Worldly Chatter

So yesterday was an interesting day for me. Now that I have my permit Dutchie and I have to get my life here in the Netherlands going. I made out a resume the other day and started applying for work. Learned two things in this; one, even though you have the latest edition of Microsoft office not everyone else does, so change the format. I applied to five jobs; someone got back to me and said they couldn’t open my resume. So I changed the format and presto, she can open it. Now I don’t know if the other four can open it but you live and learn so I move on with the format and send more out today! The second thing I learned is this. The expat world and the jobs within this world are competitive and hard to come by. Good to know I suppose. I know I will find work, where that might be remains to be seen but I have hope. I know all will be well with the universe! It’s only been two days since I got my permit. I need some patience.
Yesterday Dutchie called the insurance company so that I might finally be insured in Holland. Now because I am an expat, protocol requires that I have psychological coverage. Why? Expats have a reputation of getting depressed once they have moved and attempted to settle down. Not all mind you but enough for the government to say that we must be covered. Ok fine, plus I have dental so now my coverage is better than Dutchies. I find that kind of funny. Papers are being sent to me so that I can sign them, give them a copy of my permit and I am insured! Another thing scratched off our list of things to do.
What I was misled about when I received my permit was the thought that my sofi-number would be on my permit or at the very least, with it. No, not the way it works. Dutchie learns via the internet what we have to do. Since there are so many just like me wanting a sofi-number you have to call and make an appointment with the tax people to pick one up. I have an appointment to go to Utrecht in two weeks to pick mine up. I can wait two weeks right? I mean I have waited this long after all. In the mean time I can put my resume out there, continue to edit my book and write. I can get on the horn with the town of Hilversum to set me up with my integration courses. So far so good! Two days of owning a permit and I feel I am right on track, for the most part anyway.
Then came last night when a man from the company Yarden came to our door. He had an appointment with us to update Dutchies insurance policy. What policy might you ask? Funeral insurance was the topic of the evening! Just like in America you have health insurance and life insurance. Same here except that you also have funeral insurance. What this means is that every month Dutchie pays Yarden money and she is covered in case she dies. They step in and cover her funeral, flowers, coffee, cakes, casket (or urn) and everything that goes with the event of someone dying. It is not a part of life insurance.
So a man named John comes over, we offer him coffee and sit down to do some paperwork. We drink our coffee, have a cigarette and get down to business, sort of. Will I be buried or cremated? Cremated. Will you be cremated here or in America? Here I state. This is an extension of Dutchies policy and he revises it all to fit me and my wants. I can go onto the site, log in and go into great detail the things that I want. If I have any questions I can email or call John. Dutchie signed the papers and I was insured. I am now officially insured for life and death. Now mind you we chatted while doing all this. Discussing the same practices in America and how expensive they are and we talked about life insurance. We finished our coffee and shook hands. Dutchie and I will now pay 16 euro a month for both of us to be taken care of in the event of our death. I am insured and now I can ride in the front of the bus if I want! I am covered!
We talked about what would happen in the event of my death over a cup of coffee and finished off with a joke. I can tell you I have never had this kind of evening in America! The expat life is finally beginning and it starts off with the discussion of my death over coffee. What a way to start!

Insurance, Funeral insurance, Yarden, Netherlands, Expat