Last Day in the US = First Day in Denmark

It still seemed so surreal as we packed up our suitcases and loaded them into the van for the final trip.  We had finished up all the last minute details with selling the house, and saying our goodbyes.  We landed at my parents house for the rest of the afternoon (my parents have been complete LIFE SAVERS these past few weeks during our transition...watching the boys without hestitation, even overnight; helping with things at the house; giving advice, etc.).  There we loaded up on lunch and the boys packed their treat bags for the flight and we said our goodbyes to Granna and to Great Grandmother Madeleine and loaded up in the car with Grumps for the drive to O'Hare.

The drive there was fairly uneventful -- on false alarm puke stop for little Max -- dramamine hit the spot and calmed his nerves down.  Before we knew it, we were there!  

We attempted loading all 9 suitcases (plus 4 backpacks, 1 car seat bag filled with 2 booster seats, a stroller and Ben's car seat) onto one smart carte and somehow we managed to make it across the International Terminal with only minimal moaning from the boys and no broken arms/shoulders/fingers/legs.  Small miracles DO happen!  We checked our bags and started to head towards the bathroom when Max realized he had left his phone in the van!  A quick call to Grumps, who turned around and we got to say a second goodbye and grab the phone!

Security seemed to be a bigger nightmare than normal at O'Hare -- we waited over 20 mins in line just to get up to the screeners.  The boys were getting sick of waiting in lines by this point already - to which we just chuckled because we knew what was still to come...  Getting 5 people, bags, a car seat and a stroller through a TSA checkpoint is no small feat.  And, of course, the stroller needed special screening.  It then failed the swab test for combustibles (or something like that...Max was giving me minimal information because I was starting to get fiesty from having to wait so long...plus Ben had leaked through his diaper and his shorts were now wet.  Another 15 minutes later and finally the stroller (and Max) had cleared for their suspicion of sneaking in combustibles.

We grabbed a bit to eat and headed to our gate.  The boys had fun with the moving escalators.  Sam, true to his nature had to mark his territory at almost every bathroom we passed by...  The kids proceeded to get more excited and hyper as the night wore on -- seeing the big plane we would be riding on was exciting.  

In the process of gate checking our stroller, we got bumped up to Economy Plus!  More leg room, more drinks!  Wahoo!

We boarded the plane early -- which is one of the (*ahem only) perks of travelling with small children and got Ben's car seat strapped in and everyone settled in.  Spirits were high!

About an hour into the flight the boys were still occupied with their iPads and Ben was starting to get grumpy -- they hadn't turned off the overhead lights yet and he was pretty sleepy, so we just put his blanket over his head and that seemed to do the trick...

The boys found their earplugs and eye masks in their special Economy Plus bags and settled in for the night as well.

The flight was pretty uneventful...even if the minutes seemed to be creeping by.  Ben was unable to get in a comfortable sleeping position in the car seat, so after about 1.5 hrs of restless sleeping, we took him out and tried holding him.  He'd get into a comforatable position for a few minutes and then try to stretch out (unsuccesfully).  We tried a number of different positions until the stewardess suggested taking his seat out and letting him try to curl up on his seat.  He was able to find a few comfortable positions that allowed us to get maybe another 2 hrs of sleep.  I think we only got about 3-3.5 hrs total on our side.

Once in the Denmark airport, we tackled the hairy task of getting all our luggage out of the airport together.  Somehow (barely), we managed.  Max went to get the rental car and after a few re-directs, finally got us set up about 1.5-2 hrs later.  To say the kids were getting restless was an understatement.  Lucky me.

The kicker was when all our stuff wouldn't fit in the rental car (and I owe a huge middle finger to the 3 Danish gentlemen who just sat and stared at us in the garage and probably were making fun of us).  So little Max and I took the stroller and one suitcase and went to find a taxi.  We ended up arriving at the hotel around the same time.  

We unpacked, explored the beautiful hotel a little bit and then headed to the harbor to get some streetdogs and stretch our legs.

Overall, the trip over might not have gone smoothly, but we all arrived in one piece, with all our luggage, and all in mostly good spirits.  Though little Max has gone through quite a few variations of sentiments on his new home:

-  Mom, I think we might not live the full two years here -- like we might die before we go home because I can't breathe here.  (this was stated because of all the smokers around us and the lack of trees he could see at the airport).

- I don't like Denmark anymore, I want to live in Wisconsin for the rest of my life.

- It smells gross like fish here (when we got near the ocean)

- the water tastes like fish here

Luckily, he has turned his attitude around on day 2....but I can only imagine the variety of emotions that we will be experiencing (together).

Relocation updates - Hørsholm we have a house!

After all the drama of traveling to Denmark to look at houses, it turned out that none of the ones we were shown were the right one for us.  To make a long story short, we were only shown three properties in the five days that we were in Denmark (don't get me started on that)...despite our relocation agents knowing that we would be coming for over two weeks.  I just can't comprehend that there were only 3 properties in the ENTIRE COUNTRY of Denmark available during the time of our visit...but I digress.  (It turns out that perhaps this WAS true...but still hard to believe).

We left Denmark a bit disappointed, but with a plan in mind.  Max's coworkers were on the lookout for us, along with some friends in DK...surely if we were all working together, something would come up!

And it did!  A coworker living in Hørsholm happened to notice his next-door neighbors moving out!  So he helped us out by approaching the landlord and finding out more information.  Max and he even FaceTimed a tour through the house so we could get a feel for what it was like (I was not able to be present for this tour, though I did catch the tail end).  The landlord sent us some pictures, and we decided to jump on the property before it was too late.  And so....we have a house!

A house I have only seen in pictures...a house in an area of DK I have never even visited.  But, I tell my Type A self - it is JUST A HOUSE.  And really, how much time do I really expect to spend in said house?  I plan to try to get out and about as much as possible and not spend time inside the house.  After all, we are only in DK for two years, and its not like we have to worry about selling the house before we leave!  And so, my mantra is...it is JUST A HOUSE.

Here are the only photos I have of our 'JUST A HOUSE'.  From what I've been told the pictures are also a few years old.  It should be interesting to see what the house looks like in person -- we should get to visit it in just a few DAYS!  EEK!

2nd story floor-plan

1st story floor-plan

downstairs bedroom

family room

master bedroom

kids room 1

kids room 1 (other view)

kids room 2

So, there you have it!  Now you know as much as we do about the house we will be living in for the next 2 years!  We should have access to it next week once we make it to DK, so we will see how it actually looks in person!

Thoughts on Denmark

Thoughts from Copenhagen 

1.  Europeans don't know how to share space...sidewalks, lines, etc.  Sometimes it feels like a game of chicken while walking down the sidewalk.  I'm still not sure how two opposing Europeans sort out who gets the sidewalk because I've never had one step aside for me.  Somehow someone must move though, because you never actually see a collision...it's just like the most perfectly timed chaos.

2.  Europeans smoke.  a LOT.  Moms are smoking while pushing their infants in a pram, or while holding their toddlers on their hip.  People smoking while riding bicycles.  Smoking in cars, at restaurants, outside every building on every street.  The whole place reeks of second hand smoke!  What's more surprising to me is that every pack of cigarettes has "SMOKING KILLS" in big bold letters on it too (maybe packs in the US do too, I haven't bought cigarettes in years).

3.  Speaking of prams, EVERYONE has one!  And kids are always in them!  They look crazy big and I was surprised that the usually space conscious Europeans were using these monsters, but then it was explained to me that infants basically take all their naps in the pram.  And the basket comes out and they use it in homes and daycares as a bed for the baby.  Ok.  Multi purpose.  Makes more sense.

4.  And speaking of kids, everyone has those too!  In Denmark you are paid to have kids.  No, really!  Just like we get a child credit on our taxes, Danish folk get a stipend each quarter for their children!  They also pay crazy taxes though, so it's probably a wash.

5.  Fashion is what you make it.  Seriously you couldn't be out of fashion here if you tried because literally, ANYTHING GOES.  And that anything goes with ANY body type too (whether it looks good or not).  People watching here is on a WHOLE new level.

6.  Everyone bikes.  The post man bikes, women in dresses bike, men in suits bike, pregnant women bike, young kids bike.  There are bikes with big trailers in front to pedal your govt funded family home in.  There are bikes with kid seats in the front and back.  The bikes all look like what you'd pedal in the 60s and 70s and the seats look like they are way too high.  There are bicycle parking lots even!  And if you're walking (which is what you do if you're not biking), look out!  Bikes seem to have right of way and will plow you over!  Stay on the walking path!  God forbid you accidentally wander into the bike path!

7.  Copenhagen is a melting pot.  I've never heard more languages spoken in one place.  It's almost a fun game to try to identify all the different languages you encounter while out and about. And thank goodness everyone speaks English!

8. If you want to use a credit card you better know the PIN.  And despite the fact that your credit card company will likely insist that you WONT need it and that you can sign for things, they're wrong.  Get the PIN and get it well before you leave.  If you haven't set it up yet they will likely mail it to you and that can take 7-10 business days.

9.  You can't leave Copenhagen without having a street vendor hotdog.  The best (in my opinion) is the Fransk dog.  It's basically an extra long hot dog that slides into a bun with a hole in it for easy portability. Your condiments are squirted into your bread before the hotdog is inserted and it makes eating it less messy.

10.  Danish customer service sucks. But then again you aren't expected to tip anyone, so perhaps that is why?

11.  Public transportation is readily available and easy to use. You can choose between the boss, the train, or the metro.

12.  Street entertainers are truly entertaining and plentiful!  Always something fun to see when on the walking street 

13.  Architecture is amazing and castles are plentiful.  You could spend hours just walking around taking in sights without spending a dime!

Cemetery in Roskilde

Domkirk in Roskilde

Rosenborg castle 

Christiansborg castle.

14.  Danish people are among the nicest, friendliest and happiest people in the world!  I have never felt so welcome or at home in another country before.  I was able to strike up conversations with random people all over the city.  Most everyone speaks English (and speaks it well).  This alone makes me less anxious about our transition.

House hunters into - Denmark. The final pick...Which to choose?

So, which do we choose?

House #1 (http://livinthemclife.blogspot.com/2015/06/day-2-house-hunting-house-1.html) with the party yard and house but close proximity to trains that go by almost every other minute?  Rent here is by far the least, well under our allotted stipend.

House #2, ( http://livinthemclife.blogspot.com/2015/06/day-2-house-hunting-house-2-beach-house.html) the beach house that would be a constant vacation for us.  Spacious house with lots of room, good sized yard, easy access to running path and beach.  Schooling options unknown (as I write this, but relocation agent should be getting info).  Rent is well above our stipend but could possibly be negotiated lower into a more stomach able range..

Or

House 3 (http://livinthemclife.blogspot.com/2015/06/day-2-house-hunting-house-3-city-house.html) with its close proximity to work, trains, school and city. Neighborhood not as charming and would take some getting used to.  Nearby a good school which offers language assistance.  Rent is within our range and could possibly be lowered even more.

Which would you pick and why??

Day 2 house hunting: house #3: the city house

I feel like I should be honest and let you all know that going into this house hunting trip, both Max and I had a strong bias towards house number three.

House number three is VERY attractive because of its location. It is pretty much the closest we could get in living arrangements to where Max will be working. It is 5K from his job and only a short bike ride, walk, or one train stop away.  And, because I am approaching our family's relocation to Denmark as the catalyst for a large lifestyle change for our family, this fact was very attractive to me! Max and I agreed that we would love to try to see how long we can survive without a car. With public transportation so readily available and so easy to use, there's no reason that we should even need a family vehicle except for taking European vacations....

But back to the house...from all the pictures we had seen online of the house, it looked open, very airy,  light, and clean. On paper and on pictures, it looked to be the perfect house! It even boasted a 10 minute walk to a primary school with language assistance.

But, as anyone who has ever looked for a house knows, pictures don't always meet reality when you go to visit a property in person.

The house was very open and airy, and it was mostly clean as well. But it seemed a lot smaller in person than it had appeared in pictures. Part of that could've been because there was nothing in the house when we went to look at it though.  The backyard was definitely a lot smaller than it had been represented in pictures.  The neighborhood, while not unsafe, was definitely a little more rough around the edges than the last two houses we had looked at. 

The house was definitely a 'city house' and you would be hearing a lot of city noise as a result.  While not necessarily a bad thing, this would be a transition for all of us...There are definite pros and cons to a city house...You are close to everything, and a car most definitely not be necessary.  But life would definitely not be quiet nor private!

But, on the flip side, I suppose if you are making a lifestyle change that involves moving your entire family across the ocean, you shouldn't really expect too much of your life to stay the same! And if you're going to go all out, you might as well go all out :-)

From the outside, the house appeared very similar to the listing we had seen online. It was a very decent sized house with a modest sized yard. The yard looked like it needed a little TLC, however.  The agent showing us the house assured us that it would be taken care of prior to move in.

On the first floor was a decent sized modern looking kitchen. It definitely had less storage then house number one and house number two, but it could be doable.

While that looks like a lot of cabinet space flanking the built in oven, to the left of the oven the entire wall is a hidden refrigerator.

The large dining and sitting area beyond the kitchen was an open space that received good natural lighting from the door leading to the backyard. The floors were a really cool whitewashed rustic looking pine.  They definitely were well worn but it added to the charm a bit...

Beyond the dining/sitting room was a room with two entrances, both which could be closed off.  It had a built in desk in the corner. It could have easily been converted into either a bedroom or a guestroom or even a playroom!

There was a small half bathroom downstairs, and upstairs was a full bathroom with a shower. There were also three bedrooms upstairs. The master area had a living area similar to house number two adjoining it.

Bedroom #1

Bedroom #2

Master bedroom 

Room adjoining master bedroom.  They had a large unit in the middle of the room making it difficult to photograph.

This house also had a full basement, in which the laundry was located. The basement was very short and kind of gave me the creeps, so I didn't take any pictures down there. :)

Overall, house number three, despite being a little different than we expected, turned out to be a decent choice!  It is right at our price range, and our agent felt that we could negotiate it even lower. The neighbors appeared to have small children as evidenced by the toys we could see in their backyards from the second floor. It has a big open floor plan, and lots of space for us and the children. It would even have plenty of space for all the guests we expect to come visit :-)

The cons include that there were no closets in the upstairs bedroom and only one shower in the house.

But of course, the pros as mentioned in the beginning are that this one is closest in location to where Max will be working, it is right near the train line and right near a very good school!

Overall, I feel like our house hunting on day two went well. I'm not exactly happy that we only had three choices to review, especially when our list of potential homes was around 12 to begin with. We are dealing with the relocation agent to see if there are any other houses that we can look at before we leave Denmark to head back home. If not, we will enter negotiations with the agents of the houses or house that we select. Here in Denmark, apparently rental rates are negotiable. So it is possible we can negotiate rates even lower to our benefit.

Stay tuned for more!!

Day 2: house hunting, house #2 - beach house

House #2 was suggested by our relocation agent.  It was a bit above our price range, but it looked to be really nice and we wanted to make sure we had plenty of options to choose from (before we knew that 2 were already rented!).  

It was a bit further out then House #1, but still near a train station - about a 5-10min bike ride to the nearest station.  It was a bit more difficult to locate, but when we caught the first glimpse of the ocean through the houses in the neighborhood we quickly forgave that!

House #2 was at the end of a street and had 2 parking spots along with a carport.

It had a good sized front yard and the backyard...well I will get to that...

Right upon entering the house we could tell it had a lot of charm.  It had a nice sized kitchen with lots of seating and space.

Beyond the kitchen was a dining/sitting area.

Beyond that was a small back room that was being used as an office but could also have been converted into a playroom or guest bedroom

As you might notice from a lot of these pictures, it seems like people here don't feel the need to tidy up or prepare for showings.  The owner of this house was still using the bathroom when we came in.  But they were a charming couple and we got along very well with them so it was forgiven :)

Back towards the kitchen I forgot to mention this splendid door.  

And back behind the kitchen was the laundry room and a larger bedroom and full bathroom (bathroom not pictured).

Beyond the sitting area was another bedroom, a mudroom, another full bathroom and a walkin closet/office space.

M

Up the windy staircase we went and found this view:

The upstairs had a large living area and a master bedroom off that.  The patio outside had a stunning view of the ocean and the owner showed us where we could see Sweden!

Outside the house had a good sized yard and beyond the gate was a running trail which we could easily jog to a bird sanctuary even to the beach!

We left the house feeling warm and fuzzy but a bit deflated.  The house was beautiful but just out of our price range.  We would have to go back to the hotel and do some number crunching...

...to be continued...