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Some months are humbling. This one actually was. After a month of near-constant driving classes, I used to be prepared for my take a look at.
I aced the written take a look at. Then I failed my driving take a look at. Then I took a second driving take a look at two weeks later — and failed THAT one, too.
I’ve bought yet another likelihood to go the take a look at. Only one.
Hoo boy.
Locations Visited
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Dresden and Meissen, Germany
- Oxford, Beaconsfield, Bray, and Watford, England
Highlights
I bought some excellent information from the Czech ministry of immigration. I can apply for everlasting residency in April!!!
I needed to make an emergency immigration go to this month (extra on that under), and I discovered a number of items of reports.
First off — Charlie, although British, is taken into account an EU citizen within the Czech system as a result of he bought everlasting residency earlier than Brexit finalized. And due to that, he’s eligible to use for Czech citizenship now (and he already handed the language take a look at!).
It seems that being married to an EU citizen offers you a LOT of perks. I can get everlasting citizenship after two years of residing right here and one yr of marriage to an EU citizen (not essentially a Czech citizen) — not the customary 5 years. AND I don’t should take the Czech language take a look at for everlasting residency!
However there’s extra. As a result of I’m married to an EU citizen, I can apply for Czech citizenship after 5 years of steady residency! I can apply in 2025 — 5 years sooner than I believed!! I might want to go the citizenship language take a look at (stage B1), however I’ll be again to Czech classes in January and plan on learning for years.
A stunning getaway to Oxford. Charlie and I am going to his pal’s annual bonfire occasion within the UK each fall, and we’ve began including on a bonus English vacation spot. This yr, we added Oxford, the college metropolis that is likely one of the hottest day journeys from London.
I actually cherished Oxford! Town has a lot youthful vitality, attractive structure (most of the Harry Potter motion pictures have been filmed right here), enjoyable retailers and markets, and a beautiful riverside setting. I’m glad we stayed in a single day so we bought to see greater than we might have on a day journey.
On the best way again, we visited Bekonscot — a cute little miniature village that Charlie used to go to when he was a child. (It’s so previous, even Queen Elizabeth used to go to when SHE was a child!) The entire buildings are coated with cute little puns, which is enjoyable for the adults.
We additionally had lunch at Heston Blumenthal’s pub, The Hind’s Head. A lot of the meals was fantastic, particularly the scallops, however the workers have been proper to warn us in regards to the richness of the oxtail and kidney pudding — we may barely eat it!
The bonfire was nice enjoyable, and we bought to spend time with Charlie’s household and buddies who’re like household. Together with his sister’s new kittens, who’re stuffed with vitality and SO cute.
A enjoyable little day in Germany. We drove 90 minutes to Dresden to hit up some locations they don’t have in Prague (Dunkin’ Donuts and the Apple Retailer). Afterward, we drove to the city of Meissen to go to their porcelain museum. A pleasant and attention-grabbing place! (Although actually, spending a Saturday at a porcelain museum is perhaps essentially the most middle-aged factor I’ve ever carried out.)
A lot of good instances in Prague. I lastly made it to Prague Zoo for the primary time — and I see why folks adore it a lot. Elephants, giraffes, gorillas, penguins, and a sort of scary chairlift. My favorites have been the meerkats!
Charlie and I additionally found a brand new and excellent pizza place in Prague — SASY The Original. Probably the greatest Neapolitans I’ve had in a very long time, although not overly soupy. Their diavolo is perhaps the very best diavolo I’ve ever had! Not dangerous for being within the coronary heart of the previous city, the place it’s laborious to seek out truly good eating places!
We additionally tried a brand new place in Žižkov with Detroit-style pizza — Third Coast Pizza. Nice stuff. In addition they make monumental tater tots.
Challenges
Um, failing my driver’s take a look at not as soon as however twice sort of tops the listing. I talked about it loads on Fb and in my e-newsletter, and gained’t get into as a lot element right here.
The fundamentals: on the primary take a look at, I hit the curb whereas parallel parking on the left aspect of the road. On the second take a look at, I stalled whereas crossing tram tracks, which is much worse (however I preserve wouldn’t have occurred if the evaluator hadn’t informed me to make a u-turn on the final second potential and the translator had identified the proper phrase for u-turn!).
So, what’s going to occur now? I’ve my subsequent take a look at scheduled, and it’s my LAST CHANCE. In the event you fail your third driving take a look at, you have to take driving faculty over once more. It’s a Czech legislation.
I refuse to pay one other $1500 for Czech driving faculty. My thoughts is made up: it doesn’t matter what occurs, I’m renewing my US license once I’m dwelling in Massachusetts this December. I’ll have a legitimate license, it doesn’t matter what.
Discovering out my residency had expired. So this was the emergency I had talked about. As I went via immigration on the best way to the UK, the agent informed me that my residency had expired in August.
I freaked out — my household visa was alleged to be good for 5 years! He informed me it was okay, that I’d simply have to renew it once I get again. It seems that the Czechs discontinued the passport-like residency guide that I’ve, as they need everybody to maneuver to biometric ID playing cards.
Did the Czechs inform folks this? NO! They ship me loads of registered mail about taxes and medical health insurance, and also you’d assume they’d ship me one thing about this, however they didn’t. They solely introduced it on their web site.
Due to this, the Czech immigration companies all informed their purchasers instantly and organized for them to get biometric playing cards. It seems my company closed down a yr and a half in the past. THAT’S why I by no means discovered.
Anyway — I employed a brand new company, and so they bought me a brand new bridge visa good via February. I’m hoping to get a biometric appointment in January.
Oh, and that’s not all! There was a comedy of errors in getting all of our paperwork in! Do you know that Czech paperwork can solely be signed in blue ink, as a result of they’re void in any other case? WE DID NOT KNOW THAT and now we all know. Anyway — it was wild, however I’m glad it’s over now.
The smack of Google. In the event you’re not in search engine marketing circles, you in all probability haven’t heard that Google launched two updates this month. Google updates fairly often hit bloggers laborious. I’ve been hit laborious by just one Google replace, ever.
The primary hit got here in October, referred to as the Useful Content material Replace, and it was DEVASTATING. A few of my buddies misplaced 50%, 60%, even 90% of their visitors. And in some way, I evaded it utterly. I felt like I had survived.
After which the second replace got here: and THAT one hit me. My visitors is now down 20%, and the timing isn’t nice as we’re entering into the sluggish season for journey and my visitors may also be down from that. New Hampshire Way bought hit laborious, too.
The excellent news: My visitors remains to be up yr over yr, and I’ve financial savings stashed away. Instances like these are whenever you dig in, make investments, and get artistic.
Weblog Posts of the Month
What’s it really like to travel to Greenland? — I’m so excited to share Greenland with you guys! And it’s not what you would possibly assume. It actually wasn’t what I anticipated.
A Guide to Ischia, Italy — The Best of Ischia Island — Ischia is SUCH a sleeper vacation spot! I feel it’s certainly one of Italy’s greatest islands. And I can’t wait to return.
18 Fun Things to do in Oak Bluffs MA — Oak Bluffs is the actually cool city in Martha’s Winery with all of the brightly coloured Gingerbread Homes!
A Guide to Edgartown, Massachusetts: Martha’s Vineyard’s Prettiest Town — Edgartown is SO stunning, and there’s a lot to do there. Right here’s a information to the city.
Visiting Chappaquiddick Island — Things to Do and More! — Chappaquiddick is a extremely fantastic island off the coast of Martha’s Winery that’s solely related to one horrible factor. It deserves to be seen for what it truly is.
Ebook Membership This Month
Our subsequent guide membership will happen on Sunday, November 19, at 1:00 PM Jap Time. We will likely be studying Days on the Morisaki Bookshop by Japanese creator Satoshi Yagisawa.
“Twenty-five-year-old Takako has loved a comparatively straightforward existence—till the day her boyfriend Hideaki, the person she anticipated to wed, casually declares he’s been dishonest on her and is marrying the opposite girl. Abruptly, Takako’s life is in freefall. She loses her job, her buddies, and her acquaintances, and spirals right into a deep melancholy. Within the depths of her despair, she receives a name from her distant uncle Satoru.
An uncommon man who has all the time pursued one thing of an unconventional life, particularly after his spouse Momoko left him out of the blue 5 years earlier, Satoru runs a second-hand bookshop in Jimbocho, Tokyo’s well-known guide district. Takako as soon as appeared down upon Satoru’s life. Now, she reluctantly accepts his provide of the tiny room above the bookshop rent-free in change for serving to out on the retailer. The transfer is short-term, till she will get again on her toes. However within the months that observe, Takako surprises herself when she develops a ardour for Japanese literature, turns into a daily at an area espresso store the place she makes new buddies, and finally meets a younger editor from a close-by publishing home who’s going via his personal messy breakup.
However simply as she begins to seek out pleasure once more, Hideaki reappears, forcing Takako to rely as soon as once more on her uncle, whose personal life has begun to unravel. Collectively, these seeming opposites work to grasp one another and themselves as they proceed to share the knowledge they’ve gained within the bookshop.”
You can sign up here. Hope to see you there!
Most Fashionable Reel on Instagram
Ever heard of a trojsklenka? This can be a Czech triple glass the place all of the glasses are linked beneath. They’re an effective way to drink chilli griotka, a spicy cherry liqueur you can get at (after all) Kantyna.
It’s humorous, however that is one Czech factor that slips via the cracks typically. I used to be so shocked to listen to a few of my frequent Czech Republic-visiting buddies had by no means seen this!
I needed to make a reel about it, and this one did properly! You possibly can follow me on Instagram at @adventurouskate for extra!
Vogue Second of the Month
First off, get pleasure from that high photograph as a result of that’s what occurs whenever you order cropped denims and are 5’4″! THANKS FOR SAVING ME ON HEMMING, PAIGE!!
In all honesty — these are the Paige Anessa Jeans. I needed a pair of darkish wide-leg denims and these are super-comfy and super-on-trend. And at my top, they solely look the teeniest bit cropped on me.
I’ve been sporting Paige since 2008, once I went to just a little denim boutique in Boston referred to as Jean Remedy and the proprietor, Leah, took one have a look at me and grabbed all of the Paiges, telling me this model was made for my physique form. (Man, I want that store nonetheless existed.)
That is what they really appear to be on (ignore my Joker-esque smile):
Additionally, this month I downloaded the Stylebook app after studying this viral Reddit post. On the app you observe all the garments you put on, and it calculates your price per put on, your most worn colours, manufacturers, and many others. And OMG that is the sort of factor that appeals to me a lot!!
I’ve been on it for 12 days to this point, and it’s serving to me gamify my vogue — sporting costly items extra usually, rotating outfits, and sporting a lot of equipment to get down every thing’s price per put on!
What I Watched This Month
The Bear. Charlie and I started watching season 2 again when it got here out, however it burdened us out and we would have liked a while away from it. We got here again, and it turned out to be THE MOST STRESSFUL EPISODE OF ALL TIME. “Fishes.”
I feel “Fishes” will likely be up there with “Fly” from Breaking Unhealthy — the episode that some folks detest, and others reward for its brilliance amid the discomfort. (Personally, I’m on the aspect of hating each episodes, regardless of loving each exhibits.)
However then comes a completely stunning episode of tv. “Forks.” And that can have you ever falling in love with this present and the beforehand most unloveable character. What this present does so properly is exhibiting the depth and great thing about the restaurant business, and the individuals who discover their dwelling there. No episode extra so than “Forks.” Get via “Fishes” and also you’ll be rewarded handsomely.
Beneath Deck replace: This month, we watched OG Beneath Deck: Season 10, happening in St. Lucia. Often known as the one the place Captain Lee has to go away and he’s changed by…CAPTAIN SANDY. Simply after we thought we had a couple of seasons with out her…
You recognize what? What I like about Beneath Deck is that it’s a examine in the best way to handle folks. Captain Sandy is a horrible supervisor and he or she hides it for a bit on this season, then it comes roaring again so virulently.
Coming Up in November 2023
It’s lastly time for the BIG HONEYMOON! In late November, Charlie and I are flying to Chile to start our monthlong South American sojourn. Chile will likely be my first new nation since Cuba in 2019!!
We’re starting our journey with a couple of days at a vineyard resort within the Colchagua Valley. After that, we’re heading as much as San Pedro de Atacama to expertise the desert for a couple of days.
After that, we’re taking a “work break” (I do know, I do know, however we’d like this) in Puerto Montt, mixing in a couple of excursions across the area, together with to Chiloé. The month will wrap up there, and in December we’re heading to Patagonia!
I’m so excited to see these new locations and expertise them with my new husband! This will likely be our fourth continent collectively, when you rely Azerbaijan as Asia (I imply…it FEELS much more like Asia than Europe).
What are you as much as this month? Share away!
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