Four Things No One Tells You About Moving Overseas

1- You Will Get Sick
It's as simple as that. Last year was a cycle of respiratory colds, one after the other. This year has been better so far, despite the BS "summer" we had in London that was really just like a regular old Bay Area winter. In any case, all that time over the last year-and-a-half on the Tube has built my immune system, I am stronger.....I am better. I haven't had a cold for MONTHS. Yay.

However, I did just get over a particularly bad, 5-day-long case of stomach flu. How's that for a weight-loss plan, actually it really sucks. Especially when you go to a fancy restaurant for lunch with Dave and can only stare at your gorgeous fish stew for a few minutes (it sounded good when I read about it on the menu), then go into the bathroom at put your head between your knees and try not to barf or pass-out for 10 minutes (knowing full well you haven't eaten anything for 3 days anyway), thus embarrassing your husband who is now sitting alone at the table eating your fish soup.......oh god.

Anyway, wash your hands and all that shit but I think the hand sanitizer may be worthless. When you ride with 80 other people in a congested Tube car, you are going to be exposed whether you touch something or not.



2- It's Not All Glamor
Guess what,  you cannot travel EVERY weekend. You'll run out of money and (break out the world's smallest violin for me) travel can sometimes be tough: struggling with languages, lost hotel reservations, transportation strikes, airport delays,boisterous arguments over which train to take into town from the airport, getting ripped-off when you decide F-it and take a cab into town.......that kind of stuff.

Besides - going in and out of the UK involves a lot of time in immigration and customs lines with coughing people who probably have antibiotic-resistant TB. Sometimes you just need to sleep in, get coffee, relax, and do normal stuff like scrub the floors or bathroom tiles, pay bills, and call your mom - just like "at home".


3- Get a Job If You Can
This is especially true if you are the partner of the overseas transferee. The number one reason overseas transfers fail is because the spouse is unhappy. Don't think you can spend all day lunching, shopping, and going to museums. Well, I guess that might be cool for a while. But seriously, after a few months you will get bored or turn to day-drinking and hard drugs with supermodels and former rock-stars (exaggeration for effect there).

The best piece of advice I got before moving was, "You have something you need to do each day to enjoy the stuff you get to do". I think about that advice a lot, because it really shaped my approach to our 2 years overseas.

I had the best of all worlds working part-time for my company in Palo Alto. I take German and French in the mornings, then work in the afternoons. I have the flexibility and freedom to really enjoy being here. That being said, if I had it to do over again (knowing that I was going to be here for 2 full years),I probably would have gotten a job in London. I am a bit isolated working from home, and I think it would have been cool to be exposed to another aspect of the culture. But whatever, nothing is ever perfect. C'est la vie!


4- Don't Depend on Your Partner for ALL Your Entertainment
While Dave and I have a good time togehter, I try to have my own life as much as possible. Volunteer, take classes, meet friends for lunch or whatever. It will make you a happier, much more interesting person/spouse.


This All Being Said - JUST DO IT
Moving here was the best thing I have ever done with my life (aside from marrying Dave, wait I just barfed in my mouth). I will never regret it, and even on the dark days in December when it is raining and cold, the sun sets at 3:45 p.m. - though you wouldn't know because you haven't actually seen this supposed "sun"for months - I still don't ever think, "we never should have come here." After all, my father died at 32 - he didn't get to see much, I feel like I have to have an exciting life for him. You just never know what day is going to be your last.

On that uncheery note, the sun just came out and I am going for a run in Hyde Park. See you all soon.

Done with the Parental Visits - A Fine Finish in Nice, France

So Dave's Dad and Linda (I am not allowed to call her Dave's stepmother because Dave says that is weird) were here in August, my parents were here in September, and then Dave's Momma came for a week - and just left yesterday. Woosh. That is a lot of visiting and entertaining and planning.

While Mom was here, we did all the usual "guests in town" crap like see shows, eat dinners out, a attend a GEORGE MICHAEL ORCHESTRAL CONCERT - awesome. However, I need to sleep for like 3 days straight now.

Who doesn't love George Michael......

Mom's visit finished with a long weekend in Nice, France. That place rules. There are a million things to do down there, the food is good, the weather is POYFECT for a heat-seeker like me. 

The town reminds me of Santa Barbara a bit, so I feel right at home. I spent a whole week here in Nice by myself this spring. Nice is also nice because I get to practice my crappy French and see how my language classes are paying off. I'll give myself a B-, I have lots more to learn (as a point of reference, I am giving my German skills a D......).

By the way, we stayed at the Hotel Solara for about 80€ a night for a balcony room! I totally recommend this place.

Euro douchebag.

As an aside, why do Americans seem to find a way to suck the joy out of everything in life. Wandering the farmers market (which they hold almost everyday) is an existential experience. Buying from small, local producers makes you feel a part of something really amazing. Going into Safeway (which I try never to do) makes me want to die. Seriously, I have to give myself a peep talk before I get out of the car and go pick through the chemically ripened tomatoes and tasteless, over-sized strawberries - shudder - just to find the damn toothpaste and whatever processed food Dave wanted, generally Oscar Mayer bologna and American cheese. Descending from the soapbox now.

Tomato season at the market. I'm not going home.

Also grape season, there were like 12 different varieties for sale.

 

At the Roman ruins in Nice. I went last time I was here too.

Warm enough to swim for sure. I'm staying.

I'll spare you the descriptions of our meals, but they were all good. I think you have to really *try* to have a bad meal down here.

Family dinner, and Mom's first oyster.

The flying monkeys are home for a few weeks before ramping back up for Turkey, the Netherlands, then SKI SEASON. Thank god, I need a nap.......

Budapest - Part II

Quick post about Budapest. I'll only make two quick points here: #1) Budapest is one of those great cities.  The architecture, the people, the food and wine. Yes, the wine.  The wine in Hungary is vastly overlooked and is not only very good but a very good bargain.  #2)  As I like to point out once in a while that yes, we are very lucky and living in London has enabled us to travel a lot and see the Europe while we are here. However my work trips are never as sexy as they seem. Had I not had already been Budapest, I wouldn't have seen it and been reminded of how great it actually is. Case in point. Land at airport, jump in cab, take back streets to Hotel, get out of cab, walk in hotel. Forty-nine hours later, two conference sessions, Four conference calls from my room and two dinners by myself in the cafe - I left.  

Don't get me wrong, the hotel was beautiful and the food was good but everyone I knew at this conference went out for drinks, had dinner, toured the town but no, I had calls with the US and shit to do that precluded me from having any fun. I realize that you can go out on your own, however at 9:30 PM when you are done working and not in a neighborhood your know you tend to be a pussy and just go to the hotel restaurant (at least I didn't order room service and watch TV). Two drinks at the bar (again, by myself trying to not look simultaneously like a looser and an alcoholic) and it's off to bed.

On the third and last day I was ejected from my room at 1:00pm and my flight wasn't until 6:00pm.  So packed up and off I went. Walked across the city remembering all the awesome things Amie and I did when we were here on holiday: walked along the Danube, took in views of the Parliament (top left pic), and then hiked up to Buda Castle and St. Stephen's Basilica (right picture).  I decided that a lunch in a familiar place would do the trick so I sat down at 21; where Amie, JC, RC and their Hungarian friends, and I all had lunch a year a go. It was fantastic and this chicken crepe thing was the best thing on the menu, followed by Goulash.

I guess my point is that had I not been thrown out of my hotel or had been to the city before would I have had the balls or discipline to take the half day off and walk the city by myself?  I don't know but I hope to remind myself that like life, the hardest part is taking the first step out the door. After that the city and your curiosity will take you anywhere you need to go.

Ich Bin Ein Berliner

I am taking French and German language classes while in London. Really when the hell am I ever going to be working part-time again without a giant mortgage hanging over my head - uhm never. I may as well take advantage of this time and not totally blow through two years overseas without anything (but some really cute clothes I've bought) to show for it. 

I an under no illusions here. I know that unless you continue to speak a language regularly, you will forget it. Therefore, I am probably better off learning Spanish since I can at least practice that with friends back in California. Whatever. At least now I will never be in Germany or France and want to order a beer or find the toilet, and not be able to do either - which is really my goal. I really just want to speak enough to avoid looking like a complete asshole.

In learning a foreign language, you learn a bit about the culture too. This is going to be terribly stereotypical - but the German have a million rules in their language, there are like 10 rules for use of the little word "to". And the French rather randomly change the endings of words so they sound better when spoken, oh the French.

Here are a few awesome words I have learned in the last few weeks. The first two are French and last two are German:

La Lune Du Miel - Honeymoon. That is a quite literal translation (the moon of honey), but for some reason it sounds way more romantic, sexy, and hot the way the French say it.

Depaysement - There is no translation for this word in the U.S., but it is that amazing feeling you get in a new country where things are so different and wonderfully exotic and your brain is buzzing.

Handschuh - Glove. Literally a shoe for your hand - get it.

Stadtbummel - This is the equivalent of a long city walk/hike. We don't have this word since there are only about five cities in the U.S. that you actually want to walk through/around for more than 10 minutes. You'd just drive or whatever.

Anyway, get out there in the world and feel some depayesment during a stadtbummel. And don't forget your Handschuh!

Lovely Unassuming Cologne (Country #14)

I had heard Cologne, or Köln to the Deutschlanders, was charming. To be clear, we went there for a stupid reason..... So we originally wanted to go to Oktoberfest in Munich (which is hands down the best festival I have ever been to), but flights were $300+ and even a shit hotel was $500 a night. Grrrr. Instead, we got tickets to Oktoberfest in Cologne and called our friend J.S. to meet us there (he is living in Germany for a while for work). Sweet.

OK before all you Germans out there (H.R.) say, "uhm Oktoberfest is a southern German festival - it isn't celebrated in the north, you are ridiculous." I realize going to Oktoberfest in Cologne is like going to a Burning Man in NYC. It doesn't make sense. But whatever, we ended up not even going to the lameass Oktoberfest party because we were having so much fun drinking Kölsch with J.S. in town at the bars.

Anyway back to Cologne....... The town straddles the Rhine River, and just to be especially super scenic and charming they have gorgeous bridges, bike paths on both sides of the river, and loads of galleries and parks. 

Of course the highlight of Cologne is the spectacular cathedral, a.k.a. the Dom. During WWII the entire city was bombed back to the stone age by the Allies in 262 separate bombing raids, but the cathedral was never directly hit. Pretty cool, right? We climbed to the top for an amazing view of the city.

Check out the scaffolding on the left.

Inside the Dom.

So what else did we do? What does everyone does in Cologne, of course - drink Kölsch and eat meat, bread, potatoes, more meat, and more potatoes (can you say BLOAT)!

And for those who don't know, Kölsch is rather specific to Cologne and has been brewed here for hundreds of years. It is a slightly fruity, light beer that is cold-lagered and tasty. In Cologne, Kölsch is always served in a narrow, 0.2-liter glass called a Stange. The waiters carry them out by the crapload in a little holder like there on the right. That way, your beer is always cold and tasty - and the waiters stay in shape running back and forth between the bar and the tables. You can drink 0.2 liters pretty quickly, ya know......

Also for those that don't know, Kölsch is the most popular beer at our annual Davetoberfest party because the ladies love it, and my girlfriends can drink.

Kölsch in wee little Amie-sized glasses.

 

I'll have the Junge dicke Bohnen, bitte.

That mustard jar may have ended up in my purse.

Do the Germans ever poo, I think not...... Nice pose Dave.

 
What else did we do, you ask? Well, there is a kick-ass spa facility in Cologne. The Claudius Thermae baths are like a giant playground for adults, with waterfalls, wet and dry saunas, pools of different temperatures and salinity levels, mineral baths, sun lamps, and maybe two or three VERY well behaved kids.......in other words heaven! A natural thermal mineral spring supplies the water for the facility. The majority of the spa is "no clothing-allowed", thus no spa photos. The website is well worth a look though.

On the way to the spa, we encountered the most kick-ass playground. Tell me who can resist a zip-line, not us apparently.

Jason taking on the zip-line.

That slide was irresistible too.

Cologne at night from across the Rhine. Ain't she pretty.

We are taking it easy this week and resting, well I am - Dave is in Budapest for work. I have a nasty case of angular chelitis (seriously gross, don't do a Google image search) because I let my iron levels get dangerously low......this is what I get for drinking my dinner and starting to run again. It is almost gone, but I may have to blog about how I got rid of it. I had it last year for like 2 months, which was AWFUL.

Becomming a Brit?

So how am I getting on?

It has been 15 months so far, and we have 8 more months to go. I'd say it is like any place, you take the good with the bad. I think living here has changed me in some ways, and made me miss home in other ways, as summarized below:


Bloody Well Right

• I drink tea pretty much every afternoon, with milk even. That is very British, right.
• I am wearing clothes that aren't solid colors and don't match perfectly (a la Old Navy/Gapish looking). Man you can pick out the Americanos here by the matchy-patchy thing they have going on.
• I saw both Pixie Geldof and Princess Beatrice in the same week, and I knew who they were.
• I LOVE taking the Tube and not ever driving. You never have to worry about insurance, car payments, dog hair on the seats, or DUIs.
• I am a BBC devotee: radio, TV, the I-player......all of it. A fine institution.

Nor Cal Rocks

• I still despise the cold/wet/damp, and I am a few months from really hating the dark. The sun sets here at about 3:45 in the winter, kill me now. This is going to take a lot of booze to get through.
• I miss biking the hills.
• I miss hiking and running the hills.
• I miss camping, you cannot camp anywhere in the UK without significant rain gear and a lot of tea. 
• I still cannot get assimilated into the bar culture. When we meet friends for drinks after work, by about 8:30 I am drunk and too starving to see straight. I need to EAT dinner, it is not a skippable meal in any way, shape, or form people. 

I often get asked whether we are going to extend our visas past their June 1st expiration. Ya know, I just don't think we will.

Never say never, but most of the Top 10 Things I Love To Do cannot be done here in London, sad. This is mostly because I am a wuss and will not race or camp in the cold and rain.......sucks to be me.

Off to Cologne, Germany. Photos to follow.

Harry Potter Experience

In the spirit of "why the hell not", Dave bought tickets to the Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio Tour a few months ago (yes, the wait is that long) and we finally went on Saturday. 

We do this a lot here, buy tickets to do very random things. For example, on Sunday we went to Thorpe Park with a few of Dave's coworkers. Thorpe Park is a really shitty version of a really small Magic Mountain (come on guys - please clean up the trash and cobwebs, have some self respect because at least you aren't in really bad elf costumes or something). The Brits don't seem to mind, perhaps because they don't know any better and are used to trash anyway.

Anyway. The Harry Potter studios are in a town called Staines (sounds like a lovely place, not really), about an hour or so from London via train. I weep for the prospects for this town once the studio tour business ends.

Se we came, we saw, we Happy Pottered. You'll recognize the sets from the pictures for sure. I'll give it a score of Pretty Darn Cool. You really get an appreciation for all the energy, time, and money it takes to make all the scenes and props.

I love a good audio tour......I am a douche.

On the set in the dining room with the actual movie costumes on display.

Gryffindor dorms.

Gryffindor common area and more costumes.

I always though this woman looked like my Grandma Riordan.

Dumbledore's office.

4 Privet Drive, where Harry grew up.

Diagon Alley.

The art, costume, and animatronic departments were just insane.

The set of Hagrid's house.

This upcoming weekend is our 9th anniversary, awww so sweet (barf). We are going to Cologne, Germany. Why, you ask? Well because it is a new country (and we are way behind on the whole "24 in 24" country count), and at $100 per ticket to fly there - why the hell wouldn't you. We plan to sight see, drink beer, eat sausages, then recover at the Claudius Therme Spa.

You have to love a spa that has specific areas where clothing is strictly NOT permitted. But then, this is not surprising to me considering we had the Dong Show at the spas in Austria too (thanks Finny for the awesome "Dong Show" reference). Peace out.