Stress...

So the move date is set. We fly Dec. 15th. There is so much going on right now that I just need to take a few minutes to bitch it all out so I don't have to think about it anymore.

So the current state of my accident settlement is a mess! I ended up crying on the phone today because I feel like it may have effected my voice but I have no way of proving it. They only offered me $750 for pain and suffering but that doesn't quite cover it for me. They are just trying to settle before I leave the country because they know they can screw me over since I have to hurry up a bit. It's bad. I called a lawyer who said he would only take the case if I got proof things were wrong with me. Maybe I have a false sense of how much these companies actually give out for settlements but I made an initial offer of $4,000 (aiming high) the attorney advised that I should take no less than $3,000 based on how much pain and suffering I actually experienced....because GEICO considers that I'm great now and it's all over. I guess this is going to sit for awhile. It's just frustrating!!!!! They need to have a better sense of why they give out what they give out and make it standard!

I'm over that for now. They are reviewing my records now to see if they can offer me more...they damn well better! I'm half terrified to drive anymore because I'm afraid of being hit for no reason now! OVER IT!

I'm getting upset that I am leaving my students.

I'm starting to feel like I am going to miss my family...only because I will know I can't just go home whenever I want now. Because I never went home much to begin with while I was here...so what's changed? Just that I can't now...and that sucks.

I guess I have come down off the high of being a newly wed. Don't get me wrong, I'm blissful in our relationship. He is so wonderful to sit and listen to me go on and on about how sad I am becoming...but more how nervous at this point.

I NEED to start meditating. I NEED to start singing again. I NEED a piano. Without these things I feel like a part of my soul is drying up. It's absolutely nobodies fault by my own of course, which makes it that much more depressing. I just feel like a lump right now. Actually some of it IS circumstantial. I have no piano because I can't. Hopefully, that will change. If I had a piano right now, I swear I would play most of the day.

Taxes. I don't even want to think about Taxes. I am just going to pray to god they don't rape me, as I don't have much money to give over to my country which I am getting ready to leave right now and would rather not support financially any longer. But of course, the only way to give that up is to surrender my passport and give up citizenship, which could mean not being able to get back into the country at some point...which I can't give up.

I'm also getting upset about Doug's situation because it seems that even if we leave before the year is up, they are going to give him a 3 year bar where he cannot get into the United States. I'm not sure what we are going to do about that. I guess it means, I'm going to be flying over here alone a few times (big deal) I think we can go 3 years without him having to be over here. But it sucks all the same!

People are just filling me with negative thoughts and it's really pissing me off. I was doing so well!!! and a part of me still is. I carry a lot of hope....but sometimes I just need to get it all out. Time to think positively again and forget all this nonsense. I can't help but still be a little stressed out about moving though. It's a big change.

I can't type anymore....but thats what is going on at the moment.

Ready. Set. Go.

I feel completely unprepared for everything that is about to unfold with the entire "move" process.

It seems odd to me that I can't figure out one solitary thing I can do to speed of the process towards me being able to work and live over there. huff*

I think after the wedding I'm going to have to go down to the embassy and really try to get more information.

My friend who moved to Derry in May is still waiting for her paperwork to process because they have sent it back to her 4 times now....they are going to go see their local MP (which I am told speeds things right along) how odd?

We still don't really know where we will be living or if Dougs is going to be able to have work at the start of the new year...but we will see I suppose.

As for me, I will have to wait until papers clear ugh. I'm considering doing some "under the table" teaching...but I want to be careful and make sure I establish a good business that is in the right and paying taxes. I want to be a good citizen. Whereas here...I could care less. Why is that I wonder? I guess ever since I found out I was leaving the U.S. I have sort of pre-conditioned my mind. I'm actually starting to like dreary weather. Like today for example. It's in the 60s and cloudy with a light breeze and it's beautiful. My eyes dont hurt from the sun...and the air is so clean and fresh. I think my voice will improve just from breathing better air.

I'm feeling rather optimistic as of late.

27 days!

I hate Expat websites...

So, I have decided never to visit another expat website....ever.

They are just depressing and make me think I am doing nothing with my life but making a HUGE MISTAKE. grrr...

I have no idea really what the hell I'm getting myself into....well I mean I kinda do. My soon-to-be husband thinks it will be a much healthier place for me to be insomuch as I will have more friends and a healthier social life. But I wonder.....

Will I offend people?
Will people think I'm a spoiled American?
What will they think when I comment on some of the stupid shit that people do there? (not that they don't here but...)

I am VERY frustrated with the fact that there still seems to be a huge bitterness between Catholics and Protestants...something that makes almost NO sense to me....except in a political view. BUT evenso, there is nothing that can really be done to change that. So why don't we just suck it up and try to compromise? Because really....NOBODY is going to visit the place unless things calm down a lot....therefore there will be no more money in the place than there is now....ugh.

My frustration with the complete failure for such a gorgeous land to prosper is huge. ALSO, a lot of these people are extremely intelligent....why are they not kickin ass? Sigh* I guess it's the socialism? I just don't know yet. I have to get over there and find out why.

Is it better to be determined or patient?

The thing is...I need to make decent money so I can travel back and forth to the states and hopefully get to travel around Europe as well. I need to move around a bit. You know what I mean?

I guess something will come along....that something will work out.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/reconciliation-sculpture-2.jpg

Hardcore Catholic?

So I almost ended up being hated by my fiancee's entire family when they discovered that quite out of the blue we are having a wedding in October. Not out the blue to me...since we had planned on getting married before leaving the states...but anyway...

My fiancee's mother, who is extremely religious from what I understand, was very angry that Douglas hadn't invited his family (which I understand completely) except nobody really ever explained the circumstances or the fact that we are planning to have a huge wedding/both family celebration next year! Grr...

Just how Catholic are they? I grew up Protestant Lutheran....we were pretty conservative...but nothing like what I might be dealing with. What I may think nobody would mind (due to things I am aware of that go on in the family) are really VERY serious. Yes, wedding is a big family affair. I TOTALLY agree...so why the heck didn't my fiancee (no MATTER how tired he was) go ahead and explain the whole truth right then and there? I think they genuinely hate being on the phone. Dougs and his mother both. Maybe thats it.

These people just aren't good at communicating unless it is face to face...whereas I am so accustomed to picking up my phone and calling or texting whoever and explaining whatever...anytime.

I'll figure this all out about them soon enough....

Need a Translator???

So usually I am very good at understanding what everyone is saying in Derry...when they are in the room with me.

If you aren't aware, these lovely people have a very interesting accent that one who is not from the area must tune their ears to. A very interesting video that I came across on youtube explains how this poor accent has been treated by others. Not so good. Check it out! It is very interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzh7j0ReZaA

This is kinda funny too...even though my fiancee is not from Belfast...I have totally heard some of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JII3leWb1Y&feature=related

I think it is rather musical myself...at first I must admit I felt like quite a fool when I had to ask my friend if he was speaking English and subsequently have her translate what he was saying for me.

It isn't only the accent itself...it's all of the vocabulary that they have that I don't understand. See second video.

I recently started working on a website to advertise and promote my private music studio that I will be trying to start as soon as possible when I get over there. I realized I am going to have to make phone conversation with these parents! Eeeeeek! I am now super nervous!!!

Just one of the many things I'm going to have to adapt to quickly and pray I never change the way I speak LOL

What's This?

Hello out there!

Hi, my name is Diana.
I'm an American who lives in Washington, DC who will soon be moving to Derry, Northern Ireland.

I have been there only once in my life for a short week in which I saw very little of the place but the reason I am moving there is because of my soon-to-be husband. He is from there and absolutely cannot imagine raising a family anywhere else. I mean, I wouldn't want to raise kids in America right now either.

So here is the deal. I am setting up this blog as a way to "deal" with moving and adjusting to life in another country. I have heard that this is going to be extremely difficult....so I think a creative outlet (or at least somewhere I can bitch and my friends can keep up with me) would be a great idea!

It's definitely a new chapter in my life requiring it's own blogspace....and I hope that sometime in the future it would help others making such a move. Not that Americans move to Ireland very often...but maybe they do...or not just Americans. EVERYONE who has to take a giant step in their lives. A Giant, scary, intimidating step.

So, what made me decide to do this? I very dearly love and adore my fiancee and want to see him happy. We are getting married soon (still not date grr). So I'm not starting anything with the embassy's until we get that marriage certificate.

How do I plan to make money?

I am also an opera singer. I don't want to say professional yet...but I was pretty darn good when I graduated with my masters from Catholic University. I have a Masters Degree in Music and hope and strongly believe that artistically I will be happier in Ireland. I love teaching and currently have several piano and voice students and hope I will have as many over there as I do here. I hope to sing and teach and enjoy a slower life as a musician. I WILL sing more opera once I get settled. That is one of the goals. The first step is getting my butt to an audition! If anyone reading this knows of any resources for over there...PLEASE hook me up.

Anyway, I hope someone reads this someday. It's okay if nobody ever does, because it's kinda just therapeutic at this point.

Until later!