Updates!
1. I am still alive.
2. Yes, really.
3. I'm sorry for neglecting the haus maus blog. But you can find me Monday-Friday over at decor8 if you miss me too much. :)
4. I'm working 16-18 hour days now that I've added my book project. It's exhausting but in a very fun way.
5. I will be in London next week for 7 days.
6. I will be in Denmark and Sweden and Paris and Amsterdam and Belgium and London beginning at the end of May lasting until the end of June.
7. I will be in New York City and Los Angeles in July for work and play. Work = the book. Play = July 4th in NYC (fun!) and our wedding anniversary in L.A. (more fun!).
8. We are still looking for a property in which to live. We have been waiting on one to be gut renovated since last September. It will be halfway ready in a few weeks so we can see it. I'm hoping we can just sign the contract, hand them our money, and be done with this search. The place should be completely move-in ready on either August 1 or September 1. Perfect timing.
9. I will be writing my book between now and end of August when everything is due. I'll also be sorting through hundreds of photos to decide what goes in and what doesn't - of course with the publisher at the wheel.
10. I'll be styling a lot of homes and meeting a lot of great people between next week and the end of July. I'm excited about that. But I'm also a tad overwhelmed by all of the travel and deadlines!
11. I'll still be writing on decor8 full-time and writing for Real Simple throughout the process.
12. I'm hoping, as I travel, I can document as much as possible for decor8 of my trips that are not part of the book. For instance, the shops that I have time to hit. I plan to take photos and notes so that when I return, I can share everything on decor8. This would be a nice part of my life to journal and to share.
13. The book will be published in the spring of 2011.
14. I will be teaching a week long workshop at a resort in Marrakech on blogging and decorating, which will include henna hand painting parties, dining in a tent for some decorating talk, shopping the souks and some secret sources, and more. I can't wait. This will be in October and the group size is limited to 10 people.
15. I'm still planning the handmade market in Hannover, though we have no facility to use yet for it so our plans keep getting delayed. It's frustrating but I love the team of ladies whom I'm working with and plan to make it happen next spring.
16. I bought inline skates but I'm terrified to use them because I fear falling and breaking or twisting something that will interrupt my upcoming travels. But I am dying to try the Hannover Skate By Night - I want to go so badly! Inline skating with 1,000 strangers by night, count me in!
17. I have to take the driving test and road test in order to get my license here. I tried to somehow bypass it but they won't let me despite that I went to driving school in Massachusetts and drove there my entire life until the last few year's when I lived in New Hampshire. Boo Hannover! And since NH doesn't have an agreement with the state here, then I have to start at the beginning. If I had a MA license, I could hand it in and receive a German license one-to-one, same day. I went to a driving school nearby last week and paid 50, Euros for a USB stick that has all of the driving lessons and such on it in English so I have to start working on this soon. I officially cannot drive or lease a car which will be a problem as I need to lease a car in Denmark to drive to locations with the photographer for our shoots. Not happy about this!
18. I still have not enrolled in, nor taken, any German language courses. I am sad about this but I'm still learning in my everyday interactions so this is good. The "problem" is that I simply have no time to attend them and the ones that immigration told me to attend are about 20 hours a week with another 5-10 hours and I'm sorry but I am running a business and I must work full-time. As it is, I work from 8am until 1 or 2 am (yes, that's after midnight) - I don't know how I can manage to learn German until after August which is when I have another immigration meetings. Ut oh. Hopefully they'll be sympathetic and give me a waiver on these required courses.
19. I will be teaching another Blogging Your Way e-class in November for 5 weeks with Leslie Shewring.
20. December of this year and January/February of next year I'll be working on the handmade market still, hoping to have it in April or May. When I have a date I hope that if you can, you'll join us!
21. The book will come out next Spring 2011 as well, so I'll be going on a road trip to sign books and meet some of my friends and readers. I hope people enjoy it and find what I have to say even remotely interesting, lol! This will mean more traveling but I'm fine with it as after October of this year, I won't be traveling again until next Spring.
22. I hope, hope, hope to have a new place to live soon! I really hope this particular place that we have our eye on works out - it's right around the corner from where I live now so we'll still be close to the people we love without having to hop on trains to see them. I also want a new place because I am dying to decorate and move stuff around -- and have some fun in my home -- I want to throw some parties and enjoy the space. We are so crowded here currently, I feel as though the walls are closing in on us. I hope my prayers will be answered because I try so hard to live a good life and to be kind to others and sometimes I just want something in return -- to be selfish for once -- and to have the home that I desire. That's really my only wish.
23. Next year we will have a baby! I hope to get pregnant this winter, I'm excited but I figure it's time because I want my child to enjoy me while I'm still active -- if I wait much longer I may be using a walker! LOL.
So there are some updates if you've been following this blog and wonder where I've been, that's the scoop! :)
Much love to you dear friends,
Holly
2. Yes, really.
3. I'm sorry for neglecting the haus maus blog. But you can find me Monday-Friday over at decor8 if you miss me too much. :)
4. I'm working 16-18 hour days now that I've added my book project. It's exhausting but in a very fun way.
5. I will be in London next week for 7 days.
6. I will be in Denmark and Sweden and Paris and Amsterdam and Belgium and London beginning at the end of May lasting until the end of June.
7. I will be in New York City and Los Angeles in July for work and play. Work = the book. Play = July 4th in NYC (fun!) and our wedding anniversary in L.A. (more fun!).
8. We are still looking for a property in which to live. We have been waiting on one to be gut renovated since last September. It will be halfway ready in a few weeks so we can see it. I'm hoping we can just sign the contract, hand them our money, and be done with this search. The place should be completely move-in ready on either August 1 or September 1. Perfect timing.
9. I will be writing my book between now and end of August when everything is due. I'll also be sorting through hundreds of photos to decide what goes in and what doesn't - of course with the publisher at the wheel.
10. I'll be styling a lot of homes and meeting a lot of great people between next week and the end of July. I'm excited about that. But I'm also a tad overwhelmed by all of the travel and deadlines!
11. I'll still be writing on decor8 full-time and writing for Real Simple throughout the process.
12. I'm hoping, as I travel, I can document as much as possible for decor8 of my trips that are not part of the book. For instance, the shops that I have time to hit. I plan to take photos and notes so that when I return, I can share everything on decor8. This would be a nice part of my life to journal and to share.
13. The book will be published in the spring of 2011.
14. I will be teaching a week long workshop at a resort in Marrakech on blogging and decorating, which will include henna hand painting parties, dining in a tent for some decorating talk, shopping the souks and some secret sources, and more. I can't wait. This will be in October and the group size is limited to 10 people.
15. I'm still planning the handmade market in Hannover, though we have no facility to use yet for it so our plans keep getting delayed. It's frustrating but I love the team of ladies whom I'm working with and plan to make it happen next spring.
16. I bought inline skates but I'm terrified to use them because I fear falling and breaking or twisting something that will interrupt my upcoming travels. But I am dying to try the Hannover Skate By Night - I want to go so badly! Inline skating with 1,000 strangers by night, count me in!
17. I have to take the driving test and road test in order to get my license here. I tried to somehow bypass it but they won't let me despite that I went to driving school in Massachusetts and drove there my entire life until the last few year's when I lived in New Hampshire. Boo Hannover! And since NH doesn't have an agreement with the state here, then I have to start at the beginning. If I had a MA license, I could hand it in and receive a German license one-to-one, same day. I went to a driving school nearby last week and paid 50, Euros for a USB stick that has all of the driving lessons and such on it in English so I have to start working on this soon. I officially cannot drive or lease a car which will be a problem as I need to lease a car in Denmark to drive to locations with the photographer for our shoots. Not happy about this!
18. I still have not enrolled in, nor taken, any German language courses. I am sad about this but I'm still learning in my everyday interactions so this is good. The "problem" is that I simply have no time to attend them and the ones that immigration told me to attend are about 20 hours a week with another 5-10 hours and I'm sorry but I am running a business and I must work full-time. As it is, I work from 8am until 1 or 2 am (yes, that's after midnight) - I don't know how I can manage to learn German until after August which is when I have another immigration meetings. Ut oh. Hopefully they'll be sympathetic and give me a waiver on these required courses.
19. I will be teaching another Blogging Your Way e-class in November for 5 weeks with Leslie Shewring.
20. December of this year and January/February of next year I'll be working on the handmade market still, hoping to have it in April or May. When I have a date I hope that if you can, you'll join us!
21. The book will come out next Spring 2011 as well, so I'll be going on a road trip to sign books and meet some of my friends and readers. I hope people enjoy it and find what I have to say even remotely interesting, lol! This will mean more traveling but I'm fine with it as after October of this year, I won't be traveling again until next Spring.
22. I hope, hope, hope to have a new place to live soon! I really hope this particular place that we have our eye on works out - it's right around the corner from where I live now so we'll still be close to the people we love without having to hop on trains to see them. I also want a new place because I am dying to decorate and move stuff around -- and have some fun in my home -- I want to throw some parties and enjoy the space. We are so crowded here currently, I feel as though the walls are closing in on us. I hope my prayers will be answered because I try so hard to live a good life and to be kind to others and sometimes I just want something in return -- to be selfish for once -- and to have the home that I desire. That's really my only wish.
23. Next year we will have a baby! I hope to get pregnant this winter, I'm excited but I figure it's time because I want my child to enjoy me while I'm still active -- if I wait much longer I may be using a walker! LOL.
So there are some updates if you've been following this blog and wonder where I've been, that's the scoop! :)
Much love to you dear friends,
Holly
Comments
(Well ~ one must be positive, musn't one! :).
Thanks Holly for the update! It all sounds wonderful. Ridiculously busy, but wonderful. Will Denmark allow you to drive on your US license? I thought tourists could drive anywhere if they had a license from their home country (but then I haven't travelled in a very long time. :)
x
#1. Yay, we missed you!
#23. Yay, a cute little Holly!
Regarding the driver's license and renting a car in DK: It should work. I know that if you leave Germany and then come back (even for a short trip) and have that return stamp in your passport (make sure they stamp it when you get back to Germany!), then you can use your US license (no matter where you got it) to drive in Germany for another 3 or 6 months. I can't remember if it's 3 or 6, but it's long enough to get you to the fall.
Either way, if you're renting a car in DK it should be fine b/c it's a different country. But just in case they have some agreement w/Germany, and they see your country of residence via the temp. visa in your passport, make sure you have your most recent re-entry to Germany stamped in there!
Also - rent the DK car online via a US site (like Expedia or something) and you should then 'have' to use your US license to support the rental agreement. We play this game w/our US and German licenses depending on which country's travel sites have the current better rate, lol. It's a game!
Just get your passport stamped when you get back from the US. This should buy you a bit of time w/the driving issue! (and carry it with you when you drive)
All the Best,
Lissette
everthing and especially 23.
sorry about the driver's license problems, but I believe it will be fun. just pick a teacher you like to talk to while you are driving ;-)
I might take one of your workshops and work on my own.. I would love to have a little business..
Well, what I have to tell you is: german drivers license sucks.. I had mine from Brazil and also had to do all over again. It is annoying.. and expensive
About the immigration language course, well, i don't want to be pessimist but you might have to work this out, because here in Munich they didn't make an exception for me...Although I can speak german fluently (married with german, work with germans and deal with german clients, in german!) I still had to take a test and also do this "Integrationkurs", which is annoying...maybe if you ask your husband to send them a letter to postpone it.. although I don't think they can just "kick" you out of the country.. but I would check anyway..
So, good luck on your stuff! And we will be waiting on updates! :)
No, they can't kick you out if you're married to a German, but if you haven't fulfilled the language requirement they'll usually only extend your temporary residence permit for 6 months at a time and they'll constantly be on your case. And definitely no permanent residence permit without being fluent. It's worth making language-learning an absolute priority.
Your work sounds exhausting, but wonderful.
As far as learning German, I suggest just signing up for the A1 proficiency exam. (It takes a few weeks for them to set up examiners, so do it soon.) It's ridiculously easy and I don't think it tested anything I didn't know a week after getting here. However, it gave me a certificate to show to Immigration to show that I have some proficiency. And it takes only an hour or so, as opposed to classes. (Which of course you should take as soon as life is less crazy.)
Good luck!
Lissette, above, mentioned the IDP (International Driver's Permit), which might not be a bad idea to get when you're in the US in July. You can use that in conjunction with your American licence in order to drive in Germany. I just checked and from what I can see, Germany honours the IDP until you become a permanent resident of Germany, upon which you need a German licence (which is the rule for most countries anyway). I know this doesn't help with driving in Denmark since you can only get the IDP from the country your original licence was issued, but it still would be a good thing to get until you pass your German test, in case you need to drive before then.
There's some information on IDP mid-way down, here: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1179.html
Have lots of fun and enjoy! And I'll keep my fingers crossed for the one and only appartment!!!
Love,
FrauSchmitt
And I thought *I* was overwhelmed! I'm literally laughing out loud at myself now. I am such a baby. Everything I need/want to do this year seems completely manageable in comparison.
And I'm sending lots and lots of good thoughts your way in hopes of you scoring the house you deserve! :)
Sending you good vibes for the new place & also for your book travels. Sounds like SO much fun!
Katherine
Since you'll be in NYC for the 4th you should know that She & Him is doing a free show on the beach at Governor's Island. You have to squeeze in just a little bit of fun.
Congrats on all your projects (business and family).
PS I am looking forward to the book.
You really have so so many plans, I love planning ahead but as I read your list I thought ok where is the whole work life balance and then there you had it right at the end :) A wee baby, how wonderful :) I'm so excited for you, you go girl and conquer Europe, you might visit Ireland some time too :)
All things nice...
You´ll do GREAT on the book I CANT WAIT to see it published!!!
Also I do hope you get a new apartment soon! I send you all the luck! : )
and the baby! oh that would be WONDERFUL!!! YOu would be such a sweet and caring mom!
Congratulations on your filled but much loved life!
xo,
ishtar
you truly are amazing! Enjoy this journey. x
Wish you the best!
Good luck with everything.
And, I was already so happy for you.
Congratulations on all your success and the wonderful twists and turns you're taking this year. You are such an inspiration.
...talking about long, looooong lists and super busy schedules!
I will agree with some of the readers' comments, I do feel alreday tired by reading this list, but you are not to blame of course, as I simply kept reading out of interest.
First of all, all the best with everything!You seem to be the kind of person, who finds happiness in multitasking and being extremely busy, so you'll manage just fine I guess!
Concerning travelling, that I so much enjoy, you'll visit some of my favorite places, such as London, Paris and Brussels and some that I'd like to visit in the future, such as Denmark, Copenhagen and NYC. Have fun!
As for the German classes, I can imagine how hard it is to combine learning with working.I attended University for 5 years while working also but I didn't have to do it in Germany, where I could enroll in intensive, daily, fast learning classes for a year and enjoy the process of learning a language totally new to me (I had only known my German partner for three months before I moved here and we also spoke English with each other, as he's perfectly fluent. And I had learned French, but could not speak one single German word!). I wouldn't be able to combine it with a heavy working schedule though, so I understand your concerns.
But, there do are courses taking place twice or thrice a week for not more than three teaching hours (which is hardly two full, normal hours)usually attended by people who work. Taking into consideration the fact that you have already been living here for a year and are married to a German person since 10 years, the first assignments will be nothing but a piece of cake for you! You'll most probably need to invest minimum time at the beginning, only adding more as the Grammar evolves and continues.
I used to be upset with the German system at the beginning (eventhough I can stay freely and use my valuable driving licence as a EU citizen) but the more I intergrate here the more I understand. Learning (correctly) the language of the country we are currently living in is a matter of respect (so important to Germans!) and should somehow be a priority, as much as it interferes with what we want to do.
Participating in the classes can also be a life altering experience for many reasons, which I won't state here, but I think you might understand what I mean.
I grew up bilingual,cause of my father being an English professor and my aunt being English and graduated from American University in Athens of Greece. Still I see the need in speaking whichever is the language of the country we are living in.
Let me just say to you, that I feel very embarassed for being Greek, when I hear the terrible pronounciation in which some Greeks speak English in very touristic places, such as the islands, or the trully terrible German that some Greek people speak here in Germany, eventhougth they have been born here or lived here, earned money here for long years.
I don't know...maybe all this sounds strange to you...but I think that it is important in to really intergrading in the societies we are living in.
Please get me not wrong, as I trully understand that it is quite , quite hard with the busy schedule you have come up with, plus you seem to be walking high in the sky as I recently read and let's face it...attending language classes when our dreams are getting true like yours are at the moment, don't exactly go hand in hand!
Anyways...I'm looking forward to the book, as it is the first one on the subject that will be published from somebody I 've come to know, even through this virtual contact, and this I find very exciting!
I'm sure it will be filled all over with gorgeous places to dream on!
All the best with motherhood! How gorgeous! I'd love to become a mother too, but somehow I'm not ready at the moment...if I ever will be...am thrilled to be meeting my best friend's baby boy during summer vacation though!
Have a safe flight to London - God I miss it!
I love and respect your work, so I'm crossing my fingers for you. Everything's going to turn out as you wish!
Love,
Susana Oliveira
Best,
Shanna