tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5972663403018952712024-03-13T19:25:03.055-07:00Down and Out in the EURich tales of a fabulously broke life in EuropeHallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-27650323568380874852014-10-16T07:41:00.000-07:002014-10-16T07:41:38.515-07:00Letting Go<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As a career freelancer and modern nomad, one would think that saying good-bye is easy. Both personally and professionally, I have been forced to pack up my belongings and move to the next place of opportunity more times than I can count. And it always hurts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The season with my most recent employer has come to an end and most of the people that have been so kind to me are moving on to the next adventure. The paragliding pilots that I have come to love are all chasing the winds to Napal. The other tour guides that I met will either be going home or on some extended vacation to other far-off lands. I will be staying in Germany, trying to break into traditional employment. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tzffqZm5K5ctiVOy900q9BvdxPt4YXmuKJwxcIzPsfx-zcvYly0SsuB84UyeexonALBBU9NO51wgjOvugv87Hyorj06JZvc2CyeGXXmqtqYpoaYpMvCqIoDUQp1ZyCjUKk6hwX1ITVvQ/s1600/mikes+bike+group+jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tzffqZm5K5ctiVOy900q9BvdxPt4YXmuKJwxcIzPsfx-zcvYly0SsuB84UyeexonALBBU9NO51wgjOvugv87Hyorj06JZvc2CyeGXXmqtqYpoaYpMvCqIoDUQp1ZyCjUKk6hwX1ITVvQ/s1600/mikes+bike+group+jpg.jpg" height="298" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Mike's Bike Tours Crew</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On my final tour to Neuschwanstein Castle,</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">the
weather gods were kind and made that last day beautiful. The sun shined
brightly behind the clouds which framed the Alps perfectly. The air was
crisp and sweet. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I hiked around Alps Lake, trying to create the perfect farewell image in my head. I smelled the grass, touched the trees, and put my feet in the icy cold water. I already had a ton of pictures on my camera, but they seemed insufficient. I wanted a way to save the experience, not just the sights. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lottie, a woman who stuffed me full of her homemade German soul food all summer, hugged me good-bye. And I thanked Harti, the owner of the paragliding school and restaurant, for all the free beer he supplied. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And right when I thought I felt the first tear starting to fall down my chubby cheek, I thought of a line from American Beauty's protagonist, Lester Burnham:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my
heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I
remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows
through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every
single moment of my stupid little life"</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In that instant, my sadness turned to joy. This summer was one of the best I've had in a long time. And I'm so grateful I have these memories, these moments, to add to my stupid little life. <i> </i></span></span></div>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-55701223580172987362014-08-22T05:41:00.001-07:002014-09-17T15:05:17.525-07:00Facing Fear<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This summer, I have had the pleasure of hanging out with paragliding pilots from around the world. So each day when my tour group goes for a bike ride around an alpine lake in Bavaria, I get to listen to their conversations, which often go something like this: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Jess: So what are we going to do today? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Bella: I don't know. I don't really feel like flying, maybe we can rent e-bikes and bike around Alpsee lake before going for a swim.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Jess: Maybe we can go paddle boating</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And all I can do is sit in awe. It's like sitting at the cool kids' table when you're the chubby newcomer. They do things that I have never even imagined doing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's some background info; I am not an active person. Actually, a more accurate description would be that I have never <i>considered</i> myself to be an active person. I think exercise is voluntary torture and my attempts at being sporty includes cheerleading and a short lived time protecting my face from the ball when I tried to play football. I run only when I have to. So seeing people push their bodies to the limit is fascinating. And it inspires me to do the same. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For the past four months, I've been riding my bike to work and hiking almost every day in the Bavarian Alps. And my body has responded in amazing ways, including the formation of some cool new thigh muscles. I can hike faster and longer. I'm stronger and healthier. But when I compared myself to the pilots, I was sad because I was still worlds away from their levels. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Things really came to a head when one of the pilots invited me to come mushroom picking in the mountains and I had to decline because I was afraid I would slow him down. On my own, the hike would have been fine. But I doubted that I would be able to keep up with a man who was practically born with hiking boots on his feet.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pilots, Ivan and David, chilling before flights</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The incident really put me off and I was so disappointed for not even trying. Here was an opportunity to push myself and I turned it down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, here's the wonderful thing about the universe: it will present you with additional opportunities to learn important lessons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Due to kindness on my part towards his nephew-in-law, Ivan invited me to a tandem paragliding session, for free. I would be strapped to his harness and he would do all of the work. All I had to do was run towards a 930 meter high cliff as fast as I could. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now, people, running towards a cliff is NOT the normal thing to do and your brain knows this. I was so excited before the take-off, but when we got to the actual cliff, I froze. I just couldn't bring myself to start running. The other pilots tried to get me to go since the wind was perfect and the wing was already filling with air. But I just could not do it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We ended up detaching from the wing and letting the other pilots fly and I felt horrible. I wanted to do it, but the fear was paralyzing. I apologized to Ivan for wasting his time and started to dread facing the other pilots. How could I possibly face them, people who do this for a living and I couldn't even do a tandem flight? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After a few minutes, Ivan suggested we give it one more try. I looked at the cliff and then focused on a small green hut on the neighboring mountain. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was not going to be that person. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was not going to be afraid to do new things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was not going to watch people do the things I wanted to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was going to test myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I agreed and we reattached to the wing. We took a few steps to let it fill with air. Then Ivan said, "Now," and I asked, "Do I run?" He said yes and the world went black. The next thing I remember is him telling me I can stop running and to sit down in the harness. I could hear the people from the take-off cheering us in the background. We were airborne and it felt glorious. </span></div>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-25822123904722269672014-07-12T04:41:00.004-07:002014-07-20T13:15:09.031-07:00Unemployed Abroad<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now what?</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you're like me and find yourself jobless in Germany, your natural reaction will most likely be to freak the f*uck out. So many questions will pop up, but the most pressing one will probably be will I get kicked out of the country. As a non-EU citizen, I was granted permission to stay in Germany on the basis that I would be able to support myself financially and not become a burden on the state. This is obviously rather difficult to do when your sole source of income is abruptly taken from you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But all hope is not lost, if you know how to navigate the system. So the first thing I would recommend is notifying immigration of your new, unemployed status. If your work permit is tied to your job, this is voided once employment with that company ends. I sort of hid from the authorities for about a month after my employment ended. But that was because it went into effect over the holiday season and no action would have been taken on my case until the new year. My residence permit was still valid until the end June, so I was able to stay in Munich while I figured out my next step. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don't cancel your health insurance</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After speaking with the authorities, my next thought was how could I reduce my overhead. Certain items like rent will remain static and there's little you can do to reduce it that does not include moving or subletting your space. But other monthly expenses appeared to be more flexible, like my health insurance. However, I strongly advise against canceling it if you plan on staying in Germany. By law, everyone is required to have health insurance. So if you cancel your plan and stay in the country, you can, and most likely will, be hit with a massive bill totaling all of your missed payments. Instead, call your provider and inform them of your new employment status. My company, TK, reduced my payments to the minimum amount of 158 euros, which is one of the lowest rates you'll find. Plus, if you were able to enroll in a public health insurance company like TK during your initially period of employment and then cancel your membership, you will be unable to become a member again until you find another job. This is extremely important since your only other option will be the private insurers, which have rates of about 250 euros, regardless of your income (or lack there of). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Get another work permit</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So your original work permit is now null in void, which means that you cannot legally work until you receive another work permit. If you jumped through hoops to get the first one, you know how difficult and timely this can be. Employers are simply not excited about hiring someone that will require so much additional work. But again, all hope is not lost. Until you find that sweet staff position that will provide you with the financial security you crave, look for a freelance one. Now, you have to be careful with this option as you will be responsible for paying for your own health insurance as well as taxes by the end of the year. But the tax problem can be solved if you freelance for a short amount of time and keep your income below 8,000 euros. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With these two cons, you may wonder what the pros are for a freelance visa. Well, the biggest one I can list is that it is significantly easier to obtain a freelance visa than a typical work visa. If you can provide letters of intent to hire from at least two companies stating that they would like to hire you AND you can prove that you're qualified to do that job, plus show that you have health insurance, you're golden. In Munich, they also required me to enroll in a pension plan, which was easily accomplished by speaking with some people at the bank, Sparkasse. In Berlin, this was not necessary. So the rules are not set in stone, and each city may require slightly different paperwork. But the goal remains the same: prove that you can support yourself for the duration of your permit (which is valid for a period of one or two years). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Find another job</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This obviously goes without saying, but it can be hard to know where to start when it feels like your whole world is falling apart and you're in the midst of a mental crisis (like I was). The goal is to simply stop the negative cash flow. So if you don't speak German and you don't have a work permit, you're going to have to look at unskilled/ semi-skilled positions that are open to people with little to no German language skills. Luckily for me, the summer tourist season was about to start and I was able to land a position with a tour company that caters to the English speaking market. It's temporary, but it helped me land a freelance visa since my previous employment as an event manager proved that I was qualified for the position. Other places to look would be hostels, hotels, and kiosks. Again, a great place to look is <a href="http://www.toytowngermany.com/" target="_blank">Toytown Germany</a>. Smaller companies often post job listings in the forum when they're searching specifically for English speakers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another option for some fast cash are online freelance sites like <a href="http://www.odesk.com/" target="_blank">Odesk</a> and <a href="http://www.elance.com/" target="_blank">Elance</a>. If you have a skill that can be done electronically, you may be able to find some clients from all over the world to help fund your continued stay in Germany. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don't freak out</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Easier said than done, I know. But it's really hard to think clearly and form a plan of action when your stress levels are through the roof. I actually stayed in bed for about a month in one of the worst depressive states I've ever dealt with. The prospect of going home was very real when one month I literally had enough cash to either pay for a one-way ticket or one more month of rent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But thankfully, I had some truly great people in my corner that helped to pull me up when I was down. And their struggles were my inspiration. Seeing how they were able to weather some of the worst storms let me know that I could too. I'm not sure what my next move will be, but I'm honestly so happy with where I landed. The new job is filled with great people, which helps in the whole "I'm alone in a foreign city and have no <a href="http://downandoutindk.blogspot.de/2014/01/friends-in-unexpected-places.html" target="_blank">friends</a>" department. Plus, I'm rewarded with this lovely view on an almost daily basis.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">View from my office </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I swear, I'm like a cat and have somehow landed on my feet more times that I can remember. So for now, it looks like I have a few more lives left in my european adventure. I have no idea what my next move will be. But hopefully, it'll still be within Germany. </span></div>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-21090085094726883892014-06-01T03:33:00.001-07:002014-06-02T02:39:12.851-07:00Top 5 tips if you're fired from your German job as a non-German citizen<div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you've been following this blog, some of you may know that I've been very lucky when it comes to the jobs area. Somehow, fate has stepped in and blessed me with employment and visas right when I needed both to stay in Europe and not be be homeless. But in December of last year, it looked like my luck ran out. I was fired from my job and faced the very real possibility that I would have to leave my European dreams behind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While there were some telltale signs that things weren't all that they appeared to be with my employer, I ignored them. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Long story short, when I was hired, it was under the impression that I would be working in Munich. As part of the company's expansion, the company would move to an office in Munich at the end of the Oktoberfest tour. So that's where I got an apartment, obviously. However, after I signed a lease and several weeks after the tour ended, my former employer decided to purchase a brewery instead. So I would have to move, yet again, to a place that I can only describe as the Alabama of Germany, </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://downandoutindk.blogspot.de/2013/12/visa-time.html" style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" target="_blank">Überlingen</a><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">. And when my ex-boss found out that I was investigating my rights about abruptly switching job locations, I was fired.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Totally lost and completely broke, (did I mention he did this right after the company holiday when I flew to New York) I had no idea how to proceed. But several months later, I'm still here and surviving. So here are the 5 most important things I learned that could help you should you find yourself in a similar situation. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">This is actually is more about protecting yourself before the termination, but is just as important afterwards. In Germany, the contract is gold and it should spell out everything, from how much you'll earn to exactly where your job duties will take place. My contract was a very barebones one that only outlined my holiday pay, salary, and included an unenforceable paragraph stating that I'm barred from working on similar Oktoberfest events. In total, my contract was only 4 pages long while my friend's contract for an internship was over 20 pages long. Major red flag.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">When your employment is terminated, there are several steps that have to be cleared by your employer. Failure to comply with the rules can end up costing them a lot of money, unless you unknowingly sign away your rights. For instance, if you have been working for a company for at least 6 months, it is practically impossible to be fired. Think American Teacher's Union level job protection. But if you sign on the dotted line because you think your B1 level German is good enough to understand German legalese, you may forfeit any chance you have at staying employed.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Since you're not well versed in German labor law, find someone that is. If you have no income coming in because you were fired after only working 5 months, and can't collect unemployment </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">(like me), you can find a low-cost lawyer to help out. Where I live, the</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.malz-muenchen.de/" target="_blank">Münchner Arbeitslosenzentrum</a> provides legal consultation for the low price of 20 euros. You can only use them once per calendar year and you'll need to bring in a translator if you're not fluent in German. They'll look over your contract and other documents you may have received and advise you on how to proceed. It was here that I found out I was entitled to my holiday pay, which leads me to tip number 4.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Arbeitgerich is the labor court in Germany and each region has their own. When my former employer refused to release my holiday pay, I filed a case with the <a href="http://www.lag.bayern.de/muenchen/gerichte/muenchen/index.html" target="_blank">Arbeitgerich in Munich</a>, which stepped in. Again, you'll need a German translator with you, both to file the case and to actually go with you to court. Fortunately, my roommate is a certified translator and helped me with everything. In my case, we were required to go to mediation and would only proceed to the formal case if we failed to reach an agreement. I was told that I did not need a lawyer to represent me, although it would have been possible for me to get one for little to no cost. Since I didn't use their services, I can't provide any information, but know that it is available if you need one. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Going against a business that has a lot of money in a country where you don't even speak the language was a scary prospect. But </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">my fears were for naught. Laws here generally favor the worker and the judge was very fair in her observations. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">When my employment ended, my boss kicked me out of the office, even though my contract stated that I was entitled to a 6 week notice of termination. Since I was not in the office, he argued that I had taken my vacation and was not entitled to receive any additional holiday pay. He also tried to argue that I came to Munich on my accord and he had never said that I would be working there. However, I never signed anything agreeing to take a 6 week vacation in lieu of a cash payment. And my contract did not say where my job duties would take place. So, due to these omissions, the judge recommended a settlement where I would receive 3/4 of the holiday pay. Even though it was my word against his, my chances were pretty high that I would win since it was his responsibility as an employer to get everything written down. But I was happy to take the minor loss and finally have this chapter closed. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So what have I learned from this whole ordeal? Aside from the obvious, which is read your contract thoroughly, the lessons gained are too complex for me to neatly wrap up at the end of a blog post. One thing that I can say is the employee in Germany is not powerless. Unlike the States, the courts here are accessible, so taking an abusive employer to task for their bullying tactics is much, much easier. So when a job is offered, it is normal and acceptable for both parties to go over the contract, down to most minute detail, so that each is comfortable with the terms and conditions. This explains why my former boss made a point of not hiring Germans. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the next installment of this tale, we'll discuss things to do when you're unemployed abroad and trying to plan your next step. Hope these tips help =)</span></span></span></div>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-15645557709406282112014-05-20T02:35:00.000-07:002014-05-20T02:35:18.356-07:00Selling Culture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After a few months of aimlessness, I landed a position that takes me to Germany's lovely </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Neuschwanstein Castle several times a week. But before we get to the castle, there's a stop in the nearby town of T</span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">egelberg for a bike ride and lunch. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Having decided to stay in the restaurant to catch up on some work instead of joining the group on the bike ride, I noticed something. When the guests are eating lunch, the radio plays German pop music staples. But today, Recking Ball was on. The tour guide told me that he asked them to play German music during lunch to provide the visiting tourists with a "true German experience".</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">When we travel as tourists, we often think the things we see are representative of the culture we are visiting. At least I do. But the music switch made me question how much of what we see is simply provided for the tourist's gaze versus practices in which the residents engage in as part of their everyday activities. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">When I took the preceding picture in Vietnam, I assumed that the dance was performed solely for the benefit of the visiting backpackers who decided to go a little off the beaten trail. But I failed to make the same assumption concerning the music the restaurant decided to play. I guess the menu, which consists of spaghetti bolognese</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"> and club sandwiches, should have been a clue. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">If you decide to move to a country, you have a greater possibility of gaining access to the "authentic" experience of the location. But that's no guarantee since the definition of authentic is so hard to pin down. I.e., when discussing my love of dirndls with my friend, she argued that real Germans don't wear them. And the ones that do are most likely people that I'm far too cool to associate with, e.g., dude bros and the equivalent of sorority girls. However, my tatted & pierced roommate with a hot pink stripe in her hair has several and she is as far from a sorority girl that you can get. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Perhaps the idea is not to look for the authentic, but to understand what authentic means to the culture you are visiting. This approach allows room for several definitions of authentic and provides a richer picture. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Or maybe I'm just over analyzing the whole thing and trying to put my ethnology degree to good use.</span></span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-13498776489614714802014-05-07T05:03:00.001-07:002014-06-02T02:48:59.231-07:00Cultural Assimilation at the Frühlingsfest<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I keep saying that I will post at least once a week, but I never seem to keep that promise. Oh well, sometimes life doesn't always goes as planned. Any hoo, I've been making myself comfortable in my new home of Bavaria and finding all sorts of hijinks to keep myself entertained.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This past week, I had the great pleasure of attending a maibaum fest as well as the </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Frühlingsfest on May Day (for those of you in the US, that is Labor Day for everyone else in the world). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">A maibaum is the german translation for maypole, and yes, there is a party dedicated to its raising on the first day of May. I had no idea to expect, yet happily accepted the invitation to hang out with cool Germans and begin my drinking at 11 in the morning. The square at Hans Mielich Platz was transformed into a beer garden, complete with a dance floor, and people in the neighborhood gathered to drink and dance. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Even though we were in the heart of Munich, it felt like we were in a small village. You could tell the dances the men and women performed were things they have practiced since childhood. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">And the clothes were beautiful. Richly embroidered suspenders, hand tooled leather belts, and skirt covers in mirrored flowers; the outfits made me swoon. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not to be outshined, I put my best foot forward and modeled my lovely new dirndl. After an exhaustive search, I found this lovely gem at the second hand store across the street from KVR, the immigration office in Munich. And I only spent a total of 50 euros for the entire outfit, which is a much better deal than the 100 euros most places charge for things that are much lower quality. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The highlight of the day was the performance by the </span><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">schuhplattler dancers. The schuhplattler is also called slap dancing and can be best described at Bavaria's answer to the step shows that are popular with Black fraternities. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">I am a total geek and squealed when I saw them take the floor. I've been watching YouTube videos of </span><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">schuhplattlers for months and was so excited to finally see one in person.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After several dances, many compliments on my outfit, and too much beer, my friend and I made our way towards the </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Frühlingsfest, which is spring's version of Oktoberfest, and takes place at the same location at </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Theresienwiese. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Having never been to the actual Oktoberfest and only managed a bastardized version of it in several countries, I was mildly disappointed when we arrived and saw a giant amusement park. Complete with rides and carnival games, I felt like I was at Coney Island. But never one to give up the chance for a new adventure, my friend and I made our way to to the beer tent and continued our love affair with liter glasses. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Shortly after grabbing a table, we were quickly joined by a two German guys and then two Finnish ones. The Finns were really cool AND sociable, so I took their picture as evidence to present to my Finnish friend who swears her people have no social skills. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">One of our German neighbors, who was only mildly attractive when he was sober, turned into a royal ass once he was intoxicated. He foolishly tried to pull up my dress while I was dancing, and I screamed, "I'll fucking slit your throat if you touch me again you son of a bitch!" My new Finnish friends made it known that they would happily deal with him should he decide to touch me again. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">So all in all, I had a great time, but after seeing what the festival is in the spring, I think I will be avoiding it in the fall. There are far too many beer halls in the city to choose from than to subject yourself to the commercialism and drunken debauchery that is on display at the Oktoberfest. But if I do decide to go, I already have an outfit picked out. </span></span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-78725413405602173112014-04-17T07:12:00.000-07:002014-04-18T02:50:07.572-07:00Adventures in Assimilation: My Quest for a Dirndl <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As was demonstrated by the Starkbier Fest and Fashing, Germans like to dress up. If it's a special event, the sneakers and jeans are traded in for something much more stylish. And for them, that's usually the dirndl or lederhosen. Here in Bavaria, they are not just costumes, they are a part of their culture. I've seen people, both young and old, wearing leather trousers and structured dresses around town without the slightest bit of irony. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Contrary to popular thought, lederhosen & dirndls were not considered formal attire. They were typically worn by working class peasants, much like American jeans or a maid's dress. But the garments gained a bit of respectability when German nobility decided to take inspiration from the fashion of the general population and reproduced the items in rich fabrics and deer skin leather. Today, people often where them to festivals and other cultural events in a show of national pride. And I want one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I should rephrase that. I want a <i>nice </i>one. I have two that I got from my job, one of which is pictured below. But they both look and feel cheap, more like a costume than an actual dress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The style is very flattering, even if my boobs are pushed up to my chin. However, the fabric and overall construction of both dresses are flimsy. As part of a bulk order for the workers of the company, they were purchased with cost in mind, not style. So I would like one that is more reflective of my impeccable</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> taste.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One company that makes absolutely exquisite dirndls is <a href="http://www.dirndlalafricaine.com/?lang=en" target="_blank">Noh Nee </a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.dirndlalafricaine.com/?lang=en" target="_blank">à l'Africaine</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The specially produced fabric is only available in the Netherlands. And the dresses are constructed in their shop in Scwabing. Needless to say, the quality is exceptional and the cost staggering. Most of their dirndls start at 800 euros.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And it seems like the fates enjoy teasing me since I happen to live above a dirndl shop. Theirs are also lovely and obscenely expensive. Most start at 1,000 euros, which is so far out my price range, I can't even see the price tag. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My best bet for getting a dirndl that is both lovely and affordable is getting one from a second-hand shop. I visited the <a href="http://www.wiesn-tracht-mehr.de/" target="_blank">Weis 'n Tracht & Mehr</a> at Rosenthal 5 right by the Viktualien Markt and was surprised their inventory. I completely ignored the hideous display of cheap dresses at the front of the store and went straight to the vintage section. And fell in love with a red embroidered number. However, our love affair was not to be since I literally could not get the zipper to move past my boobs. Not one to give up so easily, I found another dirndl, this time in blue with white embroidery. This one fit like a glove. If that glove prevented you from breathing. I looked great, but felt like I was wearing a vice. So that too stayed in the store next to it's crimson counterpart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But I will not give up yet. Weis 'n Tracht has 5 locations in Munich and I only tried one. Plus <a href="http://kleidermarkt.de/en/places/munich" target="_blank">Kleidermarkt</a> at Tal 30 has three floors of second-hand goodness and a happy-hour special of 30% off every Tuesday. I will find a dirndl that will love me as much as I love it. It's just going to take a little bit of patience and some footwork. Wish me luck.</span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-63712724173972821212014-04-09T07:11:00.002-07:002014-04-10T07:45:42.877-07:00Starkbierfest: Good beer, better friends<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This past weekend, I had the immense pleasure of attending the Starkbierfest at Paulaner am Nockherberg. My lovely friend was visiting from Madrid and I wanted to show her what Munich was all about, namely mass beers and singing. Plus, one of the guys from my writing group wanted to go and was looking for people to join him. So we all agreed to go and see what this magical elixir was all about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For those of you who are unfamiliar with starkbier, it was originally created by monks for them to drink during the fast of Lent. The idea was to create something that served as liquid bread since drinks were permissible while one was fasting. The result is a flavorful brew with a higher alcohol content of about 7%, a nice little side effect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Most of the famous breweries in Munich have their own version of starkbeir, but <a href="http://www.nockherberg.com/starkbierfest_termin.html" target="_blank">Paulaner's</a> is the most famous and has the biggest parties, so that was where we were going. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Entrance to the festival this year was 2 euros. If you went Thursday through Saturday, the entrance total was 11.80 euros and included a voucher for one liter (mass) of beer. So if you plan on going next year, budget accordingly. Also, reservations are highly encouraged if you actually want to get a seat inside. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When my friends and I first arrived, the sun was bright and shining, so we decided to sit in the adjacent beer garden. Not wanting to get too drunk too early, I decided to get some food from the near-by stalls. Now, I do not speak ANY German. I know, I know, bad American. But so far, I've been able to get by with my rudimentary skills of Danish (the languages are surprisingly similar) and miming. There were no menus nor prices listed at the stall and after asking the man behind the counter the prices of several different items, I some how managed to get a plate of a half chicken and a dumpling for 19 freaking euros! I thought I misheard the woman at the register and was going to take my food back for something more affordable. But then she started yelling at me in angry German, so I paid for my meal and mourned the loss of drinking money. So again, be prepared if you decide to check it out, the is not for the tightwad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rather than sulk about the culinary rip off, my friends and I enjoyed the day and made arrangements to meet another friend who happened to have reservations inside. Score! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I would have been happy sitting outside all day, but the weather and crowd were both a bit subdued. I was hoping for a German brass band and dancing on the tables. Instead, the beer garden was filled with quiet conversation and civilized drinking. And Despicable Me balloons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So once we finished our first round, we headed indoors and was greeted with Bavarian hospitality.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes! This is exactly what I was looking for. And after doing a international tour of Oktoberfest, I knew most of the drinking songs and was able to sing along. In the end, my friends and I managed to drink 4 liters of beer, each, over 10 hours. It was great. Until I woke up the next day and looked at my account =)</span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-27926365517586193382014-03-31T03:12:00.000-07:002014-03-31T04:29:45.539-07:00Spring in Bloom<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's amazing how much a city can change when the sun finally comes out. When I lived in Copenhagen, I thought there were hardly any people there. And then Spring came and the city was overflowing with tourists and residents alike. I guess they had been hibernating. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When I came to Munich, I expected a similar transformation, but a little less dramatic. Unlike Copenhagen, people still go out to bars, play winter sports, and generally live their lives even in the wintery months. However, the last few days of sunshine and warm weather has brought even more people out of hiding and I'm so excited to see what the city has in store. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last week when the temperatures dropped down again, I was struck by how empty the city became, literally overnight. As I walked down Ludwigstrasse, a street that is normally buzzing with energy, it felt like I was in the city all by myself. But then the sun came out the next day and everything was back to to normal</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What I've really enjoyed, in addition to the warm weather, is the buskers that have started appearing around the city. In New York, they're everywhere, including the trains, and the random street music is something that I start to miss even now and again. So imagine my surprise when I came across a band with a full sized piano in the middle of the street on my way to Marienplatz. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And when I went to hang out in the English Garden, the rhythmic sounds of a drum circle beckoned me to find them. I tried to ignore them and stay focused on my book and beer, but their hold on me was too powerful. Before I knew it, I was packing up my belongings and going in search of their source. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXrdplDYeK5VPpYUEOWsqMSDSglhfGSxpHX2u7mH0j9eMmAfkykBkGekK7y4BKfx2HPq7Pbv0Ri4hM56c3l7EZdkasZkPUNwxACOvz6gWrhNKOvXyqU92urr4hAjUF_yqwlQ_JcCD2z1v/s1600/drumcircle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXrdplDYeK5VPpYUEOWsqMSDSglhfGSxpHX2u7mH0j9eMmAfkykBkGekK7y4BKfx2HPq7Pbv0Ri4hM56c3l7EZdkasZkPUNwxACOvz6gWrhNKOvXyqU92urr4hAjUF_yqwlQ_JcCD2z1v/s1600/drumcircle.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When I found the group of performers, and started dancing, I was reminded of an old Dave Chappelle skit were he discusses the power of electric guitars and drums on white and black people. I proved his theory right. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After having my fill of good beats, I decided to look for the legendary surfers of the Eisbach. I saw them once during my first trip to Munich. But it was the smaller area where the beginners practice. I wanted to see where the pros go to show off. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I noticed a few people walking with surf boards before, but I wasn't sure if they were going to the area or coming from it. I was feeling daring that day and decided to follow my instincts and go where they were going. And I was well rewarded for my courage. I came across the pro area and there were about seven people in slick wetsuits riding the waves on their short boards. Even though the day was warm, the water was rather chilly (I know this because one of the surfers flicked me when he was coming out of the river) and I had to admire their commitment. Here's their <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/48%C2%B008'36.5%22N+11%C2%B035'16.1%22E/@48.143468,11.587787,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0" target="_blank">exact location</a> if you want to check them out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9gcNFaROZDnsqhcCvVbUwTfYd6LHF7QFCglC2UTTlZhGnOx4g5g9ydbbG0KxjIqFWKX7uWB92shxG_g4bx-ou3b9aPcIva0FjnnFTQRXQjxW9LdGxp8AgHL6SVlzI8Fs8PCLqeOZxlpA/s1600/DSCF2025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9gcNFaROZDnsqhcCvVbUwTfYd6LHF7QFCglC2UTTlZhGnOx4g5g9ydbbG0KxjIqFWKX7uWB92shxG_g4bx-ou3b9aPcIva0FjnnFTQRXQjxW9LdGxp8AgHL6SVlzI8Fs8PCLqeOZxlpA/s1600/DSCF2025.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And the summer hasn't even begun. Hell, it's not even April yet and all these cool things are happening. I haven't even mentioned Starkbierfest, the festival celebrating strong beer. And I've started to see some advertisements for the Munich Film Festival and numerous musical events that will be coming to the city. I'm absolutely giddy about the new experiences Munich has to offer. Let's see what else I can find.</span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-81043667274219683022014-03-24T05:44:00.003-07:002014-03-24T06:23:16.528-07:00Cheap Travel, German Style<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spring is a upon us and soon, the streets will soon be teeming with tourists from far and wide, looking for a fun and adventure. If you would like to be one of them and are looking to stretch your limited budget, here's a few tips to bring down your transportation costs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you want to travel within Germany's borders with several accomplices, one of your cheapest options will be rail. One of the numerous discounts available through the national train service, <a href="http://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/index.shtml" target="_blank">DB Bahn</a>, is the <a href="http://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/prices/germany-regional/bavaria-ticket.shtml" target="_blank">Bayern ticket</a>, which allows multiple people to travel on the same ticket, throughout Bavaria. The more people that travel, the lower each person's ticket costs, with up to four people paying 8.75 euros per person. It also covers local transport, including buses. When my friends and I traveled to a tiny German town about three hours out of Munich for a Thanksgiving dinner in a countryside cabin, the Bayern ticket helped to bring the cost of travel and lodgings to less than 100 euros per person for a three day weekend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And the savings that DB Bahn offers is not just limited to Bavaria. The company also has similar tickets for all parts of Germany and is currently running a <a href="http://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/prices/europe/europaspezial.shtml?dbkanal_007=L16_S02_D002_KIN0001_at1-europa-spezial_LZ001" target="_blank">special</a> to many European cities, including Amsterdam, Paris, and Vienna, for just 39 euros. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If trains are still a little too rich for your blood, the next cheap option is bus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pictured is one of the many discount bus lines serving Germany, <a href="http://meinfernbus.de/" target="_blank">Meinfern Bus</a>. Even if you need to book and travel on the same day, you can usually find cheap prices, like from Munich to Berlin for only 18 euros. Plus, there's free wifi on all their buses and snacks for sale, including beer, if you're unable to pick something up before you board. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For bus travel out of Germany, I've had really good experiences with <a href="http://www.eurolines.com/en/" target="_blank">Eurolines</a>. They also have free wifi on most of their buses, but they give you a free snack and bottle of water. The only draw back with them is you have actually print up your ticket, unlike Meinfern, which gives you the option of downloading a PDF of your ticket to your smart phone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When I wanted to travel to Copenhagen over the Christmas break and all flights were coming in at well over 100 euros, I used Meifern to get me from Munich to Berlin, and Eurolines to take me the rest of the way. I spent a full day traveling, but I only paid 30 euros doing it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another bus option is <a href="https://www.berlinlinienbus.de/index.php" target="_blank">Berlinlinien</a>. They have prices that are similar to Eurolines when looking for international travel and low prices for trips within Germany. But for you to get the best rates, you will need to book your trip about seven days in advance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If buses and trains are still pushing you to the limits of your budget, your last option, that I know of, is a rideshare. If you can find people that are traveling in the same direction as your destination, you can offer to split the cost of gas with several other travelers. A great website you should checkout is <a href="http://www.carpooling.co.uk/">Carpooling</a>. Obviously, such a method has several drawbacks, the main one being that you are at the mercy of other people's schedules. You'll have to find people that are not only going where you're going, but they also have to be leaving when you want to leave. But if your dates are flexible and the savings that attractive, then go for it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I will admit, all of these options will add significant time to your trip. Rather than spend more than twelve hours sitting on my butt when I went from Munich to Copenhagen, I gave myself an extended layover and spent the night with a friend in Berlin. But I love traveling and part of the adventure is actually getting to my destination. So a good soundtrack and plenty of treats were enough to keep me happy. And when you're in a position were every cent counts, I'd rather pay for my way in patience than cash. Happy travels!</span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-62265345177391002412014-03-11T08:21:00.000-07:002014-03-11T08:57:45.184-07:00Packing like a pro<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This post was inspired by the countless articles that say they have the secret to traveling lightly by only using one carry-on bag for a three week trip. Honestly, I'm tired of the shannigans. Their secret is almost always some variation of "only take two shirts and one pair of pants and do laundry while you're there," to which I must respond, ew.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My main gripe with this method of only taking the bare essentials and buying or washing what you need once you get to your destination can end up being very expensive and frustrating. Things like sunscreen and moisturizer can be more costly in countries outside of the U.S. And if you're like me and have sensitive skin, do you really want to experiment with products when you can't even read the ingredient list? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As for washing clothes, unless you're going to hand wash them, a laundry service can easily run more than $20. And don't count on finding a self-serve laundromat as my travels to London, Stockholm, and Glasgow have all shown that such services are on the steep decline and chances are, the city you visit may not even have one that is close to your accommodations. Hand washing presents it's own challenges since you will have to find a place to hang them (good luck if you're staying in a hostel) and wait for them to actually dry. Do you want to be stuck in the hotel when your only pair of trousers are dripping wet? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Shopping may not even be an option, especially if you're visiting an Asian country and you are bigger that a U.S. size 2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So now that I've said all the things that are wrong with this method, I think it's only fair that I suggest something that is more efficient. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you're only traveling for a few days, then sure, take the carry-on. That is what it was meant for. But if you're going to be on the road for at least two weeks, I say bite the bullet and check a bag. Before buying your ticket, see which airline will be the cheapest, including baggage fees. Most international flights will give you at least one bag </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(and usually booze) </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">for </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">free, so take advantage of it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now, if you're new to the world of travel, you're probably wondering which bag is best for you. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think few can go wrong with a rolling duffel
bag with backpack straps. This is what my friend recommended when I did my
first multi-country trip through Europe and it was the best advice I received.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WBt9W5ML6vAs4HSAZrnIaCWZDdJMudYn9fAFwFCXLJx61Dyoqv4F0Ect3UkBXcxmMtzSd3BDldLhSNnZyBi8qdSNRs6SxnxjzQiFYsUsML9wwvKA47KKcBdp23WbhZ8luGOygy-ppn9M/s1600/big+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WBt9W5ML6vAs4HSAZrnIaCWZDdJMudYn9fAFwFCXLJx61Dyoqv4F0Ect3UkBXcxmMtzSd3BDldLhSNnZyBi8qdSNRs6SxnxjzQiFYsUsML9wwvKA47KKcBdp23WbhZ8luGOygy-ppn9M/s1600/big+bag.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I found this bag on Ebay when a gentleman sold two of them together for only $100. I gave the other one to my mom and she loved it when she took it with her to South Africa. It may look small, but it packs big, holding enough clothes for a three month, 4 country tour. The two large rubber wheels in the back makes it very maneuverable, even on the cobblestones of Europe. It has a large opening on the front, so I can reach what I need without having to rearrange everything inside. Plus, it has a ton of straps and handles, so you can grab it from just about any angle. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As for carry-on luggage, you have plenty of wiggle room. I tend to go for bags that have either backpack traps or cross body straps, both of which leave my hands free to pull the larger bag. During my Oktoberfest tour, I picked up this lovely bag in Glasgow. After traveling for three months and buying gifts for family and friends, I needed an extra bag to transport all the goodies home</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcySq42XcZ4NtYWwSIlJ3LP9NLwlywfnjfWDxGv6384qZfeblPzG__lbEnQOX_ZxlYZQ3OFxDILkUezoKV8T_j298v-uaiAxWMxcPF5W48weUjpNQUVP1aUNh_4tAcWhLA6NkQjMn7NPb/s1600/carry+on.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcySq42XcZ4NtYWwSIlJ3LP9NLwlywfnjfWDxGv6384qZfeblPzG__lbEnQOX_ZxlYZQ3OFxDILkUezoKV8T_j298v-uaiAxWMxcPF5W48weUjpNQUVP1aUNh_4tAcWhLA6NkQjMn7NPb/s1600/carry+on.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This bag has two main compartments, hidden backpack straps (are you noticing a theme), a removable cross body strap, and handle. It's also expandable, giving me a little extra room when I need it. This was 20 pounds at TK Maxx, which is pretty cheap for a Henry Cottons bag.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For an everyday bag to use at my destination, a vintage Dooney and Bourke saddlebag is perfect. It can hold a bottle of water, camera, and small book comfortably. Plus the inner pockets have zippers which keep my wallet, cash, and passport all nice and secure. I also found it on Ebay for the low price of $30. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Me, my friend Nicki, and my trusty bag in Amsterdam</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aside from the backpack straps, an apparent theme is my love of Ebay. My adventures with used items have shown that you can save so much money by turning to this site in your hunt for high quality travel pieces. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As you begin your search for the right piece (or pieces) of luggage, know that amassing a good collection is not an instantaneous process. It's taken me several years and many trips to know what works and what doesn't. So don't be afraid to start off slow with one piece at a time. The goal is to find things that you love and will stand the test of time. Happy travels!</span><br />
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-22156537263551365802014-03-09T06:00:00.000-07:002014-03-09T06:17:15.242-07:00Fasching: Party with zee Germans<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This past week saw the end of the carnival season around the world. Instead of going to Brazil, the Carribean, or any another place where scantily clad woman roam the streets with ornate headdresses, I got the chance to experience my first German Carnival. But since I'm in Bavaria and the Bavarians think themselves cooler than regular Germans, they call it Fasching. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Some research showed that the Carnival season technically starts in early January, However the last three days of the season are the biggest, named Fasching Sunday, Rose Monday, and Shrove Tuesday. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Traditionally, the time is marked with elaborate costume balls and, as one blogger described it, is closer in style to the masked celebrations of Venice than the drunken debauchery of Cologne.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s2.portal.muenchen.de/.imaging/stk/mde/gallery/dms/foto-galerie/Goldrausch_Faschingsball/03/document/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://s2.portal.muenchen.de/.imaging/stk/mde/gallery/dms/foto-galerie/Goldrausch_Faschingsball/03/document/03.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last year's Carnival Ball at the </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25.919998168945313px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bayerischen National Museum</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Photo: </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; line-height: 15.744000434875488px; text-align: start;">muenchen.de</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As Bavarians are normally very reserved, I wasn't sure what to expect. My roommate, normally a great source of info about everything Munich, only said that it was crazy, the people were annoying, and she purposely avoids most clubs and bars until the whole ordeal is over. Not a very enthusiastic endorsement, at all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On Fashing Sunday, I made my way to Marienplatz where the square had been transformed into an open-air party. Live performances of traditional German party music supplied the entertainment while beer stands and food stalls provided the refreshment. During a break in between sets, I heard drums off in the distance. Mesmerized by the hypnotic rhythm, I made my way through the crowd and discovered Munich's Latin drum band, <a href="http://bateria-z.de/" target="_blank">Bateria-Z</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They were fantastic and I wish my phone took better video so I could show you. The group had fun with the crowd and did different tricks with their instruments. The energy was infectious and everyone around me were moving their hips to the beat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tuesday was the culmination of Carnival and it was marked by the "Dance of the Market Women" at the Virtual Market. Not wanting to enjoy the festivities alone, I checked out my trusty Toytown Germany expat site and saw a forum posting asking if people wanted to get together for the event. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Five of us arranged to meet in Marianplatz at 10:30 and head over to the Virtual Market. My roommate warned me that Tuesday would be crazy and if I hoped to see anything, I should be out the house by 9. I thought she was exaggerating, but by 10, both the Virtual Market and Marienplatz was in full swing. People were dressed up and many had already cracked open their first beer of the day.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">10:15 and people are pouring in from the U-Bahn.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By the time we reached the Virtual Market, the place was packed! Being a vertically-challenged person, it was impossible to see any of the performances. But I did get the chance to see the mayor. Thankfully, my companions were as unenthused as I was, so we left and went for a breakfast of German champions, weisswurst and pretzels, at the legendary </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.hofbraeuhaus.de/" target="_blank">Hofbräuhaus</a></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the oldest beer halls in Munich, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; text-align: start;">Hofbräuhaus became known for it's delicious weissbier (wheat beer). The beer is so good, it supposedly saved Munich from the Swedish king during the 30 Years War in 1632. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">King Gustavus Adolphus promised not to burn the town down in exchange for some hostages and 600,000 barrels of </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; text-align: start;">Hofbräuhaus' beer. Pretty fair trade I'd say.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As if the food and beer weren't good enough, a brass band started playing on the stairs behind us. I was in Bavarian heaven.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After breakfast, which rolled into lunch, and then early dinner, we went back to Virtual Market for the last of the performances, and then a nearby bar for a nightcap. In total, I spent more than 12 hours dancing, drinking, and being entertained by the party revelers around me. I had no idea the Bavarians had it in them. </span><br />
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-29496053881996628242014-02-27T04:51:00.000-08:002014-03-10T14:40:14.971-07:00In search of an EU passport<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For me, a passport for an EU country would be a gift from God, the holy grail, a map to Shangri la. So many fears and anxieties about staying in Europe would be lifted if I could somehow get my hands on that lovely burgundy</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> booklet. Unfortunately, the countries that I have resided in, Denmark and Germany, do not make it easy. At all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To qualify for permanent residence in Denmark, one has to to first qualify for a residence permit and then keep it for at least 5 years. Only then are you eligible for a passport from that nation. Considering that even getting a residence permit in Denmark is, in and of itself, a great feat, keeping one for 5 years seems to reside in the realm of impossiblity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Germany also has a 5 year residence rule required for permanent residence, but it is possible to have this waived if you are a highly qualified immigrant. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have not lived in any one place for five years and while I think of myself as extremely talented, others have refused to refer to me as highly qualified. Therefore, obtaining permanent residence at this point in time seems unlikely. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That was, until I remembered my father.....</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2EKaDnl0BsL8V3y3X3otEllGPMoTfQG5Vvtl9MaZtcjmmoIPw3nwfvEEP5qNJ3k42Sw1lbeFJFUYNdkmEXay2OB1x5eDrd93kknoTIzHYECqqQtPNec0Eb7OxCiK-tF_wm4UdWZGc8fF/s1600/dadandmomedited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2EKaDnl0BsL8V3y3X3otEllGPMoTfQG5Vvtl9MaZtcjmmoIPw3nwfvEEP5qNJ3k42Sw1lbeFJFUYNdkmEXay2OB1x5eDrd93kknoTIzHYECqqQtPNec0Eb7OxCiK-tF_wm4UdWZGc8fF/s1600/dadandmomedited.jpg" height="540" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My mom, dad, older brother, and great grandmother</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He and my mom separated when I was really small and I have had no relationship with the man since then. No birthday cards, no well wishes, no child support for more than 25 years. But, he was Portuguese. And Portugal is part of the European Union. So there is the smallest sliver of hope that I can jump over the waiting periods and other arduous requirements and procure that sweet piece of immigrant gold. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since he and I had no relationship, this route is only marginally easier that my other options. To obtain my Portuguese citizenship, I have to prove that he was one. That means finding his original passport or naturalization papers and Portuguese birth certificate. Then I have to prove that he was my father by providing my long form birth certificate and my parents' marriage license. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A preliminary search revealed his petition for naturalization. From there, I have to track down his naturalization application to find out where in Portugal he was born. Then I have to contact authorities in Portugal to request his birth certificate. The search also revealed that he passed away in 1997, so I'll have to supply a copy of his death certificate along with my birth certificate in order for them to release such sensitive information to me. Is your head spinning yet? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have no idea where this adventure is going to lead and I have no idea if it is going to be successful. But considering that I packed up all of my belongings and made the trip to Europe with little more than a hope and a dream, this part seems easy. And the worst thing that could happen is I discover more about a part of my identity that has long been ignored. Fingers crossed.</span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-20392185118667432452014-02-15T07:32:00.000-08:002014-02-15T10:17:58.535-08:00Looking for a quiet place<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you're like me, getting work done at your house can be extremely difficult. Sitting in one's bed does not have the same formality as sitting at a desk. Since it doesn't really feel like work, taking a Facebook break every now and then feels totally normal. Until Facebook leads you down a Google hole and before you know it, several hours have passed and you have accomplished less than half of the tasks on your to-do list. So what are your options? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When I lived in New York, my favorite study places were the </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Stephen A. Schwarzman building </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;">at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street or the Science, Industry, and Business Library (SIBL) at Madison Ave and 34th Street. The former was the library with the famous lions and history filled the building. The latter was much more modern, but both places felt like great halls of knowledge. To me, they were like places of worship, and I immediately felt calm and serene when I walked through their doors. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Reading Room at the Stephen A. Schwarzman building. Photo:bronxbanterblog.com</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.alspectorarchitecture.com/Frames/Assets/Images/Projects/SIBL/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.alspectorarchitecture.com/Frames/Assets/Images/Projects/SIBL/3.jpg" height="500" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lobby and lower level of SIBL. Photo: alspectorarchitecture.com</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">In Copenhagen, the <a href="http://www.kb.dk/en/dia/" target="_blank">Black Diamond</a> became my place of respite. Again, the reading room in the old part of the library felt like old knowledge and I could imagine the students before me, huddled over their texts, furiously writing essays. The Black Diamond had an added bonus of a cafe in the atrium which served the best hot chocolate I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. And if you were lucky, you could snag a free glass of wine during performances at the theater on the ground floor. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">But now I am in Germany and it has taken some time to find the right place that can be used as my surrogate office. My first thought was to find a nice library. But that proved more complicated than I originally thought. Most libraries in Munich have closed networks which require a student ID to access. Since I am no longer in school, this was not possible. But a thread on <a href="http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t13226.html" target="_blank">Toytown Germany</a> said that you can get around this by signing up for a library card. I followed their advice and can confirm its accuracy. The only caveats are you need to have a valid residence permit and passport. Also, it does not give you access to all of the libraries and so far, the only one that I have been successful with is the Bavarian State Library (also known as Stabi) on </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.1200008392334px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ludwigstrasse</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;">, which is also where I got my library card. I only tried it at two libraries, so your experience may be different. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Another thing you should be aware of if you decide to come to Stabi is the place has one main reading room which gets packed. I came once on a Saturday afternoon and there were no seats available, at all. It was so crowded that students actually took to sitting and working on the stairs. My second attempt was successful, but at 10:30 on a Friday, there were only a few chairs to choose from. So come early or stay at home. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The alternative to libraries would be a coffee shop. But, u</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;">nlike many cities, WiFi is not a given and I have found far too many coffee shops without internet. Even more disturbing is the Coffee Fellows near H</span><span style="font-family: Lato, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;">auptbahnhof </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;">which actually charges for internet! If I can correctly recall the prices, I believe it was 10 euros for two hours and 20 euros for 4. WTF? Granted, if you buy food, the price of your items will be applied to the fee and I think it also granted you access to the multi-function machine. But still, 10 euros?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;">Luckily, I live in a cool part of town and discovered the place that has satisfied my needs, <a href="http://www.trachtenvogl.de/#/page/1" target="_blank">T</a></span><span style="font-family: Lato, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.trachtenvogl.de/#/page/1" target="_blank">rachtenvogl</a>. The atmosphere is cool, the seating comfy, and the staff laid back. I can order a coffee for less than three euro, and stay there as long as I want, without any hassle or dirty looks from the waitstaff. And their music selection is on point, ranging from folk, rock, funk, and chill hip-hop. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;">Trachtenvogl can also get crowded later in the evening and on the weekend. But many of the tables are large enough to share and can accommodate a big group or several small ones. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;">If you're in the Munich area and have discovered the perfect work location, I'd love to hear about it. I'm always on the lookout for new spots and I'm pretty sure the people at Trachtenvogl will soon tire of me. At least I hope not. </span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-58928690637004999762014-01-31T07:16:00.000-08:002014-01-31T14:35:48.499-08:00Adventures in Oktoberfest: International Edition<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VN-FARqXpQC2Bg226pR7PKKXdyRgiKCsPz9v2aiDZidmBT2FNn0wVsETLQtokWmGHlk9i9ftoQ8dBiHj-Lf-bHXpVuM2cSSWPQWhDwYkIJQKJSx3crxQqyyg9cLhaneva62m1-lKjY1r/s1600/hallie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VN-FARqXpQC2Bg226pR7PKKXdyRgiKCsPz9v2aiDZidmBT2FNn0wVsETLQtokWmGHlk9i9ftoQ8dBiHj-Lf-bHXpVuM2cSSWPQWhDwYkIJQKJSx3crxQqyyg9cLhaneva62m1-lKjY1r/s1600/hallie.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Photo: <span class="fwb" style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Evangelos-Athanassios Mylonas</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Introducing Wild World of World Wide Oktoberfest</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: left;">As I've stated in previous posts, like this <a href="http://downandoutindk.blogspot.de/2013/12/visa-time.html" target="_blank">one </a>and this <a href="http://downandoutindk.blogspot.de/2013/12/see-you-later-copenhagen.html" target="_blank">one</a>, I managed to find a job as an International Event Manager and procure a German residence permit right before my Danish residence permit was due to expire. It wasn't exactly the type of position I had hoped for since a large part of me going back to school for my master's degree was to help me transition out of event management. But beggars certainly can't be choosers and this job would help keep me on the continent of Europe, even if I wasn't in the country of Denmark.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: left;">So what exactly would I be doing? Well, the short answer is managing Oktoberfest events in Aarhus, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Stockholm, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Amsterdam. I would travel around Europe like a circus carney, filling people up with ok beer and bad food. Needless to say, my mother was not excited about my new job and said, "so you got another degree to become a beer wench?" Thanks mom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: left;">A more in-depth description of my responsibilities would be that I was charged with helping my boss C, develop his organization into a true production company and help him expand his business in the English market. C was a former financier who left the banking world to live out his dream of building an Oktoberfest empire and knew more about money than event production. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When C contacted me for an interview, small alarm bells went off when I couldn't find any information about his company. But my doubts were assuaged when we met and I found out that the company was basically just him. This was his first attempt at expansion and I would be his first full-time employee. Any other doubts that developed were quickly snuffed out with the belief that getting into a company right at the beginning would be the perfect opportunity for me to put my mark on it. I could see several areas I could improve and looked forward to shaping his company into one that was more efficient and productive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First stop, Aarhus</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Before C would give me a contract, he had me work a test event in Aarhus. I would be paid for my efforts and if we both agreed that things went well, I would be hired full-time. He paid for the transportation and hotel accommodations and I would pay for my own food when I wasn't on duty. I thought it sounded fair and met him in Vojens, Denmark. There, we would load up the trailer trucks and drive to Aarhus together. Also in for the ride was the company intern, Julie. When discussing the trial run, C mentioned that another person would be working me. But when I asked about my partner, C said that they changed their mind. He added that they were German and Germans didn't like to work. More alarm bells went off. And again I ignored them. Stupid girl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All in all, the first event was pretty easy. C had hired a group of gentlemen from Poland that did most of the hard labor, including setting up the benches and tables, and building up the bar and kitchen. Professional builders constructed the tent and Julie handled the tickets. I was put in charge of the gift shop and was responsible for the inventory and making sure the girls didn't steal. Poor planning on C's part meant that Aarhus Oktoberfest coincided with a major music festival featuring Alicia Keys. Also, he missed the "Oktober" in Oktoberfest and this event took place in July. Suffice to say we had few customers. He still broke even, but I was surprised since it looked like we never had more than 100 people in a tent with a capacity for almost 2,000. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The event ran from Thursday to Saturday with breakdown all day Sunday. When the last guests on Saturday left, C thanked me for a job well-done and said I could take it easy the next day. Now, I've learned the ropes of production in MTV and there, everyone is expected to participate in de-rig and breakdown. So staying in my hotel while everyone else is working hard didn't sit well with me and I still showed up Sunday morning to see if I could help. C was genuinely surprised when he saw me and asked what I was doing. I explained that I've always helped during the breakdown of events and wanted to see if I could lend a hand. He laughed at my eagerness and told me to either go shopping or go back to the hotel since the crew had everything under control. He even gave me a few extra kroner for my efforts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I spent so little time on site that I was able to use the same ticket for the bus back to my hotel. The next day we packed up and I was put on a train back to Copenhagen. "I guess this won't be too bad," I thought as the train swayed softly, making its way through Denmark. Unfortunately, my thought was premature as the following cities would soon show. </span></div>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-329533037708572442014-01-27T07:41:00.000-08:002014-01-27T14:45:58.321-08:00Friends in Unexpected Places<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Making friends in a new country is hard. If your move abroad was to continue your education, then you're one of the lucky ones since campus life can act as a buffer against total isolation. Even if you fail to make deep connections, you still have the opportunity to interact with other individuals. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But when you make the move to a foreign country in a non-academic setting, things are completely different. Even with roommates, it's possible to go days without talking to anyone. And If you're a social person like me, this is especially frustrating. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So getting out the house on a regular basis is key. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until you find friends to entertain you, you'll have to find ways to entertain yourself. Coffee shops are good, but can become repetitive. My solution was the <a href="http://www.muenchner-stadtmuseum.de/film/filmreihen/film-noir.html" target="_blank">film noir series</a> at the </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.muenchner-stadtmuseum.de/en/muenchner-stadtmuseum.html" target="_blank">Münchner Stadtmuseum</a>. For only €4, you can experience the beauty of 50's cinema, like a young Marlon Brando in a Streetcar Named Desire. And with an adjacent cafe offering light plates and a lovely Pino Noir, you can turn the experience into a personal date night. But be quick since the series ends February 15th.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqcpVQU6ju3Cms5MFOKnEzbjPqLXffdrTUg-uf-RuFVxG_iV8ITwz5yovaHLBxgTOTIwhb2-S3IKGnLbbQzGPw40O8xKGgzEtNTEGkhmfPRMqqnybP1jO6leDyu-l4Nc68IT4TSgRUooV/s1600/MARLON+BLOG5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Young Marlon Brando" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqcpVQU6ju3Cms5MFOKnEzbjPqLXffdrTUg-uf-RuFVxG_iV8ITwz5yovaHLBxgTOTIwhb2-S3IKGnLbbQzGPw40O8xKGgzEtNTEGkhmfPRMqqnybP1jO6leDyu-l4Nc68IT4TSgRUooV/s1600/MARLON+BLOG5.jpg" height="480" title="Young Marlon Brando" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Photo: homo-centric.com</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Eventually, even the gangsters and detectives lost their luster. I longed for human interaction and intelligent conversation. And this is when I turned to the expat board,<a href="http://www.toytowngermany.com/" target="_blank">Toytown Germany</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Normally, I shy away from expat groups. I'm clumsy and awkward and meeting large groups of new people makes me go into my own head and overanalyze everything around me. But my friend suggested Toytown since she had good experience meeting cool people there. So when I saw they were having a Christmas party that was pretty close to my home, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and went. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Good lord, the party was everything that I had feared. It was just as uncomfortable as a high school dance when you're the new kid in town. But at least there was booze to help mask my discomfort. And I did meet a really nice couple. But they told me they were leaving the country for good next month and this was probably their last event. Dang.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not to be discouraged, I decided to give Toytown another chance and found a writing group that sounded pretty interesting. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjMl242FGyeL75xCGM3XsMr2BAziw25M1RBIX8yqHR16qV5Ln7pJBATQa3OyorsDeCbw0a1LSQNv3dYycpUm6-EauZd7JRPkjt6fmX5XgcUYul7HP-L3a4OhsM_mPvIkLRRJrBZMI2Wig/s1600/2014-01-16+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjMl242FGyeL75xCGM3XsMr2BAziw25M1RBIX8yqHR16qV5Ln7pJBATQa3OyorsDeCbw0a1LSQNv3dYycpUm6-EauZd7JRPkjt6fmX5XgcUYul7HP-L3a4OhsM_mPvIkLRRJrBZMI2Wig/s1600/2014-01-16+22.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fellow writers pouring out our creative souls</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This time, I fit right in. The group is small, so conversations between the members is easy. And sharing your writing is such an intimate act that after a few meetings and a few beers, you start to feel connected to each other. Absences are noticed and constructive criticism is given from a place of love and respect. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Also, by meeting in smaller groups, you're able to discuss the expat experience in a more personal manner. One of the members, Pam, has lived in almost as many cities as years I've been alive. She reminds me of a more subdued version of <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/auntie_mame/" target="_blank">Auntie Mame</a> with her tales of foreign suiters and beautiful vintage jewelry. The information and advice that she and the others have offered has helped to make the transition to Germany a little easier. I feel a little less alone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another strategy that has been helpful to my friend in Berlin was joining a church. But I like to drink and swear and most church members would interpret that as heathen behavior, so I can't really recommend that route. However, I will not discourage anyone from using Jesus for companionship. If you're in Munich, there are <a href="http://www.toytowngermany.com/wiki/English-speaking_church_services_in_Munich" target="_blank">several churches</a> with services in English. I've checked out the Munich International Community Church and can say that it's not too bad. The service starts at 3:30pm and they have free cake afterwards, so you get to sleep late and get rewarded with sweets for being good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I guess the trick to meeting new people is to be willing to try new experiences, which is probably the reason why you moved to a new country in the first place. And remember, that even in your loneliest hour, there are people out there who feel exactly how you feel. You just have to have the courage to find them.</span>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-76913981498909315452014-01-15T03:14:00.000-08:002014-01-27T14:42:44.171-08:00Tis better to give than to recieve<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When I was about 6, my favorite outfit was a pair of yellow corduroy stirrups and a pink and yellow striped sweater. I would have worn it everyday if my mother let me and even when it was obvious that I had outgrown the pants (they rose way past my ankles and I used two pairs of slouched socks to cover my exposed legs) I would not give them up. Fed up with her daughter wearing highwaters, my mother informed me that my beloved pants would be going to the daughter of a good family friend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And I threw such a fit. How could she, didn't she know that those garments were a part of me? That they and I were one? Once I calmed down enough to listen to reason, she said that the clothes were only meant to be with me temporarily and it was now time for me to say good-bye. As the head of a Christian household, she asked "how can you expect to receive blessings when your hands are closed and unwilling to bless others?" Ouch. So it was with a very heavy and reluctant heart that I said good-bye to my fabric friends and gave them to a girl that I knew wouldn't love them as much as I did. Little bitch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now that I have a few more years under my belt, it has become much easier to say good-bye to things in closet. My mother's words still ring in my ears and I am more than happy to pass on the blessings that I have received. I often set aside items that I think will look good on my friends and surprise them with gifts when they visit. Interestingly enough, my wardrobe improves whenever I get rid of things and pass them on. I guess the act of reduction allows the remaining items to stand out more. There have been countless times where I totally forgot about an item until I cleaned out my closet/ suitcase/ drawer and it magically appeared. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Additionally, I have been the fortunate recipient of my friends' purges. Much of my current wardrobe comes from my best friend whom I love dearly. She always has a garbage bag full of clothes at her house, waiting to be donated to the local charity. When she picked me up from the airport during a trip home and informed me that such a bag was in the trunk of her car, I literally stripped in the middle of the street and gleefully ravaged it. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YlBwrkBH64ri8NKv-k3eich1g8e2C8MSY_4k4Lw34KCFoN3i8WwYh7wj9OglAYb1gH4vfo8ixj9G319P4QCbqd9XPSPp28Ho3nUsT5ao6KCiOTczDenGET_GWhAz5BxEH7L_d9UzMJRn/s1600/2014-01-15+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YlBwrkBH64ri8NKv-k3eich1g8e2C8MSY_4k4Lw34KCFoN3i8WwYh7wj9OglAYb1gH4vfo8ixj9G319P4QCbqd9XPSPp28Ho3nUsT5ao6KCiOTczDenGET_GWhAz5BxEH7L_d9UzMJRn/s640/2014-01-15+11.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Above is just a few of the items I've been really fortunate to get from my friends. Unbeknownst to my girls, their items came when I needed them most and could hardly afford food much less new gloves or warm sweaters. And being on the receiving end of such love pushes me to be even more generous. I've given away leather jackets, boots, designers shoes, and even electronics, all in the name of paying it forward. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So if you're looking to purge your closets and help out a few strangers, there are a number of options. The most obvious one is a charity shop. I however, use them as a last resort as I would like my clothes to be free to those who need them most. Instead, when I am in Copenhagen, I use the clothing drop in Christiania. Located a few steps away from Moonfisher, people can take and leave whatever they like. Another option is Facebook. There are numerous groups dedicated to facilitating free exchanges between people living in the same area. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/freethestuffcph/" target="_blank">This </a>one is for Copenhagen while <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/527327203973127/" target="_blank">this </a>one is for people living in Munich. To find similar ones in your area, just do a search for "free your stuff" plus your city. Craigslist is always an option, but if the items you're looking to unload are from your home country and hard to find in you present location, I suggest an expat board like <a href="http://www.toytowngermany.com/" target="_blank">Toy Town Germany</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Remember, the goal is the help others out while also unburdening yourself of unnecessary items. So be nice and refrain from donating garbage. If the pants, shirt, or coat is beyond repair, throw it away. Follow the golden rule of donation; give onto others as you would like others to give onto you. </span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-54738100875244386262014-01-10T06:29:00.000-08:002014-01-10T13:31:50.380-08:00Bucking the Trend<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For the past two years, the fashion world has been assaulted by "tribal" prints and candy colored satchels. Anyone with a Pinterest account has undoubtedly seen numerous pins of oversized sweaters, tiny mini skirts, and second-skin leggings with Aztec inspired patterns coupled with the ubiquitous <a href="https://www.cambridgesatchel.com/" target="_blank">Cambridge satchel</a>, or more recently, the new "it" bag by <a href="http://blog.bergdorfgoodman.com/bg-magazine/eye-candy#" target="_blank">Celine</a> . Nothing is wrong with this. However, the danger lies in following these (as well as other) trends and ending up with a wardrobe that looks dated. Sure those skinny jeans with ten different colors look great now, but will they still look good in 1-2 years when black is again the new black and you're one of the few people still sporting rainbow colored attire?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Part of the secret of building up a great wardrobe on a shoe string budget is the ability to pick pieces that are timeless. Individually or collectively, your garments should be able to blend into any decade and only stand out because of their fabulousness. For example, dark skinny jeans aren't going anywhere. Even if the fashion gods dictate a new age of acid wash bell bottoms, dark skinny jeans will always look good, as long as they are paired with the right accessories. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So what is a person to do who wants to be both in style and timeless? My method has been to isolate the parts of the trend that works best for my personal style and incorporate them into my wardrobe. For instance, I love bold graphic prints and bright colors. But instead of purchasing several pairs of multi-colored leggings or skirts, I instead found an infinity scarf with a great pattern. The neutral colors allow the pattern to really stand out, but gives it enough versatility for me to be able to pair it with a black leather bomber jacket, a red vintage shirtwaist dress, or a pea green cashmere sweater. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiMXv4PchSu6adMtZkDZE9mmU2HHxTsivzufpDuzKV8KHACrcMBZGLcJnjj7uTxK4WO2LrG4eOutlglN_S_sphiYcJ2rDuYEQGfRZ0d3i4yd76rUckzKvhQqfgEkuzo2ZDa7ACxGmWDJ9/s1600/collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Scarf, Monki with red vintage dress, green cashmere sweater and black moto jacket" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiMXv4PchSu6adMtZkDZE9mmU2HHxTsivzufpDuzKV8KHACrcMBZGLcJnjj7uTxK4WO2LrG4eOutlglN_S_sphiYcJ2rDuYEQGfRZ0d3i4yd76rUckzKvhQqfgEkuzo2ZDa7ACxGmWDJ9/s1600/collage.jpg" height="480" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Likewise, the satchel will most likely fade in popularity and those stuck with such a bag may very well regret their purchase. I like the satchel primarily because of its structure; I'm a sucker for a bag that does not slouch under its own weight. But paying $100+ for such a season specific item is simply not an option. Instead, I found a vintage leather backpack that had the structure that I love in an iconic style. Popular since the 60's, the bag will look good several years from now. And as its age already demonstrates, the bag only gets better with time as the leather takes on a more weathered look. Plus, I found it in a vintage store for kun 240 DKK or about 34 euro. If you would like your own, Ebay has some from time to time. Just stay away from anything faux and look for small time sellers that have a few items to sell instead of the big ones from Asia. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOw9XMYNg-A7I6LpUs73Rhzo4ngHtvhIHes1qlh-58-zd9XYNBaDhrm79Vexz_Hg9V3jGVEIO_PmYLStguXwgPhmh9jC9mFZ3tg1Be_6ho8BvgxXoqKgSPUsM6h_ry4ttT1shpn6sRik_/s1600/backpack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Red vintage Dutch style leather backpack" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOw9XMYNg-A7I6LpUs73Rhzo4ngHtvhIHes1qlh-58-zd9XYNBaDhrm79Vexz_Hg9V3jGVEIO_PmYLStguXwgPhmh9jC9mFZ3tg1Be_6ho8BvgxXoqKgSPUsM6h_ry4ttT1shpn6sRik_/s1600/backpack.jpg" height="306" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The only caveat to the "beware of fashion trends" advice is oxfords. I predict those things are here to stay so long as the economy is in the crapper and people are unable/ unwilling to buy shoes that are unpractical (I'm looking at you, 5" stilettos). Unlike ballet flats, a good pair will literally last you years, even with everyday use. A cobbler can fix up the heel when they start to wear and a good shoe polish can restore the leather to almost new. Plus, they have the comfort of sneakers with the sophistication of an old English gentleman. I am very, very fortunate that my mother bought this lovely <a href="http://www.thefryecompany.com/womens-boots/lace-up/77335/carson-lace-up" target="_blank">pair</a> for me when the cheap ones I bought from Old Navy literally fell apart. Of course she found them at New York's discount heaven, Century 21, for less than half of their normal retail price. For those of you in the UK or Germany who are unable to take a trip to New York just for discount shoes, <a href="http://www.tkmaxx.com/women/flat-shoes/icat/2571#esp_pg=1" target="_blank">TK Maxx </a> has a number of lovely brogues on sale, many for less than 50 pounds or euros. I'm a fan of the <a href="http://www.tkmaxx.com/view-all-shoes/dark-blue-suede-brogues/invt/25825974&bklist=icat,4,shop,1,2571" target="_blank">Bertie</a>. Unfortunately, only the English site supports online sales, which means everyone else will have to actually go to TK Maxx for the shoes of their choice.</span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-57075796998474411702013-12-26T06:22:00.000-08:002013-12-29T12:10:54.471-08:00High Style, Low Cost Fashion<h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh my Lord, it is December 26th and for me, this is one of the high holy days of fashion. In the words of the great Martin Lawrence, "for 50% off, Jesus was born on the 26th." Last night, I checked some of my favorite online stores and many had already started their unbelievable markdowns. Even my favorite blog <a href="http://jezebel.com/day-after-christmas-sales-are-going-to-be-freaking-huge-1489402287" target="_blank">Jezebel</a> got in on the action and listed some of the best sites that would give you the biggest bang for your money. But before you rush into any store and attempt to buy all the things, here's some advice: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Use this as an opportunity to get the things you normally can't afford. The fashion hierarchy, from highest to lowest, is (generally speaking) coats > shoes > jeans and handbags > dresses > bras > sweaters > skirts > blouses. There are variations and you can always find exceptions to the rules, especially if you shop at fast fashion retailers like Forever 21, but this provides a general overview. Also, I included bras because for the busty gal, you'll have to pay for the support you need. Buying cheap in this category simply is not worth it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now with the list in mind, evaluate your wardrobe and see what things are missing. This will help you to concentrate on the things you need instead of re-buying things you like. I.e., that black peplum shirt that is on sale for 25 euro is great, but not if you already have 15 black shirts and only one pair of jeans that are starting to fray in crotch due to chub rub. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another piece of pre-shopping advice is to concentrate on quality versus quantity. </span><a href="http://styledigger.com/en/2013/10/quality-vs-budget.html#more-4106" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">Style Digger</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> has a great article about this, which I highly recommend. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I think the biggest challenge for shoppers is knowing how to select quality pieces. At one point in time, a designer label was the guarantee of quality craftsmanship. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case and finding good pieces now takes a fair bit of effort. But it is not impossible, if you know what to look for. My mother studied fashion and one thing she taught me was to look at the print. On a well made garment, the print would continue across the seams, e.g, the stripes would match on both legs. On a cheap item, she said, "it looks like they just sewed two random pieces together." Additionally, I try to only buy natural fabrics. I sweat more than a menopausal woman, especially if I'm on my bike, so acrylic sweaters are not an option. I will grudgingly accept polyester, but that is only because it's almost impossible to shop vintage and avoid it. In my personal opinion, leather, wool, cotton, and silk just feel better than manmade materials. They allow my body to breathe which means that smells do not accumulate on them as fast and easily as something that works as a personal sauna. Not to mention, leather ages while plastic falls apart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now with these lessons out of the way, let's concentrate on the meat and potatoes of the discussion, sales!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To piggyback off of my advice of going for quality versus quantity and use today to buy the things that are normally out of your price range, stay away from cheap stores and go to the more expensive ones. For instance, avoid H&M and head into Weekday. The jeans in the former run on average, about 100 DKK while the latter sells jeans for 450 DKK. But today, you can get a great pair for only </span><a href="http://shop.weekday.com/Womens_Shop/WINTER_SALE/Slim_high_grey/1735170-596919.1#c-47958" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">113 DKK</a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">. Also available at Weekday are these two lovely jackets. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tDTlJpCwXiuBvxgsShtSr_BK-P2MOH9Egt9JXV9HjsVea8g3WggxjKym3lh_I3RyFAc8df1E9YW8kfViUE_Oql7Vw5XhqsdQdAu6EoWvEKSb9A39gaJFQdTH-FNk2GDvngpmbdirtXeU/s1600/weekday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tDTlJpCwXiuBvxgsShtSr_BK-P2MOH9Egt9JXV9HjsVea8g3WggxjKym3lh_I3RyFAc8df1E9YW8kfViUE_Oql7Vw5XhqsdQdAu6EoWvEKSb9A39gaJFQdTH-FNk2GDvngpmbdirtXeU/s640/weekday.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first one breaks my rule of natural fabrics, but it's <i>mostly </i>wool and cute enough for me to ignore the viscose it contains. Both are only </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">250 </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">DKK </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and available </span><a href="http://shop.weekday.com/Womens_Shop/WINTER_SALE/Deltoid_Bomber_Jacket/1735170-761429.1?image=1328240#c-47958" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://shop.weekday.com/Womens_Shop/WINTER_SALE/Kimi_zip_sweat/1735170-701282.1?image=1328240#c-47958" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Edited: It appears that the price on the first jacket was 250 DKK only on December26th. So forget that nonsense and only focus your energies on the black asymmetrical bomber jacket instead.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you are in need of jeans and crave something a little more high-fashion and you're in the New York area, I recommend getting thee ass down to the nearest Lucky Brand store. Their jeans are everything you could want in a pair of pants. They are slimming, comfortable, and make your butt look amazing. Right now, most of their jeans are on sale for less than $40, marked down from $100+. Check them out <a href="http://www.luckybrand.com/sale/womens/jeans" target="_blank">here</a>. Lucky also sells lovely handbags and traditionally marks them down by 50%. Right now, <a href="http://www.luckybrand.com/del-rey-mini-tote/639470490297.html#start=2&cgid=s-womens-accessories-handbags" target="_blank">this</a> blue tote is selling for $84 instead of the normal sale price of $164. But if you don't mind <a href="http://www.luckybrand.com/del-rey-mini-tote/639470490280.html#start=3&cgid=s-womens-accessories-handbags" target="_blank">yellow</a>, you can get the same bag for only $62.49.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you live in Denmark, things are little more complicated since everything in this country is SO.DAMN.EXPENSIVE. And if you find something that is "cheap", it is usually cheap quality. This is especially true for shoes. So if shoes are what you need, here are two options. The first choice, though it seems counter intuitive,is to take a trip to Magasin. Yes, it is expensive, but just like <a href="http://downandoutindk.blogspot.de/2013/04/survival-tip-where-bargains-are.html" target="_blank">Irma</a>, it too offers some deals. </span></div>
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<a href="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits_pod16/dw/image/v2/AAJU_PRD/on/demandware.static/Sites-mdn-Site/Sites-magasin-storefront-catalogue/default/v1388037928924/images/highres/0222001858996.jpg?sw=270&sh=330&sm=fit" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits_pod16/dw/image/v2/AAJU_PRD/on/demandware.static/Sites-mdn-Site/Sites-magasin-storefront-catalogue/default/v1388037928924/images/highres/0222001858996.jpg?sw=270&sh=330&sm=fit" width="326" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The above sneaker is currently on sale at <a href="http://www.magasin.dk/cool-canvas-sneakers/VA03018878-00511670_061.html" target="_blank">Magasin</a> for the low Danish price of 420 DKK. Sure, they're almost 500 DKK and barely qualify as cheap. But they are marked down from 1,400 DKK and are made of leather instead of </span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">polyurethane, meaning that they'll last much longer that the cheap versions on sale on Stroget. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The second option is using the internet to access things beyond Denmark's borders. As long as you stay in the EU, you won't have to worry about paying VAT and often the shipping is less than what you would pay for in-store prices. Including shipping, the shoes below are still less than 300 DKK from <a href="http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/sale-offers-436/sale-799/shoes-813/attik-platform-wedge-boots-2418935?refinements=category~%5b398586%7c398526%5d&bi=1&ps=200" target="_blank">Topshop</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's a word of caution: It is extremely hard to judge the quality of shoes when buying online. Just as important as material content is comfort and usability. If something hurts, pinches, or chafes they're useless. Also, a pair of heels that are too high for everyday use is equally bad. A pair of shoes that you never wear is just a bunch of money wasted. So factor this in as well as the cost of return shipping before you punch in your credit card number.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ETA: It has just come to my attention that my favorite vintage store in Copenhagen, Second Love, is currently having a sale where most of the merchandise is 50% off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is, hands down, one of the best shops in Copenhagen. Located at Dronningensgade 55 in Christianshavn, it's just a few steps away from the metro and offers a great assortment of hand picked items. I purchased a pair of black wool, high waisted capri pants there that garners numerous compliments every time I wear them. So take advantage of their sale and stock up on high quality, simply lovely, vintage winter items. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The goal of today is not to buy any and everything. I think a smart strategy is to use the sales to acquire the clothing staples you need and fill in the holes of your wardrobe. Try to buy high quality items that will last you for several seasons. Once that is accomplished, you can then splurge on special flourishes to make your wardrobe unique. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hope this helps, happy shopping!</span></div>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-59571105880224781602013-12-18T13:18:00.000-08:002013-12-18T14:25:14.789-08:00Visa Time<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLDB1d66TwhIkAjjOJpAOEDljQ3ZNVlJnODuh5_9IKkRrPaxpak3kHHXE239CEs6H0iQC7npp1p5TYAIca-2vjlErsDljKT4Dmvc010PYPoVCG-GlHSl5_gg5wcQqgNDCMzDJYEIkNIMF/s1600/2013-08-01+12.14.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLDB1d66TwhIkAjjOJpAOEDljQ3ZNVlJnODuh5_9IKkRrPaxpak3kHHXE239CEs6H0iQC7npp1p5TYAIca-2vjlErsDljKT4Dmvc010PYPoVCG-GlHSl5_gg5wcQqgNDCMzDJYEIkNIMF/s640/2013-08-01+12.14.49.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On July 31st, my residence and work permits for Denmark expired. In order for me to to get a new one from the Germans, I needed several things. If I worked in a "real" industry like computers or engineering, I would be eligible for the <a href="http://www.bluecard-eu.de/eu-blue-card-germany/" target="_blank">Blue Card</a> which meant that all I had to do to get permission to work in the country is present a job offer. But I'm a creative and my job is in entertainment, so things were a little more complicated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first hurdle I had to cross was a valid work contract. This was accomplished by luck/ prayer/ begging. I scoured job listings and miraculously found someone that was willing to hire me. I would work as an international event planner and organize Oktoberfest events throughout Europe. Plus my native English skills would be put to use and help the company expand in England and Scotland. Score!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The second hurdle was finding a home. A</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">s I mentioned in this </span><a href="http://downandoutindk.blogspot.de/2013/05/moving-sucks.html" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">post</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, in order for me to submit my visa application, I first needed a place to register as my residence. In order for me to register I needed to present a lease with my address. So that meant that I actually had to find an apartment before my job even started and I received my first pay check before I would be given permission to work. Fuck. My company was registered in Uberlingen (which I call the Alabama of Germany, but that is for another post), but my new boss said that we would be moving to Munich after the Oktoberfest tour ended in November. So that's where I started my apartment search. And ran into wall after wall. Trying to find a place there was so hard and stressful that I was afraid I wouldn't find one before my Danish permit expired and would have to leave the EU. I spoke to my boss about the trouble I was experiencing and he offered me a place in one of the apartments in his house in Uberlingen</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> to use instead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I packed my bags and headed south. I took the train from Copenhagen since it allowed me to take more luggage and after three trains and a stop in Nuremberg to see a friend, I arrived in <strike>Alabama</strike> Uberlingen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now, I don't expect many of you to have actually heard of Uberlingen before, I certainly hadn't until met with my boss. The only thing you need to know is that it is small. So small in fact that the nearest airport is in Basel, Switzerland, which is about an hour away by train. The only thing going for it is the fact that it is a tourist destination for Austrian and Swiss tourists as it sits on Lake Constance, which is borders Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. Oh, and on a clear day, you can see the Alps. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Brass bands and beer in a Bavarian Beer Hall, one of the few pleasures of Uberlingen</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My arrival at my boss's (who I will hereafter refer to as C) house cleared the second hurdle. Now all that was left was receiving clearance from the German authorities that I could take the job that was being offered. For many reasons, German citizens have priority when it comes to employment. This means that the only way C could hire me was if no other German or EU citizen living in Germany was better qualified. How they check, I have no idea, but I had to supply both of my degrees as well as a CV and job description to show that I met the qualifications. And then they see if there is anyone that was better qualified. If there was, they would be offered the position and I would SOL. Thankfully, no one came forward and we received preliminary approval for my application. However, the visa would not come for another month, which meant that I had to live with my boss in a tiny bodunk town for four weeks, with nothing that even resembled a nightlife. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the positive side (or should I say sides since there were many things to be grateful for) I got to spend the summer in a lovely town, rent free. The lack of social life gave me the opportunity to enjoy the first real summer I got to experience in three years. And looking back, I'm so happy I did get the chance to relax because little did I know, the upcoming months were going to be exquisite torture.</span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-30907396158878353262013-12-16T07:48:00.001-08:002013-12-18T14:29:18.424-08:00See you later, Copenhagen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">F</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">irst, I would like to apologize for my sudden and abrupt departure. This blog was birthed from boredom and unemployment. I needed something to keep my mind sharp and skills current while I prayed for a paying job. And then it came and I pushed this project aside like an old, formerly loved toy. Also, I figured that my new experiences as a newly employed, now financially secure person would have little resemblance to the struggling lifestyle I wrote about. Oh, how wrong I was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Funny how a steady paycheck fails to eliminate some the problems I once faced. So now I'm back and ready to continue on the journey I started several months ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Second, I am no longer in Denmark. Like so many sad immigrants before me, I was forced to leave. I actually received a letter from the immigration office about a month before my residence permit expired which read (and I'm paraphrasing), "Your residence permit will expire on July 31st. Please be sure to leave the country before or on that date or you will face fines and will not be permitted to enter the country again for three or five years. Cheers!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course I was stressed since I did not have 77,000 kroner nor a job offer that would pay the 31,250 kroner per month needed to turn my residence permit into a green card. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">So I looked </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">elsewhere and was fortunate enough to land a job in nearby Germany. I made the leap in June and have been traveling around Europe for work for the past four months. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Saying good-bye, or even see you later to Copenhagen was hard because I actually liked living in Copenhagen. Unlike many before me, I befriended native Danes. And I mean, they were/ are really my friends; we go out and have dinner together and they don't talk in Danish. I took the train to Germany and as my boyfriend started to count down the minutes before my train arrived, tears started pouring down my chubby cheeks. Leaving him and the life I had created there was like ripping out my heart. I still get a little sad when I think about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">O well. Shit happens. I am currently in Munich, amassing new stories and having new adventures. So if you will allow me, I'll take you with me to this new and foreign land. There's so much to discover and hopefully you'll be there as I feel my way around. Stay tuned.</span><br />
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-14263508130416027572013-05-27T02:35:00.000-07:002013-05-30T11:27:27.500-07:00The broke guide to Roskilde: Part 1<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's almost June and the days of Roskilde will soon be upon us. Here, I will present a strategy for reducing the cost of an eight day holiday filled with debauchery and booze. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first step is the acquisition of a free ticket. The price of a festival pass is 1910kr + a delivery fee. So scoring a volunteer pass is the obvious way to save almost 2000kr. I stumbed upon <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/team.festivalfrivillig.dk/">this</a> Facebook group which currently lists volunteer opportunities for tower guards for this year's festival. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Update: Since writing this article, it has come to my attention that the Facebook group listed above asks for a 1000kr deposit. That is bullshit. I, nor any of my friends have ever paid for the opportunity of working for free and you shouldn't either. Sure, they say the money will be returned and I suspect they are employing a "paid" system to reduce the number of people that only collect their volunteer bracelet, but never work their shifts. However, 1000kr is not a small amount of money and the amount of time it will take for that money to be returned is unknown. You are free to make the choice that you think is best for you. But I would not pay to work one of the worst positions available at Roskilde, especially since this is the first time I've heard of any position requiring a substantial monetary investment. </i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But the website for <a href="http://roskilde-theranch.dk/">The Ranch</a> is much more rewarding as they are currently recruiting workers to work the food stall. But don't procrastinate as there are only 5 days left to sign up with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Roskilde is one of the largest festivals in Northern Europe and it is predominately run by volunteers. This means there are hundreds of positions to fill, ranging from campsite security to ticket seller. I was lucky enough to work at one of the bars and can say it is the best position to have, especially if you enjoy meeting new people. There are numerous cost saving benefits each job comes with and you should weigh them when presented with several volunteer opportunities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Most positions will allow access to the worker's area. Here, volunteers can enjoy a free cup of coffee, phone charging, and storage. But the best part are the free "hot" showers. They're only hot if you go early in the morning when most are sleeping off hangovers. But they're free so no one complains. There's also free messages, but after two years of attempts, I have never had one and cannot confirm their existence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some positions will also include meal vouchers and drink tickets. These are usually given to those working in bars or food stalls (this is why they are best jobs). The meal vouchers are limited to a few options, but they are all pretty tasty. To get the greatest value, save them for the higher-priced places like burger joints and the Roskilde staple, <a href="http://www.thailanna.dk/Roskilde%20Festival.html">Thai Lanna</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As the festival gets closer and businesses scramble to find find workers, more and more advertisements for volunteers will pop up. Pay attention to message boards around university campuses if you're still looking for a job. Another strategy is contacting the businesses directly and ask if they are in need of additional help. Visit the official festival <a href="http://roskilde-festival.dk/">page</a> to see which business will have a presence there and then email them. Yes this is forward and a bit aggressive, but should pay off. Most of the best positions are advertised through word-of-mouth. So this is the only way you'll find out about them if key players are not a part of your network.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the next part, I'll discuss the things you should do before and during the festival to save some kroner, including meal plans, travel tickets, and supplies. Happy Roskilde!</span></div>
Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-58139386886897943452013-05-17T02:38:00.000-07:002013-05-28T00:11:50.919-07:00Christiania: More than just a stoner's paradise<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Everyone knows that Christiania is the place to go when you're in search of an herbal high. It is impossible to miss the chunks of dark brown hash on the tables lining Pusher Street. Unfortunately, the highly visible cannabis market often blinds non-smokers to the cool and free activities the larger hippie community offers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This weekend will be the 40th anniversary of Loppen, a music venue featuring popular rock, punk, and hip hop bands from all over the world. In addition to free music from popular Danish artists (some of whom are remarkably talented), low priced treats will be available including homemade hotdogs, pickles, and pulled pork sandwiches. The </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/468400409910713/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">info page</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> also lists cake which I assume will be free since it is a birthday party</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Not to be outdone by Loppen, Nemoland will also be hosting a number of free concerts starting this Sunday. The series will kick off with a performance by two artists I want to be my new Bff's, Linkoban and Lucy Love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Chinese born and Danish bred, Linkoban is pure awesome sauce. Her style can be best described as dub-pop, the lovely child of dubstep and pop. Her first big hit, <a href="http://youtu.be/qw-FcdYASIs">Like This</a>, is a never-fail crowd pleaser and brings everyone to their feet. I love her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As we can see, Linkoban is awesome. And we have the equally fantastic Lucy Love to thank for introducing the world to her protege. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lucy Love is more grime than pop, and her courage and willingness to experiment with music as well as appearance makes her a wonderful live performer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You can check out the full schedule <a href="http://www.nemoland.dk/">here</a>. Another performance I highly recommend is WhoMadeWho. The drummer alone, Tomas Barfod, is enough to make me drop everything and run to Christiania. He is walking <a href="http://www.premierlife.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/TomasBarfod.jpg">sex</a>. But he and the rest of the band are more than just (really tasty) eye candy. One of my friends described their performances as parties and he was totally right. The group actually have fun with their fans and their infectious energy simply cannot be beat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had the immense pleasure of seeing this performance live at Roskilde and there aren't enough words in my vast vocabulary to describe how wonderful they are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So there you have it, several delicious reasons to venture to the wilderness that is Christiania, even if you don't smoke or drink. And these are just a few treats of many. The community also contains several restaurants, including two affordable vegetarian places and one rather upscale establishment. There's also a free sauna (edit: since this was written, the sauna has been closed to non-residents), movie theater, and I believe a planetarium (but don't quote me on the last one). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The hippies founded Christiania with the belief that it should be open to everyone. And forty-one years later, their dream is still going strong. To those on a limited budget, this place was made for you.</span></div>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-53989283596462394202013-05-16T14:21:00.000-07:002013-12-15T09:31:08.695-08:00Moving Sucks<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I said this blog was going to be about the lessons learned while living on a limited budget in an expensive country. So please allow me this rant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am a nomad. I have lived in about 10 different places, in two different countries, over the last 6 years. And while the thrill of adventure can be a wonderful thing, the constant upheaval and lack of long-term stability is starting to take it's toll.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The actual moving of stuff isn't the worst part (though it is close). No, what sucks major donkey balls is the finding the place to move your crap to. And doing so when you are financially challenged is the turd cream on a poop pie. When money is not an object, you can pay <strike>bloodsuckers</strike> realtors to do the hard work for you. For upwards of 15 percent of the annual rent, someone else will go through the trouble of finding your perfect dream home/ apartment. But if you're like me and every dollar/ euro/ kroner counts, such luxury is not an option.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Apartment searching is difficult largely because people are assholes and the entire process makes me want to crawl into a ball and cry. My latest foray into apartment listings has caused my midday drinking to increase exponentially. The <a href="http://theworstroom.tumblr.com/">worst room tumblr</a> is only funny when you're not the one showing up to each viewing with the expectation of finding something that is actually habitable. People who list closets as cozy rooms should be gut-punched by every person that answers the ad. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I also have an intense hatred for people who use apartment listings as personal ads. No, I will not use my vagina in lieu of cash to pay for shelter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And if you think intra-city moves are stressful, good lord, try international moves. You have all of the same stress, but now you have the added worry of scammers since you're not in the actual country you're moving to. Here, a trustworthy friend is a godsend (Thanks Tandi). Currently, I'm trying to move from Denmark to Germany so that I can work there legally as an American citizen. Another monkey wrench for me is my work permit is dependent on me obtaining housing. So I can't work to afford a better place until I shell out the money for a crappy one. Did I mention that I will not even live in this apartment for the first three months since I will be traveling for my job?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just writing this is making me frustrated, where's my beer? </span></div>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-597266340301895271.post-64674533725860778722013-04-29T00:43:00.001-07:002013-04-29T00:48:05.403-07:00Adventures in selling: The loppemarked at Cafe Retro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In an effort to raise some cash and clear my closets of lovely, yet rarely worn items, I decided to sell some clothes at the flea market at Cafe Retro. Unlike the popular ones that largely take place outside, this one was indoors, required only a small fee of 70kr, and sellers can use the tables, chairs, and random nails of the cafe to display their items instead of having to bring their own wardrobe racks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I figured the low investment would yield maximum profits and estimated how much I could make if I sold most of my items. I packed my large red suitcase full of the clothes and shoes that I loved for years and made my way to city center, hopeful that each garment would find an owner that loved them as much as I did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So imagine my disappointment when I arrived and the first words I hear while I'm setting up were, "if it's a nice day, we're not going to get anyone in here. And today is supposed to be really nice." Fuck!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">True to the speaker's words, a grand total of 20 people came, and three of them were my friends who came to show support. There would have been one more, but she went to the wrong location and brought a supportive latte to the Cafe Retro in N</span><em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ørrebro (hi Sarah).</span></em></div>
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<em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To make matters worse, it was freaking hot. So hot that I actually fell asleep in my overstuffed chair. Also, my boyfriend pointed out that it was the end of the month, meaning that few people had cash that they would want to part with. </span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">The absolute worst part of the whole experience is the feeling of rejection when people don't want to buy the things that you think are great. I once told a worker at a dry cleaner that I loved my clothes the way people loved their children. And meant it. So I was saddened when the few people that did make their way to my section just looked and walked away without even trying something on. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZMYieNWXDRRt_4YzFdlTGWYiDTrTk5VARrUajI7suJzZdeD59AOeTpG5_YQvXmKYbxdeAooksYZPXRsPiu8COE2dmK98gr1YdcJ3zSU0_Fm2WxgpbSxgiypjYjncSAmOkpTmUZSVLRhM/s1600/DSCF2796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZMYieNWXDRRt_4YzFdlTGWYiDTrTk5VARrUajI7suJzZdeD59AOeTpG5_YQvXmKYbxdeAooksYZPXRsPiu8COE2dmK98gr1YdcJ3zSU0_Fm2WxgpbSxgiypjYjncSAmOkpTmUZSVLRhM/s640/DSCF2796.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">I'm a chubby gal with a bountiful bosom and when another seller said that my DKNY coat was beautiful but that she would be swimming in it, I felt like Fatty McFatterson trying to sell a bunch of Walmart styled <a href="http://www.urbanmoms.ca/the_forty_week_wait/homer_mumu1.jpg">muumuus</a>. My spirits were lifted when a woman whose cups also runneth over picked up a semi sheer black dress with white embroidery </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">(shown in the first picture)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">. But then hers were crushed when it became apparent that she had too much for the fabric to contain. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the end, I sold one dress for 40kr. And bought a Kelly styled handbag for 25. Add to that, the 70kr fee and I made a net loss of 55kr, more if you include transportation costs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">But all hope is not lost. I also signed up for the flea market at Studenterhuset which is much more popular. It's prime location near Stroget means that it sees much more foot traffic than Cafe Retro which is located on a side street close to Parliament. So wish me luck with this one. I'll be bringing a few more random items, including Roskilde supplies and some electronics. If anyone is interested in checking it out, details are available on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/136389959879720/">Facebook</a>. </span></span></div>
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Hallies Comethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11477642735231211964noreply@blogger.com2