A sample of things I learned recently:

• people bring their own bags to grocers; else, you pay a little extra
• lightening can make the most beautiful gothic buildings even more beautiful
  
• even if the subway ticket inspector looks like a bum, when he flashes his badge you had better respond with your ticket
• If you're offered anything on Prague's Wenceslas Square on a Saturday night, "just say no"
  
• every country has different tasting beer and Snickers; Czech has great beer, but Korea had the best Snickers
• for me, when things are so different, I tend to long for the familiar and dependable (that's for Eric)
• days end with exhaustion more when abroad than home, even if you were lazy
• it's fun to order off the menu with no clue what you're getting...until you get it, then it might still be fun

FRIDAY!! ~~ WHOO-HOO!
(just 'cause I like my job doesn't mean I can't enjoy the weekend...)

Only major news today is I opened a bank account. Not a big deal at all, really. Too all of 20 minutes between 2 visits. One visit to fill out forms (with bank guy's translation help) and the second visit to pick up my bank card and account number. Now I can allow two countries to profit off my savings -Yes!!

Another absolutely gorgeous day here. After coming home from work, I relaxed by leaning out the living room window and ate a couple bowls of cocoa-puffs (or something close to it), just watching the street and sidewalk traffic. Nice viewing, but I'm not quite used to this 6-8% milk yet...makes for some real creamy cocoa puffs.

So, I actually will not work again until after May and Ella arrive. All next week I'm in "Induction course", the company orientation course for new hires. Couldn't do it this week with the two holidays.
"Looks like you've been missing a lot of work, Peter."
"I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob."

The Monday after May and Ella get here, we go to Munich to file for our long-term visas together. (Have to file out-of-country for a visa here...same for any country).
The way I see it, that's a pretty crazy schedule for May & Ella:
July 13 - in Canada
July 14 - in Manchester, NH
July 15 - somewhere over the Atlantic
July 16 - in Prague, Czech Republic
July 17 - in Munich, Germany
........For a kid that's not even one-year old...

-later

Thursday, July 6, 2006

Happy Jan Hus Day.

A lot's happened since my last post. For starters, I got here. May & Ella will arrive in 9 more days. Can't wait.
Given the short work-week, I've worked 2 days - and love it. Incredible position and role; my only 'complaint' would be the job's dresscode. Neckties are just upside-down nooses.

With a 2-week headstart on the girls, I'm turning our flat into a home. Most of what I've seen in Prague so far ends with a cash register. I like shopping but I'm more enjoying finding the right stores. I've gotten lost more than a few times in our neighborhood, just wandering, trying to remember where "that one shop" was.

Early priorities were an iron, basic cookware and toilet paper. Done with that. Now, the shopping list is longer, but just different foods. Now, the key challenge is packaging.
Next time you're at a supermarket, look at the packaging --try to figure out what a product is by the bottle shape, color or picture, not by words. Seeing a lemon on a plastic bottle could mean lemon juice or toilet bowl cleaner. Anything I can open and smell wins points. Just not enough clear bottles to make it easy. Thankfully, everything's cheap enough, so ...win some, lose some.

Found the organic food niche -- "Bio". When it's "Bio-...", it's free of pesticides, steriods, etc.

I thought I broke the washing machine and knocked off our gas yesterday. The landlord's building super was ...super-responsive. Got it fixed last night...turned out to be two circuit breakers, plus the washer's water input was turned off. When I ran the machine with no water, it popped the breakers for it and the in-line gas/water heater. I have to say a few words about building super, Mr. Hronik. When Jeff Klein and I met Mr. Hronik last month, he immediately introduced his daughter as the office's English speaker. He was obviously real uncomfortable even trying. Well, this week, his daughter is on holiday in Bulgaria (I think I understood him right). About Mr. Hronik, he laughs to himself when he tries to speak English. Like 5 seconds of giggling for every word, right or wrong. Getting someone to come by and look at my washing machine/gas issue made for a pretty funny phone call. He's great as a maintenance guy...

Went to IKEA yesterday - MASSIVE PLACE - and got a crib and crib mattress. They were delivered this morning and I put it together in 10 minutes. IKEA rocks...the crib assembly instructions were completely pictorial, not a word. The only written directions were in 17 (yes, 17) languages and said "Do not throw away the assembly instructions."

Enough for now...going food shopping. -Jeff

Saturday, June 24 - 1 week before

A LOT has happened since the last post...
The House was on the market for five hours before one couple made their offer: our asking price, paid in cash; they requested closing early, but we can live in the house until we leave for Prague..."Umm, okay." Almost too good to be true, but we indeed closed 3 days ago.

Jeff's working permit is approved, the short term visa will take 2 trips to the Czech Embassy in New York -one to submit and a week later to pick-up.

A few words about our incredibly brave and amazing friends, Sarita and Caesar Ekya. Two brilliant engineers who decide to uproot themselves to New York City. Not 3 months there, they then decide they want to open their own restaurant. Not just any restaurant, but a specialty Mac & Cheese place (Sarita being the "cheese snob" that she is...). Here we are, just one year after they moved to NYC, and S'MAC is hugely popular!! During the quick visa appt visits, May and I were just amazed with the sheer number of fans and press coming in --it's already got a cult following! Sarita & Caesar - you two are amazing!

May 31st - the countdown is one month.
There are just a few things on our mind. Here is the status of those things so far:
Paperwork: Today, PriceWaterhouseCoopers told me they just finished my work permit package and submitted it to the Czech Republic's Labour Office ... an important step toward approval.
We also just learned that when the work permit is approved, I then must travel to New York...twice... for our short-term visa application. First time to submit it, then return to pick it up five days later. All has to be done in person at the Czech Embassy (and New York is closest).
The long-term visa is more fun: both Maylia and I must apply in person to the Czech embassy (and one of us does so for Ella, too). For the long-term visas, we file while living in Prague, so we must travel outside the country to a nearby embassy, likely Milan, Italy or Munich, Germany. Yes, again, twice.
The house: Went on the market today. With all fixer-up projects finished, the house is officially available (and more beautiful then when we bought it).
Packing: In a word, overwhelming. Friends have been incredibly generous in offering their time, but we still feel buried by boxes and decisions. Ella compounds the feeling since, at 10 months old, the only thing she packs are diapers.
Work: Maylia gave her notice 2 weeks ago and had her last day a few days ago. I gave my notice 1 week ago and have my last day on Friday, June 9th. Of course, that last week I'll be "working remote" ...apt. shopping in Prague.
Future Apartment: I am going to Prague next week to land our apartment. An exciting adventure, but made more exciting with Jeff Klein deciding to come along! We should have fun together and I hope to come home with a real-life Prague mailing address.