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Post by crimsonandclover on Jan 22, 2021 1:32:24 GMT -6
Creeping: we have tentatively set out sights on Germany for 2024 I've been here for 17 years now (so crazy how quickly time can fly by) and I still love it here. It's not perfect but it's a great place to live and raise children. If you ever have any questions let me know. adelbert and I are essentially twins but live on opposite ends of the country. I have also been here for 17 years and also had my 3 kids here. And am also available for questions
As for jaygee, I saw someone mention visas in one post, but I really want to emphasize that. Before you get too far into your planning, look into visas, and not just "a friend of a friend does it this way." Check out the embassy's website. Find a lawyer or some sort of official agency who can give you good advice on what you need to pay attention to. For many countries, you're not legally allowed to work on a tourist visa, so living there for 90 days then leaving the country for 48 hours and coming back (which sounds like a tourist visa) could mean your DH would be working there illegally even if he's working for a US firm. It would be illegal in Germany, anyway, but I have no clue about the laws in CR. Find someone who does.
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Minerva
Ruby
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Post by Minerva on Jan 22, 2021 8:28:06 GMT -6
I've been here for 17 years now (so crazy how quickly time can fly by) and I still love it here. It's not perfect but it's a great place to live and raise children. If you ever have any questions let me know. adelbert and I are essentially twins but live on opposite ends of the country. I have also been here for 17 years and also had my 3 kids here. And am also available for questions
As for jaygee, I saw someone mention visas in one post, but I really want to emphasize that. Before you get too far into your planning, look into visas, and not just "a friend of a friend does it this way." Check out the embassy's website. Find a lawyer or some sort of official agency who can give you good advice on what you need to pay attention to. For many countries, you're not legally allowed to work on a tourist visa, so living there for 90 days then leaving the country for 48 hours and coming back (which sounds like a tourist visa) could mean your DH would be working there illegally even if he's working for a US firm. It would be illegal in Germany, anyway, but I have no clue about the laws in CR. Find someone who does. Yup. Definitely look into the visa situation. In some places, it can take a long time to get longer visas. And be prepared to roll with the punches since you are planning to be a temporary immigrant. The shorter visas often give you fewer protections and privileges. As someone who was temporarily deported from a country after a sudden change in political leadership (I was able to re-enter a week later 🙄), I’d plan to have a stash of money put aside for immigration emergencies.
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Post by Notarobot on Jan 22, 2021 10:09:50 GMT -6
I have a long term plan to retire early and move to Portugal. I'm starting with learning the language and planning a bunch of trips (when travel is a thing again) to figure out what part of the country I like best. I plan to make good use of blurnette989 as well as some family friends who live there to help me figure it all out. But Duolingo every day is a lot of fun and actually helping me feel like I am taking one tiny step toward my dream. Bom dia! I went to Tamarindo a couple of years ago and since then have been dreaming of going back. It was also on my list of places to move to but I want the city life and I didn't love San Jose like I did Lisbon. I also want to be able to travel around Europe more once I'm there. But Tamarindo was so special.
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Post by bustedbiscuits on Jan 24, 2021 4:31:27 GMT -6
jaygeeI live overseas in South Korea so I'll add my experience moving for the first time that may help you. What is it that people often overlook or under plan? Food shopping, and cultural differences. Grocery shopping may be complety different such as more farmer's markets, less big box type stores, imported products will be more expensive or items you loved won't be available at all. Be prepared to change the way you cook, how you cook, or how you shop. For example, there are no sugar free products here and it's expensive to ship from Amazon (even the bottled coffee syrups). If you have Amazon prime, do they ship to your country and have the products you like? On a cultural side, I've seen a lot of Americans where I'm at complain about the looks they get, and issues they have such as no personal space, people bumping into you and not saying sorry, etc. I'd suggest doing some YouTube research to learn about the culture. How do they dress? Are they more modest? Is talking on your cell phone on a train considered rude? What are the norms of personal space? Etc. How can we prepare ourselves for this change? I'd suggest networking with someone who has lived there, look into Reddit to see if they have a community for the country you are going, and check out YouTube for some videos. There's a lot videos of what it's like to live somewhere, what is considered rude in a country, people walking through a grocery store, or going over the average price and size of homes/apartments and amenities. What are the cons that we haven’t thought of? The only cons I can think of is looking heavily into laws. Know your rights, know who to call, and have those numbers handy. What do you wish you would have known before moving? -Insurance/cameras/driving: I was not prepared for how aggressive I needed to drive, the lack of following street signs, and that insurance works completely different here. You need a camera in your car in case there is no CCTV in your area to prove your innocence. -The need for a SSN number to access apps and services. A temporary number called ARC # unlocks access to so many apps and services (it's their equivalent of a SSN). So, we're limited on delivery apps since we don't have one (groceries, take-out, etc.). -Shipping: I love Amazon and we are lucky to get it here but it takes forever so I order my special vitamins and supplements in bulk since it takes about 3 weeks pre-COVID for delivery. -Prices of certain goods: electronics are very expensive. Check the average price of certain products you may want to buy. -Transformers/voltage: I killed a paper shredder, and a blender getting the wrong transformer and adaptors. It might be better to place your nice stuff in storage and buy some cheaper alternatives while there. This is all I can think of at the moment. We're here for my husband's work so it's a completely different situation but moving to a different country, even for your spouse's job, is an adjustment. Facebook groups were really good at helping my research too.
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Post by blurnette989 on Jan 24, 2021 5:39:18 GMT -6
That also reminds me, even if you decided to stay for longer don't take all your stuff. Store it, sell it, downsize now. So many people bring all their things and it's banana pants.
My dad insisted he had researched gotten the right adaptor and converter and could bring his kitchenaid. It died within a week.
Understand that in your new culture and climate everything can be different. In Portugal central air is not a thing. It's not really needed, but without central air you have nothing controlling humidity indoors. So if you don't know to open your windows every day for a period of time (even in winter) you will get condensation and ultimately mold on you walls.
Those are the kinds of things people do not prep for i think. For me none of these things were a surprise because I spent consistent time here over decades (like more time than Hilaria Baldweeeeen did in Spain). But a lot of it was a surprise for MH.
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Minerva
Ruby
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Post by Minerva on Jan 24, 2021 9:37:23 GMT -6
That also reminds me, even if you decided to stay for longer don't take all your stuff. Store it, sell it, downsize now. So many people bring all their things and it's banana pants. My dad insisted he had researched gotten the right adaptor and converter and could bring his kitchenaid. It died within a week. Understand that in your new culture and climate everything can be different. In Portugal central air is not a thing. It's not really needed, but without central air you have nothing controlling humidity indoors. So if you don't know to open your windows every day for a period of time (even in winter) you will get condensation and ultimately mold on you walls. Those are the kinds of things people do not prep for i think. For me none of these things were a surprise because I spent consistent time here over decades (like more time than Hilaria Baldweeeeen did in Spain). But a lot of it was a surprise for MH. Oh yes on the climate thing. When I first moved to Panama City, I didn’t realize that there was a purpose to the dehumidifier switch in my closet. I let a duffel sit in the back of the closet for a month without being moved - when I pulled it out to pack for a weekend trip, it was covered with mold. 😭 In Moorea, I learned not to let anything sit for very long because dehumidifiers weren’t an option in my open air house and mold would set in within a few weeks. Everything made of fabric was hung up so air could flow around it. I stored expensive electronics in containers with desiccant or in my air-conditioned and dehumidified office at the research lab. You will need to be aware of mold issues in CR too. Tropical ocean air is HARD on belongings in general. Everything wears down substantially faster and it becomes extremely important to take care of electronic/mechanical belongings.
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jaygee
Diamond
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Post by jaygee on Jan 24, 2021 9:55:00 GMT -6
bustedbiscuits thank you! Those are some awesome things to think through. I really like the idea of trying to make some internet connections that can help answer questions so we are prepared for the culture. The grocery store shopping is so true. I spent a couple of months in Italy in college and I’ll never forget the first time my roommates and I went shopping. We filled up our cart so high and then we got to the end and the little conveyor belt looked like a toy to us Americans. Everyone in the store was staring at us. We learned quickly that the culture was to shop every day or couple days and not load up like we were used to. 🤦🏻♀️
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jaygee
Diamond
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Post by jaygee on Jan 24, 2021 10:08:39 GMT -6
That also reminds me, even if you decided to stay for longer don't take all your stuff. Store it, sell it, downsize now. So many people bring all their things and it's banana pants. My dad insisted he had researched gotten the right adaptor and converter and could bring his kitchenaid. It died within a week. Understand that in your new culture and climate everything can be different. In Portugal central air is not a thing. It's not really needed, but without central air you have nothing controlling humidity indoors. So if you don't know to open your windows every day for a period of time (even in winter) you will get condensation and ultimately mold on you walls. Those are the kinds of things people do not prep for i think. For me none of these things were a surprise because I spent consistent time here over decades (like more time than Hilaria Baldweeeeen did in Spain). But a lot of it was a surprise for MH. Initial planning we are thinking to rent our place here furnished. We have a basement we can store personal items and will get storage if we need. On the other end I would like to rent a furnished place but we have to find out if that is common. I would really like to bring as little as possible. I’ve moved across country and back and my motto is go light. So I’ll be pushing for that. Probably a little harder with a kid because he might be more committed to his stuff than I am. Lol. That is super interesting about the climate adjustments. My guess from our previous moves is that this will be our biggest adjustment. It will be a weather transition on steroids for us. Especially as we’ve gotten so used to a dry climate (it shouldn’t be so dry here, but it has been the last few years). Thanks for mentioning that.
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Post by bustedbiscuits on Jan 24, 2021 18:06:53 GMT -6
bustedbiscuits thank you! Those are some awesome things to think through. I really like the idea of trying to make some internet connections that can help answer questions so we are prepared for the culture. The grocery store shopping is so true. I spent a couple of months in Italy in college and I’ll never forget the first time my roommates and I went shopping. We filled up our cart so high and then we got to the end and the little conveyor belt looked like a toy to us Americans. Everyone in the store was staring at us. We learned quickly that the culture was to shop every day or couple days and not load up like we were used to. 🤦🏻♀️ Glad to help! Speaking of shopping, that reminds me that checking out their laws for that and trash/recycling too. Here, plastic bags are banned so you box your groceries and then recycle the box, use a reusable bag, or buy a "bag" which is actually a trash bag. The recycling laws are very strict. I did the same with my cart when I moved here to stock up my pantry. My cart was pretty full and we had to haul it all home in a giant backpack and duffle in a taxi (pre-car buying).
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adelbert
Amethyst
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Post by adelbert on Jan 24, 2021 20:38:35 GMT -6
Swapping houses can also be a good way to travel light, like you're considering. H and I have never done it but we've read some interesting articles about families using it to do exactly the type of travel you're interested in. There are quite a few different home swapping websites and i know some of them are more regulated then others but I would definitely take a look.
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jaygee
Diamond
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Post by jaygee on Jan 24, 2021 21:37:16 GMT -6
Swapping houses can also be a good way to travel light, like you're considering. H and I have never done it but we've read some interesting articles about families using it to do exactly the type of travel you're interested in. There are quite a few different home swapping websites and i know some of them are more regulated then others but I would definitely take a look. That’s an interesting idea. I remember when we were in CR before we heard that it’s really hard for a CR citizen to get to the US so I don’t know if we could do a direct swap. But I’m going to explore that. In our area it is really common for people to move out of their homes for a long time 1 year or more while they renovate their current houses. We know tons of families who have done that. They want a neighborhood house so they can keep their kids in school and keep a close eye on construction so we are hoping to luck into that or something similar. We know a family that is able to rent their house out every summer while they travel (must be nice).
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Minerva
Ruby
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Post by Minerva on Jan 25, 2021 10:52:56 GMT -6
Swapping houses can also be a good way to travel light, like you're considering. H and I have never done it but we've read some interesting articles about families using it to do exactly the type of travel you're interested in. There are quite a few different home swapping websites and i know some of them are more regulated then others but I would definitely take a look. That’s an interesting idea. I remember when we were in CR before we heard that it’s really hard for a CR citizen to get to the US so I don’t know if we could do a direct swap. But I’m going to explore that. In our area it is really common for people to move out of their homes for a long time 1 year or more while they renovate their current houses. We know tons of families who have done that. They want a neighborhood house so they can keep their kids in school and keep a close eye on construction so we are hoping to luck into that or something similar. We know a family that is able to rent their house out every summer while they travel (must be nice). Check out SabbaticalHomes.com and other academic home swap sites. You can general rent your house on the sites, in addition to straightforward swaps, and you may find something promising in CR. You are truly in a prime area for academics on sabbatical who are looking for family friendly homes.
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Peekaru
Sapphire
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Post by Peekaru on Jan 25, 2021 11:56:33 GMT -6
I've been here for 17 years now (so crazy how quickly time can fly by) and I still love it here. It's not perfect but it's a great place to live and raise children. If you ever have any questions let me know. adelbert and I are essentially twins but live on opposite ends of the country. I have also been here for 17 years and also had my 3 kids here. And am also available for questions
As for jaygee , I saw someone mention visas in one post, but I really want to emphasize that. Before you get too far into your planning, look into visas, and not just "a friend of a friend does it this way." Check out the embassy's website. Find a lawyer or some sort of official agency who can give you good advice on what you need to pay attention to. For many countries, you're not legally allowed to work on a tourist visa, so living there for 90 days then leaving the country for 48 hours and coming back (which sounds like a tourist visa) could mean your DH would be working there illegally even if he's working for a US firm. It would be illegal in Germany, anyway, but I have no clue about the laws in CR. Find someone who does. adelbert, could you tell me a bit about schooling? We have family friends in Bavaria, and I did my study abroad in Berlin. I'm most concerned about the visa requirements.
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adelbert
Amethyst
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Post by adelbert on Jan 25, 2021 14:31:09 GMT -6
adelbert and I are essentially twins but live on opposite ends of the country. I have also been here for 17 years and also had my 3 kids here. And am also available for questions
As for jaygee , I saw someone mention visas in one post, but I really want to emphasize that. Before you get too far into your planning, look into visas, and not just "a friend of a friend does it this way." Check out the embassy's website. Find a lawyer or some sort of official agency who can give you good advice on what you need to pay attention to. For many countries, you're not legally allowed to work on a tourist visa, so living there for 90 days then leaving the country for 48 hours and coming back (which sounds like a tourist visa) could mean your DH would be working there illegally even if he's working for a US firm. It would be illegal in Germany, anyway, but I have no clue about the laws in CR. Find someone who does. adelbert, could you tell me a bit about schooling? We have family friends in Bavaria, and I did my study abroad in Berlin. I'm most concerned about the visa requirements. What grades? I think grades 5+ will be more of a struggle because the children are separated into different types of schools then, although it also totally depends what State you end up in. Berlin does primary school through 6th grade. There are schools and classes for kids to learn English and to help them switch to a traditional school after a semester or year- but this process also depends on where you end up. We're happy with schools here BUT, digitally Germany is really incredibly behind. Tons of schools don't even have Wi-Fi and before the covid pandemic there was a sort of pride about rejecting technology although this seems to thankfully have passed a bit. But there tend to be enough options if you end up in a bigger city that you'll find a school you like. If you're in a small town you won't have much choice if any and it will probably be traditional and feel like it hasn't changed since 1950 (maybe it hasn't!)
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richard
Emerald
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Post by richard on Jan 26, 2021 16:09:56 GMT -6
I've been here for 17 years now (so crazy how quickly time can fly by) and I still love it here. It's not perfect but it's a great place to live and raise children. If you ever have any questions let me know. adelbert and I are essentially twins but live on opposite ends of the country. I have also been here for 17 years and also had my 3 kids here. And am also available for questions
As for jaygee , I saw someone mention visas in one post, but I really want to emphasize that. Before you get too far into your planning, look into visas, and not just "a friend of a friend does it this way." Check out the embassy's website. Find a lawyer or some sort of official agency who can give you good advice on what you need to pay attention to. For many countries, you're not legally allowed to work on a tourist visa, so living there for 90 days then leaving the country for 48 hours and coming back (which sounds like a tourist visa) could mean your DH would be working there illegally even if he's working for a US firm. It would be illegal in Germany, anyway, but I have no clue about the laws in CR. Find someone who does. As a former consulate worker, I would also say you can call them with questions and it's easier to get ahold of someone compared to the Embassy. And know that some embassies require you to travel to an embassy or consulate general for visa appointments. Based on where you are, that may not be a problem but it was not happy news to people in MN who had to go to DC. :/
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Post by crimsonandclover on Jan 27, 2021 8:01:11 GMT -6
adelbert and I are essentially twins but live on opposite ends of the country. I have also been here for 17 years and also had my 3 kids here. And am also available for questions
As for jaygee , I saw someone mention visas in one post, but I really want to emphasize that. Before you get too far into your planning, look into visas, and not just "a friend of a friend does it this way." Check out the embassy's website. Find a lawyer or some sort of official agency who can give you good advice on what you need to pay attention to. For many countries, you're not legally allowed to work on a tourist visa, so living there for 90 days then leaving the country for 48 hours and coming back (which sounds like a tourist visa) could mean your DH would be working there illegally even if he's working for a US firm. It would be illegal in Germany, anyway, but I have no clue about the laws in CR. Find someone who does. adelbert , could you tell me a bit about schooling? We have family friends in Bavaria, and I did my study abroad in Berlin. I'm most concerned about the visa requirements.
If you want to stay for longer than 90 days, one of you is going to need a job, and one that pays fairly well because German work visas don't allow the trailing spouse to work.
How old are your kids? Like adelbert said, a lot depends on their age. Here all kids are together up to 4th grade, then starting in 5th they're separated out into one of three tracks (university prep, the middle level that aims at more technical or low-level white collar positions (bank employees, for example), and then the lower level that prepares them for vocational trades).
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