Visa is complete

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Trip Start Apr 06, 2003 Trip End Ongoing Next
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  Chicago, Illinois, United States
Wednesday, March 26, 2003

I apologize for the mass email but this is probably the best way to tell everyone. Before I get too deep into this email, let me give props to my buddy Rabbi Jon. He has been in rabbinical school in Jerusalem for the past 9 or so months and has been keeping his friends and family updated through TravelPod so I'm stealing this idea from him. However, if I know him as well as I think I know him, I'm sure he stole the idea from one of his friends. And I'm sure one of you will steal it from me. Anyways, that's not the point. I will be sending updates periodically via this website. I hope you all find our travels interesting and some of you will take advantage of us being in Amsterdam by using us as a place to crash on your way in and out of Europe.

Anyways, after months of waiting, 2 stale departure dates, multiple "Good Riddance" parties, and countless times dodging the question "have you heard anything yet?" I have finally heard something. My visa is complete and it is now a matter of days before I get out of here. My initial thought is to be on the non-stop from O'Hare to Schiphol a week from Sunday. I could leave earlier but at this point, what's the rush. Plus the Badgers are still playing basketball (something that my Indiana friends can't say).

Julie has finished her classwork at DePaul and is now in day 3 of her mandatory student teaching assignment...only 47 days left. She will be staying in Chicago until her student teaching is complete on June 6. At that point she will join me in Amsterdam with her Masters in Education completed.

Since we thought we'd be gone by now, our apartment is empty and our belongings are either in storage in some Chicago suburb or in an ocean container in Holland somewhere. We have been staying in corporate housing for the past few weeks. It is not the most comfortable living situation but there is really nothing we can do about it, plus we're able to save a little bit of rent money in the meantime. The apartment is a little nicer than a suite at a hotel, minus a mint on the pillow. It comes fully furnished but the kitchen has only 1 pot and 1 skillet. Consequently, Julie isn't able to whip up any impressive meals, although I think she's just using this as an excuse.

Julie will be spending her spring break with me in Amsterdam the week of April 20. By that point, I will have been in Amsterdam about 3 weeks so hopefully I will be somewhat situated in my corporate apartment and will have had a chance to begin the search for our permanent apartment. I would expect that while I am at work, Julie would get a chance to view all the apartments that I have given my okay to and disagreed with every one of them. To her defense, I have a tendency to notice the convenient location in relation to a really cool pub but miss the fact that there is no toilet. Hopefully after discovering that she married a moron, she'll have time to find us a pretty sweet 2-bedroom overlooking a canal. With a 2-bedroom, we will have room to house our friends (that's the 2nd time this has come up in case you're not getting the hint that we expect visitors).

Before I go, let me just mention that I am not concerned at all about being abroad at the current time. The Dutch are friends of the US but tend to not be too opinionated one way or the other so you'll never see a Dutch diplomat meeting with GWBush on some island off the coast of Spain. If anything, their extreme hatred of the Germans might cause them to support the US more than they would like. Like most places in Europe (and the US for that matter), there are pockets of people who oppose the war and GWBush wholeheartedly but when it comes to safety issues, I don't believe they exist. In fact, I feel as if there is a 1% chance of something happening to me in Chicago (and I would think it would be smaller if I didn't work 2 blocks from Sear's Tower) and a 0% chance of something happening in Amsterdam. If anything, I think the war will impact me positively as it will cut down on the number of American tourists. As a result, it will be easier for Julie and I to enjoy Europe without having to fight the crowds.

Anyways, I just wanted to send this off to let everyone know what is doing. As I mentioned before, I will try to update you all via this website as often as I can with some funny stories and my general views on stuff (although I will try to stay away from making this a Zionist newsletter). Much of what you will probably read will include detail that will bore you. I apologize in advance but I kept a journal with things I found interesting while I studied in London, traveled Western Europe, and worked in Jerusalem and I plan on doing the same here. Someday when I'm constrained to a wheelchair in a nursing home and can't remember a goddamn thing, I hope to have as vivid a picture of this experience as possible.

Lastly, please feel free to pass this on to anyone you think might enjoy reading my ramblings. Conversely, if you're sick and tired of hearing from me and had planned on using my move to Amsterdam to sever ties forever, let me know that as well and I will leave you alone (this option is not available to you Joey). If you would like to continue to get these emails, please subscribe at the top of the page - only those who subscribe will receive future TravelPod messages. Thanks!

Speak to you soon.
-Stephen

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