You're Doing It Wrong...

Last night, while I lay thinking here,
some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
and pranced and partied all night long
and sang their same old Whatif song...
-Shel Silverstein

In this land of opportunity, people sure do have a samurai like ability to zero-in on the negatives (myself included). The conversation is immediately and routinely steered towards the uncertainties, and it reminds me why I've decided I'm not meant to live in this place. I don't think we have stopped dreaming big dreams, but it sure feels like we've forgotten how to assume the risk, buy the ticket, and take the ride. Imagine what you'd try to accomplish if everyone around you was positive and encouraging, and failure was considered a learning experience?


What If it all goes according to plan?

Education First, Questions Second

Options, Options Options - time to get educated.

What I want to do is call the embassies, email other expats, and call friends in Europe to get all the information delicately served to me on a silver platter, but of course, this is the wrong attitude. Lest I forget the internet is an amazing resource, and with some time and effort the information I need is surely out there. So before I begin using up other people's time, I feel it absolutely necessary to put in my due diligence researching what I can and getting as educated as possible before picking up that phone. Past experience shows that intelligent questions are much more well received by the voice on the other end of the phone; I know if you were calling me, I would appreciate it if you had some basis of understanding prior to asking for my ever valuable time. There is one item, in bold letters, and I've made it the top 3 items on my to-do list - visas. (OK, so maybe I spend some time looking at awesome pictures of bicycles in Amsterdam, but hey, it's my motivation to keep digging through government websites, alright?)

So in an effort to organize my thoughts before dialling the embassy, here goes..

Visa Option #1: Skilled Migrant Visa

The holy grail of visas, this one is by far my best option, though it is likely the most difficult to obtain. This is equivalent to the Sponsored Visa I had in Australia, and before I can even begin thinking about this type of legality I must have a job offer from a company in Holland. Furthermore, the visa is applied for by said company, they take on quite a bit of responsibility for me, and of course as with any government involvement fees are involved. Also the employer must have "been granted access to the highly skilled migrant procedure by the IND", which to me, means that they must have done this before.

This is a tough cookie to crack, I mean, not only does the employer have to jump through hoops filling out paperwork, submitting applications and paying fees, but they are actually responsible for me and any mischief I stir up in their country. My understanding is that the visa itself isn't even issued to me, but instead it is issued to my employer - it simply has my name on it. The employer is required to petition the government claiming that they were unable to find a suitable candidate in all of Europe, and that is why the position is being extended to an outsider. And even if the company is willing to go through all of this, we all have to wait on the edge of our seats until a decision is made (some websites say this can take up to 4 months! others claim two weeks...) before I can work a single day! I'd better be damn good at my job!

Visa Option #2: DAFT

No I'm not joking, it's called DAFT and it stands for Dutch American Friendship Treaty. It's really aimed towards self employed individuals who want to start a business of their own in Holland. It's not particularly difficult to obtain (it seems), and it would allow me to stay long-term. It wouldn't be my first business, and hopefully it will be as successful as my last. The most time consuming part is making the business plan which will be reviewed by the Dutch government. Of course I don't want to start another business right now, but in the technical field there are actually tons of contract work options available (kind of like the one I'm working now, in Chicago). If I own my own business I can apply for these as an independent contractor and hopefully earn some decent wages. The idea wouldn't be to keep this up long term, but once I am making some waves in the industry and producing brilliant work, perhaps employers will be slightly more inclined to tackle that mound of paperwork regarding the Skilled Migrant visa... 

The first thing that jumps into my brain when considering this option is TAXES. Holy crap do I hate taxes, and even though I'm sure it's simpler than US tax law, it still doesn't excite me to become a part-time accountant in addition to the thousand other things that are going to make my first year in Holland very, very busy.

Visa Option #3
I guess I could be an illegal alien and sell goods on the black market... Now the question is, do the Dutch need Dr. Pepper and Hersheys?

MVV - WTF?
The MVV (Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf) is sometimes referred to a 'Temporary Residence Permit', and gets called upon in some resources and not others. This whole emigration thing would be a relatively straight forward process if I didn't continually see this MVV thing crop up in random places. Some information tells me that since I am from the USA, an MVV is not required. But then I've read some other documents that claim an MVV is actually optional, and it seems that it may ease my fit into the mold - and make obtaining that HSM visa easier. ('you can decide, after all, to commence an MVV procedure for a foreign national who is not subject to an MVV requirement.')


What I do know is this: If I obtain a valid MVV than I am able to work as soon as I arrive in Holland - though a proper application for the HSM visa will still be required. If I don't have an MVV, I can't begin work until after a decision is made on the HSM visa. I am having a hard time finding information on the MVV, so I need to call the IND, in Holland, and the timezones are making it difficult.

As expected, obtaining an MVV is more complicated than applying for a VKV. Before completing your MVV, your Dutch host institution has to be advised by IND (Dutch Immigration Service) and if they accept your request, you must apply in person at the Dutch consulate or embassy in the country you legally reside. Note that the procedure is much more costly (250 to 433 euros) and since this entry visa is actually a sticker in your passport, it can not be obtained when you are in the Netherlands.

No matter where I read, requirements seem to be circular. An MVV requires a residence, but a residence requires a visa, and a visa requires a job - but it seems reasonable that a job would require a residence. Oy.

Residence and Registration
This is an area where I need to do some more heavy lifting. From blogs I have read (but no 'official' sources as of yet) many things are dependent on me having a legit, legal residence. And once I have found this residence, just as all Amsterdammers must, I need to register with the government. This registration provides many functions, and cements my eligibility to submit other forms, such as visa applications and, maybe, an MVV? The problem is, Amsterdam may be one of the most densely populated cities in all of Europe, and the outlook on finding a good, legal residence seems grim. (Most housing has a waitlist over 5 years!) More on this with my next post, hopefully I'll have a better understanding. If you know of any good resources concerning housing - please, please drop a line in the comments.

This Is Me & Pim...

Riding On top of a Truck:

Riding Behind two Water Buffalo

Riding on a Tiny Scooter

Let's go ride some bicycles in Amsterdam. Fietsen. 

I'm comin' for ya Pim....

Page 1

So here it is, on November 1st I will touch down in Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands. I will be in for the possibly the biggest challenge I have ever taken on in my life, and a big part of that reason is the fact I will be going it alone. You see, when I decided to up and move to Australia, I had an incredible support network. Not only did I have two amazing individuals moving with me, but my friends and family were encouraging, even motivational and excited for me. This time around it's not quite the same. I think my friends and family have become accustomed to me doing this kind of thing, and maybe they assume I've got it all figured out. Or perhaps they really don't want me to go, and truthfully after 3+ years abroad I am almost inclined to stay here and spend time with the people that matter most in my life. So why do I still choose to go with all these barriers to entry? I haven't even begun talking about the enourmous task of immigration, job searching, apartment hunting, transportation, interviews, mobile phones, bank accounts, AHHHH!

 Even though I feel like I should have gotten started on these things earlier in life, I realize that just as when I started 'round the world, I currently don't have any responsibilities that would stop me from chasing these silly dreams of mine. No children, no girlfriend, no material possessions, no leases or insurance - the time is right. And if you know me well, you know how much I love a good quote. I don't want to be haunted for the rest of my life by Mark Twain,

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

So why Amsterdam? 
As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I was most excited about the food, culture and beverages found in Belgium, but the more I searched and the harder I worked at finding a job, the more it seemed that Dutch employers were giving me more credence. And even though I have started studying Dutch, English is widely used and most people claim that I won't really need Dutch at all. I talked to my friends in Europe, and others who have simply traveled there and it was easily agreed that Amsterdam is one of the most vibrant and lively cities on Earth. So it's come down to hopping a flight, and spending every waking minute trying to find a job without giving in to the urge of riding a bicycle through town, eating an apple strudel and visiting the beautifully historic (and thoroughly modern) sights until I have become established. If all goes well, I'll have plenty of time to have fun later.

 So the gears have started turning. November is closer than I think. I hope to use this blog as my personal brainstorming medium. I will try and post all the information I'm learning about Amsterdam, and where my efforts will need to be placed before setting sail and once I'm on the ground. A huge part of my research lately is blogs, so I have also decided to make this blog public and searchable. In reading other's blogs about their move abroad I was amazed to see how many friendly strangers were willing to post comments and offer suggestions, correct errors and provide inspiration. I'm hoping that my blog will also become a blip on someone's radar, someone who is as excited for me as I am for myself, someone who has done this before, or in the future, perhaps it will be a great resource for someone who is trying to do the same.

 I have spent almost 5 hours today on blogs and my head is spinning with new information. I want to write it all down, get organized, weed through my thoughts, but I think this post is long enough as is. And so I will leave you with a request - a very big, important and serious request.

Please help me. 

Obviously not everyone reading this has moved to Amsterdam, so logistics and legal work aren't exactly what I am looking for (but if you've got it...). I'm asking for support, for motivation, for inspiration. I need someone to pad my ego, to tell me I've got it all under control, that things will work out exactly as they're supposed to. I need someone to tell me not to throw in the towel when it's all starting to seem like too much, when I'm unable to find an apartment, or when an employer just won't hire me. And sometimes I just need someone to listen. Someone to let me ramble about all the billion things bouncing around in my head - it's amazing how thinking out loud can mitigate what seemed like unconquerable battles. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.

Temporary Grind

Though my résumé was only supposed to be posted on European websites, it seems that the address field had gained me search visibility here in the States, and so I am inundated with calls and emails for stateside positions. In the IT field these days it seems nobody is into locating and hiring independently, and 'head hunters' (staffing and HR companies) do all the work. These people are incessant with their calls and emails and finally one of them got through to me.

Having a bit of fun with the offers I was receiving, I began throwing out salary indications that were well outside of my skill level - figuring I wasn't interested in taking the position anyway. You can imagine my surprise when one of the recruiters told me that the technical manager was interested in a phone interview with me! I resisted at first, but the position was based in Chicago Illinois, a place that always held some level of appeal for me. Of course the interview went splendidly and when I was offered the position I jumped in my car and headed to the Midwest - summertime in Chicago is shaping up to be something spectacular.

My current role is as a Network Engineer working in the 'Custom Managed Services Development & Integration' lab for AT&T. For the most part we develop and test new technologies that will be deployed for large clients (such as Shell and GM), and then we create the documentation for the lower level techs to implement and maintain the new technology in the field. After a test case is proven to work, we will produce a set of rules and make the service a 'standard product offering' for other large clients of AT&T. I will stay here for a little more than 3 months, before I continue chasing my dreams of a European lifestyle.

On November 1st, 2011 I will touch down in The Netherlands, and resume my job search on the ground. Perhaps the Dutch employers weren't convinced of my motivation to come make a new life in Holland - showing up with résumé in hand should help to show them otherwise. Or perhaps my cush living conditions afforded to me by my absolutely wonderful and gracious Aunt & Uncle had made me lazy - but flying across the globe will certainly increase my motivation to find work ten-fold. Either way I will continue my quest - nothing shall deter me and I can't imagine a circumstance that will wipe the smile from my face or diminish my resolve to chase these dreams of mine. 

Settling is not an option.

For now, I continue working hard and making friends in Chicago. In between festivals and friends I have been using every spare minute learning Dutch and applying for jobs in Europe. Every day I wake up excited about what the day will bring: the weather is great, the work is rewarding, and the music can be heard on every street corner. Until next time, Tot Ziens!