My New Year Thoughts

Goodbye 2011 – you have surprised me for whole year now, it’s been good, bad, though, happy, easy, laid back, lots of experiences, colleagues, flirts and all the other stuff! Thank you and goodbye.

Today is the second last day of the year. Tomorrow the last day of the year is always a strange day even though it’s really not. It’s just a day, like all the others, Saturday like every other Saturdays.  I won’t go out partying. I’m gonna have a very relaxed new year with my parents. Main course and dessert after my choice (You have to have benefits when you leave home.) We’re just going to relax, see Queen Margrethe’s annual speech like we do every year. Then eat a nice dinner, watch TV, talk, the usual phone calls, drink and singing into the new year at midnight. Then relax a little more and go to bed. I don’t know if we are going to have fireworks this year. I’m really not up for it. I like the arts, colors and lights in the air, but all the loud noises is really not my cup of tea. We’ll see wether or not my dad is buying a battery or some party poppers. A very relaxed evening – they way I like it this year.

Last couple of days I haven’t had that much energy. Though I have spending  all my time translating all my blog posts into Danish, and the Danish posts into English. And then they have been uploaded on my personal website – which is now open again. Still have a lot of work in front of me, but It’ll come when I got the time and the idea on what to do… Think I’m going to write down something about me being an au pair. And then refer it to the blog here or at the website. The Front page really isn’t awesome either. I have concentrating so much on getting the translations right in both the Danish part of the site and the English part of the site.. We’ll see what is going to happen…

I got some really nice Christmas presents. I got Dollars so I have something to start with. It really looks like monopoly money, and I can’t get over that you have $1 in a note! Seriously?!  Well I just need get used to it I guess…

I also got a really nice book, from Linea. I really wanted to go see Niceville in the cinema. And Linea didn’t wanna come. So know I got the book instead and I will enjoy it on my flight.

Then if anyone remembers, in one of my earlier posts I mentioned that my all time favorite animal was a hippo. I have been looking after a keychain-figure looking like a hippo for years now. You can get all the animal, exept a hippo. So my parents bought me a necklace with a hippo charm in it. I never take this one off, only if I need to wear jewelry or if I go shower (even though I often forgets to take it off)  

So for Christmas I got a new friend, Felix the Hippo. Very soft and very cute – and he will remind me of my parents, while I’m away.

Going away means packing. And I’m now a week behind schedule. I don’t feel like packing, I think it’s crap (sorry  my language!) But it really is! I really want to go, but packing down my room feels SO wrong. And the pictures in my head of my room filled with boxes ain’t helping. My dad bought some boxes yesterday so I can get started. At least I have one box filled with books.

I also need to pack my suitcase, that’s a challenge and I really need to get started on that one too. It just makes it all so real, packing down means – You are ´going Mouse, you’re on your way.

But I like the fact that I’m leaving in January. A new year – a new start. I really look forward joining the family. We will probably have our ups and downs – but which families don’t have that? We will figure out along the way.

Happy New Year to everyone, I hope you will have a great 2012 with a lot of love, hope, experiences and new memories. I’m sure will!

Mouse

You'll just get a song instead

I have so many thoughts in my head. I want to write them down. But each time a sit in front of the screen my mind just go blank. Then I heard Leona Lewis’ song: happy. And it fits so well. Why do I do this, because I want to do something for myself, be happy and get to experience the world. Though it’s scary to throw myself out in something unknown then it’s worth it.

Someone once told me

That you have to choose

What you win or lose

You can’t have everything

Don’t you take chances

You might feel the pain

Don’t you love in vain

Cause love wont set you free

I could stand by the side

And watch this life pass me by

So unhappy but safe as could be

So what if it hurts me

So what if I break down

So what if this world just throws me off the edge

My feet run out of ground

I gotta find my place

I wanna hear my sound

Don’t care about other pain in front of me

Cause I’m just tryna be happy, yeah

Just wanna be happy, yeah

Holding on tightly

Just can’t let it go

Just tryna play my roll

Slowly disappear, oooh

Well all these tears

They feel like they’re the same

Just different faces, different names

Get me outta here

Well I can stand by the side

And watch this life pass me by

Pass me by

So what if it hurts me

So what if i break down

So what if this world just throws me off the edge

My feet run out of ground

I gotta find my place

I wanna hear my sound

Don’t care about other pain in front of me

Cause I’m just tryna be happy

Just wanna be happy

Oooh…

So any turns that i cant see

I'll count a stranger on this road

But don’t say victim

Don’t say anything

So what if it hurts me

So what if i break down

So what if this world just throws me off the edge

My feet run out of ground

I gotta find my place

I wanna hear my sound

Don’t care about all the pain in front of me

Cause I’m just try to be happy

Just wanna be happy

Time fly by

I was meant to blog after I got my visa. But time just fly by now. I can’t believe that in 2½ week, I will be in NYC. I’m almost there now.

Well, I got my visa and I got my papers. Everything is practical in order.

I’m ready for Christmas. I’m ready to start packing. My host family has left their former house and town in WA. On their way to celebrate Christmas and then next week going to the temp. housing in Boulder. Where they and I will stay until they find a house they want to call their home.

I have been asked how I can live with, not moving into the place I will stay until my year is over.  ½ year ago I wouldn’t be able to live with it. But my mind have changed the way I see things. Instead of seeing obstacles all the time, I have started to see opportunities. I don’t think it’s that bad, to move location. They will start “over” and I will start “over” together. The town will be new to them, as well as it will be new to me. Yes I understand people who say but you will have to move in the middle of it. Yes, but at least I will move in the same town, maybe just a few blocks – who knows.

I have never tried to move. I have lived 20½ year in the same area, in the same town, street and house. So it will be a new experience for me, along with everything else.

So instead of saying; “Defiantly not!” I just say “Why not?!” I really don’t think it will kill me and maybe it will be fun. My host parents will have time to find a house without stressing, I will have the children and things will go smoothly. When they find a house, we’ll move.

I have no idea if this makes sense. To sum up, I take the moving part with me as an extra experience. It’ll be fun – no worries.

I have this weird feeling inside of me right now. I’m gonna do this. It’s actually happening. And I have so much to pack down. I’ve made a deal with my parents. I’m gonna pack down all of my stuff before leaving. I will probably go find my own place when I get back, start studying  and there is no need to leave all of my stuff on the shelves in Denmark. So Along with finding and discussing with myself what to bring I also have to pack everything down in boxes, So I don’t have to do that when I get back.

I look forward to the year to come. I’m gonna say “see ya” to a lot of people I care about tomorrow. People I won’t see in a long time. It makes me kind of sad. There is a very good reason that I’m not throwing a goodbye-party – I hate goodbyes. It’s not goodbye, it’s see ya – I will be back! So it really starts tomorrow. I don’t like the idea, but it’s part of the game.

If I don’t get to blog next couple of days then: Merry Christmas!

Message for Trine, one of my readers

To Trine
I don't use my g-mail which I need to run my blog. So I didn't see that you made comments with questions. I have answered both posts from dec. 9. I will make sure to check my g-mail ofter so I get my notifications about new comments :)

over and out

Visa, Embassy and more papers

Went to the Embassy today. I started to line up in the pouring rain for 20 minutes – One bright sight is that there was a very-nice looking security guard. “If I only had his number” ;)

Well it was finally my turn, went in handed over my cell-phone and iPod. Went through the metal detector, while my bag where screened. Went in took a number and waited and waited and waited. Until my number was called, I handed over my documents and passport and sat down again. She wrote down the time 10.17 on the paper. Then a few minutes after waiting.  My name was called and I went up to another desk where I was asked a few questions, basically why do you want to go to and what I will do there. Then I had to explain that I wasn’t going to Redmond, WA like the address on the paper said but to an unknown address in Boulder, CO - because my host family would move location. In the end I got a folder about my rights in the states and she said “well have a nice trip” – end of discussion.

To sum up – I think I will get my visa. I sure hope so; since they kept my passport :) they normally say 2-3 days.

Then I went to MyEducation to get some papers, flight plan/ticket, shuttle ticket, health insurance card, au pair folio and some baggage tags. I should have meet a Danish girl called Mette, who will attend the same workshop as I. Though we won’t be traveling together since we depart from 2 different airports. She had a later appointment at the embassy, so I went home and texted her that she could contact me if she wanted to meet and that she could find me on facebook.

So I think I’m good right now, have a lot of things to read, skimmed it earlier – again a lot of information which I already know. Think I’m going to read it in small doses, so I won’t fall asleep. Hope my visa will get here in a few days.

update again

Well Blogging seems a bit hard – many things happen in short time. Where to begin? I’ll try to keep it shorter this same :)

I now “know” 3 girls who will attend the same workshop as I. Funny part is that they are all German - One Dane among 3 Germans. Especially since I have had 3 years of German and I still don’t understand a word. I recognize words, but don’t understand what they mean. Let’s hope they try to keep it in as much English as possible, at least when other people are around :)

I have got a new flight plan. I actually think this plan is much better than the other even though I have to get up earlier. I now fly Copenhagen – Brussels – Newark. My flight takes off from CPH at 6.35am- Which mean I have to be at the airport at 5am. But it means that I will arrive at 12.05pm in Newark which is perfect. The even better part of the new plan is my “in-country” flight. Instead of changing flights in the middle I can just meet up in JFK – place myself in the plane and waiting for it to land in Denver. Though it’s a little late. I will land in Denver at 8.48pm which is a bit unusual since most au pairs are planned to arrive around 6pm. I really don’t know why it has to be at that time, maybe because they want or desire that the au pairs is having a family meal together the first night.

For me it makes no different whether or not It’s 6pm or 9pm I will probably be exhausted no matter what. Most au pair-bodies who come from Europe will have a hard time adjusting. We fly back in time + we will have to meet to class around 8am and we won’t get off before 8-9-10pm At least that’s what we are told. Let’s see whether or not they will stick to that time frame.

So I think I will be exhausted no matter what time I arrive in Denver. So many new impressions, probably lack of sleep, workshop, time differences, another flight, another new airport, new culture, new family. It’s probably very normal to feel exhausted the first night and weekend.  

Friday (last week) I got my visa-document by mail. Wow that was a lot of reading. First I freaked about the picture.  I wanted the picture to be taken by a professional, so I didn’t make any mistakes. But no one takes that size of pictures, since it’s not a standard size. Well after freaking out, e-mailing the Danish office, panicking on facebook. Get calmed down by both agency, host mom and friend then I decided to make my own private alternative/creative photo place. I tried to take it myself, which wasn’t much of a success. So I had to wait for my mom to get home from work – so she could take my picture. We ended up with an okay result. And I just hope it’s accepted at the Embassy.

Then I filled out an online form to apply for visa, I went well most of the way at least. I was asked if Iintended to study while I was in the States. I said off course yes – since I need the 6 ects. Points. Then It wanted me to tell which school I will attend, which Course and which major or BA I was taken. And I was like, I really don’t know which course I want to attend or where. I have had listed 3 different places. But Haven’t gotten to the point to chose which one or what to study. I had to write something, since it wouldn’t allow me to leave it blank. So I was assuming that I will attend University of Colorado Boulder, for course of study: Not known.

Street address: Not known, Boulder, Colorado 80309. And for those who’s asking how hard can it be to find the street address. Ehm that can be quit hard since the addresses chances from department to department. And since I don’t know which course to attend, then I don’t know the department either. I tried to find the head address – without any luck.

But it just have to be like that – I can’t do better right now.

Today I paid my fee for the embassy and bought the envelope and the right amount to send it. I have gathered all my papers, only things missing is my graduation papers and criminal record – in case they doubt me.

Tomorrow I’ll stop by the Danish Agency so they can double check my papers and see whether or not I made a mistake in my online application (which I have printed out, so the agency could see for themselves) Some would might say: You have probably done it correct. But probably is not good for me in this case. This is my visa – the one thing that I HAVE to have sorted out correctly. If I show up on the embassy and something is wrong (or very wrong – don’t know how strict they are. But rumors say they are VERY strict)  Then it will cost me another 800 Dkr. ($142) to get to another interview when I have sorted the mistake out at home.  And yes an interview/visa costs 800 Dkr. ($142) So I really need it to be correct in the first shot.

So now I just need my visa and flight tickets. Then there’s only waiting time and packing down my room left. 28 (almost 27) days to go. 

Flight info, networking, researching and selling out!

Got my flight info.

 I’m going Copenhagen – London/Heathrow – New York (EWR) on January 9^th.

Luckily I don’t have to get up at 3am like last time. I will have to be at the airport around 6am. Which is actually okay. Right now I’m in contact with the Danish agency. I can’t find my flight at the time they say I should take off from Heathrow. They (Agency) say it’s 10.25 – but when I check the date and the flight number on Heathrow’s website then they say 11.25. Then I told the agency that – but they keep saying 10.25. I don’t know if the website is giving me the time from the Danish time zone. But that would be very unusual. Basically ALL companies give you the times in local times, so no one misunderstand.

The agency will contact me again when they have had confirmed my flight tickets. I rather fly 10.25 – otherwise I just need even longer! And I don’t like to wait :/ Time will show – as long as I get there! :)

CPH – LHR :: 2 hours flight

LFR – EWR :: 8 hours flight

After the workshop on January 13. I will go to New York (LGA) to get my flight to Cleveland, where I have only 40 minutes before I need to get my final flight heading for Denver!

LGA – Cleveland :: 1 hour 49 min. flight

Cleveland – Denver :: 3 hour 27 min flight

I really hope my earplugs works! Otherwise I will be in pain… I have this with my ears when flying. My head can’t equalize the air pressure. Like my head can’t cope with the fast changing. Many other people are chewing gum, yawn or hold their fingers on the nose and “pushes” the pressure out. I’m not able to do that. So the pressure inside my head is way too high or way to low and that is really, really painful! If I just move the tiniest slight the pressure will change and I will cry in pain.

Know I have tried these plugs I have to put in at least 30 minutes before I enter my flight. And they seem to work – when they are not falling out (which have been my own fault). I feel the pressure like everyone else but it’s not painful any longer. So I think I’m gonna buy a new set to bring, since I have used these many times now. Some would might say “Have you seen a doctor?” the answer – Yes of course have. But they say nothing is wrong. And like tell them, something must be wrong! It’s painful, I’m crying and screaming – that’s not normal! And no I’m not afraid to fly!

But at least I have found a way to deal with my “problem”  :)

Networking, networking, networking.

It’s told to be one of the most important factors to get a successful year.  I – like many other people use facebook. I have found Euraupairs page on facebook and have now found two girls. One girl is arriving and attending the same workshop as I in January – she’s going to live in New Jersey.

I also tried to find girls from the area I would be in. I have found a girl who lives in Denver and she have told me that there are 9 firls from Euraupair and many other girls from different agencies.

Then I tried to figure out who my CC will be, when I live in Boulder. And it shows that Boulder don’t belong to the Denver area, So I probably don’t get the CC the girls from Denver has.

Euraupair was very kind and have told me that The area coordinator will contact me, within a few days to tell me. Normally you would know who your CC will be when you get the placement papers. But right now my host family has address in Seattle and not in Boulder since they haven’t moved yet. But it’s so nice that they will contact me and tell me, even though they don’t have the new address yet.

Maybe I’m a bit too pushy? I don’t think so. “If you don’t ask you don’t get any answers.”  I’m a person who likes to know what’s going on, and what is going to happen, who will I need to go to, and who will be in my cluster. I like networking!

I think it’s great to start friendships before even going there. Then You have a familiar face, and someone who says “hey lets meet when you get here” The girl from Denver have told me to write when I arrive. So if she goes to Boulder or I go to Denver then we can just write each other and ask if we could meet. That’s great! And that is also what’s the au pair life is about. New friends, new adventures and exploring other cultures - whether it’s your own, the American or a third culture.

With networking comes Researching!

Yes I said researching! Find out as much as you can before going. I have started with Boulder and Denver - regular facts and what to do. I have found places I want to go myself, places where I can take the kids, places where I can go with the family (if they are up for the things I have found of course), things I can’t wait to see (like festivals, parades, venues etc.)

I found some pages about Boulder and I’m totally in love with the city already. This was only confirmed by one of my friends who have been to Boulder twice. He was like “it’s SO awesome! And then there is this sportsbar/restaurant who have the greatest nachos, you have to try them!” And of course he doesn’t remember the name. So I will search for nachos in a sports bar. Thank you Mathias, good advice ;)

Always find different info about where you live – it might make it easier when you recognize shops and street-names from pictures and maps. Maybe it will make me feel more “home” when I recognize these kinds of things.

Selling out!

Yes, I have found that 23 kg isn’t much for a whole year! Many advices from host moms, former au pairs, CC’s and so on say “Bring half of what you think you need and a handful of money!”

The chance that I find some awesome clothes in States is way too big. And then when I get home I have too much clothes. So things I never wear, things I can’t fit any longer, have worn or don’t like is for sale. Second-hand-purchases are very popular here in Denmark and instead of just toss it, then I’m able to earn a little money and someone else will get the joy of my stuff.

And all of this got longer than I thought. One last info: my visa forms will arrive within 1-2 days – then I just need to get an appointment at the embassy, I just need those documents so I can book a meeting. So long :)

Update

Well, Christmas have hit the nation. And Christmas lunches, gatherings and dinners have started. My Brother turned 24 yesterday. So he invited family and friends to our house to celebrate. It was a great evening with cake, buns and coffee. Nice to see so many happy people!

Today my family hosts a cousin/family gathering, with all the cousins from my grandpa’s (dad’s side) side of the family. We will start to make Christmas decorations, Christmas cards and all that kind of things, while having a cozy time, talking laughing and just feel the Christmas spirit. Then we will eat together and what happens afterwards is never known. And that’s probably also the best! ;)

Though I am a little sad. Many aren’t able to show up even though they have known the date for a year. And they started with, “yes I’m defiantly going to be there” Reason is that all these Christmas gatherings also is going to involve goodbyes. Many of the people who attend these things are people I only see few times a year – if I’m lucky. So I don’t get to see these people again before I leave for the States. Now there are people I won’t have the chance to say goodbye to. And I really looked forward seeing all these people.

I love the gathering, it’s a few times a year we are able to catch up. We live in different places, have different lives – so I love to get together. But next year I’m not around, but I really appreciate e-mailing and facebook! I won’t get all lost, but Facebook is not the same as catching up in real life. That’s one of the downsides. Part of the game and experience. But I’ll get new friends and an extra family so I have no complaints.

Well something totally different. My Placement papers got here Tuesday. It’s always nerveracking to wait for the mail to arrive. But it got here! And it’s official, I’m leaving Copenhagen, Monday – January 9^th. I haven’t got my flightplan yet. But it won’t be long before I get that one.

The funny thing about these placement papers is that it’s kind of divided into two places. My family is moving from one state to another. Right now they live in Redmond – Washington and will move to Boulder – Colorado. So half of the information: addresss, phonenumbers,  CC’s etc. is connected to Washington. Rest of it: places to study and facts about the new city is connected to Colorado.

So I have no clue who my CC will be. But I’ll find out on the way. I could imagine that it depends on where we will live in Boulder.

But it’s just a fun thing to read, half of the information is useless  for me.

In the moment I have a lot of dreams while sleeping. It’s like: worst-case scenario playing. No one likes me, the family is angry, we can’t find solutions, I don’t get trough immigration, I won’t catch my plane. Everything goes wrong in general. I really hope it’s only in my dreams, those scenarios will happen!!!

I have started doing homemade Christmas cards and small gifts in cardboard. Really makes me relax.

Well, in three hours, guests will arrive. Another storm is hitting Denmark. Our roof haven’t been made yet. So I really hope damage will stay at a minimum!