Not a Pirate! (well, almost)

we moved into our apartment yesterday.

it is cold.

we have gas heat, but we are sort of lacking furniture and, well, um, mostly everything. we weren't really thinking that having awesome high celings would make heating the room go so slowly via radiator. alas. we did not get a mattress or blankets ahead of time, and it is hard to bargain shop on sundays when most of the stores are closed, so we made a really big pile of clothes and phil built a crazy radiator fort, but it was still really cold until about nine this morning, when the room was finally warm. today we are going blanket shopping. we will check into mattresses, too, although i think we might need a friend with a car (i think they won't let us on the u-bahn. or it might not fit?)

after all of what i've read online and heard from various sources, i was getting really worried about the visa process. i had an apointment this morning, and finally got a letter from the health insurance on saturday (i had to call their office and beg them to send me something that said they were working on it!). i was super nervous that i was going to be late- i had to stop to take pictures in a photo booth (you cannot smile) and it seemed like it was taking forever, so i ran up the four flights of stairs to the room where my appointment was- and then they told me to wait in the hall! the lady at the desk was very stern and did not smile. i was really expecting to have to come back a few times- most internet postings say that people have had to try quite a few times before achieving success. i explained to her what i wanted to do, that i had some job opportunities, that we had an apartment, the cost of the rent, the health insurance, and all of that- and then she said "ok, we'll make it for a year at first, and then you can come back." and i almost fell out of my chair. she gave me a card (kind of like a hotel room key) and i went downstairs to this weird machine where i put in the card and paid what i owed (every visa is different) and got a reciept. and then i went back upstairs and waited in a room for a little while until they called me back, and she gave me my passport with a cool visa sticker in it! I HAVE A VISA!!!! i wanted to do my fish dance out of excitement but i thought i should wait til i was home. (i did not want them to take it back because i am crazy)

next step: a job
more later!!! xoxo