Frequently Asked Questions

1. 1.    What will you do with Izzy while you are away?
   Although it was possible to take our English Bulldog, Izzy, with us, jumping through the hoops with the Department of Agriculture and having our sweet pup under the plane for 13 hours each way wasn’t appealing. Often, airlines won’t even fly dogs that have flat faces (such as bulldogs or pugs) because it is dangerous for their breathing. Miss Izzy had a doggy nose job when she was little, but the risk is still too great. Further, we do plan to travel a lot on the weekends, and didn’t want to be hindered worrying about what establishments allow dogs, etc. So, one of John’s coworkers had mentioned that she wanted to get a buddy for her dog while she was at work. Voila! Mutually-beneficial situation. I bet Izzy won’t even want to come back to us when we return.
   
   
   We do plan to FaceTime/Skype Izzy here and there. Boo cries when we are away from the dog for less than a week, so this will be a little bit of an adjustment.
   
   
   2.    You sold your house! What are you going to do when you return?
   
   
   Good question! Still figuring out the answer. We will probably be in an extended-stay hotel for a few weeks while we find a furnished apartment to rent for a few months until we are completely sure where we will be for a few years. This allows us to keep everything in storage until we move to a more permanent setting. Storage is super cheap so it isn’t a big deal. Why are we renting? I can’t buy another house and turn around and sell in less than a year! John will be finishing his leadership program with work next June. Once he is finished, he will probably go for a plant manager position. His company has plants all over the United States, but we both want to stay in Cleveland right now. Low cost of living, Lake Erie, and excellent schools on the West side make doing so very desirable. We will know more early next year.
   
   
   3.    Where is Luxembourg?
   
   
   Many people think we are going to Germany when we tell them we are headed to Luxembourg. Actually, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is its own, albeit tiny (less than 1,000 square miles!), country, with a population of about 525,000. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France to the south. For more information (it is really interesting!) see here:
   
   
   Luxembourg Info
   
   
   Sidenote: They are six hours ahead of us here in Ohio (EST).
   
   
   4.    What's the weather like?
   
   At last check it was 84°F, with a low of 60°F today. I pulled this off a weather website:
   
   
   The warm season lasts from June 1 to September 6 with an average daily high temperature above 67°F. The hottest day of the year is August 5, with an average high of 74°F and low of 57°F.
   
   
   The cold season lasts from November 14 to March 4 with an average daily high temperature below 44°F. The coldest day of the year is January 8, with an average low of 30°F and high of 37°F.
   
   
   Basically, Cleveland is WAY WORSE. Like, this is going to be heaven for the winter. No -40°F horrificness? Come to mama.
   
   
   However, Germany gets much colder, so we will still pack Cleveland gear to be comfortable when we traipse around Christmas markets, etc.
   
   
   5.    What language(s) do they speak in Luxembourg?
   
   
   French, German, and Luxembourgish (I understand this to be heavily influenced by French).
   
   
   6.    You don't speak French or German… how are you going to get around?
   
   
   My first thought is that if I can navigate Asia for 15 months and survive, I will handle Europe just fine. I seem to pick up on languages decently quickly. Korean came pretty easily, anyway. John took French in high school, so he knows a bit. Before we go, I’m going to learn “I don’t speak (insert language here)” and “please say that again,” and see how I do.
   
   
   At the least, I am confident I will know survival French and German by the end. I’ll probably do a little bit of studying on the plane over, but I’m not going to stress too much. We’ve been teaching Boo “hello,” “goodbye,” “please,” and “thank you” in both languages, and she has an amazing French accent. It is way too cute. She seems to prefer speaking in German.
   
   
   7.    How will you get around in Europe?
   
   
   John will have a company car, and I receive €100/month for public transportation. For longer distances, I’ll take a train or fly. From what I have read, Luxembourg has an amazing bus system, and lots of train lines to go elsewhere. I am going to enjoy not driving for a few months. I loved taking the subway in Korea and people watching or reading a book. Glad to get an opportunity to do so again!
   
   
   8.    Are you (Amy) going to be working overseas?
   
   
   If by working, you mean chasing Boo around all day long and exploring everywhere humanly possible, then yes, I will be working. My job was generous enough to allow an (unpaid) leave of absence, so I will return to full-time employment when we get back in January 2016. I am so grateful that I can go on this adventure and still come back to a job!
   
   
   John will join us on weekend adventures and whenever he can. If his work projects take him to different countries, Boo and I will probably follow.
   
   
   9.    Are you doing anything to prepare for the culture shock?
   
   
   Other than read BuzzFeed articles about what Europeans hate about Americans? Nope. I’ve been a little busy packing, etc. (see previous post). I’m going to start reading up a little more once I stop working August 1. John’s company provided us with very useful mobility guides that I will browse when I have a little more time.
   
   
   10.Have you explained what is going on to Boo?
   
   
   One amazing thing about our Boo is her resilience. She rolls with the punches like a champ. We had to live in my mother-in-law’s living room on an air mattress for almost two months while we waited for escrow on the house (that we sold eight months later...). She did great. We just got back from a flight to California immediately followed by a 9-hours-each-way trip to Tennessee. She was amazing. I think she will be fine, if a little tired when we arrive.
   
   
   We’ve explained that right now, we live in Rocky River, Ohio, and we are going to be moving to Luxembourg, where they speak differently than us. I’ve also told her that I won’t be working and that she and I will be exploring a lot, and taking buses and trains to museums and castles. We showed her where Luxembourg is on the globe, compared to the U.S., and that’s about all I’ve done. I think she is going to LOVE it.
   
   
   11.When are you leaving?
   
   
   We are still waiting for our visas to be finalized, but should know in the next week or so. No plane tickets, no dates right now. We live life on the edge.
   
   
   
   
   Any other questions you’d like to ask me? Please, feel free! I’m so glad I posted about packing. I’ve already received great advice from a few people who live in Europe or just got back. Turns out my instincts on vitamins were correct, and I should bring allergy meds just in case!