Romantisk København

My good friend Lori just left after 8 days spent together in Copenhagen. Not only was it amazing to have a girlfriend near to chat about makeup, decorating, and the latest gossip, but it was also great to have intellectually stimulating conversations with someone experiencing the current mood of the US, both financially and politically. The latter conversations my husband particularly enjoyed. (For those reading this post that known him, I am sure you are not surprised).

My only wish is that we were on the same time zone or living in the same city so we could meet for those amazing chats once a week like we did in the old days. Having to talk about anything and everything in a short period of time is a lot to ask of anyone. Not that I am complaining. I just now realize how important it is to have close friends nearby so you can share your daily thoughts and happenings. Crazy ideas, and frustrations. Such is life as an Expat. People are constantly coming in and out of your life which means you make a lot of friends, they just don't stay in one place for very long.

My favorite part about having my good friend visit is being able to see the city I live in through her eyes. Everywhere we went, she kept saying how romantic the city was. Granted, she is only visiting and we all know traveling for a short period of time and living somewhere are two totally different experiences, but I couldn't help but open my eyes (and mind) to what she must have been seeing. Winding cobblestone streets and centuries old buildings are architecturally appeasing to the eye, and then there are the candlelit cafes and decadent desserts that appeal to the senses. Not to mention having the love and support of a life partner, makes this one romantic haven after all.

Sensational Summer

I know I shouldn't be saying goodbye to summer already when it is only mid August, but the summer weather started to fade here in Denmark a month or so ago already. However! I just got back from a week of enjoying the glorious 90+ degree heat (approx 35 Celsius) in the Midwest which gave me the summer boost I needed to prepare for the Fall weather ahead.

So before I bid adieu, I would like to pay a proper tribute to the fantastic summer I have had thus far. This happens to be the last summer I will enjoy as a student and part-time worker before life as a Masters graduate and full-time employee begins again. And I have enjoyed the hell out of it. I have taken trips to 4 different countries and have hosted 1 out of 3 visits by friends and family so far.

We started with a trip to the South of France in June to visit my good friend Marie from Danish class. I can say with full honesty that it was probably one of the best vacations I have ever had. The scenery, the people, the weather were all amazing. When we were flying in and looking at the Riviera landscape I turned to my husband and said "If you lived here, why would you ever leave?" and that initial feeling pretty much sums up the trip.

A few days after we got back Mom and Dad arrived in Denmark for a two week visit in July to be spent in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands and that was pretty incredible as well. To be able to show my parents Europe, and guide them back to the origin of the Timmerman name was an honor I will never forget. Two weeks later I was off to the US to see family and friends and soak up the heatwave of a summer they are having in August and I enjoyed every single second of it.

Now I am preparing for one of my best friends from Chicago to visit and I cannot wait to show her my life in Copenhagen! We plan to walk the city, have picnics in the park, and laugh and talk our way through the past two years. Each time I have visited the US since I moved to DK my time has been shared between friends, my husband, and other obligations, so one-on-one time is a precious commodity that we both look forward to taking advantage of this trip.

Next up is a visit by two additional really good friends who have found a travel companion in each other which makes me very happy and excited for the many ladies nights we will share. I have an entire list of bars and restaurants I have been dying to experience with friends who appreciate good food and wine just as much as me. So, summer is certainly not over yet, but I will be sure to enjoy each and every second that it is still here.

Every Day is a Holiday in July

When I worked for the Tribune Company back in the States, we knew not to expect a response from our Danish technology vendor during the month of July due to the fact that everyone went on vacation. However, experiencing it while living in the country is an entirely different experience altogether.

I'm certainly not complaining, as I have enjoyed every minute of the fact that everyone is allowed 3 weeks of vacation during the summer by law, but trying to get anything accomplished during the weeks you are not on vacation is next to impossible. For example, after my parents left I had two weeks of normal daily life before I hit the vacation highway again.

During that time I tried to get some necessary tasks checked off the list. I contacted two doctors, two teachers, two business people, and one beautician for appointments or information which is of importance to me, and no joke. They were all on vacation. Again, I respect the law and really enjoy the work-life balance in Denmark, but I sometimes wonder how the country gets anything done.

Of course this is coming from an American raised in a culture where there is little to no balance between work and life, so this post should of course be taken with a grain of salt. Hopefully I'll have better luck in August! (When I'm back from my vacation in the States, that is).

Trip of a Lifetime

For as long as I can remember, my Dad has talked about taking a trip to the Netherlands to look up where the Timmermans originated. To research the family history and explore where the ancestors lived before they came to the US in 1880. That trip happened in July of 2011...the summer month of my Mom and Dad's 49th wedding anniversary. The fact that I am now living in Europe gave them the push they needed to make the dream a reality and I am glad they did. I was incredibly honored to be able to share this trip with them and the impressions that were left of Dutch people were well worth the trip.

We needed to drive through Germany before we could get to the Province of Limburg however, and that gave us an opportunity to explore that country as well. The minute we crossed the border of Denmark into Germany it was time for lunch so we stopped at the closest eating exit we could find. We left one foreign country for another, but what made this stop memorable was the fact that people spoke fluent English on one side, and just a few kilometers over the border, not a word of English was spoken. The lunch ladies were very friendly and with a few points and smiles we managed to get our food order in, but it was definitely a culture shock. That theme continued throughout Germany, at dinner that night and at the hotel we stayed in, but with the help of my very smiley Danish husband who also knows a little German, we made it through.

Day 2 on the road we crossed the border to the Netherlands and I could feel the excitement in the backseat of the car. My Dad was asking even more questions about the buildings and fields, to which my husband and I had to kindly say once again: "We don't know." The minute we arrived in the beautiful white town of Thorn, we knew our stay was going to be pleasant. Surrounded by such beauty it was hard to not have a good time. The homes, the gardens, the cobblestone streets, and buildings were all impeccably manicured and well taken care of. They had been preserved since 990 and it was a sight to see.

Day 3 we began the search for the Timmermans gone by and struck some luck at the tourist information center of Thorn who decided to go above and beyond their call of duty and start digging into some archives in order to find out more information for us. We drove a short distance through the towns of Heel, and Beegden, before reaching the tiny town of Horn, where we have been told it all began. To the church and cemetery we went, where traces of Timmermans were found. Walking through the town we found a printing business with our name on it and I could feel my Dad's pulse quicken with excitement as he spoke to the receptionist.

Lucky for him English was spoken fluently, as if we were still in Denmark, and the customer service and friendliness of people was incredible. In addition to the beauty of the town and gardens, I think the memory that will stick most in my mind was the fact that the people of the Netherlands made a point to make us feel like we were at home. Little did they know it was a trip about coming home for my Father.

The Immigration Experience

Living as an American Expat in a foreign country has opened up my eyes to many experiences. Some good, some bad, but all educational. Most of all, it has allowed me to empathize with those who have experienced this when trying to come to my country. The land of opportunity.

When moving to Denmark two years ago the immigration process was pretty straightforward and fairly easy. The longest wait at the immigration office was our very first visit submitting my application to enter the country, and it was only for a couple of hours if I remember correctly. After I was approved, I had to go back to the immigration office and receive a stamp in my passport indicating my temporary residency status. I was given instructions to go wait in a certain line so that it wouldn't take very long and I remember being in and out in 30 minutes on my second visit.

However, after applying for a renewal of this residency in early May, I am still waiting for the approval in July. My temporary residency expired June 26, 2011. Since it is summer and I have travels planned, and since the stamp that once allowed me back into the country has now expired, I had to go back to the immigration office and get a temporary stamp that would allow me back in the country, while I wait for my residency to be renewed. This time, this visit, was far different than any I have experienced before.

The immigration office opens at 8:30am and you have to take a number to wait your turn to be called. On the website it indicated the doors open at 8am so you can pull a number and be first in line once the office opens, which was my intention on the day I planned to go. However, it took me longer to get there than I had intended and I arrived at 8:30am instead of 8 and took my number. Which was already 111... and the office had just opened. After talking to several people I found out the doors open as early as 7am, and even at that time the person I talked to was only able to pull number 14. At 8am, when the doors are supposed to open and number taking is supposed to begin for the very first time, the number pulled was 58.

When I realized it would take me close to 3 hours I was immediately impatient, thinking there had to be another way. Surely, a temporary travel stamp for someone who was already approved to be in the country shouldn't take that long. I looked around, heard an announcement in Danish about people who only needed a residency renewal card should go to line 2, so I waited in line to see if that was me. Afterall, once my residency was renewed I would get a card, and not have to worry about the stamp in my passport business anymore. After waiting in a relatively short line for 45 minutes, I was turned away, and told to get back in the regular line, like everybody else. Which essentially meant take a seat and wait for your number to be called. My fighting spirit had been diminished and I succumbed to my fate. I was patient up until about hour 3, as that was the amount of time the office counter had indicated it would take me to get through given my time of arrival. How mistaken they were.

5 hours later, my number was finally called. Long after my friend Beth who was there to give me company (while we were supposed to be celebrating our last day in Denmark together) had gone home for some lunch. My number was also called an hour or so after they had locked the front doors so no new people could get in. Which meant if you went outside to get some air you were locked out, unless someone let you in at the exit. Air being the operative word. There were no windows or fans, and it was a hot sunny day. We were left breathing the same stale air which became filled with body odor as the day wore on.

My final thoughts of the day and the entire experience was that of Ellis Island. I wondered how long they had to wait after a long journey by boat across the Atlantic....in the 1800's. And then my thoughts moved to cattle. It felt like we were trapped and in cages, just like animals. No sunlight or fresh air. My rage was in-explainable. So much so, I couldn't even talk to my husband after the experience. I needed to calm down before I shared any words with him. Amazingly enough, after a walk to clear my head, lunch with my friend Beth, and a glass of wine to finally celebrate our last day in DK, the anger had subsided and I was just grateful to be done with it. I can finally travel now and enjoy my summer, while I wait for immigration to make a decision on whether Denmark will allow me to live in their country for another two years.

Nice Paint Job

Prior to our trip to the South of France I decided to treat myself to a mani/pedi in CPH. This is a regular ritual for many females living in major cities all across the US (well, at least in Chicago) and was always something I would be sure to schedule prior to any vacation or trip. A regular pedi is particularly important for the summer sandal season.

However, soon after I moved to Denmark I realized this would be one of those luxuries I would have to give up. A $12 manicure can easily be justified on a whim and a $40 mani/pedi could be worked into any monthly budget under the 'maintenance' category in the US, but at approximately 40% more the cost, this was something that would be put in the 'special occassion' category while living in Denmark.

Like, at my wedding. That was my first wake up call at how much more expensive this treatment was in Denmark and how much better the service was in the US for half the price. However, I chalked up that encounter to my lack of experience in knowing where to go, and took into account the fact that the little island of Møn might not exactly represent the rest of Denmark as far as beauty services go.

Fast forward two years later after meeting many foreign women experiencing this same dilemma, I finally got wind of a place that came highly recommended in Copenhagen, so I saved my Kroner and waited to book the treasured mani/pedi for this very trip. The overall experience was pleasant. But once again, I paid much more for less service. I got a great nail job, but if wanted the nice extras I am used to (like hand soaking and pumice removal) that would have cost more.

Så jeg siger nej tak for nu! When you're used to great quality at less cost, it's hard to justify doing the opposite.

Summer is just around the Corner

The Memorial Day weekend in the US, or the last weekend in May always used to mark the beginning of summer to me. School was out, or nearly at the end, (high school that is) and the days were beginning to get hot and humid in the Midwest.

This year marks my third summer without celebrating that holiday and I find myself still adjusting to when summer will begin. The first summer I arrived in DK was actually Memorial Day weekend, but my head was in wedding and moving mode. Last year I was busy preparing for summer school so it slipped right underneath my fingers but this year I found myself consciously aware of its presence, or lack thereof. Probably because I have been counting down the days for school to end.

Thursday, June 16 marks the official end of my first year at CBS, when summer will finally begin for me. We've been blessed with beautiful weather on and off since the week of Easter in April, but my mind and schedule has been far too busy to truly enjoy it. I have been told the first year of your Masters is the hardest at CBS and I hope they are right. Either way, I intend to fully enjoy the few months of summer that are soon to start.

Beginning with visiting a good friend in the South of France this weekend. Then Mom and Dad arrive for two weeks for fun and travels around Europe. Then it's off to the US to see family and friends and before you know it my good friends Lori, Danielle, and Jacquie will be here, and then all of a sudden it is August. Summer is one of those precious times of year when you await its arrival and before you know it, it's gone. The best way to make it last is to soak up every single moment, which I will be reminding myself of every single day.