Traffic and the Cities

This week I have a couple of great friends from New Zealand visiting. They are moving back home  after their term in Brazil. As we were driving around we couldn't help and compare the traffic between here, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Auckland. And what a difference. Where would you guess the best place to drive is?


According to my friends, and I have to agree, Florida is the best place to drive. Let's start with  number of lanes on the roads and the way the roads were planned. Only in America. In Auckland as here in Florida, the roads are well kept. No potholes. In Auckland, if they had craters the same size of the ones they have in Mexico City and Sao Paulo people would sue the government and win. There are some aggressive drivers there. The reason is that people are not used to heavy traffic and not tolerant of people causing it. In Florida there's the occasional person trying to cut the lane, but not that many. So Auckland comes in number two.


Now it is very hard to make a call for number 3 and 4, so I have to call it a tie. On one side we have small motorcycles everywhere who thing they own the roads and aggressive drivers. But if you put your blinkers on people will let you turn or switch lanes. This is Sao Paulo For you. In Mexico you have aggressive driver who will be fighting you tooth and nail all the time and who disregard every traffic rule there is.   


We even brought New York in the conversation. I must admit that New York traffic is mild compared to Mexico City and Sao Paulo. And I think this pretty much rest my case. I would love to know your opinion on this matter.

New Lives

We rented our apartment to a nice american family. This will be their first relocation and they're really excited about the move. But for some reason I can not stop bugging them. I e-mail her everyday with a list of things she should put on her container. Some times I can't help but wonder: When is she going to tell me to stop?


The list is long. It goes from baby diapers and tampons all the way up to food. Then I have a list of doctors and dentists. A good, reliable driver. Restaurants nearby. The pizza delivery place. Hairstylist. Manicure.... The list is long.


I also sent her the phone number of a few friends who live in the same gated community who can help her out.


In a way I feel like I am giving her all the information I wish I had before I moved. Things that can make her life easier. And friends she can rely on. All expats, who understand what she'll be going thru.


As for me, I am having a hard time making friends. I have been very reclusive. And usually I am very outgoing. One of my friends told me that it is because I am not over having had to say goodbye to most of my friends. And I think she's right. On top of that there's the perspective of a new assignment. So why bother make new friends if I am going to have to say goodbye to them soon, right? I've been staying in touch with my old friends though. We had a few friends visiting us already and starting Sunday I'll have guests every week until the end of July. The kids couldn't be more excited. I'll have my work cut out for me and I'll have to take daily trips to the mall, but I am very happy. And hopefully, by the time they leave I'll be ready to make some new friends. I need to change my mind set and realize that with the new friends, just like with the old ones it won't be goodbye, it will be an "auf wiedersehen".

Settling Down

Things are not as hectic as they used to be. There's a lot less to worry about. A few things still don't work in Mexico, like the internet, but we're learning to adapt. So today I was thinking about the whole process and how it started about a year ago.  It seems to me like everything that could go wrong on this move did go wrong. But it was great!  Why? Because I started this blog.


The reason why I started to write about all I've been thru is to help people avoid making the same mistakes I made. To help people have a smooth transition. I did not have it easy this time. And here  I could vent.  I can talk about the good, the bad and the ugly. There were lots of good things coming out of this move and there were some very frustrating times too. Good and bad experiences. In the end I was actually hoping for things to go wrong so I could learn the ins and outs and post on the blog. But, boy, I am relieved things are under control now. At least for now...

The Volcano

The Popocatepetl Volcano, near Mexico City, blasted ashes on Friday, June 6th. It caused some flight delays because it spew dark clouds up to 2 miles into the sky.  Today, Sunday some flights were delayed, but not for very long. There was a little turbulence near Mexico City. But other than that everything seems normal and under control. No need to worry right now. Isn't it amazing how many volcano activities we've been having recently? Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, Guatemala, Mexico City, Chile... Hopefully the volcanoes will calm down and not erupt. We can definitely take a break from natural disasters.


Update: It seems like the volcano calmed down. No clouds were seen in the sky from Polancos, Mexico City, today. Thank God!

One Less Thing To Worry About

So our apartment in Sao Paulo has been rented. Managing life in 3 countries will be a little bit easier now. Before we still had to pay condo fees, taxes, water, power and gas bills. It wasn't easy. But it's getting better. So what do I have left?


We are still trying to get internet connection at our flat in Mexico. At the same time we moved into our home in Florida my husband moved to a new flat in Mexico. It is much closer to his work. The previous place was in Santa Fe. The new one is in Polancos. Huge difference on the traffic. The first place was the Haus Suites. It is dog friendly, the apartments were nice, the staff was friendly - although most people couldn't speak english - and we did have internet connection. The only problem was the distance from work. With all the traffic and with the dog in Florida we thought moving would be a good idea.


The new flat is nice, new, modern, walking distance to work and only offers wireless internet connection. But it does not work! We moved to 2 different apartments but still nothing. The connection is slow and is always breaking.  And they don't care! We keep hearing that they will fix the problem "ahorita", so you know what it means, it will never get fixed. Now we're looking for a new place to move to. 


Life back in the US is pretty sweet. And not having to worry about Brazil will make my life a lot easier. But hurricane season is starting and we'll see how it goes. My evacuation plan is Mexico City. With the pets.  let's see how it goes... 

Kids and Their Friends

More and more I think our decision to move to Florida was the right one. Particularly in regards to our kids. Taking 2 international assignments in a row to  countries where they don't speak the language would have been too much for them. They are still grieving their friends, they still talk about Brazil often, their favorite restaurant is a brazilian steakhouse where they can eat picanha with rice and beans. They like Mexico a lot, but they do not want to move there. To them Mexico is where Daddy works and where we travel for fun weekends. 


But now vacation is coming and I thought the kids would like to go to Mexico to spend some extra time with daddy. Boy, was I wrong. They want to stay here or travel to Orlando to meet their friends from Brazil. They've already scheduled 6 play dates with friends from the Graded who are coming to Florida for their summer vacation. They even made a calendar and are counting the days to see their friends.


I haven't seen my kids this happy since the move. Making new friends and meeting the old ones somehow is making them feel like they belong here. They are becoming americans again, creating roots. They are finally realizing that no matter where we end up moving to we can and will stay in touch with friends. And they know that this is home. Even if we have to move again in a couple of years...

Looking for a Place to Rent in Sao Paulo?

Well, if you're looking to rent an apartment in Sao Paulo, in a gated community near the Graded School, let me know. I may have the right place for you! 


UPDATE: I removed the link because my apartment was rented.

Third Culture Kids

As I've mentioned before,  there is a term to describe kids like mine, expats. They are called Third Culture Kids, or TCK's.  I just came across a very interesting page today.http://wanjennifer.tripod.com/


If you are an expat or thinking about becoming one you should read about TCK's. It will help you better understand what your child is going thru or will go thru.


I also recommend:


www.tckis.com


www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c21995.htm


Enjoy your reading.

Moving Insurance

You will have to get insurance for your move whether you want it or not.  It is part of the moving contract and I don't know of any moving company who will ship your belongings overseas without the proper insurance. The insurance is ridiculously expensive, but trust me, you want it because you will need it.


You will probably be offered a basic insurance, that will cover damages and then you will be offered 3 different upgrades:


1) Insurance for your sets;
2) Insurance for mold;
3) Insurance for electronics malfunctioning;


I did not get the third upgrade. I figured I am moving back to the US and I can take a chance on my tv's and computers. And luckily everything is still working fine.


Insurance for mold damage is an absolute must. You don't know how long your container will be at sea and even if you use a dehumidifier, if your things stay in the container long enough they will smell. All of my clothes, pillows, cushions and mattresses smelled like mold. Some were ok after being washed and in the sun for a while but the pillows and cushions are a lost cause. And if you or someone on your family have asthma, this can be dangerous. 


The set insurance, as I am learning, is a complete rip off. The moving company told me that if a piece of the insured set was damaged the insurance company would pay for the whole set to be replaced. This is not true, as I am finding out. The insurance company will pay the value of the pieces to replace the set. Well, isn't it the same as just the regular insurance? So why do we have to pay extra for this? 


I had lots of damages during this trip. And this time I decided, for the first time to file a claim. And it hasn't been easy. It seems like the insurance company wants you to just give up. But I am committed this time. I won't give up! The crystal glasses that belong to my Great Grandmother were broken. Some gifts from my grandfather and from my mother-in-law were broken too. The movers took my refrigerator apart in 10 pieces and, of course, it is broken now. Just to name a few...


So to make things easier you will need to do this:


1) Make a list of ALL your belongings. Go room by room and list every item. Ask the moving company for the appropriate sheet in advance so you can have enough time to get this done;


2) List all those items in the insurance list and make sure the values you put in are accurate;


3) Take pictures of the family heirlooms and other expensive or irreplaceable items;


4) Tell the moving company to pack and unpack every single box. Watch closely when the movers are unpacking crystals, china and other valuables. Make sure to put on the delivery report all the damages you find;


5) Have someone from the relocation company help you on the day of the move to make sure everything goes smooth and that you can communicate with the movers;


6) Submit the claim as quickly as you can providing all the documentation along with it to expedite the process.


After submitting the claim, you will have to go on-line and find similar items to the ones that got damaged or broken and send a link to the insurance company. If any of the items is valued over 200 dollars the underwriters are going to make your life tough and ask for other documents. Then, you will be contacted by an adjuster who will set up an appointment for a person to come access the damge. He will see what can be fixed and what can't. After all this, they will start taking their time. They have 90 days per contract to act on your claim, but they will try to let you forget about it. Don't.  Keep sending them e-mails to make sure your claim is being processed. After all this they will try to settle the claim and submit you an offer. I haven't gotten there yet. But good luck with your claim.

And I would avoid using Willis as your insurer if I were you. Other companies will process your claim faster, approve the repairs immediately and  will not nickel and dime you.

So, what's next??

I haven't posted in a while. I had family over at our new home and I went to Mexico for a week. And no offense to Mexicans, but boy, so far I am glad I did not move there. I think I would spend most of my time extremely frustrated. I had my frustrations in Brazil and in the U.S. too, but nothing seems to work when I'm in Mexico. I can't communicate and then, of course, nothing gets done. I feel incapable of getting thing I take for granted done. And now  it's about time for us to make a decision about where we want to live and we really don't know what to do. We always ask ourselves the same question over and over: What will be the best for our family?


So far the super commute is working fine. But we still haven't been thru a hurricane season with all the flights delays and cancellations.


In Brazil I was frustrated and would complain a lot about how to get things done for the entire first year of the relocation. The same happens every time I visit Mexico. And it upsets my husband. And when I'm in Florida I'm happy. For whatever reason I deal with the frustrations better over here. My husband loves to come home and find all of us happy. Even if for this he has to fly for 3 yours each way. if we're happy, he's happy. If i start complaining about everything all the time it will created problems in our marriage.


And changing schools again... Sending the kids to a school that I believe to be not up to my standards is taking my sleep away.  But if we're going to do it, I need to submit the application now. Finding new doctors, dentists... And I wasn't impressed with the hospital either. In a way Sao Paulo kind of spoiled me.


Having the kids learn a new language, make new friends and put up with a lot of stress related to a move again. Is it fair with them? They are happy here. They are over the grief of leaving friends behind. They are making new friends and they love the after school activities they're enrolled in. Most of all they love to be understood whenever they speak. They are thrilled with one thing we take for granted - they can communicate with everyone.


And there's the loneliness. It is not easy to find people with the same likes and interests and make friends. Plus, if i am sick, who will take care of the kids? If my husband gets sick who will take care of him?


Yes, we would all be together, I would have help to take care of the house, a driver, etc. But that's it. And I don't need the help to be happy. So I wonder: What is more important, to be together and unhappy or to put up with all the traveling and spend the time with have together happy?


And my husband loves Florida. We go to the beach every weekend, we enjoy our pool even during winter - most houses here have pools -, the school is good, the kids are making friends, we've been having lots of friends and family over. We've been spending a lot of quality time together here. And doing lots of outdoor activities too.


Some people are lucky and have adventurous relatives and friends who will travel abroad to visit them, but this is not our case. We had no guests in Brazil. But in Florida... We feel like we're running a B&B and we will soon have to start taking reservations from them not to overbook our house. And they are very open about the fact that they will come here but they won't go to Mexico City to visit us. And after all the time living abroad it's been great for the kids to reconnect with the family.


And almost a year has gone by. We have two more years to go. And then what? A new country? Maybe... Decisions... Decisions.... We need to think a lot now not to regret our decision later. I wish I had a crystal ball to predict our future.