Life is still not normal, but it’s getting so close and I’m getting excited about that!

Today, I’m still living in rural village, 2 hours’ drive from wife’s work.
Still squatting in borrowed family home, across the street from in-laws.
My parents’ are now visiting here for a couple weeks.
My kids only seeing mom on weekends has me feeling like a single parent.

How We Feeling?

All this: the very close in-laws, borrowed home, visiting parents, single-parent lifestyle – all help to peg the needle on my stress meter. Am I handling it okay? Of course not. (It’s called stress for a reason, dammit!)
As a result, both kids and I are long for & miss our Prague friends and lifestyle in a huge way. Prague’s big parks & awesome playgrounds, daily meet-ups with friends, frequent communal programs & adventures to new places. I digress…

I can’t say I’m not trying here. Yesterday, I and the kids took my parents to a blueberry festival. I take my daughter to a storytelling hour at the library offered every 3rd week. We go swimming often. Still…replacing old normalcy with new normalcy takes time.

So, Why’s Today Special?

Today is a special day for the kids and me. Today, we drive down to Dartmouth, to see our new place. Mind you, our new home is nothing grand: a 3-bedroom apartment, converted former military housing. (love describing it that way to people – really sets their impression) But it will be Our Home.
Today will be my kids’ first time seeing their new place, their new bedroom — AND all their stuff from our former home in Prague. Talk about exciting for them!!!
So, Today is the end of our transition period from Prague to Dartmouth.
After my parents leave next week, we will actually move into our new place.
Why are we visiting it today? Tomorrow is when we can register my daughter at her new school. School start next week.

Wife’s work will be close by, so we’ll all live together. One kid in school. One kid will start a bit of daycare. Routine will a part of our vocabulary. Normalcy will begin. (whoa, did I just use “routine” as a positive thing?)

So, you see, the way I see it, normalcy isn’t here, but it’s right around the corner. I can taste it, smell it, almost touch it. Oh, I can’t wait!

Making New Expat Friends

**Total sideline here**
Last week, I met up with Andrew and Alison, a married expat couple living in Belgium. They happened to be visiting family in Pugwash (total small world).
Before last week, I only knew Andrew through his comments on this site like here & here & here. So, it was a cool experience to meet them face to face.
Great meeting you both!

Alison manages a cool website for expats in Belgium. By the way, Alison is obviously also a talented photographer. Check it out for yourself at ACM Photography page.

We shared lunch in a sweet corner cafe in the village downtown. Alison and Andrew also got to meet my wife, kids and my parents, which is pretty cool for me.
They are a super nice couple and obviously in a happy place in their lives. And for me, it was therapeutic to talk to fellow expats.

Again – really cool meeting you Andrew & Alison!

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Holy comatose Batman, I’ve been asleep at the wheel here with Expat Yourself. My apologies if you’ve been wondering “Where the f- is Jeff at these days?”

We arrived in Canada 6 freakin’ weeks ago already. Again, sorry for waiting. So much to say… finally I’m writing…

yeah, I finished the Vacation video

First things first, a reminder that we motorhomed around southern Europe. I posted a vacation video Well, it was the first half.
Well, I just posted the second half. Don’t worry, this one’s not as long, because, really, how much can you enjoy somebody else’s vacation videos?? But I do hope it inspires you to do something similar. You so could, and you know it.

Near the video’s end, I give “stats” including our total cost.
Disclaimer: the stats don’t include what we paid for some damage. If you want to know more about that, write me or comment.

Anyway – here’s the second half:

How did our vacation go? Great.
How did our arrival go? Fairly smooth, but only after lengthy explanations to Canadian Customs and Immigration about our intentions.
How’s the transition going here? So so. Some culture shock going on, plus we’re missing Prague friends big-time, plus our role reversal has taken an unexpected twist.

Some Culture Shock

You know what culture shock is, right? In a nutshell, it’s getting used to new surroundings and differences.
What differences you ask? Well, in Prague we had incredible mass transit, breathtaking architecture and a wide range of friends.
Where are we now? Rural Nova Scotia, along the north shore. When I say rural, I mean our road is gravel and the village consists of ~700 people. We live here because we’re essentially squatting in an empty family house near my wife’s parents. Yeah, there’s loads of culture shock going on here. Let me jump to the role reversal thing.

Role Reversal

About a year ago, my wife and I decided, at our next chance, we would reverse our roles of bread-winner & stay-at-home parent.
Leaving Prague for Canada gave us that chance.
The role reversal thing has been great so far, and I’m not just saying that because my wife reads this blog.
But there’s an added twist. My wife’s job is in the (much bigger) city of Halifax. Halifax is two hours’ drive away, not doable for daily commuting.

Yes, that means, I’m a stay-at-home dad all week, while my wife/kids’ mom comes home for the weekends. Culture shock amplified.
Naturally, we’re searching for a place near my wife’s work, but these things take time.

Well, I’m not sure how to end this post. No zingy conclusions or valuable life lessons – hope that’s cool with you today. But at least I’m posting you today and not waiting another 6 weeks.

Cheers mates,
-Jeff

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hey all,

Above all, I’m sorry to be away for a couple weeks. I and the family are on our RV vacation since June 1st. Another week or so to go before we return the motorhome and we fly to Halifax, Canada.

I’m in a hotel in Zermatt, Switzerland, borrowing some wireless. The barmaid knows I’m not a guest, but she’s cool with it so long as I keep ordering beers. My wife is putting the kids to bed in our nearby campground.

How’s vacation treating us? In a word: (f’ing) fantastic.

Checking the list of e-mails (all too quickly), I’m smiling at a couple nice notes. Thanks Jen, Joanna, Darrin – I miss you guys, too.

Over a couple beers, I made a video with our vacation pictures so far. I’m a huge movie fan, so I stuck in a couple choice snippets, too, that sort of match the scene. Hope you enjoy it as much as I liked making it.

Hope you all are doing well. Do let me know where you are with your ideas and planning. Above all – the most important thing to do is ACT. Dream all you want, but when it comes time for the rubber to hit the road- ACT.

Take care – CIAO, -jeff

By the way, to SoulTravelers3, I thank you for the advice to visit Cinque Terre. We left that gorgeous area this morning. Stunning!!

-Jeff

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You asked me about my being “location independent?”
Maybe you’re there or almost there, or …wanting to be almost there?

Tomorrow – Tuesday May 18th you have an opportunity: Build your own empire. That’s key to location independence in one year.

Being location independent means freedom. Freedom to earn as you want and then have the time to do what’s most important to you…maybe spend more time with your kids, take long vacations or travel. Or all the above.

I have one source of great information I have to share: Chris Guillebeau. I’ve followed him for a few years now.

It’s Chris who is launching the Empire Building Kit tomorrow.

A bit about Chris (longer story here): he made a name for himself by announcing he intends to visit every country of the world and blogs about it. For that, Chris is well on target. I believe he’s hit over 120 so far. He doesn’t stay long per country, which would be more my style, but if your goal is quantity over time – Chris sets the bar darn high!

But he’s not just a super, uber-traveler. He’s a real guy like you & me.
And he has a great knack at being happily successful & describing how, easily for people like you and me.

Chris shares plenty of know-how. For example “279 days to Overnight Success” and “Brief Guide to World Domination”
Both are free. Grab them to see what he’s capable of delivering.

Last month, Chris revealed the Empire Building Kit.
The EBK is a paid-for product. Three tiers, price balanced with what’s provided. Even at the lowest tier, it’s a huge collection of case studies of successful entrepreneurs, with video interviews, transcripts and actionable info.
Plus, the 365 messages (daily for a year) from Chris to walk through it all bit by bit.

Forty days ago, Empire Building Kit was first released (also for one day only).
I scooped it up (the middle tier).
Normally, I don’t shell out cash for products, “sight-unseen.” But I have bought from Chris, a few times. And every time, I never get buyer’s remorse.
Again, as with everything Chris offers, I’m very satisfied with this EBK. Chris’ daily newsletter has a nice ‘babysitter’ for me, reminding me to act & stay focused, even during these busy times.

Tomorrow, Tuesday the 18th, Chris is opening the Empire Building Kit again for people.
I hope you see it as worthwhile as I do. It’s your key to becoming location independent.

For full disclosure, I partnered with Chris and his site. So while I brag about Chris’ stuff as a satisfied customer, I will also get a commission, too. I do sincerely believe in Chris and his work so I don’t feel ‘dirty’ doing so.

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Answer: Move.

Nothing helps you say “it’s not that important” like moving across the ocean.

We’ve lived in Prague for four years. That’s just four years; it’s not a lifetime. (Unless you’re 4 or younger, right?)

It’s amazing how much crap we’ve accumulated in just these four years.

Now we’re moving to Canada. And so, the sorting, cleaning and digging begins. The packers are scheduled to come on May 30th.
We’re asking each other a dozen times a hour “Do we really need this? Is it important we keep it?”
With everything we touch, dig out, we end with one question: “Keep or Lose?” (and Lose can mean sell, give away or trash)

Our Guidelines for “Keep or Lose”
I figure I’m not alone here, so here are our guidelines how we decide what stays and what doesn’t.

First, is it something we use once a week or more? If yes, keep. Otherwise…see the next questions:

Books
Did I already read it? — “Lose it.”
If no, will I read before 2011? No? — “Lose it.”

Clothing
Does it fit? No? — “Lose it.”
Would I wear it tomorrow (given right weather)? No? — “Lose it.”

Computer stuff * (Guilty, so guilty)
Do we use it today? — “Keep it.”
Do I have more than 2 of them? — “Lose it” (like 7 extra USB cables)
* We switched to Mac 2 years ago, so A LOT was “Lose it.”

Tools
Electrical? (Or “European plug?”) Yes? — “Lose it.”
Use it less than once a year? Yes? — “Lose it.”
Under $10 to replace? Yes? — “Lose it.”
So …the screwdriver set stays. (sorry, duct tape)

Knick-Knacks
Tougher calls here, but…
Did we buy it while vacationing? No? — “Lose it.”

“Oh, But We Can’t Get Rid Of That”
There is one, teensy-weensy exception to this rule. My four-year old daughter’s prized possession, a coconut lady.
See picture “exhibit A” in hideous picture at the bottom of this post.

The coconut lady must stay for two reasons:
1. It’s from a friend who loves giving us the corniest, ugliest gifts on the planet. (And he’s rather good at it)
2. My wife hates it. In fact, she delights in hating it. And, I get some enjoyment out of hearing from her just how much she hates it.

So, in the end, coconut lady stays. For all else, enjoy our guidelines above.

-Jeff

Click for a full-size revolting pic of Francis

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What with all my “free time,” I am working more on this website.

I put free time in quotes, because actually I feel busier this past week than ever before. I haven’t figured out why exactly, but my to-do list seems never ending. *shrug*

UPDATE
Yes, it’s started…{cough, cough}. Feel free to comment if you something broken, etc…

In the meantime, if after your next visit this website looks very different, it’s okay. It’s still ExpatYourself, but with some rearranged furniture, new paintings, knocked down walls, etc.. I’m making room for future additions.

“Can I Help?”
Can you help? Absolutely!
Tell me what you would most like added to this site. What do you want o hear about? How-to’s? Squiggly statistics & graphs? Any application ideas?

Send me a message or put a quick comment to this post…. & Thanks!

See you soon -

-Jeff

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Red, Green, Orange or Yellow?

I created a poll, offering North, East, West and South.
I left it up to you, figuring “hey, why should it be my decision alone?”

Seventeen people voted (okay, 16 plus myself).
Here’s the final tally:
North got 0 votes
East got 4 votes
West got 6 votes
South got 7 votes

So, unlike in the Civil War, the battle was a real squeaker and the South won!

Planning
I started a new page with a map to show planning so far.

p.s. What did I vote for? I voted South.

p.p.s. Big Thanks also to SoulTravelers3, who left a couple great, helpful comments.

Thanks again,
-Jeff

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Today, we’re expats in Prague, Czech Republic, but we are planning our move to Canada. This post is one of a series to show how we’re doing it.

It’s now April 21st.
About five weeks to go.
Feeling some pressure now.

The plan:

Will leave Prague on May 30th to Frankfurt.
Do an RV tour for a month. Our online poll says south is winning so far, e.g. toward Croatia. You vote yet?
We double-time it back to Frankfurt, Germany where we fly to Halifax, Canada

What have we done since our last post?

Did a self-designed UNESCO family tour of the Czech Republic, visiting 6 UNESCO Heritage sites.
Also did a long weekend trip to Berlin with some dear friends.
Signed with a moving company (Interdean); they grab and run on 27 May. Whoo-hoo!
Handling life’s not-so-pleasant duties like filing taxes (Czech on 30 March) and US taxes (15 June for expats).

I’m coming to the end of my 2-month termination work period. Remember that Czech Republic (and I believe every EU country) gives 2 months of continued work after you receive a termination notice. And then 3 months salary on top of that.

Even bigger life changes
My wife and I are going through some big changes now (leaving a beautiful country and friends). I’m not going to sugar-coat it – it’s been tough.
But we’ve also made some even bigger decisions. Decisions more longer-lasting then just moving.
I’ll write more about these in upcoming posts — stay tuned!

Again, more than anything else, we’re making the best use of our remaining time here.

-Jeff

p.s. If anyone is interested in joining this blog as a content contributor or submitter – I welcome you 100%.
Of course, you get full credits and more exposure to your own blog or site as well as my huge appreciation.
Contact me if interested at Jeff@expatyourself.com

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What the hell?!? What are you doing? Why haven’t you done something about it already?
Yes, I’m talking to you! Dammit, man – pay attention!

Pull your seat a little closer, sit up straight, close your gaping mouth and listen.
Really. Focus. Pay attention…

You’re sitting there, behind your desk, in front of your computer screen. It’s Tuesday today, but that isn’t really important. It could be Monday, it could be Wednesday, it could be any work day of the week.

This week, next week, next month. It’s all the same. Same desk, same PC. Same Tuesday. Same, same, same.

I received a comment today. Some guy asking about getting a Czech driving license on my Czech driving license post.
Then it hit me – I haven’t received a comment in a long while.

No one asking “But what about…?” or “How would I…?”
Well, what about you? Why haven’t You written that question?

Am I writing this for my health? No. Sure, writing this blog gives me a smile.
But more importantly, it should be giving you ideas, motivation, the “ah-ha” moment to start a plan, screaming “By God, I’m going to Do It!”.

It’s okay. I see now you need steps. A Step-by-Step plan. Tell me if I’m right or comment below.

Before I dive into creating some all-encompassing how-to guide…let me ask some beginner questions:
1. Do you have a passport?
May seem simple, but it’s important, so I’ll repeat it. Get a passport. Caution: when you hold it in your hand, you may experience a little tingle. It’s normal.

2. Do you have your shit in order?
I mean, no $30,000 credit card debt, no summons in the mailbox, no parole officer hassling you… If none apply, you’re good to go.

3. Are you generally a happy person?
The answer is likely yes. However, if you feel like slicing your wrists after watching a sad TV commercial, then culture shock may not sit well with you. If you are a generally happy person, then you’re good to go.

Can You Do It? – Yes!
Deciding to just pack it all up and experience life elsewhere ….it’s not a hard decision.
It’s a very easy one. The hard part is in doing it.

They did it.
But it can be done. Most recently, just this past weekend, a couple I know (through this blog) did it. (Damn, I can almost hear the Dora the Explorer end theme song: “We Did It – Hooray!”)

They started with an open “What if” type of e-mail. Then they were busy on the ExpatYourself forum. I’ve been in e-mail contact, answering their questions from time to time. Just a sweet, normal couple from Arizona. Now they live and will be teaching in Prague, Czech Republic.
They did it. And so can You.

I look forward to hearing from you.
-Jeff

p.s. Have you read any of these books? A friend recommended them to me. If you have read them, I’d like to hear what you think.

The Four Hour Work Week

Rework

Switch

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