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Dutch Residents


Today Sam and I officially became Dutch residents (Ryan already is).  Process was pretty painless.  Except having to get up in the morning and figure out how to function in the new house.   This is an opportunity to share the initial challenges of expat life (at least for me):

- Heat:  air conditioning is rare in Amsterdam and we don't have it.  We did anticipate our needs and ordered an air conditioner for our bedroom which is arriving tomorrow.  But I did struggle with the heat on night #1.  We did setup a fan but the air didn't make it's way to me (i.e. Ryan monopolized the fan).

- Shortness: I am short.  Dutch people, apparently, are not.  The bathroom mirrors are too tall for me.  If I go on my tip toes I can almost see my chin.  That makes for a challenge in getting ready in the morning.

- Electricity:  there are European plugs here, which we prepared for with converters.  But some things we have already have a European plug.  So it's a fun game of matching US plugs to converters and Euro plugs to Euro outlets.  This was a challenge today related to the hair dryer which I decided to use since I am getting my photo taken for the residency process.  In the end, doing nothing to my hair probably would have looked better.

- Disorganization:  due to jet lag and other reasons, we haven't unpacked too much yet so my clothes, toiletries, etc. are strewn about (Sam's too).  I could not find anything.


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