I grew up in the center of the United States, the very flat area of the American Midwest. I have no regrets in leaving it for Oregon and politically forward West Coast living. I do, however, have some small nostalgia for Midwestern weather. Sunsets there are neon and fill the whole sky; storms rattle your teeth with peals of thunder. This fantastic extreme weather in no way negates how awful the humidity was for three months of the year, or how miserably cold the winters could be, but the occasional beauty and excitement of "tornado season" is one of the very few things by which an otherwise oppressive and miserable area of the U.S. can recommend itself.
Oh, how I have been rewarded for my leap across continents. Not only do I live in a socially progressive political environment, I have real sunsets and actual thunderstorms in spades. I will probably forget this entirely when the customary cold sets back, but I am certainly going to enjoy this sky while I can.
Where am I on other, previously related issues?
I am still spending an ungodly amount of time at the grocery store. I now have an apartment, complete with fridge and actual freezer in which to store my goods, but I still find myself grabbing an item here and there to keep dinners going. Luckily, I have 3 grocers in a block of my place, one of which offered stamps toward utensils and kitchen items.
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| Happiness is coordinated fruit bowls. |
I purged an entire existence before moving to Denmark. That left us without furniture, linens and even some basic clothing. Thankfully, I've been able to fill my house pretty tastefully with mostly free furniture. DBA.com is just about my favorite thing. What we've ended up with is a minimalist's dream. Of course, there are still a few things I'd like to have (more pots/pans, art supplies, sewing machine), but I don't feel like I'm doing without. I'm not in a rush; I like having the option to save for quality.
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| Ikea Expedits. Beloved throughout the industrialized world. |
Adding to my previous account of Danish oddities, I'd like to mention lighting here is terrifying. It seems common to wire in lamps and take them with you when you leave. This is not a thing in the states - the chandelier, properly installed by a trained electrician, is part of the house, like a faucet or door handle. We found ourselves in the unenviable position of running a lamp cord to a wall socket thing, both chanting silent prayers to the gods of 220v, just so we could have some light over the dining table. No Konkols were harmed in the installation of our Ikea As-Is lamp.
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| Shiny. |
Security is another issue. Everything here is extremely secure - bank accounts, health records, my internet bill - to the point of being almost impossible for even the account holder to access. On the one hand, a centralized system that carries my pertinent information from doctor to employer to banker, is pretty damn cool. (In the U.S. I recall having to change my address on my driver's license separately from the one on my registration. It's the same government entity...) On the other hand, I can't pay the bill for my internet because the account is in my name, while the bank account is in my husband's. He can't use his card over the phone to pay "my" bill. Adding either of us to either account is an extremely infuriating exercise in bureaucracy, involving unsuccessful phone calls, unaccessible online accounts, fruitless store/bank visits and a whole lot of unnecessary head-shaking. I guess I feel safer knowing that no one will pay my bills without my knowledge.
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| Please, 3DK? |
I am still looking for work. This is a frustrating endeavor, but that's true every where in the world. Because I am in a new country, and not going to school as I'd planned to this fall, I have been in a place of trying to figure out just want I want to do. Sadly, due to far too much necessity and not nearly enough opportunity, most of my work history is in office administration. I say "sadly" not because the work is bad, but rather because I'd really like to be in a meaningful leadership role, with a small staff. I've had this in my volunteer life for ages, but not in my paid life. On paper, the next sensible move is Executive Assistant - I have performed the work without the title for years. Will this give me the fulfillment I want from the bulk of my waking hours? Will I get to coordinate people and projects toward a meaningful goal? Do I even get to ask these questions, as a guest in this country, and a person who needs a substantial income ASAP? Will a potential employer discover my blog, recognize my taste and wit, and sweep me away to a fulfilling career? (Hey, Employer. Yes, yes, you should hire me. Check me out on LinkedIn. I am the greatest. Everyone loves me.)
