Q3: What Do You Do All Day?

The Hague, The Netherlands

One of the most common questions I got when I visited The States over the Christmas Holiday (now three months gone) and continue to get is "What do you do all day?" Even Maggie, who observes me the most, asks from time to time (Danger!). The funny thing is, and most people who are in my position say the same thing to me, the more time you have the easier it is to fill. I have had three things I have been focusing on:

1. Developing Business Ideas - A big reason for me to take a year off from work
2. Learning a Second Language - One of the few disadvantages of my generation of being born in the United States is not having exposure to a lot of different languages growing up
3. Health - With the stress of work and comforts of a joyful relationship, my weight increased and blood pressure was borderline

Scoring myself against those goals, I think I have had mixed success. In the business department, I have not made my first $1000 yet, but we did launch an alpha version of our first mobile app two weeks ago (SpotPad). WRT de-monoglot-onizing, I feel better about my Dutch everyday and I am almost, almost finished with Rosetta Stone. Finally to my health, I have not measured my blood pressure recently but I have lost 20 pounds and have become a healthier cook at the same time. 

All in all, it has been a great, almost, six months in the Hague!

Verblijfsdocument Succes! (Residence Permit Success)

The Hague, The Netherlands

The slim envelope arrived Saturday telling me my Dutch residence permit was available for pickup! Abnormal these days, today I left the house before Maggie, and pedaled my bike up to the government building we have visited on a few nervous occassions in our quest to get me a residence permit.

The renovations they were making to the original lobby were completed. The IND removed their institutional, fiberglass "1 person per seat please" chairs and added a number of ultra-modern lime green sofas. I settled in for a long wait as the room was packed. I reviewed my Dutch vocabulary and after no more than five flashcards they called my number. I got my residence permit card! (It has the absolute worst picture ever taken)

The sky was crystalline blue and I pedaled away from the IND as if I was sixteen years old with my drivers license in hand, headed to my super sweet sixteen party filmed by MTV. (Of course, we had a "Super Residence Permit to party" party with our friends and neighbors yesterday to celebrate and I did not arrive by litter but I was grateful to our friends for celebrating with us). I rode my bike the long way home acting like I owned the country, and immediately transfered all of my belongings to a new wallet, no longer being required to carry my passport and visa around everywhere.

It is such a small thing but it removes a huge amount of uncertainty for Maggie and me. It also means we can make plans for next month without having to worry about me being forced to leave the country suddenly or applying for transit visas. I am looking forward to Spring in the Netherlands!