relocation blues
on to the next item on this year’s agenda: we’ve got roughly two months to get our act together before we leave germ’s land and set up shop on that little country at the tip of the malay peninsula.
we’ve notified our landlord, and we’re starting to cancel contracts on our utilities– phone, cellphones, internet, cable tv, water/electricity/heating, insurances, ADAC, etc. we’ve sold some of our stuff, and will post ads shortly for the rest. we’re not planning to ship much apart from our personal effects and jan’s toys, so we’d really like to get rid of as much as possible– from the car down to candle holders. we figured it doesn’t make sense to pay for the shipping of our ikea-type furniture; the shipping probably cost as much as, if not more than, the items themselves. we’re now just waiting for quotes from shipping services, and from there, we’d be able to decide just how brutal this year’s spring cleaning will have to be.
the only remaining issue are the antique hand-me-downs from hubby’s grandma, acquired prior to the first world war. much as i would like to keep these beautiful pieces for sentimental reasons, we simply can’t afford to have them shipped. not when we have all the other relocation-related expenses to take care of as well. either we pay for storage and have them shipped at a later date, or we sell them now. the challenge is to find an honest antique dealer who will give us a fair price for them, and this in the next two months.
it’s funny how these all make me feel, though: to leave the comfort and security of germany to start a new chapter of our lives elsewhere. after all, relocation is not just about changing your location. it’s about changing your life.
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13 Responses to “relocation blues”
April 17th, 2007 at
I’m daunted by the prospect of a move across the country, never mind to a different continent. Good luck.
April 18th, 2007 at
I find it grueling enough moving from one city to another; I can’t imagine the headaches that come with moving countries! I hope that your transition goes as smoothly as possible. Good luck and take care!
April 18th, 2007 at
moving all our stuff is the easy part (after all, they are just “stuff”) it’s the leaving of the comfort zone that’s the real challenge. kaya niyo yan! good luck.
April 18th, 2007 at
i have mixed feelings too….i’m leaving (with a heavy heart) the home i’ve known for 14 years, worse, my family will be left behind (not for long i hope)…kaya ko kaya? i’m pretty sure things will work out fine, though i admit “change” is a bit scary.
goodluck to you and your family!!!
April 19th, 2007 at
whoa! you’ll be closer to Manila soon. Jan won’t have to endure the long haul of flights… until the next relocation. See you in Singapore - that is kung madaan man kami diyan at kung kailan man yun!
April 19th, 2007 at
it’s all in the mind…this new chapter in your life may prove to be the most exciting of all…anything NEW is exciting. God bless!
April 19th, 2007 at
It is a real task to pack up lalo na you seem to be the only one to do it. Physical labor yan ha! Plus mental exercise on decision making on what to bring or leave behind. Good Luck, and I offer you Moral support! hehe.
April 20th, 2007 at
it’s all going to be fine.
you have a place to stay in. have family & friends you know…
life change—”tell me about it”
April 21st, 2007 at
hello ruthie — goodluck to you and baste — kung malapit lang ako eh ako na bumili ng mga antigo nyo!
April 21st, 2007 at
i’m also going through the same dilemma. ang mabigat pa, we’re scheduled to leave Alemanya in less than 3 months and we still have no idea where we’re going. *sigh*
i hope your relocation goes smooth. and God bless you on your new venture. pero kitakits muna tayo before tayo magsilayas, okie?
April 22nd, 2007 at
i know the feeling of moving and starting all over again, whether only from one street to the next in the same city or abroad. i know it is a whole lot different when you are one family unit with children (or a child). nonetheless, one thing i reckon about pinoys who have already left the philippines is that they cope quite easily with change in their surroundings. strong spirited! anyway, good luck with your move. shame i wasn’t able to meet you there in germany - considering that i am able to travel without visa hassles soon, but who knows, we might just do in singapore. ingats!
April 25th, 2007 at
[...] ok, so i’ve sold most of our bookshelves in preparation for our move. now i don’t know what to do with the books that used to sit in them. i’ve temporarily put them in shipping boxes, but looking at how many boxes we’ve already filled with just books alone, i think we should re-think shipping these. otherwise, our shipping container would already be full, and man can’t live on books alone, eh? [...]
April 25th, 2007 at
ruthie, yung mga war-dated na things ni grandma baka gusto nyong ibenta sa isang auction? i saw those on TV and they give out good returns usually for the stuff they sell.