AIR FREIGHT IS HERE!

Here it is - our air freight was delivered today. We are so excited. It's Christmas in August! The boxes include the dictionaries and instruments the girls needed to for school. The kitchen items are unpacked and safely in their place. ER is excited about being able to play Kingdom Hearts again. And I just might get to Animal Crossings and pull all the weeds that have been accumulating all these months. Found one surprise so far: my mom's bedding. We had other items on top of her bed and told them to pack what was on the bed. They did. How funny. What we'll end up missing is the comraderie around the dining room table each night checking email and doing homework now that the other computers have arrived. Gotta make a trip to IKEA for the computer desks, book shelves lamps, and a work table for projects.

Differences Make Life Interesting

So, we're in a new country (The Netherlands), on a different continent (Europe), even in a different hemisphere (the Eastern vs. the Western; still Northern though) - what other differences are there? The list expands daily. Here are a few:

• Register or else - or else no bank account, no internet at your house, no mobile (cell) phone, no custom permit processed for your air freight, no... lots of things. Fortunately, Terry arrived in February and already had one when we arrived in July. The Smith women arrived on 7 July and on 10 July we were down applying for our residency permits. Received a temporary one. Heard yesterday that the permanent one (at least for 2 years) has been approved and we should be picking up our cards shortly. Thanks to Terry's company for providing relocation services that walked us through the process and made it so much easier.


• Carry Identification at all times - By law, those 14 and over need to carry a form of valid identification with them.


• Currency - now it's the euro with 1 and 2 euro coins. Each denomination is a different color and size. 50 euro notes mostly come out of ATMs. Current rate is $1.36 US to 1 euro.


• ATM/Debit cards - are called PIN cards. PIN is used as a noun for the type of transaction done with what we call a debit card. Swipe your card, type in your PIN, confirm transaction and the funds are pulled out of your banking account and transferred to the vendor.


• Checks - no, scratch that. Checks are not used. Some vendors will use acceptgiro which is an authorization to make an electronic transfer from your bank account. The bill comes in. There's a place to sign your name and insert your bank account information. Back to the vendor and electronic transfer is done. Other times you'll use an overboeking which transfers money directly from one account to another.


• Chipknip - On some bank cards there is a chip that can be loaded with a "cash" amount debited immediately from your bank account. This can be used for small purchases, like a meal at a cafeteria or street parking, at selected vendors. The balance on your chip does not have to be verified by your bank as through a PIN transaction. Goes faster at the point of sale.


• Internet Banking - (This is how our bank works.) Not as simple as logging on with a user ID and password. Entry is tied to your bank card which gives access through an e.dentifier that gives and receives codes that interact with the website. 19 euros to replace the contraption.


• Measurements - Forget the English system. We are into kilometres (km), centimeters (cm), kilograms (kilos) and liters (L). Roughly, 4 L make a gallon. A kilo is 2.2 pounds. 2.5 cm are an inch. 1 Km is 5/8 of a mile. Gets pretty interesting to see the posted speed limit as "70" and need to remember that it's km/hour and not miles/hour. (By the way, that's 43 mph.


• Instructions - Instructions can come in either one language (Dutch), or several including Arabic and Greek. Our oven's instruction book is in italian-spanish-portuguese. I found a English manual online for a similar model.


• Paper Dimensions - instead of worrying about wide and college rule, we're looking at A4 (about 1/4 inch longer on each side), A5 (usually in a notebook format smaller than a marble composition book), 23 holes instead of 3 hole punch (and be careful because the binders can be either 2-, 4-or 23-ring binders). Folders are various kinds but not what we were use to. Seems easier to buy blue ink pens then black ones (our color preference.)


• Agendas - A datebook in which you write down your homework, your tasks, your meetings, etc. Early on in elementary school children are taught to keep an agenda. Written ones are just as popular as electronic ones.


• Mobile Phones - back home I called them our cell phones. There is "pay as you go"" as well as contract. "Pay as you go" is about 35 cents a minute. Contract plans start from 20 euros per month (100 minutes, our plan 30 cents a minute after that) on up. Text messaging is called SMS (short message system.) Depending on your plan, an SMS can either count as one call or 2 SMS's can be one call. No family plans. No free calls between phones under the same carrier. No free calls during certain periods of the day, like night and weekends. No early termination penalty fee - just pay off the rest of your contract.


• Plugs and Electricity - Europe is 220 volts; the US is 110. Some electronic equipment, like our laptops, have their own transformer that can take either voltage so to use our laptops only required a plug adapter. The plugs here are round with two prongs (can't think of another word for it.) Plugs are shaped for easier in and out. We think our desktop computers will have a switch that we can flip to make them compatible with 220. If not, we have a step up/down transformer that will convert the 220 into 110. That's ended for recharging Elisabeth's DS Lite and probably our gaming systems. We didn't bring our small electronics like clock radios because using them would involve a transformer which are expensive and heavy. Was easier to just buy them here.


• VAT (Value Added Tax) - the VAT , usually 19%, is included in the price that you see on the item or marked on the shelf. On the receipt will be separated the portion that was for VAT and for the item(s).


• Automobile Fuel - is either petrol (gasoline) or diesel. Petrol runs around 1.50 euro per liter, which is 6.00 euro per gallon (actually a little more then a gallon) and at the current exchange rate of 1 euro to $1.36 comes to about $8.00/gallon. Price of gas plus road tax plus parking are the main reasons why bikes and public transportation is so popular.


• Grocery Shopping - Unless it's per stuk (item), weigh your produce and obtain a price tag before checking out. Easy to find 2% (half volle) milk; 0% skim is more expensive. Volle milk is very thick. You can go to separate stores as the deli, cheese shop, butcher and produce, or shop at a grocery store that carries it all. But bring your own bags because they are 15 to 20 cents each to buy. Also make sure you have a 50 cent piece if you want a grocery cart. Insert a coin into the contraption to free one grocery cart from the other. When you return the cart, your 50 cents is returned. Make sure you have your bonuskaart when you go to Albert Heijn (owned by AHold that owns Giant.)


• Flowers - flower stands are everywhere and relatively inexpensive. The flowers are fresh and beautiful.


• Insurance - Can be purchased at the bank for legal liability, home contents, car and travel.


• Utilities - Go with with either KPN for your phone system or go with Cassema which is cable and includes TV, phone and internet. Remember to download Skype and get a Skype U.S. number before leaving the states for cheap phone calls back home (about 2.1 cents per minute). Electricity and gas are on one bill. Since it is deregulated, make sure to choose a supplier. Water is billed quarterly. Pay by direct debiting of your checking account or an accepgiro. Make sure to turn off any lights or appliances you are not using because electricity is very expensive. Water is heated as you need it; there is no storage tank.


• Hard water - water softeners need to be added to the dishwasher and washing machine to prevent mineral deposits in the pipes. Dishwasher tablets contain all the chemical needed. Calgonite has tablets to add to the laundry detergent.


• Legal Language is Dutch - all legal forms are in Dutch. Some banks, like ABN Amro, who have expat services have the English translations on their website but the Dutch text trumps.


• Legal System - Based on the Napoleonic Code. You are guilty unless you can prove otherwise. Case in point. If a car hits a bike, the car is always guilty. About the only time a bike may be at fault is if the bike rider deliberately throws a bike at a car.


• Medical Care - even with a PPO, you need to be registered with a doctor for access to the health care system. Routine check ups are less frequent then are recommended in the US. Antibiotics are rarely prescribed; they emphasize more the body healing itself. You may be refused care at the emergency room if it's not life threatening. Neosporin s not on the shelf; betadine works fine. Not all grocery stores carry over the counter medicines.


• Finding out information - We've been told that 95% of the Dutch speak English. Instead of asking if someone speaks English, it's better to ask your question in English and wait for a reply. Saying please (alstublieft) and "thank you" (dank u wel) go a long way in any language.

As we find out more, we'll pass it on. What stays the same is friendly, hardworking people who are proud of their country and their homes. We are their guests and we are learning their ways.

Exploring in July

The first month, July, was spent learning how to live in our new city. Since we didn't have a car and hadn't all learned to ride a bike yet, we used feet and bus to get around.

We are located along N44 which is a major north-south artery, and near Van Alkemadelaan an east-west artery. Many buses go along those routes. Our neighborhood bus stop is just 2 blocks from the house. Three bus routes going up N44 take us a 10 minute walk to school. Another bus line takes us to the school as long as we make the transfer to the bus that goes by the school. Our track record is 50/50 - half of the time we've made the transfer and the other half we either walked to the school (2o minutes) or waited for the bus that came a half hour later.

The neighborhood bus takes us downtown to Centraal Station, a transfer point to buses, trams and trains that can take us throughout The Hague, surrounding areas and even on to other countries. Within a 5 minute walk of the Station is the downtown shopping area. Imagine rows and rows of small stores and large shops. The shop storefronts are narrow so you cannot appreciate the merchandise available unless you enter the store and go back deep into the store. Shopping can be a challenge in finding the right store for what you need. The big department stores, Vroom & Dressman (V&D - think J.C. Penneys) and HEMA (think Target) are of some help. You can find anything of an electronic nature at Media Mart. For the most part, we had more fun going into the little stores.

There is food all over. Produce and gelato carts are on the street. You can grab a sandwich if you like. Frites (french fries) are a national passion and are served plain, with mayonnaise or other exotic sauces. V&D has a tea room and a cafeteria where you can buy a delicious meal. There is a full service candy and nut counter there also.

Most of the shopping area is pedestrian with no cars allowed. Sometimes there is a bike lane and sometimes bikes have to be walked. Restaurants with outside seating areas are all around. The clientele spills out into the public area, sometimes under umbrellas, sometimes not. Museums are right around the corner. The buildings are old. Street signs will tell you who the street is named after, some names going back centuries. Green areas abound.

To ride the bus requires a strippenkaart that's good for buses and trams all over Holland. Trains are a differnet ticketing system. Best value is to buy strips of either 15 (6,80 euro) or 45 (20,10). The country is divided into zones. To ride a bus is 1 strippen and then to go through each zone is a strippen. To get from our house to The Hague Centraal Station is 2 strippen as we are staying in one zone. To get to school along one route takes 3 strippen when we do the transfer (2 zones) and 4 strippen when we do the 10 minute walk (we're on a zone dividing line and the stops are in different zones.)

There are cabs which we only have taken getting to our house with our luggage.

Now in August, Elisabeth has mastered the bike and is learning how to maneuver the city streets. Julia-Anne is pedaling and almost there. MaryAnn discovered that it's so true that once you learn to ride a bike you always remember. She learned one summer when she was 30 and didn't bike after that. 20+ years later, she got on a bike and was actually able to keep it up most of the time, toppling over once, one bruise and one scrape. It's gotten better and has ventured out a few places. Not sure she wants to do the 8 km trip up the bike path along N44 to ASH yet.

Our New Home

As soon as Terry knew that we were moving to The Netherlands, he began searching for our new home. Having lived in The Hague while going to high school, he determined that he wanted to live within a 10 km radius of Wassanaar, the town were the American School of The Hague (ASH) was located. His old house wasn't available and the homes in the old neighborhood were out of the budget.

Thanks to the wonders of technology, he visited http://www.funda.nl/, plugged in the area and the budget and was quickly presented with what was currently available. He looked to the entries in English. He found a delightful apartment 15 bike minutes from his work and 10 from church which was fully furnished and within budget and available in April. There was a piano in the dining/living room combo area. The girls called it "the piano apartment." Being Fall 2006, it was too early to make inquiries. He kept the place bookmarked and would come back to it every so often to see if it was still available.

Fall turned into winter into 2007. Before Terry left in early February, the posting was still up. Again thanks to the connectivity of the internet, Terry had found a room to rent in an expat's house (expat from expatria - someone living in a country other then their own). This became his base of operation to reacquaint himself with living in Holland again. The apartment was the first address on the list he gave the makelaar (real estate agent).

The piano apartment was the top two floors of a unattached home. Many homes in The Netherlands are row houses or are double houses - two houses sharing a common wall. There are apartment buildings also. Some come with garage and/or storage facilities. Many times, the resident carries his or her bike up the stairs to keep it safe. This apartment was around 130 sq. meters with a garage for car or bikes.

The apartment was occupied by a Japanese family with two young children. Not the neatest place. The makelaar kept saying to him, "Look beyond the clutter" which Terry could easily do remembering what life was like when our girls were that age.

Other places he looked at were too small, steps too narrow (typical of Dutch houses, which would be murder on my knee), unfurnished, etc. Quickly he saw that the apartment was a true jewel. The offer was made, accepted and he moved in 1 April. Looking back, we realized that the apartment was available at the middle of the spring semester, a time when families were not moving. We believe that it was meant for us. A couple is the landlord. They live on the first floor and we have become part of their family.

Zoey arrived on 7 April in MaryAnn's custody when she came visiting on her relocation trip. She took to the place happily since there are so many windows to look out of, so many ledges to sun herself and lots of room to run around.

A tour of our picture album will show you the many features of our house. The best feature is the extra bedroom and lots of floor space for visitors. Hope you come to visit us soon.