Snags in the Fabric

So. I've hit a snag. In the scheme of things, it's probably a small one; unlikely to become a serious run that unravels the fabric of what I'm building here. But it's a snag nonetheless, and I want to be up front about that. I'm keeping this blog in large part to give friends, family, and the occasional curious stranger a place to keep up with what I'm doing. But it's also a place where I can dump some of these overwhelming experiences to look back upon in months and, hopefully, years to come. I journal a lot - like a lot, a lot, but there are some details that feel exhausting to write out to myself, and easier to explain to the world at large. And the snag I'm stuck on right now is one of those things.

Monday morning was my appointment with the IND - the immigration and naturalization service here in the NL. I arrived early, waited outside until my appointment time, checked in, was seen fifteen minutes later, ad my photo taken and finger prints scanned, and I was on my way in less than five minutes from my ticket being called. This is a big and necessary step toward receiving my official residence permit, which allows me to legally stay in the Netherlands past the few month limit for Americans, and the last thing on my personal list to do with the local government until the university takes the next steps for me, and on my behalf (thank you, universityyyyyy 💖 ). I'm also waiting for the university dates where we as students can quickly receive our BSN - that is, our citizen number. This is an all-important number that identifies us in the country as someone who's meant to be here and register for local resources. This is important and relevant to my snag in this way: in order to open a bank account in the Netherlands, I need a BSN number.

The university has announced that the next big ole students-receive-their-BSN day is September 2nd. The previous was before I arrived in Amsterdam. Until then, I am unable to open a bank account here, per the bank teller who I half-begged for information over the weekend. While this sucks a little bit on principle - in an ideal world, I like to have all of my ducks in a row before a time I know my schedule will be overtaken by something like classes - it also has the much more unfortunate effect of preventing me from getting a much-needed Dutch SIM card for my phone. Having no SIM for a phone means you're out and about all day with no call or text availability, and internet only available when connected to a WiFi source, like an open one at a cafe, or a kind person's hot spot. I have WiFi in the apartment, but have been navigating the city with a solid map and by hastily scribbling bus and tram times and locations. While that part has been very helpful in acclimating me to the transit system, it as the darker effect of preventing me from being able to check bank accounts, buy tickets, check in online, or search for information during the day. Monday, in fact, I missed out on the entire week of voluntary (and already paid) city orientation because we were required to find our proper room via the app, and there was no WiFi available. I gave up and left, missed the period for checking in at registration, and therefore opted out of all the activities planned for this week.

I've been definitely overpaying for transit, because I can't buy an OV Chipkaart yet; that is, a dedicated travel card that will allow me to put money onto it in bulk and use for all transit in the city. Instead, I've been using my credit card to check in and out of lines, which means I'm getting charged each time for pulling dollars into euros everywhere I go.

And, the biggest snag of all this week: rent.

Before I made the journey overseas, I paid rent upfront. I found out this way that my credit union does not allow international transfers to occur without me calling the branch directly, requesting a document from them, and subsequently receiving and filling it out through docusign. This was a stupidly complex nightmare just to send a few hundred dollars to the Netherlands. But I figured it'd be the only time I'd need to do so, since once I open a Dutch bank account, all of my loan money will end up there, and that's what I'll be living off of for the next year anyway.

I didn't realize I both wouldn't be able to open an account until after next month's rent was due, and that my loan disbursement would be dependent upon that account being opened, so I have no way to receiving my loan money until I have a Dutch bank account.

So. Here I am, in the Netherlands, without a phone with which to make the necessary call to the US to my credit union to request a transfer of funds so I can pay my rent. Nor can I change the payment option to a Dutch bank account, because not only do I not have one, but there wouldn't be funds in it yet anyhow. And, also annoyingly, I have discovered that because I indicated initially that I'd be paying with a bank account again for September, I'm unable to change my mind and pay with a credit or debit card without giving the transfer entity a direct call. Once again, see above: no phone.

Fortunately, we live in the world of global internet access, and while I was pulling my hair out over this matter in the middle of the Dutch night, I vented to friends online, from the comfort of my apartment's WiFi connection.

A gentle reminder that temporary SIM cards exist for tourists came from friend Yossi in Brasil, and I cannot thank him enough for pointing that out. The next morning I signed up for a prepaid, 30-day SIM that will allow me to access network and national texts and calls for the next month...which will hopefully be unnecessary before then, and I can upgrade to a normal phone plan.

Additionally, after three separate attempts at reaching out to the payment processor handling my rent, and to my lessor themselves, I was able to cancel the bank account withdrawal that couldn't happen, and pay for everything on my debit card (which, I might add, comes directly from that bank account but doesn't require any rigamarole at all. Just a higher surcharge 😒). So rent is paid and I'll have network access on my mobile in a few days.

Both good things. But the complex network of small frustrations and road blocks build up quickly in a high-stress situation like moving to a new country. And it can be and has been at times utterly overwhelming. I'm grateful for the support of my friends and family, and don't know if any of this would be possible if I had to pull all the weight in my own.

So thank you all for reading, for supporting, and for continuing to think hopeful thoughts about my journey here. I hope when you have times of despair, you, too, have a Yossi waiting many hours and miles but only a few clicks away.

💖

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If you'd like to buy me a ko-fi, check out this link: https://ko-fi.com/woodsyl