time next year I will be experiencing Oktoberfest, in person, as a real-life resident of Munich. Yeah! JOA does Germany! This should really be made into a realty series on TV.
I am giving us a %3 percent chance at failure though, only so that if something DOES go wrong (passport doesn’t come in time, job gets delayed, customs issues…) I am not totally devastated because I was prepared for the 3%….or something.
3% aside, it looks like a sure thing. His boss called yesterday and pretty much offered him the transfer because the position in Munich he had been waiting for just opened up… he said the position starts in January at the latest, so we have to get our butts in gear.
I am pretty stinkin’ excited. I don’t know what to expect other than it being very cold and eating lots of sausage. I am SO looking forward to taking little weekend getaways to London…Paris, Italy… BELGIUM AND GREECE 
. That’s the best part of it for me. I seriously CANNOT wait to go to Sweden. I have been wanting to visit the Saab factory and buy a saab directly from the factory my entire life… this is a dream come true.
Oh my god, and then Christmas time! The lights and the fairs… the snow. So long California! So long San Francisco!
Anyway, I know I have quite a few European readers and I need your help:
1. We are debating whether or not to sell our car or to ship it over. If anyone has any experience with that, please let me know. It’s like a year old, 2008 Volvo C30. Pretty much paid off… is it worth it or no.
2. Citizenship. My husband is getting sponsored by his company. Therefore, he is legal to work there but not a citizen. I believe I am unable to work there at all, even though he has been sponsored. Is it easy to get citizenship, or a permit to work, and how do I do it? I don’t plan on working right away but I was thinking of either teaching English…or becoming a prostitute in Amsterdam and I would like more information on the matter.
3. Does anyone speak German. I am at a loss here…
Ok, I have to go piss myself. Please help me and I know you will all fly to visit us at our housewarming party 
Oh also, we are going to be subletting our apartment in SF, so if anyone is interested in renting it (mostly furnished) please let me know! We don’t plan on coming back (I’d like to settle in France, or Italy at some point), but we would like to have that option if something goes wrong. So it would be a month to month deal.
Love you all xo
Coll
41 Comments
Yeah….offcourse you’re exited Colleen….!I shall respond to your questions as good as I can…
1. I have no expierience on this matter,but I’m pretty much convinced it’s very expensive….you should check this….on the other hand, maybe it’s more realistic to buy a second hand car in Germany.Keep in mind that gas prizes in Europe are much higher than in the US…also taxes, insurance and so on…I don’t know your hubbies financial abilities,but maybe he can get a car from the company? Like leasing or so.
2.- Sounds good,that prostitution work in Amsterdam and you dont need a working permit for that,just enough expierience……:-)
Seriously…I don’t know the laws in Germany concerning work and so. But just like Belgium ,Germany is a member of the European Union,and we share the same laws on that matter I guess. I think it’s diffucult to work legal in Europe.
Teaching English….well most of the Belgium graduates speake at least 3 languages,Dutch,French,English and sometimes Spanish or even Chinese or Russian…But maybe in Germany they are not that Intelligent as we are…;-)
But hey, there’s allway’s a backdoor..meaning…you can work quasi illegal. The only thing they can do is sending you back home…..haha.( there are no longer concentrationcamps in Germany..lucky you…)
3. The German language is very close to Dutch. I can understand German for over 90%, meaning I can read it and translate. So if you have questions , just ask me. My writing on the other hand is less…
Also, the way they speak German in Munich (bavaria) is slightly different than in other parts of Germany.
It’s a very nice and beautiful part of Germany.
—————————————————-
As I told you before,you can go all directions starting from Germany. Especially for US-citizens,because you’re used to travel long distances. Only difference is that here , while doing so , you’re gonna end up in another country….get used to that..:-)
And really,visiting Belgium is a must !! Ok Colleen, I’m exited myself…haha….I’m waiting for your respons now….see ya !
———————————————————-your new work spot…yay!!
-http://photos.igougo.com/images/p99605-Amsterdam-Red_Light.jpg
Wow, Colleen, this is exactly what you needed. A new outlook on life. Sounds exciting. AND you’re leaving just in time…gotta get out of this wicked country. Is there room in your suitcase for me?
whaaaaaaaaaaaa I wanna go too!
1)Munich is the land of used cars,bmw-opel-mercedes- and so on are cheap enough..it’s better to sell the Volvo.although gas prices in Europe are higher than US,about 1,2 euro per liter….
2)u have to visit the local mayor asking for a permission to work..if u got a polish passport wanna be a piece of cake,if not they r gonna ask lots of things but keep faith..
3)no customs issues…if your hubby gets the permission to work in there,his company could help you also to get a permanent one..they know how
4)its snowing today in Poland and in central Europe but it’s unusual even for October!
5)about an hour away or so from Munchen is Nurnberg,town of Christmas in Germany…the old city is very beautiful!
6)unfortunatelly,Belgium has nothing to see,believe me(excuse me Frank but it’s true and you know that!)
7)Germans are quite like Belgians…same attitude,sovinists to hell…they don’t speak english even if they know..just like Frenchies!so get a dictionary
8)leasing is the best way to get a car
9)cold,snow,beer,sausages and bellys is the trademark of Munchen…also it’s true that they have a different accent than the other Germans..for example they say vagoum instead of varoum…but it’s ok.(waroum=why)
they have their dialect but u r gonna hear it in the city,only in mountains at the villages
that’s all for today
u r not gonna hear it it…
ok so to ship the car is around $2000.00. That seems worth it to me, considering it is brand new and we would not get a brand new car in Germany. It is compact, 2 door…
I don’t have a Polish passport, nor an English one. I was adopted in the US so I am stuck with a US passport. Sadness.
And poor lil Daisy has to get a SHITLOAD of shots. I am taking her in next week for her “authorization” and health clearance… she even gets a Passport! haha!
We have to leave the turtles, unfortunately.
Also, I found out getting a Drivers License is going to be a pain in the ASS. We have to take both the written AND the driving test AND get first aid cert AND get instruction. UGH and it’s all gonna be in German. What a nightmare. I guess there is no getting out of that one, huh.
i’m pretty sure that u can drive with the american dlicence..why a european,don’t have one?
with 10000 euros u can a very nice 4ds bmw
no.its gonna be in english also
don’t forget to upload Daisy’s passport,some perverts wants to see it..
send the turtles to u mom..
buy..
Our US license is only good for 6 months. Sadly, California does not have an agreement with EU as do other states.
Our car is worth way more than 10k … and to ship is way less than 10k
can’t u renew it before u live?that’s gonna get u out of lots of troubles
of course it’s worth more than 10k..i believe it’s better to lease a new one in Germany
Swarchneger is Austrian ..no agreement,ha..?
to U : Maybe you couldn’t work illegal in Belgium, is it therefore you say there’s nothing to see…? And maybe the Germans don’t speak English, but we in the Dutch speaking part of Belgium talk at least 2 or 3 languages…..including English ! Does the name Bruges say’s nothing to you mr U, or our other medeaval city’s , cathedrals , castels…
So please don’t tell lies about my country…thousands of Polish citizens make a good illegal living in Belgium, so please have some respect mr U !
Man, I wanna make a good illegal living. I can’t wait!
Stop fighting you two….
Nobody is an idiot (except me)
Ukraine is the best country in the world. Greece and Belgayium are little girls compared to Ukraine!
Ukraine gives you girls because yours smell like goats and have hairy armpits.
Mr u , you started the hate-speak….
I’m pretty much convinsed that i’v seen more country’s than you ever can dream of…because once I was a sailor….so I travelled half of the world. Also I’v travelled allot in European country’s. I have a great interest in any country or culture of the world, including yours…..and I speak and understand 4 languages. Even in my small comunity where I live there’s a very nice castle ! Hearing you speak about Belgium , it say’s to me you never been here. And also, I’m a great admirer of Greece, i’v been there many times ! So saying this , I suggest we smoke the peace-pipe now, because this is JOA’s website and not ours ! She’s the BOSS !
Frankz did you sail to Munich by boat?
No, not by boat….by teleportation…..beam me up Heinz….
I think your very old mr U , because the last working mine in Belgium closed about some 40 years ago……And man, arn’t we lucky we still have factories !?
Colleen, welcome to Europe…..continent of never ending Civil Wars…….
Quote : ‘ Land of Mines and Factories ‘
http://www.2sterrenhotelsinbrugge.nl/images/indexcity.jpg
quote : ‘ there’s nothing to see ‘
http://www.diplomatie.be/lisbonnl/media%5Clisbonnl%5CAntwerpen.jpeg
‘ only mines and factorie’…hahaha…
-http://www.ilotsacre.be/images/2008TapisdeFleurs.JPG
ok mr U , that’s it,insults are not a good base for discussions. Get a life.
BELGIUM’S NATIONAL ANTHEM…..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrLPM01VmeY
bis : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dy2tuF915E
one final answer : make your own website ….like :
” mr U’s boring website about the differences between Belgium and the rest of our Galaxy ”
Succes man !
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
I will be on a bit later, I got carried away drinking xoxo
give =me an hour
Surprise Colleen ! I checked it out , and guess what….there are VEGETABLES in Germany !!!!!
on this plate you see German Brocolli
Colliflower
Beans
Carrots
Onignons
Paprikas …and much more
-http://www.boerderijdestegge.nl/worst%20schaal%20witte%20lijst.jpg
for another time,link is not working
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZxBYItj2sM
Another reason for moving into Germany….
…..I was not intending to scare you Colleen….:-)
on 12/21/2012 I will rejoin you on Munichs’ highest montain…you will recognize me by the Pampers i’m wearing…..
See yathere! thenfrankzzz!!!
DEAL !!
SONG OF THE YEAR 2012
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBR2G-iI3-I
fuck some links don’t work…anyway the song is
‘ I will survive ‘ by Gloria Gaynor…haha
Colleen und die Brieftrager….
-http://www.leuze.be/machala/pictures/foto/postbode%20p.p.deroover.jpg
http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures/30000/Postman-Tom-Cruise–30375.jpg
The Postman allway’s comes twice….;-)
OLYMPIAKOS-STANDARD 2-1 ..FOR CL