Countdown, papers, plan, baby signing :)

Well, a storm hit Denmark yesterday. The wind was fierce with gusts of hurricane strength. But as far as I know nothing have been broken, not even the Christmas lights! But since I live in the gable end of the house, I have been awake many times, because of the howling wind. But I’m okay; I’ll take a nap if needed.

Countdown has also begun. It started yesterday even though it should have started Thursday. But who cares. It’s 43 days to go. That is not much time. I still haven’t got the official papers – so they really should arrive with the mail today or tomorrow. After the official papers have arrived, I should receive my flight plans. I remember last time I got my flight plan. I had to go the airport at 3.30am to get the flight to Frankfurt airport. I would arrive around 7am. Then I needed to wait until around 10am where I would take off with the plane heading towards JFK, New York. New York time I would arrive around noon – which mean it would be around 6pm at Danish time. That means around 14 hours of traveling. And nobody knows how long it will take to get through the immigration in JFK. That’s just part of the game.

So right now I need my papers, need flight plan, need a password so I can book at time at the American embassy, so I can get my visa.

Then I need to go to the Town hall, where I will probably spend a few hours getting my international driver license, a form where I can resign myself from the country. (When you’re supposed to go out of country more than 6 months then you have to do this.) I need to talk with the tax center, since I won’t have an income in Denmark for a whole year.

Then I need to go to the embassy to get my visa, they will take my passport and sent it to me and I would be able to enter the states (or: they can actually refuse me entry to the states when I arrive. Hopefully that won’t happen. I don’t see any reason why they should.) I need to go to the doctor, have a last check out, just to be sure. Even though there probably nothing to find. Need some prescriptions. So I can get my Birth control Pills and then I bring some anti histamine for my allergy, just to be sure.

Then around 8 days before departure I will get my tickets in hand, along with something else that I don’t remember right now.

And then all there’s left is packing and actually going. Saying goodbye for a time. Don’t wanna think that far ahead yet. One thing at a time.

In the moment I’m killing time learning baby signing. Which is quit much fun for me. I can count to 10, say animals names, milk, more, cookie, share, color, baby, tree, eat, drink and probably much more. I have made a game out of it. Do the sign before the baby on the video does… That can be very fun.

But I also killing time with baking a lot of Christmas cakes/cookies and do some Christmas shopping, and yes I do Christmas shopping very early. I don’t have a need to rush the day before Christmas Eve (where we get present in Denmark) with all the others. I like to take it slow and be done early, and I’m almost done, just 2 or 3 presents from the goal.

All for now.
Correction: a few tiles from my gable end have been broken, and have possible made a small hole trough the roof. But we will have to check that later. 

Happy, Calm and Exited - We have a Match!

..In the beginning I said, that you could follow the rollercoaster ride. I hope you got the feeling!

I’m very happy know, not thorn or twisted. I’m calm, happy, exited and I can’t wait until January where I will meet my “new” family!

Yes I decided to match with the family. And I have absolutely no doubts. This is what I want, and they are the right family! now I just need to get the official papers. But wanted you to know….

I decided not to go to the job interview in Denmark when I woke up this morning. I had a very bad night sleep. So many thoughts in my mind. I couldn’t find rest. Talked to my mom shortly in the morning and took the decision. Contacted the nursery and told them that I needed to go somewhere else. Then I wrote the e-mail to the family. And now I’m just relived. I know what to do know, in about 7 weeks I will be with my family in the states, and I can’t wait to see them and get to know them!

No tears, not thorn and defiantly not twisted! Just happy, exhausted and exited. Will go to bed..

PS. Have started to translate all Danish posts into English. They will soon be seen on my private website, will tell when the site is up running again.. :)

Thorn, Twisted, Tears

I have to warn you. This is going to be a very long post. I haven’t been posting in two months now. Many things have happened, many things didn’t manage to stick to my plan. My mind is twisted, I find myself in a confusing, unrealistic world. I have no idea what to do or say, I have way too many hours to do nothing which means that I have way to many thought in my head.  Let’s start from the beginning, maybe it won’t be in correct order, but I hope you understand.

Last time I posted I hadn’t heard anything from anyone. I was jealous at all the other au pairs, they had what I want. I decided to sign up for a non-agency matching site, in hope of finding a family who would enter the program. I had many, many families who wanted me from the States. They just didn’t want to be in a program, because they think the agencies trick them; they simply don’t trust the agencies. But I don’t want to go to the States illegally. I have an agency and that’s how it’s going to be. I changed my “dear family letter” and made a few changes in my profile at EurAupair in hope of a family would contact me through my agency.

I had one family contacting me, she was like: I have chosen you! And I only had 2 days to decide, so I told her that it was way to short time for me to decide. She had to spend some more time getting to know me. She never responded back.

I also got offers from families in Europe. In the beginning I turned the offers down. But more came and I started realizing that I might should forget USA and head off to somewhere else. I had contact with many families in Europe, especially families from Switzerland. I ended up with one family from Switzerland. They sounded perfectly. They even invited me down for a couple of days. Just to see if it would work. The family and the children were all very nice, boys will be boys and babies will be babies. But it didn’t feel right. The family agreed, so I didn’t sign contract with anyone.

Then I got home, I had turned down a job offer because I was 95% sure that I was going to Switzerland. I could have had a job in Denmark now. I still don’t have a job.

Well I started dating a guy, very sweet – I don’t know him that well yet, so don’t jump into conclusions – I’m still single!

Then a family contacted me – from the states – via EurAupair! Family with two children: a 3 y.o girl and 4 month old boy.  Moving to another state in December and want me to arrive in January. Their family life and lifestyle is very different from mine I think.

It’s a very healthy family. And with healthy – I mean really, really healthy! They have a dog (I’m allergic) but it’s one of those non-shedding breeds (hypo allergenic). The fact is that I have never had a dog; I know they need to be walked, have food and water, needs to be pad etc. But I don’t have a clue how to behave around a dog, when it lives the same place as I do. They will move to Colorado, near Denver, a city with many young people around. They travel a lot, because they have family and friends many place around the states. So the au pair they chose will see so many things, when she just follows them.  

Then I have applied for a job in a nursery. 30 hour weekly. And they have called me in for an interview tomorrow. But I’m so split right now. These jobs don’t just show up when you need it. I’m not even sure to get it. And if I want to go to the States, then I have to go now, before I get a boyfriend, an education and a flat. This opportunity won’t show again. But I will lose a job because of me being an au pair for the third time! I’m so scared.

Just had a talk with my dad. I have told him my thoughts, he thinks I should go.

I made a plan myself: If I get the job at the nursery tomorrow I will stay in Denmark. If not I will go to the States. But it’s just not that simple.

If I get the job tomorrow: I will have a stabile job, the chance to get my own place, maybe get a boyfriend (who knows) I will earn my own money again. But I also risk, that I will regret that I didn’t leave for the rest of my life.

If I don’t get the job: I will go to the States. I don’t think any au pair is 100% sure of their decision. How can you be 100% before you leave? You have no idea what to expect. Many say afterwards: “I’m so glad I did this for me. I will never regret my decision” But I think all au pairs have a little doubt before leaving. If I leave for the States, I will give up the third job, a place of my own, a potential boyfriend and a clearing in my life.

I’m thorn and in tears. Have no idea what to do.