A lot of things up until now...

So much has happened since my last post and I haven’t had ANY time to really sit down and be serious with a blog post. I guess I will go through things as a list.

The moving process started… 

I started the process of moving with getting my visa. It was a whirlwind driving around to get all of my documents. I had to go to Fairfield to get copies of my birth certificate and then I had to go to Sacramento to have them authenticated to be used outside of the United States. I did this while I waited on my FBI document from back when I had my fingerprints done. Finally I had my documents and I mailed them all to the Belgian Consulate in LA (Don’t get me started on the consulate…I will later) with a check for nearly $300. Then there was the waiting game of a few weeks when I finally got an email from the woman at the consulate saying I needed to come to Los Angeles for a personal interview.

Luckily we know a few people who work for an airline so we were able to get cheap tickets quickly. I went to the airport for 4am flying standby. I check my ticket and realized that it is for me to fly into Ontario and not LAX like planned. I called my mom who then made some phone calls. My Great-Uncle was originally going to pick me up at LAX, but Ontario was just too far. Luckily I have another Uncle who literally lives just minutes from Ontario Airport and it just so happens he had the day off of work.  He took me to LA for my interview with the consulate lady. So this consulate lady and I have a history over email. I like to be very précised especially when taking care of IMPORTANT business. I would ask her very detailed questions and she would answer very rudely and vaguely so when it came to meeting her and having an interview with her, I for sure wasn’t looking forward to it. I had no clue what was to be asked and I went in there totally blind. She asked about how I met Oli and what I was doing with my life. She asked about what he did for a living and if I knew his birthdate, it was a mix of random questions and I felt at one point I totally stumped her and she ran out of things to try and trip me up with. In reality the interview was only 10 minutes and I came all the way to LA. There ended up being crazy with my standby flights and I ended up in LA for 2 more nights, but it was okay because I was with family and I had a good time.

THE WEDDING!

Family started arriving the week before including my younger cousin who I hadn’t seen since I was 14 and he now has a fiancée and baby. By the way I feel in love with their baby. We all had a great time and then Oli arrived which I was stoked about since I hadn’t seen him since January and it was July. There was a lot of business to take care of while we prepared for the wedding. All in all the wedding came out perfectly even with the hiccups I won’t forget that day. We stayed in Napa for our wedding night and hung out there the next day before returning to my house. That week my visa arrived!

HONEYMOON!

We honeymooned in Orlando, Florida at LEAKYCON 2011!!! Which if you are not a nerd is a Harry Potter fan convention which was AMAZING! There was even a private event at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (The con was at the Universal Resort at the Royal Pacific) and they closed the park to the public and it was only con attendees who had tickets to the event. There was all you can eat food and all you could drink butterbeer and pumpkin juice.

THE MOVE!

Coming back from Florida we had a week back in California where we failed at seriously getting packing done. We in reality packed at the last minute. In total we had 6 suitcases and we had to pay a weight overage fee on one of them plus $55 for the extra luggage. I pretty much got all the crap I wanted to Belgium. We got here and went to city hall because my visa instructed me to report to the municipal authorities within 8 days of arriving in Belgium. I got my paperwork done and then I was told that police would come to the house to check if I lived here and stuff. Well the police came yesterday, but she is coming back today because Oli was at work and there are papers for him to sign. When this police stuff is done I can go back to city hall where I can get a real ID card that says I am a foreign resident.

I have been getting used to being here again. I have been using the language a bit, I am glad I took those 2 semesters of French in the last year…Thanks Madame Marlow at Solano… I have been doing pretty good at understanding what is being said and reading signs. The only thing I need to work on his speaking more and really forming my thoughts into French words. I have been driving and I love it. I have realized that driving is driving no matter where you are even if some rules are slightly different. Our new car “Luna” is awesome. The relationship with the in-laws is doing well and the new house is going to be freaking amazing when it is all finished. Right now we are in the apartment. I have yet to meet up with my friend, who is here, but I have been busy and she has been also settling in. I signed up to help with vacation bible school at the church we attend so I can have something to keep me occupied for at least a week.

So far things are shaping up and we will see if they continue to be smooth. The next step is seriously finding a job.

A PROMISE ... Post will now be regular since I am in Belgium now. I am thinking at least every week.