I have moved a few times in the last 15 years... from College at UC Davis (California) to San Jose (California), to Colorado Springs (Colorado), to San Ramon (California), to Kenmore (Washington), and now to Krakow (Poland)... but I had not run into a situation where I needed to be there for a long time before I could sign-up for a service or show a contract to be there for the long term. Everywhere else was in the USA and I was a US citizen, which made it easier to move there; it feels like they do not want me here.
The first situation was to get a personal cell phone. My 2 year assignment began in October and we did not arrive until mid-November because of visa issues. We went to T-Mobile to ask about plans and they would not even talk to us because we did not have a full 24 months left on our assignment (what? I can pay, even an extra month when I no longer reside here, if necessary). We talked to PLUS and signed up for our plans; at least they were willing to accept my money.
Next, several of the house services (water, gas, rubbish (trash for us Americans)) are in the name of my landlord and he is paying these bills because I would not be able to take them in my name as a non-Polish citizen or owner of the house (I suppose they would allow me to pay directly if I "owned" the property).
The one that got me the most was trying to sign up for a satellite TV service provider this weekend. After talking with the lady at the mall about the service plan and receiver, she needed to know if I had a long term residency (2 years minimum) to establish the service. I guess I will have to get my landlord to start this service for us and we pay him back, too...
We have a dish on the house and a receiver that picks up free channels broadcast through the skies, but there are limited English channels, especially anything that is not news (BBC and France24 in English). You have to pay for entertainment, don't think that the free content on TV or the internet is really free... there are ads, subscription fees, etc.
Another issue that recently arose is with the Indian consulate in Warsaw. To apply for a business visa to India from Poland, I must reside here for 2 years. I can apply for a tourist visa or any other type of visa, but not a business visa... to India. I manage a team split across Krakow, Poland and Bangalore, India. I want to get out there and meet with my team, but I may have to do it as a tourist OR I will have to come to the US to visit the India consulate in San Francisco (jurisdiction for my Washington state address) to apply for my visa (I was advised to not send my passport to a country I am not actually within).
If I extend my assignment with work to a 3rd year, I can apply for these things; however, I am unlikely to need them at that point... kind of like a loan these days:
Prove you don't need it and we can give it to you;
however, if you actually need it, you cannot qualify.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Don't Drink the Water
Water is supposed to be good for you. Drinking plenty of water is supposed to prevent kidney stones.
In Poland, we are told to avoid drinking the tap water... it can actually cause kidney stones it is so hard.
We have been buying 5-6 liter bottles of water for drinking at home. Water in restaurants is not common; when you ask for water, you are buying bottles of water (200 or 300 ml usually, but you can sometimes buy a large bottle for the table)... so different than in the US where, many times, water is simply brought to the table whether you will drink it or not.
Patrick has been working out at home and drinking a lot more water (preparing for "parkour"), so we have been going through the bottles pretty quickly.
At work, we are preparing to move to a new building a few kilometers away and I asked about plumbed water to the coffee maker, but I was told that we do not want to drink the water (oh, yeah, I forgot).
I have lived in places with "hard" water, but never where we were advised to not drink the tap water because it can cause kidney stones... maybe the US water works has better requirements and technology so that we can drink the water feeding into our houses.
For now, I find I am not drinking as much water as I should. Which is worse...
kidney stones from not drinking water or from drinking the tap water?
In Poland, we are told to avoid drinking the tap water... it can actually cause kidney stones it is so hard.
We have been buying 5-6 liter bottles of water for drinking at home. Water in restaurants is not common; when you ask for water, you are buying bottles of water (200 or 300 ml usually, but you can sometimes buy a large bottle for the table)... so different than in the US where, many times, water is simply brought to the table whether you will drink it or not.
Patrick has been working out at home and drinking a lot more water (preparing for "parkour"), so we have been going through the bottles pretty quickly.
At work, we are preparing to move to a new building a few kilometers away and I asked about plumbed water to the coffee maker, but I was told that we do not want to drink the water (oh, yeah, I forgot).
I have lived in places with "hard" water, but never where we were advised to not drink the tap water because it can cause kidney stones... maybe the US water works has better requirements and technology so that we can drink the water feeding into our houses.
For now, I find I am not drinking as much water as I should. Which is worse...
kidney stones from not drinking water or from drinking the tap water?
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