone on their long vacation, so it's pretty quiet right now...in my world that is. That doesn't mean that it is quiet here in Nicaragua as this is the time when tourists abound. Just recently (I think only a week ago), Matthew McConaughey was here (in San Juan del Sur) surfing his buns out during the day and partying his guts out at night.
At this time of the year, the hot spots in Nicaragua (read: popular beaches) would also be expensive; ex. our favorite place on the Pacific, Hacienda Iguana where you can rent a beachfront condo unit (2 BR) for between $170-200 per night would now cost around $300-350 and most likely be fully booked, giving you less options while in-country.
We are going on our vacation still albeit shorter than usual (3 weeks) and quite late. This couple of weeks have been a tad lonely, thank god I've been kept busy by V and preparing for our vacation (don't get me started on the papers we needed to do this). On one hand, I appreciated having been kept busy but am a bit annoyed at all the ridiculous requirements (am just hinting but will spill my guts when this vacation is over) we had to fulfill to do this. So, am I excited? I guess so, at some level I always am if going to a new place. I'm just amazed at the irony of how technology has developed to make it easier for people to travel while all else pertinent to the act of traveling itself remains inconvenient. Absurd.
Anyway, I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I am taking my leave for some weeks, in case you bother to pop by and don't see a new post. But that also means that (hopefully) I would have plenty to write about under the 'travels' tag.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Midnight snack
As far back as I can remember, I have always taken a midnight snack. It is a special time my grandmother and I shared and a very effective way to infuriate my uncle due to all the racket I make in the kitchen at, well, midnight. When I say snack, I mean all sorts of nourishment representing either one or a combination of the food group. It could be left-over dinner, fried chicken and rice, pasta, anything and everything that catches my fancy and is available in the cupboard, kitchen or the freezer. If I haven't pictured it clearly yet, as snack, I really meant 'meal'. 2nd dinner, if you will (6th meal for the day), except if at that moment I fancied eggs and bacon, then it will come in the form of breakfast.
See, I'm one of those who can eat the whole table without gaining weight. In fact, that ritual started because my grandmother was desperate for me to put some more on. Not that I did not eat, ok, I was a bit picky, but I ate and when I do, I eat like a lumberjack who just felled more than his quota. Between my 30 and 42 (up until a month ago) years, I have see-sawed between 98 and 105 lbs (my BMI dictates I should be 115 lbs at 5'5"). So I thought, no harm in continuing what I have been accustomed to.
Sure, except that lately I have started eating pancakes at midnight, replete with butter and syrup. That, I have been enjoying the past week while the cat (you do know who I mean) is away. T has never said anything about my habit except for a comment and a question here and there...'how can you do it?'...'aren't you worried sleeping on a full stomach?'...'don't you think you should take a walk before going to bed?' I guess now I will have to, take a walk I mean. In weighing myself (just now), I realized I have even exceeded my ideal weight by 2 lbs. A big deal because most of my clothes, specially my jeans will fit me, tops at 102 lbs (my most average). I know where all this weight lies...it will eventually, comfortably lodge itself in parts that would prevent my jeans from reaching my waist or my dress from cascading below it.
It may not sound much, but for someone who has a wardrobe full of clothes that don't have room for growth, it could spell financial disaster - total wardrobe overhaul financing dilemma. I not only have to rethink these damn pancakes but I also have to go back to playing tennis and planning my meals....after summer vacation. Goodluck to me as this particular vacation will entail a lot of eating adding more pounds that will need greater effort to dismiss. First things first, no more pancakes...at midnight, that is.
See, I'm one of those who can eat the whole table without gaining weight. In fact, that ritual started because my grandmother was desperate for me to put some more on. Not that I did not eat, ok, I was a bit picky, but I ate and when I do, I eat like a lumberjack who just felled more than his quota. Between my 30 and 42 (up until a month ago) years, I have see-sawed between 98 and 105 lbs (my BMI dictates I should be 115 lbs at 5'5"). So I thought, no harm in continuing what I have been accustomed to.
Sure, except that lately I have started eating pancakes at midnight, replete with butter and syrup. That, I have been enjoying the past week while the cat (you do know who I mean) is away. T has never said anything about my habit except for a comment and a question here and there...'how can you do it?'...'aren't you worried sleeping on a full stomach?'...'don't you think you should take a walk before going to bed?' I guess now I will have to, take a walk I mean. In weighing myself (just now), I realized I have even exceeded my ideal weight by 2 lbs. A big deal because most of my clothes, specially my jeans will fit me, tops at 102 lbs (my most average). I know where all this weight lies...it will eventually, comfortably lodge itself in parts that would prevent my jeans from reaching my waist or my dress from cascading below it.
It may not sound much, but for someone who has a wardrobe full of clothes that don't have room for growth, it could spell financial disaster - total wardrobe overhaul financing dilemma. I not only have to rethink these damn pancakes but I also have to go back to playing tennis and planning my meals....after summer vacation. Goodluck to me as this particular vacation will entail a lot of eating adding more pounds that will need greater effort to dismiss. First things first, no more pancakes...at midnight, that is.
Small earthquake
We just had an earthquake. A small one but big enough to rattle the desk my computer is on. Felt weird...lasted only for about 10 secs. Couldn't have been anything else, otherwise, a ghost just shook my table and chair.
It's the first time I've actually felt an earthquake here although Managua is known to consistently have seismic activities due to many factors not excluding geothermal activities. Many times the guard would come rushing to ask if we were fine, because apparently, there's been an earthquake, which we did not feel.
If it happened at night (so much more we're oblivious to it), T would hear about it in the office, while himself being clueless. This tells me that Nicaraguans are used to feeling these tremors and can feel these small seismic movements, unless of course, they're in a moving vehicle. Ok, the last part of the previous sentence is something I have (only) wondered about.
It's the first time I've actually felt an earthquake here although Managua is known to consistently have seismic activities due to many factors not excluding geothermal activities. Many times the guard would come rushing to ask if we were fine, because apparently, there's been an earthquake, which we did not feel.
If it happened at night (so much more we're oblivious to it), T would hear about it in the office, while himself being clueless. This tells me that Nicaraguans are used to feeling these tremors and can feel these small seismic movements, unless of course, they're in a moving vehicle. Ok, the last part of the previous sentence is something I have (only) wondered about.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Expatriation Advise
Today, I received an email from a very good friend who seeks advise on expatriation. She herself is a veteran traveler who have stayed in places I can only dream of. They used to be expatriated every 6 months...every 6 months, can you imagine, sometimes even less. That's some tough movements. I totally admire her for her resilience.
After awhile they settled in London for about 5 years and managed to lead 'normal' lives where her career slowly but surely got a foothold....until now. They are being expatriated again but this time for a longer period of time (I think 3 years). Now, that will be a different matter as a longer period of expatriation is a totally different thing and carries with it a different challenge altogether.
The week before, I also received an email from another friend (who will also be expatriated) seeking advise on schooling. How to find, evaluate, contact and arrange enrollment in International schools.
I would therefore like to use this opportunity to reply to both queries in one go that will serve as advise to others in the same situation. This is really how I intended this blog to be, a medium where I can share my experiences (both positive and negative). There is no foolproof manner of preparing yourself to move to another country but armed with as much information as you can alleviates the misery of unpleasant surprises. For me preparedness is the key but what does one prepare for? In this regard, the internet has been my best friend since I can remember.
Country of Interest
1. The CIA's The World Fact Book - the most updated information regarding the country that will give one a feel of the economic and security situation. Practical application: elevations and weather pattern will tell you what type of clothes to bring, language, religion, etc.
2. Tales from a Small Planet's Real Posts Reports - real reports of expats currently on assignment in the country of interest. This site provides a slew of valuable information based on an individuals experience, including what to bring, what NOT to bring, cost of living, housing, schools, pollution level, security situation, etc. What I like about this site is that they allow both positive and negative comments on a country, no sugar coating. It is then to you to evaluate the report if they apply to you or not or at the very least take the negatives as warning and keep what's been mentioned in mind.
There were some red lights for Nicaragua when it came to the American Nicaraguan School. Since V never had any problems in any of his other schools, I thought we can hack it there so I went ahead and enrolled him anyway. Later of course, I wish I had taken heed of other people's experiences, would have saved us a lot of misery. Now, I know better to take this site more seriously.
3. Expat-blog.com - here one can access blogs (real expat experiences) about the country of interest and where expats take the time in a forum to answer expatriation related questions. A good support system to have as one can write about anxieties and concerns, etc. where other expats (knowing from experience) readily give good and comforting advices. Here, one can also come across important information regarding cost of living.
4. Search the internet for country specific expat groups and when found, spend time to read, if possible everything. Ex. Nicaragua expat forum / group, etc. Be discerning as there are a lot of business websites that will pop out of the search (this is how I found Nicaliving and The Real Nicaragua). This will take time but worth it. The topics in real forums could range from 'I love it here to I hate it here' - again to give you a better feel of the place. Once found, sign up...this will help put you in the mood for moving and this early, a sense of belongingness (an insider, if you want).
In the beginning, everything would be psychological. Develop a psyche of belonging to a place even before you get there. Get to know it as much as you can - not through realestate, travel, expatriation related services nor through local (will have a totally different point of view) sites - through real people who currently lives there temporarily or as immigrants.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Regardless of what you read about the PEOPLE (positive or negative) of that country, reserve the judgment for YOURSELF. People react and interact differently with different people. Do not carry the burden of prejudice even before you get to the place because you will know as soon as you get there (you just will - maybe sooner for some than others) how to handle their culture. Note that I did not say 'keep an open mind'...although a given, is easier said than done, to the point of being a cliche.
Before You Go
Knowing what you know now from spending time on the sites mentioned above:
1. Everything (you think) you may need that are expensive or not available at country of post should be bought and arranged to be shipped (together with allowable household goods).
2. If a different language is spoken, arrange for, at the very least, a crash course on specific language or time permitting, a 2 months extensive course (we did 1 month of Spanish in Denmark and another 6 weeks in Costa Rica prior to arriving).
3. Make an inventory list on Excel. Especially helpful for insurance purposes, can later serve as your packing list and would be very useful in receiving your cargo (to check against your mover's packing list). Update this at post each time you buy something you intend to take back and use as reference for things you want to sell prior to repatriation. Keep this list updated and use as many times as necessary on different posts. Make a separate inventory for items in storage.
4. Update all pertinent documents, scan and take actual copies - ex. passports, birth certificates, insurances, marriage certificate, driver's license, etc. Leave a copy with trusted relatives, friends or your bank.
5. For spouses, scan and bring actual copies of updated resumes, documents pertinent to education and letters of recommendation in case there is a possibility for you to get a job in the post country.
6. For spouses with hobbies, make sure you bring supplies that can tide you over for at least 6 months. This will ensure that you have something to do on your spare time ( you will have a lot) without the frustration of scouring the country for supplies and paying maybe 2x or more as much for it. I brought with me tools, semi-precious stones and pearls from Asia and Africa for my costume jewelry hobby and good thing that I did as they are prohibitively priced here if can at all be found.
7. With regards to your sports equipment and except for your golf set, bring only what your research says sports facilities offer at country of post. If you miss something, chances are it will be sold there and you can just sell it later before you leave, ex. Nicaragua is big on surfing, so while here, V and T are taking surfing lessons and therefore are in need of surfboards but since our sport is tennis (what we're serious about), we just rent the surfboards each time we need them.
8. Find out about the type of electrical inputs and outputs used and other systems pertinent to your electronic goods (110 / 220 / PAL / NTSC, etc) to decide which to bring, ex. of converters and adaptors. If appliances are not expensive, you may want to buy it there and just sell them again later.
9. Arrange for transport and local driver (temporary until you get your bearings) with your company prior to arrival until you can get your own. This will give you the freedom to explore and lessen the feeling of inadequateness when you arrive at post until you get your own vehicle. On a similar note, get a map of the country if you can prior to arriving and familiarize yourself with it.
10. I would suggest that the accompanying spouse will have her own car and a driver in the beginning until she (male accompanying spouses seem to have less problems with directions) with the place and get her driving permit in order, for her to have as much freedom (I can't stress enough how important this feeling is) to explore and arrange her own activities without having to wait or feel dependent on the working spouse.
11. If housing is pre-arranged, make sure that there is a maid (if in a country that holds the norm of having househelp) in contract for possibly, no more than 3 months. This will give you the time to get your bearings, find out about labor laws and will give you the option to change help later if not happy with the one you have. Never hire someone from a distance even if highly recommended by a predecessor. If you like him / her, make the contract permanent according to the labor laws but first, see for yourself and work with them.
12. If no housing is pre-arranged (and you have the option to look for your own), scour the net for housing in that country - there are many real estate sites that will tell you how much rentals are at which part of the country. This is my favorite part as I love looking at housing photos that puts me in 'moving' mood. If possible, request from your predecessor their housing details and photos of their house (or apartment) to get an idea, while arranging (working spouse) with the company or embassy to make ready an apartment hotel (hotels can get very tiring if staying for more than a week) until you can find something appropriate.
13. Pack essentials that will last you at least a month in case your cargo arrives late.
14. For accompanying spouses, establish contact (via email) with working spouse's company or embassy at post who can answer first-hand all other question you may have specific to post country. If possible, contact the spouse of the working spouse's predecessor to discuss more practical details of the post. As I am and in my experience, predecessors are good sources of invaluable information and are always willing to help incoming expats. If there are other accompanying spouses on post whose spouses work in the same company, contact them and establish camaraderie prior to arriving. You will have time to evaluate later if these are friendships you would like to keep, but for the moment, they are necessary allies. Questions like which schools their children go to, what they do on their free time, what's available or not available, dress code at country of assignment etc, are best answered by these people.
15. For those with school-age children - check the directory of International school members at Council of International Schools or even Wikipedia. Work from there and evaluate each country specific schools. Check out each website listed and if an International Baccalaureate is important to consider (which to me it is), check out International Baccalaureate for their list of schools.
16. Narrow down your choices according to your criteria and email pertinent school officials ex, primary, middle or high school for initial information, stating your purpose and at which time of the year you are coming (International schools are used to high turn-over of expat children at any time of the year). They will request for some documents, so be ready to send scanned documents and arrange for an interview, test or meeting prior to arrival. If possible as soon as you arrive. This should be made a priority as some schools get full at certain times of the year and may not be able to take in more students at certain grade levels even if they want to. Prepare copies / originals of documents on hand prior to arrival - one set per school.
If for some reason you will lack the time to make arrangements with more than 1 school (middle of the school semester for ex), enroll the child for a quarter, evaluate the school in the process, while keeping other schools in mind. If the child is happy with the school and the quality pleases the parents (remember that International schools are very expensive and therefore should be worth the tuition), the kid will of course stay, if not, by this time you would have had the time to evaluate other schools and will be able to enroll him / her the next quarter or semester.
Important Note: If possible, no more than 2 moves within a post and only if necessary. It is hard enough for the child to have left his friends from his previous school not to mention moving to another country. It is important that the school will have a very international atmosphere for the child to immediately adjust. Culture, he will learn outside the school environment (in reality) where he can immerse himself together with his family who will make the effort to really learn and socialize with the locals...that is if the locals will be open enough to socialize with the foreigners (here they're not). Please do not put your children in a position where they can be rejected first-hand for being a foreigner. Children sometimes are more cruel than adults in that respect.
Upon Arriving
1. While using your company issued car (specially temporary), arrange to immediately buy a car, if possible, a brand new one. You do not need the headache of a second-hand car specially on your first year (remember that you can always sell it later). I have found out that one of the biggest headaches in expatriation is always scouring for services, and car service centers and spare parts are one of the biggest scorers in this regard. You have better things to think about than dealing with automobile inefficiency. Security wise it is always good to have a new powerful vehicle while exploring the country of post.
2. Contact your company or embassy to register and immediately provide them copies of pertinent documents for your residence permit and expedition of release of your cargo.
3. For the accompanying spouse - the first Friday (normally more relaxed than any other day of the week) after you arrive, take the time to visit working spouse's place of work to introduce yourself (believe me, it will be appreciated). Regardless of working spouse's position or level at work, people are always apprehensive about, not only the new guy, but his family as well. This gesture will not only put them at ease but more importantly, will put yourself at ease at the same time.
4. Your company or embassy will have a list of accredited real estate agents you can work with to find proper housing. See as many as you can before you heed anyone's advise. This way you can filter suggestions according to your taste and needs. In Kenya, I was checking out with various accredited agents as many as between 8-10 houses a day. It was fun.
5. For accompanying spouses, independence and the feeling of being in control is the key. I suggest that the spouses agree beforehand that decisions that have to be made with regards to housing or domestic situation will be handled by the accompanying spouse. This may be difficult in the beginning (and to be honest, a stepdown to some) but it will give you something to be responsible for where you call the shots - entirely. It's all about perception, until you fall into some kind of rhythm. Besides, working spouse will barely have the time to bother with anything except familiarizing himself/herself with his new work environment and the giant pile of work waiting for him/her.
6. The accompanying spouse should not look down on her situation as her part of taking care of everything else is essential to the successful start of working spouse's assignment.
7. If eligible, check out the 'Damas de Diplomaticas' or Diplomatic Ladies. Mind you, I said check out, not join. If you find the group agreeable, join them, but it's up to you. I did that but up to now am not a member (I have my membership papers here vegetating since last year), but it's there where I met a lot of wonderful ladies and that's good enough for me, for the moment.
Important Note: Establishing network as soon as possible is important for the accompanying spouse, therefore, timid is not the way to go on new posts. Be ready to go around, introduce yourself (if no one else will do it for you - there are posts where you do have to do it yourself) and make effort to socialize. You can even do your own welcome party if necessary. Don't be shy as most expats try to find reason to get together and will be most certainly happy to attend yours.
This will have to suffice for now. I surmise that this will be my most edited post as I will add each time I think of something else. My memory serves me poorly at the moment and unless I'm on full 'expatriation or repatriation' mode, I will need to regroup my brain cells. Next will have to be the most difficult part to discuss (for me anyway)....Finances.
Entonces, hasta luego.
After awhile they settled in London for about 5 years and managed to lead 'normal' lives where her career slowly but surely got a foothold....until now. They are being expatriated again but this time for a longer period of time (I think 3 years). Now, that will be a different matter as a longer period of expatriation is a totally different thing and carries with it a different challenge altogether.
The week before, I also received an email from another friend (who will also be expatriated) seeking advise on schooling. How to find, evaluate, contact and arrange enrollment in International schools.
I would therefore like to use this opportunity to reply to both queries in one go that will serve as advise to others in the same situation. This is really how I intended this blog to be, a medium where I can share my experiences (both positive and negative). There is no foolproof manner of preparing yourself to move to another country but armed with as much information as you can alleviates the misery of unpleasant surprises. For me preparedness is the key but what does one prepare for? In this regard, the internet has been my best friend since I can remember.
Country of Interest
1. The CIA's The World Fact Book - the most updated information regarding the country that will give one a feel of the economic and security situation. Practical application: elevations and weather pattern will tell you what type of clothes to bring, language, religion, etc.
2. Tales from a Small Planet's Real Posts Reports - real reports of expats currently on assignment in the country of interest. This site provides a slew of valuable information based on an individuals experience, including what to bring, what NOT to bring, cost of living, housing, schools, pollution level, security situation, etc. What I like about this site is that they allow both positive and negative comments on a country, no sugar coating. It is then to you to evaluate the report if they apply to you or not or at the very least take the negatives as warning and keep what's been mentioned in mind.
There were some red lights for Nicaragua when it came to the American Nicaraguan School. Since V never had any problems in any of his other schools, I thought we can hack it there so I went ahead and enrolled him anyway. Later of course, I wish I had taken heed of other people's experiences, would have saved us a lot of misery. Now, I know better to take this site more seriously.
3. Expat-blog.com - here one can access blogs (real expat experiences) about the country of interest and where expats take the time in a forum to answer expatriation related questions. A good support system to have as one can write about anxieties and concerns, etc. where other expats (knowing from experience) readily give good and comforting advices. Here, one can also come across important information regarding cost of living.
4. Search the internet for country specific expat groups and when found, spend time to read, if possible everything. Ex. Nicaragua expat forum / group, etc. Be discerning as there are a lot of business websites that will pop out of the search (this is how I found Nicaliving and The Real Nicaragua). This will take time but worth it. The topics in real forums could range from 'I love it here to I hate it here' - again to give you a better feel of the place. Once found, sign up...this will help put you in the mood for moving and this early, a sense of belongingness (an insider, if you want).
In the beginning, everything would be psychological. Develop a psyche of belonging to a place even before you get there. Get to know it as much as you can - not through realestate, travel, expatriation related services nor through local (will have a totally different point of view) sites - through real people who currently lives there temporarily or as immigrants.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Regardless of what you read about the PEOPLE (positive or negative) of that country, reserve the judgment for YOURSELF. People react and interact differently with different people. Do not carry the burden of prejudice even before you get to the place because you will know as soon as you get there (you just will - maybe sooner for some than others) how to handle their culture. Note that I did not say 'keep an open mind'...although a given, is easier said than done, to the point of being a cliche.
Before You Go
Knowing what you know now from spending time on the sites mentioned above:
1. Everything (you think) you may need that are expensive or not available at country of post should be bought and arranged to be shipped (together with allowable household goods).
2. If a different language is spoken, arrange for, at the very least, a crash course on specific language or time permitting, a 2 months extensive course (we did 1 month of Spanish in Denmark and another 6 weeks in Costa Rica prior to arriving).
3. Make an inventory list on Excel. Especially helpful for insurance purposes, can later serve as your packing list and would be very useful in receiving your cargo (to check against your mover's packing list). Update this at post each time you buy something you intend to take back and use as reference for things you want to sell prior to repatriation. Keep this list updated and use as many times as necessary on different posts. Make a separate inventory for items in storage.
4. Update all pertinent documents, scan and take actual copies - ex. passports, birth certificates, insurances, marriage certificate, driver's license, etc. Leave a copy with trusted relatives, friends or your bank.
5. For spouses, scan and bring actual copies of updated resumes, documents pertinent to education and letters of recommendation in case there is a possibility for you to get a job in the post country.
6. For spouses with hobbies, make sure you bring supplies that can tide you over for at least 6 months. This will ensure that you have something to do on your spare time ( you will have a lot) without the frustration of scouring the country for supplies and paying maybe 2x or more as much for it. I brought with me tools, semi-precious stones and pearls from Asia and Africa for my costume jewelry hobby and good thing that I did as they are prohibitively priced here if can at all be found.
7. With regards to your sports equipment and except for your golf set, bring only what your research says sports facilities offer at country of post. If you miss something, chances are it will be sold there and you can just sell it later before you leave, ex. Nicaragua is big on surfing, so while here, V and T are taking surfing lessons and therefore are in need of surfboards but since our sport is tennis (what we're serious about), we just rent the surfboards each time we need them.
8. Find out about the type of electrical inputs and outputs used and other systems pertinent to your electronic goods (110 / 220 / PAL / NTSC, etc) to decide which to bring, ex. of converters and adaptors. If appliances are not expensive, you may want to buy it there and just sell them again later.
9. Arrange for transport and local driver (temporary until you get your bearings) with your company prior to arrival until you can get your own. This will give you the freedom to explore and lessen the feeling of inadequateness when you arrive at post until you get your own vehicle. On a similar note, get a map of the country if you can prior to arriving and familiarize yourself with it.
10. I would suggest that the accompanying spouse will have her own car and a driver in the beginning until she (male accompanying spouses seem to have less problems with directions) with the place and get her driving permit in order, for her to have as much freedom (I can't stress enough how important this feeling is) to explore and arrange her own activities without having to wait or feel dependent on the working spouse.
11. If housing is pre-arranged, make sure that there is a maid (if in a country that holds the norm of having househelp) in contract for possibly, no more than 3 months. This will give you the time to get your bearings, find out about labor laws and will give you the option to change help later if not happy with the one you have. Never hire someone from a distance even if highly recommended by a predecessor. If you like him / her, make the contract permanent according to the labor laws but first, see for yourself and work with them.
12. If no housing is pre-arranged (and you have the option to look for your own), scour the net for housing in that country - there are many real estate sites that will tell you how much rentals are at which part of the country. This is my favorite part as I love looking at housing photos that puts me in 'moving' mood. If possible, request from your predecessor their housing details and photos of their house (or apartment) to get an idea, while arranging (working spouse) with the company or embassy to make ready an apartment hotel (hotels can get very tiring if staying for more than a week) until you can find something appropriate.
13. Pack essentials that will last you at least a month in case your cargo arrives late.
14. For accompanying spouses, establish contact (via email) with working spouse's company or embassy at post who can answer first-hand all other question you may have specific to post country. If possible, contact the spouse of the working spouse's predecessor to discuss more practical details of the post. As I am and in my experience, predecessors are good sources of invaluable information and are always willing to help incoming expats. If there are other accompanying spouses on post whose spouses work in the same company, contact them and establish camaraderie prior to arriving. You will have time to evaluate later if these are friendships you would like to keep, but for the moment, they are necessary allies. Questions like which schools their children go to, what they do on their free time, what's available or not available, dress code at country of assignment etc, are best answered by these people.
15. For those with school-age children - check the directory of International school members at Council of International Schools or even Wikipedia. Work from there and evaluate each country specific schools. Check out each website listed and if an International Baccalaureate is important to consider (which to me it is), check out International Baccalaureate for their list of schools.
16. Narrow down your choices according to your criteria and email pertinent school officials ex, primary, middle or high school for initial information, stating your purpose and at which time of the year you are coming (International schools are used to high turn-over of expat children at any time of the year). They will request for some documents, so be ready to send scanned documents and arrange for an interview, test or meeting prior to arrival. If possible as soon as you arrive. This should be made a priority as some schools get full at certain times of the year and may not be able to take in more students at certain grade levels even if they want to. Prepare copies / originals of documents on hand prior to arrival - one set per school.
If for some reason you will lack the time to make arrangements with more than 1 school (middle of the school semester for ex), enroll the child for a quarter, evaluate the school in the process, while keeping other schools in mind. If the child is happy with the school and the quality pleases the parents (remember that International schools are very expensive and therefore should be worth the tuition), the kid will of course stay, if not, by this time you would have had the time to evaluate other schools and will be able to enroll him / her the next quarter or semester.
Important Note: If possible, no more than 2 moves within a post and only if necessary. It is hard enough for the child to have left his friends from his previous school not to mention moving to another country. It is important that the school will have a very international atmosphere for the child to immediately adjust. Culture, he will learn outside the school environment (in reality) where he can immerse himself together with his family who will make the effort to really learn and socialize with the locals...that is if the locals will be open enough to socialize with the foreigners (here they're not). Please do not put your children in a position where they can be rejected first-hand for being a foreigner. Children sometimes are more cruel than adults in that respect.
Upon Arriving
1. While using your company issued car (specially temporary), arrange to immediately buy a car, if possible, a brand new one. You do not need the headache of a second-hand car specially on your first year (remember that you can always sell it later). I have found out that one of the biggest headaches in expatriation is always scouring for services, and car service centers and spare parts are one of the biggest scorers in this regard. You have better things to think about than dealing with automobile inefficiency. Security wise it is always good to have a new powerful vehicle while exploring the country of post.
2. Contact your company or embassy to register and immediately provide them copies of pertinent documents for your residence permit and expedition of release of your cargo.
3. For the accompanying spouse - the first Friday (normally more relaxed than any other day of the week) after you arrive, take the time to visit working spouse's place of work to introduce yourself (believe me, it will be appreciated). Regardless of working spouse's position or level at work, people are always apprehensive about, not only the new guy, but his family as well. This gesture will not only put them at ease but more importantly, will put yourself at ease at the same time.
4. Your company or embassy will have a list of accredited real estate agents you can work with to find proper housing. See as many as you can before you heed anyone's advise. This way you can filter suggestions according to your taste and needs. In Kenya, I was checking out with various accredited agents as many as between 8-10 houses a day. It was fun.
5. For accompanying spouses, independence and the feeling of being in control is the key. I suggest that the spouses agree beforehand that decisions that have to be made with regards to housing or domestic situation will be handled by the accompanying spouse. This may be difficult in the beginning (and to be honest, a stepdown to some) but it will give you something to be responsible for where you call the shots - entirely. It's all about perception, until you fall into some kind of rhythm. Besides, working spouse will barely have the time to bother with anything except familiarizing himself/herself with his new work environment and the giant pile of work waiting for him/her.
6. The accompanying spouse should not look down on her situation as her part of taking care of everything else is essential to the successful start of working spouse's assignment.
7. If eligible, check out the 'Damas de Diplomaticas' or Diplomatic Ladies. Mind you, I said check out, not join. If you find the group agreeable, join them, but it's up to you. I did that but up to now am not a member (I have my membership papers here vegetating since last year), but it's there where I met a lot of wonderful ladies and that's good enough for me, for the moment.
Important Note: Establishing network as soon as possible is important for the accompanying spouse, therefore, timid is not the way to go on new posts. Be ready to go around, introduce yourself (if no one else will do it for you - there are posts where you do have to do it yourself) and make effort to socialize. You can even do your own welcome party if necessary. Don't be shy as most expats try to find reason to get together and will be most certainly happy to attend yours.
This will have to suffice for now. I surmise that this will be my most edited post as I will add each time I think of something else. My memory serves me poorly at the moment and unless I'm on full 'expatriation or repatriation' mode, I will need to regroup my brain cells. Next will have to be the most difficult part to discuss (for me anyway)....Finances.
Entonces, hasta luego.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Celebrity Look-alikes
I obviously have plenty of time on my hands...again. While surfing (I think I surfed the entire net), I came across this website from where I arrived on this interesting site, My Heritage's Celebrity Look-alikes (click on face recognition, then celebrity collage). No registration needed, just fun and easy upload. Why I have so many examples, besides getting carried away, is that they suggested to upload more than 1 photo and the celebrity who keeps appearing must be the closest one you resemble.
Each photo would have about 10 suggested look-alikes from about 80% down to 60% of similarity in....dog knows what benchmarks they use. Mine, ran a gamut of women of various nationalities, including (unbelievably) Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Hillary Duff, Whitney Houston, some Miss Universe (I wish) and even Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (now, I've lost faith on the site), without presumably the mole. But Queen Latifah!!! Wow, not in a million years would it have crossed my mind!
With regards to the 'reappearance'...I guess my closest 'twin' is Lisa Ling (I have to google her) and that's if I remember to pull my hair really, really, really tight...upwards(!) and Matsu...something, (whom I have to google too). I honestly don't know most of those that the sight says I resemble and why they are celebrities but what the heck, it beats watching the soaps.
Anyhoo, try it, it's fun (I was on that site for hours, I think), not that it serves me any purpose at all but I did pass the time without pulling my hair out.
Each photo would have about 10 suggested look-alikes from about 80% down to 60% of similarity in....dog knows what benchmarks they use. Mine, ran a gamut of women of various nationalities, including (unbelievably) Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Hillary Duff, Whitney Houston, some Miss Universe (I wish) and even Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (now, I've lost faith on the site), without presumably the mole. But Queen Latifah!!! Wow, not in a million years would it have crossed my mind!
With regards to the 'reappearance'...I guess my closest 'twin' is Lisa Ling (I have to google her) and that's if I remember to pull my hair really, really, really tight...upwards(!) and Matsu...something, (whom I have to google too). I honestly don't know most of those that the sight says I resemble and why they are celebrities but what the heck, it beats watching the soaps.
Anyhoo, try it, it's fun (I was on that site for hours, I think), not that it serves me any purpose at all but I did pass the time without pulling my hair out.
Friday, June 13, 2008
V's La Mora Limpia at Ruben Dario
Except for the small detail of starting earlier than he should have, V's performance turned out fine and that, despite being so nervous that he thought his fingers would freeze (poor child). He had guitar accompaniment and in his excitement (to probably get it over with ha-ha), he started before the technician can adjust the guitar's microphone and signal them to begin.Once he started (again), it was smooth sailing from there. After the performance, he was very happy to learn that some of his schoolmates, their parents, other families and his teachers from the Swedish School came to watch. Except for the brother (who goes to a different school) of V's good friend T, he was the only one from the school invited to perform. I can't rave enough about this school, one of the best he's been to when it comes to fostering goodwill, camaraderie and support for one another.
Although T missed this performance (already in DK), he called before V left the house for some pep talk.
Proud mama
Although T missed this performance (already in DK), he called before V left the house for some pep talk.
Support we can't do without
Thursday, June 12, 2008
V's big night
Tonight's the night, wish us luck! At 7 tonight V performs at the Teatro Nacional Ruben Dario. He's very nervous and at the same time excited about it. Me, I'm just excited and (however it turns out) is the proudest mother on earth for the next couple of hours or so!
For the meantime, enjoy this clip from youtube of Nicaragua's Grupo Quetzalnahuatl's interpretation of 'La Mora Limpia', the piece V is going to play solo. The venue of this clip, it seems is also Nicaragua's National Theater. Enjoy.
For the meantime, enjoy this clip from youtube of Nicaragua's Grupo Quetzalnahuatl's interpretation of 'La Mora Limpia', the piece V is going to play solo. The venue of this clip, it seems is also Nicaragua's National Theater. Enjoy.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Danish design
I'm having an 'I miss Denmark day'. T will soon be traveling to Denmark for some job related meetings and a seminar and we normally take this opportunity to buy stuff in Denmark that we want to use (or eat) here or just really need. It can be as mundane as freezer bags that you can write on and are strong enough not to tear when pried from other icy stuff it's pegged to. We've tried many here and they always tear plus I have to take the extra step of writing the content and date on paper, wrap it in plastic and put it inside the freezer bag for identification. It's just faster and easier with the freezer bags we use in Denmark.
The times I lived in Denmark (in between postings), I would normally opt out of buying popular Danish design items because it seems that every household would have them and the monotony of it killed my interest. They even stopped becoming conversation pieces as everyone owns practically the same things, therefore kitchens looked mighty uniform - clean, streamlined, chic and efficient but very homogeneous . That's how my kitchen looked too, so how can I openly admire my friends' kitchen without sounding like a moron just trying to make conversation when mine and 20 others looks the same (oh alright, mine is a tad messier than theirs, ok everyone else's). And as the kitchen is the heart of people's homes, prior to serving dinner to guests, the hosts and the guests converge there to chat and help out. Each time we're invited to dinner, I kind of know almost exactly where things will be. Warning: Enlarge at your own risk. I almost (I gave him h*ll instead) divorced T after he took this photo (of me at my worse) but I really can't find any other photos of our kitchen in DK - ignore T's stuff as he was getting ready for work...in a rush but managed to take an awful photo of me, go figure.Now, living abroad on the other hand is a totally different matter. We proudly display and use danish design items because of 1. Their uniqueness; 2. Our penchant for having both cultures represented in our home; 3. their scarcity abroad due to their prohibitive prices and; 4. for them always being a source of interesting conversation.
Just yesterday, while having brunch at M & E's where we volunteered to bring the coffee (we're avid coffee drinkers while ironically, M&E never touch it) in 2 mission issued Stelton vacuum jugs, the gesture (okay, the jugs) in fact elicited some interesting and funny remarks.B, while trying to pour coffee, tried to first loosen (unscrew) the top like one does with traditional coffee jugs, which of course didn't work because the beauty of this particular design is that coffee is kept hot and ready to pour without having to adjust the cover. Like fill and pour, if you want. Fast, clean, efficient and doesn't take so much table space.
B pointed out that sometimes he feels that the Danish design hinges on making fun of other nationalities to leave them perplexed and feeling inadequate (to use a polite word). It was of course said as a joke, which I personally found funny and so did T. Hmmm makes sense. We do have this Menu toothpick dispenser that no one can seem to figure out how to use (except the Danes, of course). Mental note: Schedule usage orientation for guests prior to dinner or just after main course is served, right before dessert.
There is that feeling of wanting to be unique that just plague some people (us?). People who step into our home, we think, should feel like stepping into our world, a realm unique to us, wherever in the world we are. So, while in Denmark, we used furniture and stuff we've accumulated from Asia and Africa....until I ached for efficiency in the kitchen. Like most Danes, I was both studying (the language) and working, V was going to school and T of course was at work the whole day. I started needing kitchen help. Fast, easy to maintain, efficient, classic, neat looking and space saving devices. I started living like a Dane and started acquiring more Danish design accoutrement. Which we had to leave behind in Denmark because this post is a 'furnished' post (sigh).
Now I miss them and wish we brought them with us.
Now I miss them and wish we brought them with us.
The Danes are fiercely loyal and proud of Danish design and workmanship and by virtue of association, so am I. I say, give them a chance to grace your homes and you will end up raving about them, at some point become dependent on them and at the end won't be able to live without them. They are worth their price. They never go out of style, lasts forever and I've known them to be handed down from generation to generation.
In the website Denmark.dk, one may find an insight into 'The Essence of Danish Design':
"Design is partly expressed through a product’s aesthetic value, but no matter how beautiful classic Danish design can be, the creators were rarely aiming directly for beauty, but rather sought to solve a problem in the simplest way possible without violating the complexity of the task and never forgetting that a new product must above all be a good implement for the users. These criteria are basic to Danish design.
In Denmark, design is typically regarded as a problem-solving process. The solution to the design task must be as simple and natural as possible without violating the complexity of the task.
The aim is to create an identity between user and implement, and the solution must respect the requirements associated with cost and environment.
On this background, it is obvious that Danish design is not a style or fashion, but the expression and result of a set of aims and values with very long-term validity."
Jens Bernsen, Gyldendal Leksikon
Amen to that.
How much is your blog worth
In my desperate attempt to make my blog look like......I have no idea (talk about a cat chasing its own tail), I stumbled upon interesting sites via my favorite tutorials and widget source sites, in particular Amanda's Blog, Blogger Buster. This site has provided me easy-to-follow instructions on how to enhance my blog, via some simple tweaks and useful widgets specially designed for the Blogger platform (am not sure I have the right terms, but yeah, whatever.... maybe 2 years from now I'll be talking like a real blogger (sigh)).
Not to digress further (as usual), I came across an interesting link in Amanda's blog to an applet over at Dane Carlson's blog, Business Opportunities Weblog, that calculates how much your blog might be worth. Before any hostile take-over rears its ugly head, it helps to know how much your rants, musings, misadventures, manifestations of mood swings and PMS related writings are worth (okay, I'm specifically talking about MY blog). Apparently, my rants, musings, misadventures, etc. are worth (drumroll):
Nothing.
I can't say I was surprised but optimism took over so I tried again....and again....and again. All of a sudden, realization hit me...the applet wasn't working! That could only be it! I do put in my 2 cents worth for each post and multiply that by the number of posts - in my own, ah, um, uhrrm calculation, well, um, it should be worth something huh.
I typed in the URL address of a friends' blog.... Whoa $55,324.92!!! Just to be sure, I typed in another friends' URL ad...$11,084.38...hmmm.
Alright, maybe AOL wouldn't give a rat's as* about my blog and neither would Microsoft (sigh).
The applet was designed based on Tristan Louis' research of the variables (networks and links) involved in the 2005 acquisition of Weblogs, Inc. by AOL, assigned monetary values and created using Technocrati's API (application programming interface). It's disputed by some who believes that blog traffic should be the primary consideration in valuing a blog but doesn't traffic and link go hand-in-hand? The bigger your network, with more blogs / websites linking to you, the more traffic is driven to your site. Anyway, don't listen to me, I tend to blabber about things I barely know about (sometimes...like now), just head on to this site for a much, much, much better explanation.
You see, I didn't take it personally and neither should you - unless you seriously plan to monetize your blog, then I suggest you heed the numbers. Depending on what comes up, you may want to implement plan B (like ummm regular employment? for instance) first while rethinking plan A.
There's really no harm in knowing.....that no buy-out looms on the horizon. Try it, you might be pleasantly surprised. At the very least, Dane Carlson's Blog provides a wealth of information in regards to home-based businesses for stay-at-home moms, new entrepreneurs, helpful links, tips and success stories.
Happy browsing.
Not to digress further (as usual), I came across an interesting link in Amanda's blog to an applet over at Dane Carlson's blog, Business Opportunities Weblog, that calculates how much your blog might be worth. Before any hostile take-over rears its ugly head, it helps to know how much your rants, musings, misadventures, manifestations of mood swings and PMS related writings are worth (okay, I'm specifically talking about MY blog). Apparently, my rants, musings, misadventures, etc. are worth (drumroll):
My blog is worth $0.00.
How much is your blog worth?
Nothing.
I can't say I was surprised but optimism took over so I tried again....and again....and again. All of a sudden, realization hit me...the applet wasn't working! That could only be it! I do put in my 2 cents worth for each post and multiply that by the number of posts - in my own, ah, um, uhrrm calculation, well, um, it should be worth something huh.
I typed in the URL address of a friends' blog.... Whoa $55,324.92!!! Just to be sure, I typed in another friends' URL ad...$11,084.38...hmmm.
Alright, maybe AOL wouldn't give a rat's as* about my blog and neither would Microsoft (sigh).
The applet was designed based on Tristan Louis' research of the variables (networks and links) involved in the 2005 acquisition of Weblogs, Inc. by AOL, assigned monetary values and created using Technocrati's API (application programming interface). It's disputed by some who believes that blog traffic should be the primary consideration in valuing a blog but doesn't traffic and link go hand-in-hand? The bigger your network, with more blogs / websites linking to you, the more traffic is driven to your site. Anyway, don't listen to me, I tend to blabber about things I barely know about (sometimes...like now), just head on to this site for a much, much, much better explanation.
You see, I didn't take it personally and neither should you - unless you seriously plan to monetize your blog, then I suggest you heed the numbers. Depending on what comes up, you may want to implement plan B (like ummm regular employment? for instance) first while rethinking plan A.
There's really no harm in knowing.....that no buy-out looms on the horizon. Try it, you might be pleasantly surprised. At the very least, Dane Carlson's Blog provides a wealth of information in regards to home-based businesses for stay-at-home moms, new entrepreneurs, helpful links, tips and success stories.
Happy browsing.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Africa Breakfast Club Nicaragua Style
It's the first time since we arrived here that anyone has invited us to brunch. M & E is serving brunch at their place for 10 people tomorrow. I surmise that this will partly be E's farewell brunch for his close friends. He's leaving for another post in August but will have to say his goodbyes early because everyone will be out of the country in June & July for summer vacation.We've met the most wonderful people in our Salsa and Tango class and the challenges in learning these oh so Latino moves has brought us as close as friends sharing a common burden can get - we see each other minimum twice a week with official functions and otherwise in between. So yes, close friends.
And partly because it was Bagel day at the US Embassy this Wednesday or Thursday. I'm not sure how many times a month they have these Bagel days but it only means that Bagels are delivered fresh from the baker (that specifically caters to the American community) at the embassy. I'm guessing E bought a good 2 months supply.
There's something about sharing a cup of freshly brewed coffee, eggs, waffles, bacon, etc with friends early (enough) in the morning with your eyes still feeling sandy (Mr. Sandman is that you?), I find really cozy. It's something you do only with friends you are comfortable with. Comfortable about being seen at your worse (okay, my worse).
This invite has made me nostalgic for the Sunday brunches we used to have in Nairobi. These brunches (no one offers Masai jumping lessons unlike Tango and Salsa here) kick started our social life and has nurtured deep friendships.
We had this brunches every other Sunday at Java House at 10am or later - when we can, really. In the beginning of 2003, we can be found at Java House in Adam's Arcade about 15 minutes from where we lived (Riverside Park, Nairobi)
and afterwards, around 2005 at the Junction Mall (newly built at that time), which was closer to where we all lived (no more than 10 mins to get there).
I miss the wonderful atmosphere, friendly professional staff, great affordable breakfast and great coffee Java House offered at reasonable prices and in gigantic servings. Good food, good coffee, great company to end your weekend and start you right on another grueling week, what else can you ask for.
For reminiscing purposes, I looked up our favorites at the Java House website.
Full Java breakfast: V's favorite KES 380 ($6)2 Eggs (any style)
Toast
Homefries
Choice of bacon, ham or sausage (beef or pork) -
Steak & Eggs: T's favorite KES 480 ($7.66)
2 Eggs (any style)
Toast
Fillet Steak (w/salsa)
Mushroom Basil Cheddar Omelet: My favorite KES 340 ($5.40)
served with Toast & Homefries
Huevos Rancheros: Another one of T's favorite if the above doesn't fill him up KES 440 ($7)
2 Eggs (any style)
Spicy Ranchero Sauce
Melted Cheddar
Flour Tortilla
Refried Beans
Guacamole
Touch of Homefries
Sour Cream (Additional KES 80 or $ 1.30)
And of course there's the fluffy Pancakes....
2 served with Butter Maple Syrup - KES 300 ($5)
Banana Walnut Pancakes - KES 360 ($5.75)
Add Ice Cream (yum) - KES 100 ($1.60)
and Waffles
Golden Crispy Waffle served with Butter Maple Syrup - KES 280 ($4.50)
Banana Walnut Waffle - KES 320 ($5)
Add Ice Cream - KES 100 ($1.60)
We have our Pancakes and Waffles days when we just crave for them.
We thought about duplicating the activity here in Nicaragua, but no one (including us) really wants Gallo Pinto (typical Central American breakfast - rice & red beans, fried egg, local white salty cheese and toast - commonly served in restaurants here) on Sundays or any mornings for that matter. We can have it at anytime of the day if we want to.The only places that serve pancakes (or American breakfast) for breakfast are Kathy's Waffle House and Giraffe Joe's at Zona Hippo. The only problem is, besides the fact that they are not at par with the Java House quality and prices are the same if not more, Kathy's is in Granada which is a good 45 minutes away from Managua while Giraffe Joe, although in Managua stops serving breakfast at 10 am. We're not willing to compromise a few more hours of precious sleep on Sunday mornings for what we can get there.
Depending on what we agree with the others tomorrow, we will suggest that we do this at least once a month and just do it ourselves. We'll take turns hosting it - if we're not out of town (Managua is really boring on weekends). A few butt kicks here and there should get us going.
Depending on what we agree with the others tomorrow, we will suggest that we do this at least once a month and just do it ourselves. We'll take turns hosting it - if we're not out of town (Managua is really boring on weekends). A few butt kicks here and there should get us going.
Images courtesy of Java House Nairobi
Ok, I don't know why part of this post's font is in black...I've tried to change it many times to no avail (sigh).
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