Stockholm Sunflower

A couple of tense days

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:28:00 -0400

So, after the euphoria of receiving my resident’s permit, I hit a pretty major bump in the moving-to-Sweden process.

If you recall, I interviewed at the Swedish Consulate in Chicago in March. What I didn’t know at the time was that they were going to implement a new procedure that began in May.

In the past, when approved for a resident’s permit, one was given a sticker to place in your US passport. But as of May 2011, they require an additional “UT Card” with embedded photo and fingerprints. From the instructions, it appeared to me that I was required to return to Chicago for this card. Which was a pain in the behind, but doable.

So, on my break at work, I went to the cafeteria, called the Chicago Consulate to make an appointment, and the nice woman on the other end of the phone says to me, “We don’t do those here. You’ll have to go to the Embassy in Washington (DC) for that.”

My jaw literally dropped.

I also asked her if she was kidding me, of which I was pretty sure I already knew the answer. She said no, they didn’t even have the ID machine in their office. I told her I was calling from Iowa and that no one had ever mentioned my need to travel to Washington for anything. She suggested I call the Embassy.

Before doing that, however, I wanted to think through all the options. Of course, I talked to Mimi about it the next day, and she was stunned. To be honest, the sheer cost and time involved in such a trip would be a major blow to our plans and my budget. Fortunately, after a couple of days, Mimi finally managed to speak with a wonderful woman at the Swedish Migration Board’s customer service department.

Here’s what she reported back:

“She said that you don’t have to go to D.C. for your mugshot. Because you have your resident’s permit and you are an American citizen, you can wait until you are here to get your UT card. Although they would prefer you to have your UT card when you arrive, there are legitimate exceptions, for instance if you have to travel a very long way at high expense. (yes, I explained your situation to her.) She said that info should be on their website, but that it might not be very clear. And that is because there are no special visa regulations for Americans to travel here.”

So, in the end, all’s well that ends well.

But I’m putting out some feelers for additional seasonal work anyway…

A Celebration

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:02:00 -0400

Although the actual “card” is not in my hand yet, I’m thrilled to share with you that I received word from the Swedish Embassy in D.C. this morning that my Resident Permit was approved!

*chair dances*

As anyone following this blog is aware, a lot of planning, paperwork, and perseverance went into this endeavor. Mimi and I are both incredibly excited, and although we were given every suggestion that the approval was forthcoming, it’s totally different to see it in print.

By way of Google Translation:

Migration Board decides to
- Grant you a residence and work permits for the period 2011-10-05 -2013-10-05.

Signed originals kept by the Immigration Service.
Decision sent to
Embassy of Sweden in Washington, DC, U1075-2011-01035

There is one catch.

In the middle of my application process, they made a change:

On May 20, 2011, an EU regulation will enter into force, which means that Swedish national authorities will begin issuing residence permit cards instead of the current stickers being inserted into passports.

The aim of the residence permit cards, or UT cards, is to be more secure than the previous stickers. The cards will therefore be biometric — they have a data chip with the bearer’s photo and fingerprints.

All EU member states will issue the same type of residence permit cards beginning May 20, 2011.

What does this mean to me?

My permit will be mailed to me, but it appears that I have to return to the Swedish Consulate in Chicago to be photographed and fingerprinted for this UT card.

Am I thrilled about another 10-hour round trip with the resulting costs for gas, parking, food, a possible hotel stay and another day off work? No. Am I going to do it anyway? But of course.

Between my legal name change, a trip down to Kansas, and the official notification today, this has been an exciting couple of weeks. Still ahead: Building up my savings, paying off my credit card, paring down the wardrobe, making more decisions about what stays and goes, and doing a little estate planning (and little is the key word here, ha).

A brief look at Årsta

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 19:11:00 -0400

Hi all — Long time no post.

Things are rolling along; my legal name change is supposed to occur this week, as well as a possible last trip to my general practitioner.

While I’m waiting for the wheels to turn, I thought I might introduce you to the area of Stockholm where I’ll be living: Årsta (pronounced OAR-shta).

Årsta is considered a district within the city of Stockholm. According to Mimi, it’s a great location for commuting downtown, which is about 30 minutes by train. Årsta has several shops, stores, and community services in the area, and most people live in condos.

This is the building Mimi’s condo is in:

There’s a small shopping/community center just a few blocks away:

Bibliotek = Library :)

And just down the street is the grocery, the name of which is easy for me to remember since it’s so similar to our “IGA” stores:

One of the more significant landmarks is the Årsta Bridge:

Mimi was kind enough to plant small icons on a Google map of Stockholm. If you click on each marker icon it will indicate on the map of the five main locations you might be interested in: her condo in Årsta, her office in Södermalm, Gamla Stan (Old Town), Downtown Stockholm/Sergels Torg, and Central Station.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=205382432410790081323.0004ad3a9881a7fa2fba4&msa=0&ll=59.331088,18.049507&spn=0.096141,0.220757

(I’m learning that older browsers may not be showing the little “blue drop” icons, sorry)

More light at the end of the tunnel

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:47:46 -0400

Great news on the visa process — Mimi found out the name and phone number of the migration board officer handling my application and managed to have quite the satisfactory conversation with him yesterday!

“Anders” (as we’ll call him to protect his privacy) said that he had already marked my application as “preliminarily approved.” The only reason it’s currently towards the bottom of his case pile, he said, was that we had put down early 2012 as the preferred time for my move, and he had more urgent cases to research.

Mimi asked if there was any additional information from us that he needed, and he said no, that our case seemed “crystal clear.” She isn’t even going to be called in for an interview, it appears. Unless one more additional background check finds any history of crime, or violation of visa rules (which it won’t!), the application is practically guaranteed to be approved.

She then explained my desire to legally return to my maiden name and asked if that would affect the processing. He suggested that, for the paperwork to run as smoothly as possible, I get my name legally changed as soon as possible, before he files my application as approved. That way, I won’t have to go through the trouble of contacting the Swedish Tax office to ask them to change my name on all documents.

Despite any additional delay in a formal approval this step may cause, it’s important to me that I start this new phase of my life without the baggage of having the name from a marriage that ended 20 years ago. I already have the legal forms from the local district court office, and was told the process would take approximately 30 days after they receive the completed form back. However, this also means I will also have to obtain a new US passport after the name change.

Everything about this move seems meant to be, and January’s looking good. :)

As the world turns...

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:32:00 -0400

Although it may not seem directly related to the moving process, I experienced a couple of significant events over the last two weeks that fell into that “when a door closes, a window opens” category.

First off, a former co-worker and someone I thought was a close friend here in town decided it was time to abruptly end our friendship, telling me so in a very brief and somewhat vague e-mail. I’m not certain whether it was her inability to accept and continue our friendship through my move, or whether it was her personal beliefs regarding my relationship. In either case, the lack of support for either was extremely painful and I’m still shaking my head over that one.

Only two days later, my friend and landlady of nine years, Shirley, passed away after a 5-year battle with sarcoma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer. She could be a tough, cantankerous soul but also one of the most generous, caring and supportive persons I’ve had the fortune to count as a friend.

Timing is a funny thing and sometimes there are decisions best left to the universe, I think.

Mid-summer update

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:00:23 -0400

It’s been a while since I posted here…

I spent a fantastic two-week vacation with Mimi. We enjoyed two U2 concerts in the midst of a tour of the Mid-South. The trip included Graceland, Sun Studios, fun on Beale Street, river cruises, and a lot of good eating. I won’t go into a great deal more detail because my main focus for this blog is the Swedish migration process, but you should be able to see trip photos here if you haven’t already.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150328916789505.388054.714509504&l=3a7b412c1a

Settling into the new digs has been a work in progress. I was only there a week or so before Mimi arrived and we left a few days after. Sis and bro-in-law have been great; I’m slowly figuring out the recycling process, the TV channels, where the kitchen utensils are, and just how far up to park my car before it juts into the sidewalk.

When you’ve lived alone for twenty years it’s like turning your life upside down to share a home. I can’t express enough my gratitude towards K & T regarding their generosity. We’re still working out the nuts and bolts of sharing the household, though. As one with the brain of an absent-minded professor, I have difficulties remembering small things like pulling the bathroom rug off the floor after a shower, or which plastic things can be recycled, or leaving clothes in the laundry room.

I hope I can make it another six months before they kick me out. ;)

Which brings me to the next topic: the moving timeline. We’ve reached a point in the visa process where I’m receiving questions from everyone about when I’m moving. I’m incredibly grateful for all the inquiries, simply because it means people care. Either that or they can’t wait to see me leave. Just kidding. I hope.

The answer at this point is pretty vague. What I can relay is what the Swedish Migration Board told Mimi in their letter and request for information from her, which is approximately 8 months from when I submitted my request. That was mid-March.

According to my calculations, that would ideally make the approval come through in November. To my mind’s eye, that would be pretty perfect… a nice birthday gift, time to save up a modest nest egg, and another month to spend the holidays with family here at home.

Until then, I’ll start working on my Swedish language lessons, continue to pare down my stuff for shipping or storage, and let the three dachshunds and elderly Maltese in and out the back door.

Garage Sale #2, a combined effort with the sister. A lot of...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:06:00 -0400

Garage Sale #2, a combined effort with the sister.

A lot of prep/sweat work but I made $300 which isn’t too shabby at all. Still have to shed a lot of stuff that didn’t go however.

Addendum: We emptied the garage last evening, repacked everything into boxes and took it all to Goodwill. To be honest, this second garage sale, including 3 days of packing and repacking, having people pick over my stuff, then giving it up all over again, took a bit of an emotional toll.

I know— stuff is just stuff. But it was my stuff.

Would I do it again or would I recommend it as part of the moving overseas process? Probably not, unless you can confidently project a much higher financial payoff to offset all the work, time, and emotional investment.

Another run towards the end zone

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:24:19 -0400

Yesterday I walked out of my apartment of 9 years with the last load.

I really did love that place; it was homey and historic with its slanted ceilings and over-the-door transom windows. My two beloved cats allowed me to live there with them before leaving me for their next lives. My landlady has also been a friend — flexible when finances were tight and was always concerned for my comfort.

The three-story outdoor spiral staircase was another matter — it was slick and a bit dangerous in inclement weather and eventually prevented my parents from visiting me at home. But at least it provided private access and prevented me from having to witness events of the downstairs tenants, like the woman suckling her 3-year-old.

Purging half of what I own was a huge chore, and eventually when I’m more rested, I know I’ll come to appreciate the accomplishment. Right now my new “loft” in my sister’s home is filled wall to wall with unopened boxes and bags. We are having a joint garage sale this weekend in an attempt to shed ourselves of what we’ve moved past needing at this point in our lives.

I’m mentally and physically exhausted and a little out of my element at the moment, but I know that will improve soon and things will start falling into place. Sis and her family have been totally awesome through this entire process and I couldn’t have done it without them.

Next week — Mimi and vacation! :)

Happy Sweden Day! This day in Sweden marks the foundation of...

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:29:48 -0400

Happy Sweden Day! This day in Sweden marks the foundation of modern Sweden (the date honours the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523). June 6th became Sweden’s official national day only 27 years ago, and it only became a national holiday in 2005.

According to the mythology, the Swedish 12th century king Eric the Holy saw a yellow cross in the sky as he landed in Finland during the First Swedish Crusade in 1157. Seeing this as a sign from God he adopted the yellow cross against a blue background as his banner.

More progress!

Fri, 27 May 2011 22:21:14 -0400

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, Mimi received her letter from the Swedish Migration Board informing her that I’d applied for a resident visa and enclosed a lengthy form for her to complete.

Being the efficient person she is, she had the information in the mail to them the following day. And today she got confirmation that they had received her parcel.

Yay!

Another step closer

Wed, 25 May 2011 00:18:31 -0400

So Mimi got a letter today from the Swedish Migration Board saying that this American person has applied for a residence permit to live with her, and would she please fill in this T77 form and return it along with some additional documents within 4 weeks.

YAY! \O/

The letter - as expected - contains a great deal of formality and a request for more information. It was a nice touch, however, where they kindly ask us to be patient and allow them to conduct their business, saying something to the effect of “we understand it’s difficult to be apart - but simply missing each other isn’t regarded as an ‘urgent matter’ like illness or pregnancy.”

Thank God, neither of us is ill or pregnant. So yes, we’ll be patient.

Now Mimi gets the pleasure of completing similar forms that I did back in March. It’s unclear at this point whether she will also undergo a personal interrogation — I mean, interview.

The letter goes on to say “If permission for residency is granted, your partner may shortly (thereafter) visit the embassy where the application was made and get a proof of residence permit attached to their passport.”

Okay, so here’s where there’s a little confusion. I’m pretty sure I’d submitted an additional fee for my materials to be mailed back, including my passport. And if I have to go after it I sure hope they mean Chicago (the consulate), not Washington DC (the embassy).

The letter also states that if the application is denied, we have 3 weeks to submit an appeal. I’m not expecting that to be the case and choose to remain blindly optimistic. :)

Like a 12-year-old, I snickered nearly every time I saw this...

Sat, 21 May 2011 11:23:58 -0400

Like a 12-year-old, I snickered nearly every time I saw this sign, which is simply the word for “exit” from a parking garage or such.

4hikecrewnotorioushikesplit:

-kris

Do you think you'll miss Iowa?

Tue, 10 May 2011 19:25:16 -0400

Sure I will. Family and friends first, of course, but also the familiarity of things, like hopping in the car to drive to the store, my apartment, and the comfortability of Mount Vernon. But sometimes familiarity can be a bit of a trap, and you have to take a leap. I’m excited about the move and I think it’s come just at the right time.

Confusing format

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:09:15 -0400

To StroppyGirl: I can’t figure out how to answer your question as a post — it didn’t show up as a message to easily answer. The answer is that I have no problem with you reblogging. As a matter of fact, I’m flattered, thanks!

PS - If you’re smarter than I am and have figured out a solution to the above, clue me in, eh?

I let go of a lot of stuff yesterday at our...

Sun, 08 May 2011 15:50:39 -0400

I let go of a lot of stuff yesterday at our “housemates” yard sale. It was a bit sad to see some treasured belongings go, but it was amazing how just the right, lovely people showed up to take particular items.

Like the artsy coffeeshop owner who fell in love with my antique drafting table and vowed to pass it on to her son. The nice couple who bought my floral recliner. The sweet lady who purchased my pastel “bird” dinnerware and beautiful blonde-haired ceramic doll I’d always imagined would resemble a child of my own.

Not to mention the amusement I felt when people would ask, “Oh, where are you moving?” and I answered “Sweden.” That was certainly not among the possible answers they were expecting, and when I saw the envy and approval on their faces, it helped validate my leap of faith.

I even enjoyed the people who didn’t buy anything, but shared their own experiences, like the Lithuanian woman and her American husband. She reassured me that, once immersed in the language, I would learn Swedish well enough. There was a bit of nostalgia watching the excited college kids who took away my well-worn sofa for free to furnish their own first apartment.

Oh, and the $250 I made off the sale wasn’t a kick in the pants, either. ;)

What is a U2?

Fri, 06 May 2011 09:44:40 -0400

http://www.atu2.com/band/bio.html

That should answer all your questions. ;)

Hardcore Moving

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 11:33:00 -0400

So, as I sit and procrastinate before attacking the 1,734,293 items in my apartment, it occured to me that I could justify this procrastination by writing about the moving process.

I have moved many, many times. It is a tedious, unpleasant and excruciating experience. Even the promise of an exciting new city, new job, or new house doesn’t make the process any more exciting. You have to ask people to help unless you’re made of money and can hire a moving firm. But when you’re planning a move halfway around the world, into a condo already well furnished with lovely things, it makes the process even more difficult.

Mimi and I agreed that I should bring with me a certain number of items that would make the place feel like it was “our” home, and not a matter of me just moving into hers. But practicality and design does place a limit on such noble intention.

Shall we discuss clothes?

Anyone who knows me knows that I love clothes. I love shopping for clothes, I love trying on clothes, I love watching TV programs about clothes. Unfortunately this passion has resulted in overflowing closets, boxes and bags because I have been unwilling to give up aging but much-loved items in my wardrobe. Which is resulting in piles and piles of this:

There are only so many clothes I can take, and will need in Stockholm. I have enlisted my sister and niece to come over this week and help determine what needs to go to Goodwill, garage sales, Stockholm, or possibly burned never to be seen by anyone again.

Shall we discuss books and other memorabilia?

I also love reading, music, and travel. Which has resulted in overflowing bookshelves, display cabinets, books and articles about favorite musicians. What does one do with trinkets collected from London, Montreal, Vancouver? What do you do with three scrapbooks of photos and quotes about the band Great Big Sea?

It sounds so very simple when your plan appears to be so cut-and-dried:

1. Immediate Stockholm; 2. Secondary Stockholm; 3. Short-term storage; 4. Long-term storage; 5. Garage sale; 6. Toss.

Unfortunately, life isn’t so cut-and-dried, and neither is all my stuff.

Interview

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 22:14:00 -0400

So… the primary question after returning from the interview for the resident permit was “How did it go?”

The simple answer is “just fine.” The more descriptive answer is that it was challenging, nerve-racking and a definite introduction to doing business with the Swedes. Let me take you back a month.

In order to obtain permission to live in Sweden, one must apply for a resident permit, which also doubles as a work permit. In order to obtain this resident permit there is a boatload of forms and documents to complete and submit.

http://www.migrationsverket.se/info/521_en.html

Once all the documentation is reviewed and the officials determine that there is enough reason to grant a personal interview, you are given an appointment at the nearest Swedish Consulate. In my case, this was Chicago.

I left after work on Monday and arrived in Downtown Chicago around 8:30 pm. Although I’d planned to get a room in the suburbs and take the train downtown, I was lucky enough to get a Sheraton on Rush Street at a very reasonable rate. I’d definitely do it again because it eliminated worries about the train schedule and stops and delays and transfers. It was a simple seven blocks down Michigan Avenue.

Of course, wanting to be there in plenty of time, I arrived 30 minutes early. I hadn’t eaten anything out of concern for my nervous stomach, but I didn’t want the interview to be interrupted with unexpected growling either. So I popped into the downstairs coffeeshop and bought a muffin. I sat down at a table, began to peel the wrapper, and lo and behold some familiar notes floated down from the sound system.

“The heart is a bloom…”

Beautiful Day. I had U2’s blessing. ;)

After a brief warning that if anything I said was found to be untrue the permit would be denied, the interview itself was less formal than I expected.

Basically, I sat at the end of the director’s desk, answered her questions, and she typed my answers in Swedish. Most of the answers involved places and dates and could easily have been found in the paperwork in front of her. I got the feeling she either hadn’t read most of it, or she was testing me for comparison later.

The challenging part about it was that she didn’t react like I expected. I have been through a lot of job interviews. A LOT. So I kind of have that down by now and her lack of emotional response was disconcerting, to say the least. I really started to question how well things were going until it finally hit me.

Swedish people are kind, generous, intelligent folk. But demonstrative… eh, not so much. My Midwestern warmth and attempt at charm didn’t seem to be having much effect. That is, until I shared what klutzes Mimi and I were. I finally got some looks of concern and sympathy when I told her about the concussion in Stockholm and resulting trip to the hospital. And there was definitely a chuckle and a twinkle in the eyes when I handed her a new copy of Mimi’s passport ID page, explaining that the original had gone through the washer in a pants pocket.

After an hour and 15 minutes, she rather abruptly said that was all she needed, and asked if I had anything else to add. I simply reiterated that I had answered all of her questions truthfully, and would do my very best to learn Swedish quickly, and seek suitable employment afterwards so as not to be a burden on Swedish society. As we departed her office I said Tack sa mycket (thank you very much).

I think she was more amused than impressed, for it was then that she finally grinned.

With that finished, I rewarded myself with a little slice of heaven:

Not a large pie, mind, but an individual lunch-sized pizza. YUM.

I was still in the Magnificent Mile area, but with money to be saved and possessions to be disposed of, it was no time for shopping. Besides, I was emotionally exhausted. I got my car, set out for home… and per usual missed a turn amongst Chicago’s multitude of I-90s, 94s, I-190s and/or 194s, and East-West expressways that actually go north and south.

As fate has it, I ended up near Schaumburg only to see these out my window:

And right behind those, this:

How could I not stop?

I am pleased to say, however, that the only items I left with were some children’s dinnerware and bag clips for my sister. I did take some time to look at a closet Mimi plans to buy for which I will attempt to whittle down my current wardrobe to fit. (Stop laughing!)

One last stop at a convenience store for some motor oil for my well-aged yet trusty Saturn (special nod at the brother-in-law), then I was headed west back to Iowa and on to the next steps of the journey.

Did you have some delicious deep-dish Chicago pizza? DETAILS, woman.

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:20:13 -0400

I did! I will be posting more about my day in Chicago when I get home this evening. (Hint: It also included a stop at the largest big box store in the world that was founded in Sweden…)

Leaving in two hours for Chicago and my resident’s permit appointment with the Swedish...

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:54:33 -0400

Leaving in two hours for Chicago and my resident’s permit appointment with the Swedish Consulate tomorrow morning. Wish me luck!