Math family

Doctors and salary

2012-01-31T04:29:00.002+01:00

Lots and lots of stuff came up during our stay in Canada.
Some of them as still give me a chock, chills and I simply don't understand how on earth things can be done this way.
One of the things we have discovered in here is simply the lack of doctors. No wonder. One studies for 7 years, and then what? One gets paid much less in Quebec then any other province (and I am not talking about what is happening 50 km south from here), and one needs to be 100% bilingual. No wonder that a minimum amount of doctor wants to stay in this province. So, if one needs to get some help, it doesn't even pays out to have a good insurance, that will cover it all. You can't simply use it, unless you drive 50 km south. You should, just as everyone else, go to the clinic, sit in the room with lots of other people for at least 3 hours in order to get to be seen by a doctor for about 3 minutes in total. It is all free, which is great, I do believe so. But, when you are in a situation like us, that can and want to pay in order to get it fast, then no, no, and no. So, guys, if you think in Denmark sitting at the emergency room for 12 hours made it to the media, here it is a normal story for every kind of sickness.
Today, I have discovered that my salary hasn't arrive at my back account. So, I did question that. At Bell, a nice lady at an employee service sword on her parents graves that it takes 7 days to settle the money. 7 days! You must be joking. It doesn't. It never does. I come from a bank industry and I know that the longest time for money to settle takes 2 days. And that is when one convert the currency, sends the money from one country to the other, etc. Very interesting that it does 7 days for Bell to get my money to my bank account, or does it not. What Bell does, is using employees like me, to wire the money and to get the percentage on the salaried right into the company's pocket. I am sure if tomorrow a CEO of Bell will call, the money will be able to be on my disposal in couple of hours. Oh well, we learn something new every day, don't we?

My first days at Bell

2012-01-18T06:11:00.001+01:00

Well, I will be honest. Right out front. It is different. Way different then one would ever imagine. How different? It is basically all about costs and nothing else. It is a different way of looking at the reduction of the cost. I can see that no one is talking about ROE should be 15%, that we should think about output management and print of both side of the paper. The real reduction comes with the train travel, even that takes 5 hours instead of flying, it is economy and no, there is no any kind of lounge involved. The real reduction comes with a budget when one department doesn't even have resources to go out for a beer when the colleagues. and the worse of all, ones should pay for coffee.Here it is way different then Denmark or I guess any Scandinavian country. But it is nice to see inside out. it is nice to experience a different style boss, even something tells me, he reminds me wy to much about myself. It is interesting to get to know another business, another set of rules, another behavior code, etc. It is tough, I admire. Tougher then I thought. I am hanging in there but a cultural/corporate shock is still there.

Travelling

2011-12-22T19:47:00.001+01:00

For the next few weeks we will be going to total of 6 countries, will be having 9 plane rides, scoring thousands of air miles and just having fun.
Yes, the annual New Years trip begins shortly.
By looking at the past year it has been crazy. From going around Europe (Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Monaco, France, Uk, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Hungary, Jylland) and then getting to North America (twice (remember Canada on a short 5 days trip with kids) and then fun in New York and now in Canada). No wonder that my kids don't care where we will go next, just inform them if they need to change their DS or it will be on the flight and they are good to go.
That is great, isn't it. Well, this time we are adding a bit extra on a plate. We are heading to Barcelona and Prague. Places we have't visited yet.
But for now: MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

job experience

2011-12-22T05:23:00.001+01:00

Prior to coming to North America I have heard that it has been impossible to get a job. There were several couples coming to Canada and leaving after 3 years, just because the wife were getting crazy of staying home.

(Just a comment: there is absolutely nothing wrong being a home-stayed mum, but it is not a job for everyone. Trust me, my kids will appreciate much more me being at work and use my potential then going after them.)

Well, back to the topic, guess what, I have decided to prove everyone wrong. And I did! I did, and note: I am in a french speaking part of Canada.

Especially after the stung Simcorp HR has done to me, that was a war. A war I was going to win. A war to show that I am not bl... wife, but a person who can, want and will contribute to the society, to the economy and to the family.

And I WON IT. Yes, I DID. One should see the faces of some of the managers with not that much of a surprise but more like 'way to go'. I did it, I managed to land 2 jobs out of two and I am d... proud of my self.

So no matter where you go, if you have qualification and positive attitude, things can be done. Just look at my example.

country club

2011-12-22T05:10:00.000+01:00

So, we came to the stage when we just enjoying life and trying to get the most of it. While we are in Canada our kids got an opportunity to swim in the best facility of Montreal, and maybe all Canada, to figure skate in one of the best arenas, to learn to Alp ski and now we were considering to get them to tennis or golf by summer.
There is a nice tennis club just around the corner from us. Easy to get, nice area, definitely nice cars. So, we have decided to look at the website. Ready?
In order to be a member of the club (which by the way cost: an entrance fee of 4200$ and 1355$ annual fee (that explains the nice car part I presume)) one should follow the following process:

Proposal & Application. Two members of at least two years (one Proposer and one Seconder) are required to nominate a candidate. The Proposer requests an application from the club and assists the candidate in its completion. The Proposer and Seconder must be well acquainted with the candidate and cannot be married. The candidate must also be known by three other members of the club. All members listed in the application must be in good standing.
Review of Application. During the review of the application, the Proposer will be contacted by the Membership Committee to further explore his/her knowledge of the candidate’s background and character.
Meeting Directors. Following the review of the application, a meeting is arranged with two Directors (this step is not necessary if the candidate is already known by two directors).
Notice to Membership. Upon completion of step 3, during a 7-day posting period, members are asked to provide any information, objections or recommendations that could impact the acceptance of the candidate.
Offer of Membership. At the end of the posting period, and upon approval of the Board of Directors, the candidate will be invited to become a member. The candidate will be contacted to complete any remaining paperwork and to remit any required fees. With the completion of this final step, the candidate is now a member of Hillside and entitled to all the benefits of membership.

Job interview in Canada

2011-11-29T04:18:00.001+01:00

Well, today I got my first Canadian interview. Actually if was the second one, as the first one was over the phone.
Generally it is the same way as in Denmark, one needs to tell why this company, where do you see yourself in 5 years.
What I have found a completely different is the test part.
The whole interview was 4 hours. Yes, 4 hours. 1 hour one uses to talk about stuff, you know, what the job is about etc. The other 3 is a test. And yes, it is a test of ones knowledge with no help. You just get a piece of paper with tasks, computer and off you go. So, in other words, it doesn't matter where you worked before, who is your uncle or who is your golf buddy (however the last one might still help). Here, it is a matter of your knowledge, way of thinking creatively, outside of the box and not to panic.
Everything happens in a nice way, with a smile.
So no matter what I got an interview!

Credit rating

2011-11-24T04:19:00.001+01:00

You know, if some of you ever experienced moving to a new country and starting all your life from the scratch, you will understand me.
We have moved to Montreal a little over a month and now it is the time to get settled and get things started. Well, not that easy. If one is not a Rockefeller or Donald Trump, building a live can be difficult here. I admit one can buy everything cash. I would say more then everything. No one will ever ask you where the money come from, why you have so much cash, and why not to pay with a credit card. Actually just experience of an incident at the doctor, when one couldn't pay cash, but only with visa created a chaos among the patiences. Anyway, talking about cash. So if one wants to open a credit card is all about cash. It all depends how much cash one has and how much one wants to tight cash to ones account. The more - the better.
When one get to rent an apartment in Denmark, it will be highly suspicious if the landlord will ask you to pay cash or with a cheque. That will be a signal to call the police or tax authorities. Well, in here, if your landlord will ask you to pay with a credit card, that is where one should be cautious. Why? Well, they believe is that then landlord can get too much information about you. Maybe yes, maybe not. I just find it strange to keep writing cheque for our apartment, school, figure skating, etc.
Anyway, and then it come shopping. And that goes down to credit rating. Again, if one has cash, and easily can afford 25000$ car cash, then no question asked and no problem. However, if one wants to finance the car, then there comes the fun ride. One need to prove a credit history in order to be allowed to finance the car. And in order to get a credit history one need to get a loan of some kind. Catch 22, isn't it? We have had one of the experiences that I will be able to remember till the day I die. We wanted to get a lease transferred for the last 6 months. We could pay all lease cash, we had co-signers (someone canadian, that is willing to say, "yes" we will pay, if they will not), and we were ready to take the lease. As we didn't have any credit history, we couldn't get the transfer. So the car dealer decided to help us out. We were offered to buy the car for the value of it, at the end of the lease, plus lease the car for the last 6 months. Wow, what a plan... I don't even know how to be grateful for that "help".
Anyway, so at the moment I believe our feelings will be very much so described in the following cartoon:

Fist week in Canada

2011-10-26T06:33:00.002+02:00

The past week we had ups and downs.

David and Masha has started school at Marie de France. Finally, after 6,5 extra weeks of vacations.

David got into CM2 (intensive english program) where the program is one week in French and one week in English. It started good for him, as I can see, a friend of his is coming over tomorrow for a swim-play date.

Masha started in Mat2 a day later, and she loves it. The quite I got form her is, "we have to work a lot". Well, comparing to a Danish kindergarten, when one just plays, here there is stuff one should do, and there is a homework once in a while.

So, while our kids were in school, we were busy battling the bureaucracy. Oh, bureaucracy, bureaucracy, bureaucracy. Sometimes one thinks that if you move to another country things will be easier, it will be less bureaucratic, people will be more understandable. In some cases things go so smoothly, in some, well not that easy. Like how can you explain a canadian export in Danish society that Frederiksberg municipality is not the only municipality in Denmark. And why does one needs to explain that at all?

Any way, one thing we have learn a hard way, and I believe it will take us years to get used to, is the politeness of the people. Even if you don't have everything for the file, if you are not qualified or something, they will not yell, they will not shout, they will not tell you everything what they think about you, not, very politely you will be asked to complete the file, to come back, to wait, etc. That is something we have to learn to deal with, something one doesn't see too often in danish public offices. But one thing remands the same....

Friends in need are friends indeed

2011-10-11T03:33:00.000+02:00

Well, nothing has changed since the last update. We are still waiting, and waiting, and waiting.
This past month I have realized that I am so blessed with the friends. Each weekend we have been invited over to different states (NY, CT and PA) and different houses to spend time with real people. That is such a blessing. We spend time to go on a hay ride and apple picking, we went to have face painting and make hot dogs on an open fire, we observed Amish and played boardgames and just had a great time.
I could never imagine that I will be seeing some people 10-12 and 13 years later. The amazing thing is that it felt like time had never passed. All of us have kids now, married and settled (apart of me, I guess). All are happy, got what they wanted and living the life it looks like they are enjoying. And it is so great to see and to be a little part of it.
THANK YOU ALL, REALLY. We feel so blessed.
On the dark side of things - nothing had happened. We are busy counting to 10 and not to yell at the company with the inhuman way of treating us. We are busy not to scream at the top management for they lack of management skills, cooperation, sense of reality and human kind. We are busy doing things ourselves, as this is the only way things can and will be done, as company doesn't care. I would never imagine in my life, that I will be facing such a test. This is a test for our patience, our family life, for our kids and our insanity. And I know with Gods help we will come as winners, with out heads up.
Today I have decided to post a new cartoon as a comment to the excuses our lawyers came out with. They have been calling the Quebec authorities for the last 14 days with no respond, or were they not? The question remains open, because I still believe in good in people.

Cultural shock I guess

2011-10-05T21:03:00.001+02:00

Normally, I am a very positive person, but recent events made me so mad that I simple in need of telling my thought and concerns.
I can't believe what Morten is facing at his office.
First, as you know, we are still in New York City, waiting. Understand me correctly: NY is definitely not the last place on earth you wouldn't want to be stuck at. But 5 weeks in a hotel room with 2 kids? Again, I would be fine with that, but then, comes the twist.
Our lawyer, who was representing us for Canadian authorities, changed jobs. We were not informed about that. When we learned about the change, a while later, we had to sign a new agreement, signed by Simcorp as well, to allow us to get a new representative. But what happens next is beyond my understanding. Now, we have to wait additional 2 weeks to be approved of our new representative. The decision is made, but in order for us to get the papers, we need our new representative to be approved.
The second thing is more about me. 2 managers at Simcorp expressed a desire to hire me, due to my knowledge, skills and experience. Sounds good, right? Well, when Morten gave my CV, to one of managers, he was informed that there is just a little thing. We needed to clear 'husband/wife' issue. Fair enough. As US HR was sick for almost 2 weeks, we have contacted Danish HR and required information. And we got it, quite quickly, efficiently, with the case a, b, and c explanations. So there were, of course, no problem, as it was not a problem for more then 10 people we know of. But... The comes the most unspeakable thing. I would understand, if they were interested, I would understand, there were many better qualified apprentices. But this is not the case. They were first asking about my interest for working for the company, was is just for being polite? And that is definately not the skills that are lacking, ok, I would say the guy with this kind of experience:
2006-2008
• Worked for the summers of 2006, 2007 and 2008 by offering labor services
• Gained valuable mechanical experience while earning money for college
If this is more suitable for the company then my skills then I am way too wrong.
The worse part about that the manager, looks into Morten eyes and lies. Just lies. How on earth one should be able to work under that kind of manager, how, I ask myself. I don't know if he thinks that Morten is stupid, or naive, or both at the same time. Why not to say the truth. Why?
Anyway, I needed to say that out loud.
I am proud of Morten that he keeps his cool. I do, and that he somehow deals with all this situation. He is the best.

3,5 weeks and counting

2011-09-18T05:28:00.001+02:00

So, it has been 17 days seen we left Denmark. What had happened since then... Let me see: We can pack our life in 8 suitcases. We moved in to hotel, one stop away from World Trade Center with a beautiful view of Empire State Building and downtown. Morten, my Morten Høgholm, has been at NASDAQ ringing the closing bell with SimCorp. We managed to rent a 7 seated Chrysler for $9,99 a day. A size of a car we definitely don't need, unless we will be hunting a moose in the woods. David tried his first lobster and he loved it. After couple of days at the playground Masha began to say English words with Hindu accent. There are no hippos in whole New York area. I met a couple of my childhood friends, whom I have't seen for the last 11-15 years.We have discovered that some clothes can be more expensive then in Denmark, like Gant or Huge Boss. We have seen more commercials on TV then we have ever seen in the past year. And that is not because we see TV a lot. And news of the day, no news about Canada.

New York and story before that

2011-09-01T20:41:00.003+02:00

Many things have changed since the day I have written last time.
We have made it to New York. Yes, this is correct, New York. You will ask why, weren't we not suppose to go to Montreal.
Yes, but Morten had to do a project for his Danish office involving US office, so we have tagged alone, while we are waiting for Canadian visa.
What can I say. I don't think I have realized that we are in US. It feels like a long nightmare with all that moves (this is the second move in a weeks time), packing house, dealing with goodbye and tears, and all the rest of the stuff that came along.
However, looking from the bright sites, it is working out as we wished it will be.
Last Wednesday we have packed our house into a huge container. A bit stressful task as we were suppose to do it over 2 days, but with a little mistake from a moving company we ended up doing all in one day. However thanks to the mistake, we got 3 cleaning ladies making sure that our house is in a decent conditions for our coming tenders. Wow, that was so great of them to offer. If I have to choose I will go alone with such kind of mistakes next time.
Then a move to a top nice apartment at Islands Brygger. For 40.000 Dkk a month (no, it was not us who was paying for it) you get a top Danish design apartment with a sea view and no, absolutely no place to hang your clothes, as that didn't go with the design.
And so today was a second move. This time we will be staying for 2 weeks at the same place and then we hope that we will be heading North.
So welcome to us to New York. Time to explore, see and enjoy the best experience ever.
Updates are coming but so far enjoy the view from our hotel...

From Zurich to Nice

2011-08-11T23:17:00.003+02:00

It is summer, and it is +30 outside. And we are so enjoying it.
Thanks to my colleague Per we have ended up in South of France. But first...
We took a detour via Zurich. Our loved Zurich, the place where we end up every half a year so far.
But this time Mr David got a camera and off he went to take pictures, especially of one person...

Even that due to the exchange rate prices ended up being about 20% higher then we are used to, and as we all know, Switzerland is not cheap in the first place, we ended up have a lunch and not buying anything at all.

And then... LA MER...
Oh, I felt just like Mr Bean in Mr Bean's vacations. How beautiful it is.
The place we were recommended is very nice, owned by a french/danish couple. Apartments are something what you expect to be. However there are few very good points about this place: a. it is a closed areas with a guard, so no one can get in without an invitation or the key, b. we have an access to a private pool, where there are about 10 families in all have an access at the same time.
It has been almost a week, and we haven't been only using a pool.
We have seen Gourdon, La Loup waterfall, Cannes, Nice, Monaco, Italy (boarder city), Menton, Antique and Cap Martin. So far there are more places to see and to do. But the picture of the day is...

A view from the other side

2011-07-29T22:43:00.003+02:00

To me dearest wife I can only say one thing:

Yes, blatantly stolen from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy but it is true nonetheless (and we must remember to bring towels - then all will be okay!).

Seriously though, we are beginning to wrap things up here which feels good as we are all eager to get going. We just hope the paperwork is going to be done soon so that we are allowed entry into Canada! Had a nice farewell party at Zhenya's work today with lots of colleagues coming to eat the cupcakes we brought. I had to publicly apologize for stealing her away from them for two years and was only allowed to live if I promised to bring her back. She also received some very nice gifts to help her keep warm during the long winter in Canada: mittens and slippers. It was very nice of them and I thank them for that.

Watch this space for updates.

Now panic begins

2011-07-29T10:55:00.003+02:00

So, today is my "last" day in the bank. Masha has officially stopped at kindergarten, David is not at school any more.

Now it is a reality of things. We are moving.

Schedule so far:

1 week: sorting out the house into:
out
give/donate
take as luggage
take in a container

2 week: France
3 week: France

4 week: pack the house (2 days). And off we go.

Facebook posting

2011-07-21T21:05:00.004+02:00

Funny, today I have read something interesting on a Facebook.
One of my husbands cousins has posted the following:
WARNING: if you received a friend request from Karen Ellemann, Lene Espersen, Lars Lokke or Pia Kjaersgaard, do not accept it! IT'S A VIRUS that removes your retirement, steals from the poor, import cheap labor, gives your child 32 classmates and sets limits to love.
Funny and sad summary of the Danish politics.
As I have already commented several times, Danish government ones in a while comes up with a brilliant idea or two.
I am not that concerned about my pension, as I can see most likely my generation will be working til our 70s, so all that discussion regarding retirement is not of my business. But I have my dear friends and colleagues, who are rapidly approaching the pension age and I can see that it does concern them.
I can see that all the cleaning and craftsman were taken over of eastern Europe nations. Nothing wrong with that, however what should we do with our work-force?
All the educational reforms end up with less money for education, more kids in classes, less focus on education in general. I am happy again that doesn't concern us, as we go to a completely different system, but in a long run, when my kids will go to university, it will be my problem as well.
And the famous boarder for love. Well, we lived with 24 years rule, but how about now? If you come from an EU or OECD countries then your, so to say, qualified to be integrated, if you are from the other "banana" republic, then you should prove for the government that you are worth to stay. And this is just one step. If gets worse.
Any way, getting back to Facebook message. I just liked it. I agree with the post, I agree with the frustration, but on the other hand I love this country, believe it or not.

State may lose millions on new law on artificial insemination

2011-07-07T21:27:00.002+02:00

A new law that makes people to pay fees for artificial insemination could eventually have cost the government more than it actually would save by not having introduce the law.

Surprise? Not really.

The new law was introduced from the 1st of January 2011 where one is facing fees for artificial insemination in public sector. Up to that day Danish tax-payers could get 3 treatments at states expense.
Now own payment means that a childless couple must calculate with having to take out of their pocket between 15,000 and 30,000 kroner for the treatments. And it has caused many to stay away from clinics.

It is so weird to hear that Danish population is getting older, there are not enough young people who would be able to support the economy in about 25 years. And so what does the government do? Yes, it comes up with a brilliant idea of asking for fees for artificial insemination. How clever is that?

Right now all you can read in the newspaper a shocking discovery on the facility conference in Stockholm. One of the highlights are that fewer people will seek fertility treatment, because they themselves must pay. That means fewer births and thus fewer people who can contribute to the economy with their taxes.

Am I chocked? Not really. Why does the government thinks in a short run, not in the long run. Yes, they will save the money now, but who will pay the bill later, when in comes in the form on lost tax revenues?

The two scientists wrote in their report that a decrease in the number of treatments of 30-50 percent as a result of the new standards for user fees in Denmark means that the state in 2034 will have saved between 500 and 830 million kroner.

However in 2059, then 25 years later, the state will in turn have lost between 555 and 920 million kroner. A loss due to less tax because there will be fewer children born to pay taxes.

Broken arm and etc.

2011-07-06T21:59:00.004+02:00

So, the news of the day is that I have managed to break my arm. The good news is that I don't need to pack, the bad news is I have to go with the cast on my arm for 6-8 weeks.
Anyway it was dark, I have overestimated my ability to see in the dark and the knowledge of the basement, so there it was... A huge fall, then I thought I can sleep over that. Well, my conclusion... One can't. So believe it or not I am with the cast now.
On the Canada issue. We got a contract, signed and now we are in the process of filling out the huge amount of paper, talking to the lawyers, going to court to sign the papers. All in all the process is moving so we have hoping to move by the end of our vacations.
On the sentimental part... We have had 3 farewell parties: for Masha with nail-polish, for David with water fight and for us with a flood in Copenhagen... Well we had a great party, not even a drop of rain, while at the same time in the central Copenhagen has been flooded. So I know that our guest will remember that day, but I hope because of us and not because of the flood.

paper work

2011-06-08T18:32:00.002+02:00

So, today, apart of working we were doing all the paper work, well, as much as we could do.

The moving company has been by, asking us what we are taking with and leaving behind. The moving agent was surprised how little stuff we were having. There is a question about violins, and about how we will ship them to Canada. As we have 6 of them, it might be hard to take them all as a hand luggage and it might be too warm in a container, depending where it is standing in a cargo ship. No food is allowed and we might have a challenge with vine as well. There are some import taxes on vine and as we have over 50 bottles of different ones we will have to decide what to do. To drink, or to storage, or to pay, that is the question.

Then it was a tax officer. And you know, we have decided, to pay Danish taxes. Yes, you have heard us. Yes, yes, yes. For the first time we are proud to be Danes and we will be continueing being Danish as long as possible. ;-)
P.S. Why are there tax offices are so boring? The girl was so nice and I should say, beautiful, but boy, could she find more unattractive clothes?

Then it was the time to get birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc in english. What we can say, some offices are cooperative, some are not. And those who were not, they were 100% uncooperative. We got everything except one paper, which we hope we will get in a day or two.

Now the tickets and credit cards are coming up.

Montreal it is

2011-06-04T12:30:00.003+02:00

Decision has been made. First year of 2 year assignment will be in Montreal, Canada.
All in all it was "easy" to make that decision.
School: there is no place for Masha in the french school in New York, so far, however she is on the waiting list.
Work: even that I have been trying to do my best by contacting Nordea in New York, it looks like they are not interested. Well, their loss, not mine.
Living conditions: it is cheaper, closer to European way of thinking and living, and then Morten will be close by.
And then housing: The prices we have seen were quite affordable and nice ones as well. And maybe I get to get a garden and a lake view and a fireplace and a bathtub.
Language: french, my dream. I always wanted to learn and to speak French. Why do you think David goes to a french school?
Hippos: there are hippos in the zoo, next to Montreal, so that is covered as well.
Sports: Morten will get to try skiing. ;-)
So the inspection trip in coming up in 10 days. Let us see what it will bring.

politics

2011-05-29T13:18:00.003+02:00

Denmark is going into the wrong direction. Since I came here in 2000, it has been going from bad to worse.
Did you hear the latest news? Now Denmark wants to set a boarder line between Germany and Denmark back. It order to make sure who is coming into the country. They say they want to protect themselves from Romanian and Polish people who are coming here to steal and ask for money. But whom will it effect in the reality? Someone like me, someone who needs to have a visa for her mum to visit, which makes it impossible after all.
The new rules in order to get a permanent residence is insane. For someone like my friends, who came here as au pairs, worked, studies, learned language, got work and it is almost impossible to obtain one if they haven't been a member of a football club or some kind of a freewill organization for a year or two.

http://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-us/coming_to_dk/permanent-residence-permit/permanent-residence-permit.htm

So the clever rats leave the ship, and they do it fast, before Denmark turns up to be Germany of 1935s, and they it will really go wrong.

a bit of everything

2011-05-29T13:05:00.003+02:00

Too many things, too many plans.
We have been facing a huge changes in our lives. Everything, you name it. It is so strange and huge and hard to explain.
On a daily life things are going as they usually are:
Morten is getting ready for a new start. Getting organized paperwork, calling lots of people about insurances, schools, etc.
Zhenya is taking it to extreme at work. Doing her best, and doing all the practical and sensible organization.
David is having concerts that are coming up in June. School is doing good, and the grades are good as well.
Masha started to go to tennis, continuing going to ballet and started on house back riding this Saturday. No school yet, however.
For Zhenyas birthday we have been in Hamburg, and met one of Zhenyas friends Natasha, whom she hasn't seen for almost 13 years. Fun to see where you end after all those years.
Mortens birthday is coming up and there are some plans, but one never know where one will end up right on that day.

London and ...

2011-04-28T23:29:00.005+02:00

So, we are back from London.
One of the best vacations ever. we thank Chris for his hospitality, friendship and patience.
And you know what... we have the most biggest change happening in our lives....

a new concert update

2011-04-11T09:29:00.003+02:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/davidmasha#p/a/u/0/vWYOxQt3y6M

London - we are coming and all the other stuff

2011-04-02T09:44:00.004+02:00

So, things are changing or not, not sure.
We are on our way to London to see how the "old" Chris is doing. He is going to host us for the whole week. Funny, Morten wants to see London as a tourist and I want to see the country site. So we will see what we will end up with.
It is good to have Chris close by, not in Thailand and we do miss him a lot. But we are going to Tanzania together and hopefully India as well, so he will be seeing us a bit this year.
Monday to Friday has been passing so fast since I have changed the work. It is a complete change, if Credit Control was something like a vacation (20 hour) job, Business Support is something up to 60 hours a week, with lots of demand. I love the fact that it is a rapid inviroment but, boy, I am dead at the end of the week.
what else is new.... Morten is getting close to my 3rd Christmas wish, a bit late but I am so proud of him. Other then that the situation at his job is changing, now they actually do actual work and not only planning. So Hurrah for that.

David is starting his violin concerts. He will be playing on the 1st one on the 10th of April in Roskilde. He is actially a solist for one of the pieces. He is getting there, however we are still getting this attitute:

Ábby is Abby. She is going to play tennis starting May, 1st. So that is great!!! So is so exited. Now it is spring, finally, so we need to find out somthing about the horses for her.
I guess that is about it.
Oh, no... 2 more things: we are renovtion the house. So at the moment we are living in the living-room as we are remodelling our bedroom. It takes time, as there are about 4 lagers of wallpaper we need to get rid of. and the second thing is that I have discoved I like to be in the garden. It allows me to get away from the reality. So surprise, but I even decided to use our greenhouse. How cool is that.

what I do for living

2011-03-16T11:49:00.001+01:00

Vaccinations

2011-03-11T13:04:00.002+01:00

now, since we got our tickets purchased - it is time to think about vaccinations.

Venice-Paris-Budapest / Tanzania-India

2011-02-23T21:26:00.005+01:00

Well, do not believe that picture. We have managed to make all those trip in the past 2 months: a week in Venice, a weekend in Paris and a week in Budapest.

Venice:
We have Chris with us. Yes, he survived all 6 days with us, sharing a small hotel room with 4 of us. Impressive and we don't have to pay for a mental hospital for him efter those suffering holidays. Venice was nice, dry, expensive and great fireworks. Lots of different trips, not only in Venice iiself but to Verona as well.

Paris:
Just us, no kids, to get rid of the Bonus point. Wonderful, apart of the black out in the hotel the morning we were about to leave the hotel and no public transportation at 4,30 in the morning. Hippopotamus restaurants, great meetting with Daniel and Marie, lots of trips again (Mortens first time to Paris), and food, food, food. And this time many presents for kids: books and school stuff, what boring parents are we.

Budapest:
Got a surprise apartment offer from my bank. So we took it and we do not regret. 6 wonderful days in East Europe. Boy, you can't understand that language, don't even try. Labirynth, zoo, circus, outside baths, sinagogue, but not the shopping. They fashion is something beyond my understanding.

Above that everything is quite and we are about to plan trip to Tanzania with Chris again and to India (TUG 2011) with Chris once again.
So safari and Taj Mahal here we come.....

And now there is a wish nr. 2

2010-12-21T17:21:00.000+01:00

1 out of 3 wishes came true!

2010-12-13T14:17:00.002+01:00

Morten got his drivers licence. That means I get to not to be a permanent driver and I get to tell him what to do while he is driving.
Congratulations!!!

what can go wrong will go wrong

2010-12-08T13:47:00.002+01:00

What could go wrong, did go wrong.
We have moved 4 weeks ago to our house and guess what… We have had burglary. Great, just great.
We came home and at first we haven't notice much. Morten however began to wonder about that we shouldn't be in such a hurry when we are leaving the house and close the cubots. And then… We could se that we had been robbet.
Money, jewelley and my precious hippo piggy bank was stolen. The worst part about all that that it had happened. That someone was in our house.
It stricked me that the house was warm when we came ind, but the dours were open, so it all happened while we were on our way, or maybe we have interrupted all the process.
The police came, got all the pictures, then the insurance came and got all the windows covered. And then came another day.
At the moment I literally can't stay at home alone so I am afraid it will go over Mortens Christmas Party on Friday.

What else can we say… Not everything is that bad.
David had a fantastics performance last Friday at Lousiana. 100.000 DKK worth of to his teacher and his wife. Very much so deserved.
http://www.youtube.com/user/davidmasha#p/a/u/2/gI4aO521H2E
http://www.youtube.com/user/davidmasha#p/a/u/1/ty5XvwJSTFA
http://www.youtube.com/user/davidmasha#p/a/u/0/6I9S1T26Gyc

As for me I am closing up all the unfinished business at my work and getting ready to go to a new challanging job. I will dearly miss SOME of my co-workers and I will be missed by them. However for some it will be a great relief and I guess a step up in the carree.

And the most important: WE GOT MARRIED!!!

2010-11-19T20:33:00.005+01:00

WE... GOT... MARRIED!!!!! Yes, and.... we got Chris to witness the event. He came on a short notice to be a part of a very small celebration.
We are so happy, really. Finally, we got to say "I DO" to each other. So now we are Mr. Høgholm and Mrs. Kvistorf (just for the record, Morten has many names, and one of them is Kvistorf). It is strange to say that we have been married only for 3 weeks. I love this guy, I really do. He is the most wonderful, understanding and annoying guy on the planet. And he loves me, this is what counts. As the decision happened to be very fast we haven't manage to invite so many people. actually only some guys from Mortens and my work. But... who cares.... it was our day and only ours. However we are grateful for the attention and presense.

many changes

2010-11-19T20:16:00.002+01:00

Wow, it seems like ages since last time we have written on this blog.
Let me check my calender. Thousands of things had happened since our last entry.
Where do we start. I guess with the youngest one.
Masha...
She is showing her character, and boy, she has one. Getting older and very good at communication. People can't believe that she is two. She speaks so well. Still no news about the school, so she is moving to the danish kindergarten.
David...
Ah, that mister David.
He is a busy guy. Above all the girlfriends he has lots and lots of concert. He turns 9. Has a big party at a bowling club with 9 boys and 1 girl. Lots of presents and attention. Violin is going very well. Today he has been offered a master class with someone, sorry do not remember his name, but the one that has been having lessons under Itzhak Perlman!!!! Wow. next concerts are on the 3rd of December and 14th of December with orkestra, 27th of November - solo.

On the job situation. Mortens company has been having firing rounds. Thank goodness Morten is still in the company, just thinking about the 5% were fired. It is strange to go to the office where people dissappeare. I am trying to back him up as much as I can. So does he. I have recently changed the departments. Yes, I did.
Apart all the things that had happened, we moved to the house. So now we have plenty of space. So come and visit.

Things that are happening around us

2010-09-15T19:31:00.003+02:00

It has been a turbulent flight for the past 2 weeks.
Things are moving very slowly, or not moving at all. Some people are trying to destroy my carree and hurt me as much as it is possible.
It is so stressful to look at, to be surronded around by these kind of people. It seems like the whole world is working against us. I know that this downsides will go away, the question is when. It makes one like so unmotivated.
Well, however, one thing I know that I am surrounded by the wonderful people who are trying to chear me up and to help as much as they can. It is during these times one finds of who is real and who is not.
But... I know, that no matter what I will go and I will win. Noone will ever stop me and one way or the other the things will be the way they should be!

Abigail Marie Larsen

2010-08-27T12:51:00.001+02:00

By Will(AU) in San Francisco

We are moving

2010-08-27T11:50:00.005+02:00

Yes, we got a house. Who would have thougth that one day we will get a house. And yes, we did. It is about 25 minutes away from Copenhagen on a train, so it works just fine for us. I am so looking forward for lots of space, seperate room for the kids, and lots of space for guests.

We have set up a date for the move.

For an average person and due to the financial crisis, most likely one needs to sell in order to buy something else. However due to the positions we occupy and due to some "smart" moves we were fortunate to be allowed to keep both. That doesn't mean that we will be capitalists, no, we will sell our apartment, graduatelly.

What else...
Masha is starting to attend Ballet classes. She is so ready. And she so wants that and so excited about the fact that now she is a big girl.

David has finally started in school. You see, all Danish kids have started school 2-3 weeks before our French school. This year was a special one for David, as for the first time he was at school on the first day of school. So now, my big boy, is in the 4th grade.

And the last thing. I got my IPhone. Yep, and it is a very fun and cool toy. And I love it.

Home

2010-07-19T17:06:00.002+02:00

We are home. But only barely. Firstly the shuttle from hotel to airport took considerably longer than we were told as it apparently had to go to three other hotels after picking us up first: fifteen minutes after we got on it, it was picking up passengers at our neighboring hotel on the other side of the street! Not what one needs after too little sleep and a plane to catch. Anyway, we make it to the airport and the line for check-in is longer than for the studio tour at Universal Studios... We had 10 minutes before check-in closed and much, much longer than that to wait in line. So Zhenya got the attention of some staffers and we were somehow whisked through (don't ask me how - I just tagged along), making check-in with no time to spare, straight through security check and then to the gate where the plane was already boarding and our names were being called out by the staff at the counter. A nice warm-up for our quick transit in Washington!

Ah, good old Dulles Airport in Washington. How I haven't missed it! Hot and humid and people waiting everywhere. We knew we didn't have much time between the flights and we were right. When we finally arrived at the gate, people with kids were called forward for boarding. So somehow we managed to get on two flights without ever waiting at a gate. I guess this is part of the reason why the journey home didn't feel as long as it was (5h + 7h).

But we are home and severely jet lagged. now we `just' have to revert to CET time...

San Diego again

2010-07-16T00:40:00.005+02:00

Oh, San Diego. It is a dream, it is Shamu, it is a place one should come again and again. This time we had a tight program: zoo and Sea World.
The zoo: HIPPOS!!!! There are beautiful Funani and Otus. Wonderful, beautiful hippos. After spending an hour or so next to them, more animals as koalas, kangaroos, bears, lions, gorillas, etc. must be seen. It was a long day, as too many things to see, but... we managed, we made it. And a cup with the hippo is on its way to Denmark.

Sea World: We went to see Shamu. David was so happy that we just cried. He couldn't hold his feelings. He loves Shamu so much, that now it is a bigger Shamu is on the way to Denmark as well.
Sea World made something interesting this year. They expand working hours to 11 p.m. and one could enjoy extra evening shows. Evening shows are much, much better and funnier. Especially when Shamu dances and rock-n-rolls.

I like the ticket system in America. You buy a customize ticket and then, when you enter the park, your finger print is taken. Excellent idea, so no one can get in with your! ticket. And this system works perfectly. Sea World can still remember me from 3 years ago, so no problem there.
The weather was strange in San Diego. There were no sun. If one reads the forecast then San Diego is the most sunniest (in a good way) city in US, but not this time. And we were so happy about that. It was great. We didn't want sun, or heat. We just wanted a normal temperature which will allow us to walk around without getting a heat stroke.

Yosemite-Death Valley-Las Vegas-Palm Springs-San Diego

2010-07-11T08:18:00.010+02:00

And we have started our long trip around California, plus a little bit of Nevada.

Yosemite

That is the best place on earth. Well, at least one of the best ones. Waterfalls are awesome, the breathtaking nature, trails, all is just great. One should come a bit early in order to get some kind of parking. But all is very well organized. You get to park your car at the parking spot and off you go with a shuttle anywhere in the park. You get off and wonder around, get back to the bus and off to the next stop. The waterfalls are just right there. To some one should go a little, to some a lot, but one can always see them. We have managed to get very close to the lower Yosemite one. And please do notice, all of us. So we have climbed up and down and so did Masha and David. And that was just awesome.
Yosemite park has everything: snow in the middle of summer, dears, squirrels, and the bears. And the sign BEWARE OF BEAR is not for fun. Because... there are bears. And we have seen one! Yes we did. And we are very proud of that.
At the certain point me and the kids almost lost Morten, but we were in more advantage position: we knew where the car was, we had the keys and the money. But... we managed to find him. So all was good at the end.

Death Valley

No wonder it is called death valley. Have you tried it? We did and we are not! doing it again. It was hot. Hot like hell. 115F (46 C) and that is at 6 p.m. It was hot. And miles and miles of roads with no cars, just us. And then there was our hotel in the middle or the desert.
Death Valley has lot and lots of sand, rocks and salt. That is about it. It is a very strange place. The strange experience has been for us as we were driving from the picture full of life, snow, water, green trees, to heat and nothing just in the matter of 5 hours. That is awesome and strange.
As we looked at it then we do agree with U.Chris that one should not visit Death Valley in summer and we look at it that way: been there, done that, never going to do so again.
Fun experience: the swimming-pool in Death Valley had to be cooled down, yes! cooled down to 28 degrees with ice!

Las Vegas

When you drive and drive in the desert suddenly there are lights... Las Vegas... It is just unrealistically fun. Everyone has seen pictures of Las Vegas, but it is way different to be there. The light, the experience, people, casinos, shopping center, Caesar Palace, restaurants with the casinos, it is different and unique.
Even our hotel had casino in the restaurant. Kids were not allowed to be at the casino but there were allowed to pass by, so we had an opportunity to see what it is like.
The shopping center are crazy: a little Venice is just right there with channels and gondolas. That is just fun.
And the nights! Oh, the nights. Las Vegas never sleeps. It is full of lights and noise and life. Oh, I love this city.
And of course, the hardest choice one might face in this city to chose between if Elvis or McGraw should marry one.

Palm Springs

And then again on the road again. This time to sunny Palm Springs. The mission was to relax and not to see anything. However we ended up going via some kind of desert, again, visiting Joshua tree National Park and as a bonus taking a cable car to the top of the mountain. All in one day. The cable car was the funniest experience as you get from 35 degrees to about 22 degree, and all the was 8529 foot (2,5 km). That was just great. And the view. Breathtaking.
Do you know how many wind meals Americans can have in one tiny place? The answer is... MANY, VERY MANY and densely packed.

San Diego

And then we were off to San Diego. As one can notice, we have started our blog in San Diego and now we were back here. We love San Diego and trust me, David has been dreaming about coming back to Sea World for years so here we are.

North of California

2010-07-07T08:29:00.006+02:00

We got the car and off we go. Well, just as we picked up a car Chris needed to pick up something so he left, coming back 30 minutes later and having one of the dour handles inside of the car and not outside. So, we had to change the car first. But all in all we managed to leave SF area with a few rides over the hills.

The first stop was the north coast of California. We have visited Muir Redwoods and
Muir Redwoods had one of the greatest natures in North California. Huge and tall trees, deers just right there. Everything is wonderfully organized by Chris, who knew when he was taking us and where.

Riding the car on the coast of California is a great fun, but not for those who sit on the back of the car, as it is a very curvy road.
The next stop was Point Reyes - the windiest point in the Pacific US. And we do believe it. Oh boy, and it is cold as well. Well, that is where one should look for whales in the last of March and for harbor seals and elephant seals when we were there. Great nature and not so much visited.

And the picture of the day. David got in an accident, so thankfully it happened in America in the woods where all ordinary Americans have tissues, wipes and practically all the necessary medical supplies.

Bridge and the rest of San Francisco

2010-07-07T08:16:00.004+02:00

Well, even that it is summer it is not that warm. Especially if one decides to sail on a mini ship to see... the bridge. The most famous Bridge. But even that we got frozen to death we have seen it, we have sailed under it, we made it.

Then there we sea lion, of course. There were just there when we have arrived at the dock. Kids couldn't believe their eyes.

And during the last days we were visiting Academy of Science hosting aquarium, natural history museum, planetarium and tropical gardens under the same roof and San Francisco zoo were on the program. Did I mention that in San Francisco if one takes a public transport one receives 2$ to 4$ off from admission. Very smart system.

As of the rest of the time... there was food of course, very lovely and very expensive food.

Action: Gay parade and preachers

2010-06-29T15:32:00.005+02:00

When you watch American movie and the main actor needs for some reason to escape from the police there is ALWAYS a parade in the city. Well, when we arrived at Union Square there were thousands and thousands of people. San Francisco happened to host a gay parade. Very interesting experience.

At the same time we walked in to the street preaches. I don't have a problem with gay people or street preachers or for that sake any other kids of professions/believes. But... That street preacher was aggressive. He was shouting, talking about how sinful gay people are and that they all will go to hell. When, that might be true in his point of view, but... if he wants to bring the message of Bible and Christ to them, maybe, and again it is only my opinion, that is not the right way to do so. I am doubting that people will just jump right into his arms and ask to help them not to be sinners, especially in this kind of way. Oh well, it was fun to listen and see.

Above all that action, we are living in the center of San Francisco on Powell Str., right nest to Union Square. The rooms are quite small but the closer is as big as the room! So it is in a way an extension for the room at the moment.
And the picture of the day...

on the way

2010-06-29T15:31:00.000+02:00

Well, the flight was fine. I have learned that one should not sleep in the aisles as it was a part of flight information.
8,5 hours with a wonderful David glued to the play station and annoying Masha not knowing what to do.
Anyway, we made it in time. Immigration, check out, check in took about 1 hour and so we are at the gate. What happens next is beyond our control. I look at the tickets and realize. Wait a minute, we are sitting on 4 different rows. So lucky me, not so lucky the passengers who were suppose to sit next to each of my kids. The personal of United could not do anything, so the result was that we got a room at Crown Plaza, 4x$15 food vouchers and new tickets 10 hours later. Not a bad deal judging on how jet lagged kids and we were.
We have arrived in San Francisco the next day with a wonderful 5 hours flight. The question was... where is our luggage... as the luggage flew the day before. But to our great joy all 3 bags were there, Chris was there as well. So everything and everyone were united and we went off to our adventure.

We made it

2010-06-28T06:13:00.002+02:00

We made it to San Francisco. 12 hours later, but we made it. All are so jet-laget.

Off to USA

2010-06-25T21:47:00.002+02:00

School is over, violin is over (just kidding, it is never over), work takes a break and we are off to America.

At the moment there are lots of clothes, wires, adapters, books, papers and hippos on the flour. Hopefully all of that is eventually going into the suitcases sometime soon. One of the positive thing is that the kids will stay away for the night, so it will be a little easier to pack.

I had to set up a limit about how many toys each kids should take (2 per person, including gameboy or any electronic device).

We are so looking forward to see "Uncle Chris" and "Uncle Herbert and Aunt Christine".
It is so fun going to TeX conference year after year because you see familiar faces and the familiar faces see you.

We will be flying directly to Chicago with SAS, changing to United going straight to San Francisco. If everything goes according to the plan, we will be on our way about 18 hours and we will setting a foot into the hotel 8 a.m. Danish time. And Chris will be meeting us at the airport, so sweet of him.

Bon voyage!

Trains, no kindergarten, concerts and America

2010-06-13T09:25:00.003+02:00

America is settled. The plan is huge, a car is ordered, so are hotels. Places like Yosemite, Death Valley, Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles, etc. are booked.

Two of my colleagues will be in the area right at the same time, so a big Nordea lunch will be arranged between Yosemite and Death Valley.

I have been asked why we are not going to see Great Canyon? Well, I am the only driver and to have 2 kids sitting at the back of the car for 6 hours every second day doesn't qualify as a super holidays. The other reason is all points up to the fact that I will be returning to Las Vegas in March 2011 for SAS Global Forum. So while discussing the possibility, we have decided to do the Great Canyon in March, much nicer weather and much less driving.

Things are going slow here at the moment. No public trains as there are major track renovations. We have buses instead. One can wait about 40 minutes for the bus once in a while. We have a schedule but that doesn't mean that buses follow the schedule. So at the moment we are taking the car to the city center in order to make it in time with school and work and violin.

Violin is going very well. Hopefully David will get an opportunity to show what had happened with his skills in SF. Yesterday he had performed at the concert with an orkestra.
http://www.youtube.com/user/davidmasha#p/a/u/0/KE_tgNMdykk

Masha didn't get a spot at the french kindergarten, so we are quite annoyed about the fact that she has to continue in the danish system. The matter of fact is that there are too many french kids this year and as NOT french nationalities we do not have a priority to get to the school, even taking in consideration that David is in the same school. So we will continue bugging the principal about the spot in the system.

SimpCorp - Business Consultant, or what ever it is

2010-03-24T11:37:00.002+01:00

And a job at SimpCorp is here.
Yes!!! Congratulations! So proud!
Now I need to think for more goals in order to be able to bug someone all the time with them. Any suggestions?

Davids concert

2010-03-20T20:37:00.003+01:00

The program:
Brahms Valts and Bach Menuet 3. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4mUvc2yI-c
http://www.youtube.com/user/davidmasha#p/a/u/1/OzsVgjZi0Rg

Santa Chris is coming to town

2010-02-27T20:16:00.003+01:00

Yes, you have read it correctly. Chris, mr.Rowley himself decided to come for an extend visit. Apart of that we will not be able to show him the Little Mermaid (she is in China at the moment), there are many plans, going as far as visiting Kaya Christiansen in Århus. It will be very interesting and I believe crowded.

On the daily news:
MASHA.
I have completely forgot about her 2 years check up. What a mum am I! So it has to be urgently booked! She is 26 months tomorrow. The doctor is going to speak to me about her mental, physical and language development, which are all fine. But I should better do that.

DAVID.
We are officially got Aleksander Zaposlki not only as a teacher in an orkestra but as a private teacher. We are aiming to get into the competition "Spil for Livet" (Play for live) in 2013. Now it is al least 1 to 2 hours of practice a day starting from the beginning. I am so proud of "the mouse" of mine.

MORTEN.
Is still trying to decide about his future. Hopefully the decision will be wise and the place will be where people appreciate him and set a value on what he is doing.

As for me. It is going fine a work. Can't believe it has been a month already. I have even baked (yes, I have baked) a cake to work in order to commemorate a whole month.
This has been quite a cultural month as well. Theaters and exhibitions. Lots of interesting experiences.

P.S. If you are in DK. David is playing in Frederiksberg Church on March 19th, at 5 p.m.

Frankfurt and Paris

2010-02-13T22:15:00.002+01:00

So, while people are taking winter vacations, I am in the process of planning the Easter. And as Masha nursery is closed 3 days prior to Easter, I don't have any other choice as to take vacations.
So, the idea is to jump into the car and off we go to Germany and France and Luxembourg.
As for the rest:
David has started to go to swimming twice a week, which I hope will help him to actually learn how to swim.
He is still going to both violin teacher, but now, due to the David long tongue, both of the teachers know about each other. So we have found ourselves in the middle of quite an interesting situation.
February and March are busy socially months, which is very unusual. Theaters, concerts, cinemas, museums: all that in two months.

IT problems and survival

2010-02-07T01:18:00.002+01:00

So, I have survived the first week.

Things are moving quite quickly now. I wake up, go to work, get totally confused with so much new stuff, get a squared head (try to listen and understand English with Danish/Swedish/Norwegian/Finnish accents during the same meeting), pick up the kids, get home, do violin and homework, and off to bed. This is the schedule of mine for the past 5 days.

Systems do not work at my work, so it make me battle inside and really someone is testing my temper. So far, so good. At the end of the mouth I will be on the "wanted list" at our IT-department, as I make the largest amount of service requests. And all comes to the point, IT forgot all about me, so I got an empty computer.

On the bright side, I have a wonderful team, all are helpful, even in the critical situations (I have managed to burn my hand on the 4th day at work). Questions are welcomed (so far).

David is having 2 weeks of holidays (lucky him) and Masha is taking off with him. Too make sure that the big brother is fine.

We got a HUGE couch, it is white and has been white for the past 2 weeks. There is a plan to make a bathroom bigger, but so far it is still a plan.

What else... Oh, David got bigger violin. Which reminds me that we have found ourselves in the middle of the conflict. Our Norwegian teacher thinks that we need 1/8 violin, while our Russian teacher things we need 1/2. So David got 1/4. (Couldn't wait till America). He is very proud and happy for his violin. And so am I.

And last but not the least, I am including the diagram of the way my IT department handle there job and my way of struggling with them. ENJOY!!!

2010-01-25T20:36:00.002+01:00

It is strange to wake up early in the morning and can see everything. Now it is kind of weird to ask for a cup of tea, using the line "Oh, but I don't have my contacts on". It doesn't work like that any more, or does it?

It comes to an end my sick-vacaton leave and I am going to the war of finance in a new bank. And I have no idea how I will make Masha to wake up. At the moment she has a luxury to sleep till 10 a.m.

I have tried to have a party and it looks like with Wii-Mario, Lego-Batman and lasagna it worked out. THere were 5 kids (excluding David and Abby) from age 1 to 6. All were playing nicely and quietly, and notice not at any time someone was taking anything from anyone. That tells me something, it tells me that my kids have way too many toys, so many that they can keep 5 other kids occupied with no problems.

And the violin news. David is now attending classes at Alexandre Zapolski, a wonderful and talanted violin teacher. From day two there was announced that violin is too small, position is wrong, Davids can't read notes and now we literally play violin 2 hours a day. We can't quite from Suzuki till May, so David attends violin from 2 to 4 times a week.

And the last thing, David is going to play on a violin concert on Sunday.

News of the week

2010-01-22T23:40:00.005+01:00

If you want to increase your salary, change your current job. That is the major drive in the financial business. And I can actually see the idea of that. Since yesterday someone has discovered that someone is so under-paid that someone came to the obvious conclusion: things need to change.

Zurich, eyes and TUG2010

2010-01-09T23:15:00.003+01:00

Zurich was wonderful. From the Movenpick to the penguin parade at the zoo, from the snow in the mountains to the tram rides on the streets, from the most expensive shopping to the local restaurants.
I got finally done with the second eye, so on Monday I will find out if I will be able to read between the lines or not.
And we are ready for TUG 2010. Kids are traveling for free with SAS at the moment to America, just paying the taxes, so we have bought the tickets.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T14:14:00.002+01:00

To whom it may concern,

Merry Christmas.

Things are finally getting moving.
1. My eyes. I can see 100% with my right eye, which means that I have on average -4 on my eyes. It is so strange to wake up in the morning and being able to see clearly. I am not allowed to be on the sun too much and I do feel like a vampire once in a while. The second eye should be up and running on the 5th of January.
2. My job. I got a contract! I got a contract! My coming boss was so interested in me working for the company (I am not! revealing the name of it yet!) that the whole process of hiring was in a matter of a week. And that is before Christmas! I got a contract in my hands 23rd of December. I am looking forward for the coming position. By the way, I got another proposal (yes, during the Christmas and financial crisis!) from Danish FSA (yep, me, not a Dane! Yes!) but the salary is way too low. The difference is literally 10000 kroner a month! (1300 euro!) so even the other job seemed very interesting and challenging (going to European Central Bank and so) I am going to say "no" to that one.
3. Off to Zurich again, but this time is not on business. David is dying to see pingos walking in the zoo and I am looking forward to see the fireworks. I got myself a great photo camera, so I will try to use it to get some awesome pictures!
4. Abby is turning 2 in 3 days. Oh my goodness, she is big! Lots of people around me keeping telling me that I should have a little sister for her. Oh no! I want my freedom, I got a cool job, I want to travel and to play Mario on Wii. When will I do that with 2 small kids?
5. David is doing quite good in school. His French has improved a lot since I told him to speak only french in school. Hopefully we will be going for a week to France in April-may so it will help him even more.
See you in 2010!

Interviews

2009-12-08T10:22:00.002+01:00

Well, since 3 weeks have passed and things have started to change.

I have been called into interviews to the 6, I would say, good companies.
1). CODAN (an international life insurance for both residential and business customer)
2). ATP (Lifelong Pension fund).
3). Danish Nationalbank
4). WHO (World Health Organization, part of UN)
5). Nordea Bank
6). The Danish FSA (part of the Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs and acts as secretariat for the Financial Business Council, the Danish Securities Council and the Money and Pension Panel.)

Of course, going to the interviews does not garantee anything. But I am trying to look positive as much as a can.

On the top of that, I have an opportunity to take a Ph.D.

Copenhagen is among the world's most expensive cities, surpassed only by Oslo.

2009-12-03T15:22:00.002+01:00

Especially soda, fast food and alcohol are expensive in Denmark.

While a Big Mac costs 29 Danish kroner (6$) at a McDonalds, it is far above the disk for just 7 kroner (1,25$) in the Indian metropolis Mumbai, where it is cheapest.
If you are a major consumer of condoms, may also pays to buy in bulk if you are still in India.
While 10 Durex Pleasure Max Condoms can be bought for just 11 kroner (2,2$) in Mumbai, the entire cost 41 kroner (8,2$) in Copenhagen, shows PriceRunners price check.

You should not travel to the Pope city to buy condoms, because here they cost the equivalent of 105 kroner (21 $). And dropping the condoms are going to cost you later, for Rome is also the world's most expensive when you buy diapers. For a package Pampers New Baby nappies are the price up to 79 kroner (15,8$). In Istanbul the same package costs only 18 kroner (3,8$).

Let us check the price of a bottle of Absolut Vodka, and it is cheaper in a Japanese capital Tokyo, where it can be enjoyed for 75 kroner (15$). In Copenhagen, the cost 133 kroner (26,6$), while Norway again tops the list with a price on all 247 kroner (48,15$).

Electronics must be picked up on the other side of the Atlantic. Even when taking into account the Danish VAT, which comes on top, is for example the whole 3400 kroner to spare to buy a MacBook Air in New York rather than in Copenhagen.
On the whole, the U.S. destination, if your home be filled with electronics.

Both the digital camera from Canon, gaming consoles from Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony, Mp3 player iPod Touch -, and MacBook Air - are cheaper in New York compared with all other cities mentioned previously.

All these things cost more in Sao Paulo with the exception of the iPod Touch, which is most expensive in the Turkish capital.

In the world over there, it is becoming more common to buy coffee 'to go'.

But it is an expensive business. While a cup of coffee 'to go' costing just 6 dollars (1,2$) in the coffee - and Italys - capital, Rome. The cost 21 kroner (4,2$) in Copenhagen. Again, Oslo most expensive. Here takeaway engagement will cost you the whole 30 kroner (6$).

crappy day

2009-11-17T19:31:00.002+01:00

Total crap at work today. Due to the financial crisis people got fired. And I am one of them.
So now back to the search of the jobs business.
This time I can go as far as Burkino-Faco if I need to. And then they will be so sorry for letting me go, even due to the financial crisis.

TV signal

2009-10-31T21:00:00.001+01:00

A big thanks to the government on focusing on the problem of the many highly educated people. Tomorrow they will lose their TV signal, because they don't have flat screen TV nor cable television.
The shift to digital television signals is just one of many examples of how in a most shameful way the government did fail the cultural life in Denmark.First it went beyond the experimental puppet theaters and regional theaters. And now, the population, who prefers DR2 Channel Saturday programs on child slavery in Sierra Leone rather than DR1's reruns of X-Factor, are punished for having a different flavor than that dictated by the lowest common denominator.

typical situation at home and at work

2009-10-29T21:45:00.001+01:00

There are two way different types of people in this world.

Nerd Alert

2009-10-26T22:56:00.002+01:00

Davids picture, with violin and in action, made it into the TeX nerd journal. So proud of him!
The rest of us made there as well, as usual.

Denmark and Oprah

2009-10-22T22:12:00.002+02:00

Have you seen a typical Danish apartment according to Oprah?
Look at that: http://www.oprah.com/media/20091021-tows-stine-home-tour

Present to my sons 8th Birthday

2009-10-18T22:28:00.003+02:00

Being a mean mum and forcing my kid to go to French School and actually speak French there. To play violin, including extra workshops and concerts. To go swimming and actually listen to be good at that.
Well, now I have finally signed him to Russian as a Birthday present. David can understand quite a bit but he doesn't want to speak it. So from next Sunday someone is going to have 45 minutes of his mums language. My mum and I will be SO pleased. And David will be SO annoyed.

Office and old thoughts

2009-10-15T21:18:00.003+02:00

It was a peaceful Thursday morning. I was making tea while suddenly I got hit by a ball. The ball managed to hit my nose and ended up into that cup of tea. And all that was happening in the office. And no, I am not working in a sport shop but in a prestige place with people who are wearing suits and ties.

The other news.. I am finally going to Switzerland. I have always wanted to see it, and now I am getting an opportunity.
But I can still feel the roots of my old passports. The first thought I had, when I have found out that I am going there is... Do I need a visa...
Now I am trying to tell myself. No, No, No.

Eye surgery

2009-10-10T22:44:00.002+02:00

I always found it funny to talk about Russian Health System. Well, now I have seen how Danish Heath System works and I am not sure if I should cry or should laugh.
I have decided to make an eye surgery, as I have been having an eyesight of -8 on both eyes since I was a kid. In Denmark if one has -6 and below, one considered to be eye handicapped and in that case the state pays all the expenses to the surgery. So one actually does saves about 50000 DKK (10000$)

The procedure is quite simple one you get to understand the rules of the game.

Step one: You go to your eye doctor and get checked. Then the doctor sends an information to the hospital specialized in eye surgery. And you wait.
Step two: You get a letter saying that you got a time at the other side of DK in 3 months.
Step three: You call the hospital and tell them that you can't wait so long and you choose another hospital, in your region. ( In DK there is a rule that if you have to wait for more then a month to be checked by the hospital you have an opportunity to choose another hospital. ) And you wait.
Step four: The second hospital contacts you and tells you, that they do not perform such kind of surgery and send you to your own eye doctor. And you wait again.
Step five: Your doctor contacts you and you agree on the time of treatment.
You see, no way you can decide on a time and place from the get go. You have to go via this circle in order to get the treatment. And every link knows that this is the way it is, and you can't do anything about that.

From Down Under

2009-08-30T14:36:00.002+02:00

When people say that Australia is down under it is literally true.

We are on the other side of the planet and how do we know that... By looking at the moon, it is not from the sides, as in Europe but the the up or down way in here.

We have been introduced to the snake in the bush, David has been in the fight with a kangaroo and we have seen a baby spider that was quite a big fellow.

People are very nice and friendly here. David seems to get alone very well with the boys, the family we are visiting here and boy, he can speak English now. He went to a typical Australian school and enjoyed it very much.

We have visited quite a bit of Queennsland already but there is more to see. We have manage to get to Steve Irwins zoo, which is highly recommended, even that is way too expensive. We went about 5 hours north from Brisbane to Bunderbarg and swam in Great Barrier Reef. We were bush walking, as native Australian, in the Glass Mountains. David and Abby became to be very fond of Kangaroos and Koala bears, and even fed them with no problems.

There are kangaroos on the roads, there are poison snakes in the backyards, there are killing spiders on the furniture, and there are possums occasionally falling from the roof of the house we are living in.

One thing that plays against visiting Australia, is that it is so far away. 19 hours on a plane and a jet lag that lasts about a week, and we are the once that actually do know what to do about jet lag.

If I could live here, I could. If I want to live here, I do. If I am going to live here, maybe who knows...

Back from USA

2009-08-17T15:13:00.002+02:00

We are back. I don't know what it is about me and Lufthansa but on the way back from US I tend to get sick. Nothing major this time, but Morten had to call for a doctor assistance in the airport.
We have said our goodbyes to Chris and shipped him off to Montreal. Mean while we have stayed in Chicago, got jakkets and shoes, got to see Shedd Aquarium, Science museum, Planetarium. Discovered that David is terrified of 4D movies, even if that involves The most famous and favourite character, Spangebob.
Pictures are about to come.
And tomorrow off again, on a 24 hour flight to Australia. Talk to you all from down under.

Second week in America

2009-08-08T17:39:00.003+02:00

So just an update that we are safe and surviving. We have managed to see Lincoln park with its free zoo while we were passing Chicagoland.
Then we went all the way to Wisconsin. Racine with wonderful beaches, Milwalkee with Discovery World and beer brewery, Green Bay with lighthouses and beautiful, beautiful nature, Oshkosh with cheese factory and now Madison with its capital. That is only a short list of things we have seen during this week.
We have all agreed, even David, that we had enough of burgers, so we are officially on a healthy food now (cheese, ham, salsa, spinach dip, beer and cookies).
Oh ja, Chris is still with us and kicking... Seems to enjoy himself, and it is just great to have an extra driver!

First week in America

2009-08-01T01:16:00.002+02:00

So the first week in America is over.
Thanks to Herb and Chris Schultz we had a great time in Chicagoland. We were staying at their house for the first 3 nights and got an opportunity not only to enjoy River cruise and downtown Chicago but just had a great stay and a great company.
At the beginning we were not sure what to do in South Bend. Thanks to Martha, who organized the conference, we got all sorts of information about everything.
We took Chris Rowley to the zoo, where albino crock and lions were observed by everyone.
Then we took Robyn, Ross Moores wife to the Amish community. We had a great time, took a ride on the buddy and chat with a local Amish grandpa, dinnered at the 100% Amish restaurant and learned that Denmark is a part of Sweden with Amsterdam as a capital city.
There is a Chocolate factory here as well, which we got to visit as well. Kids ate so much chocolate that at the end they refused to eat that brown stuff.
Today we took a tour around the Notre Dame campus, where Martha was our tour guide.
Overall conference went very well. Everything was very well organized and most of the talks were quite interesting.
And of course, David did perform yesterday at the banquet on his violin. And he did super good!

Last minutes things

2009-07-22T10:18:00.003+02:00

In less then 48 hours we will be in Germany, waiting for the Chicago connection.
There are so many things have to be done. So many, that I am asking myself if I am going to have time to sleep at all?
One of the strange things this year, is that I don't have to take care of visa stuff anymore, meaning I don't need to run around embassies, try to defend myself that I am not a criminal and beg for an entry allowness. This time I just need to fullfil all the neccesary stuff via internet, get the approval and that's it. It is so cool to be a EU citizen in that respect.

Packing is the challenge. We need to make sure that everything fits into the car. 3 suitcases, 1 portable bed, 1 trolley, 1 violin, 2 computers, 4-5 teddybears, books on credit risk, etc., etc., etc. Oh, kids!
I have discovered that Lufthansa doesn't have a baby-child food. Which means Abby is qualified as a baby, and will get a baby food. By baby food I mean a bottle of some kind of baby stuff and a bottle of milk. For a girl of 18 months that is definately not enough for a 8 hour flight. The request of upgrading her foot to a child meal was denided, but he got an offer from Lufthansa, to switch my food for hers. So she can get mine and I can get hers or nothing. Brilliant!
Now I have to sort of the car. I got my international drivers licence but no car yet.

Data mining and TeX

2009-07-17T11:54:00.003+02:00

Right now I am writting some stuff on data mining. Funny, it takes longer to type it in then to make actual calculations or use Weka. The challange is to use TeX for writting. And I have about a week to get that done. From my past experience I should be able to figure it out, otherwise I have a pretty good idea that google.search is a good place to start.
Wish me luck.

Plans, plans, plans...

2009-07-14T14:44:00.005+02:00

My mums birthday was last week. I am not going to write how old she is, in order to avoid troubles.
So what do you get to someone like her, as a present. I have decided to surprise her. And got her a trip to Barcelona, Spain. 5 star hotel, next to the beach, and the city, with a swimming-pool and pocket money. So she just needs to take herself to the airport and off she goes.

When I was booking the dates, I didn't realize that I got her the trip on the same dates, when I am in DK between US and Australia. That was not the idea, trust me, I am not trying to avoid her.
So this coming weekend is the last one before we are heading to US, my mum to Spain, then we to Australia and my mum back to Russia. Sadly, but this is the way how the modern society works.
So to make up for that I have decided to take my mum to Sweden for a weekend. 2 days, and we will be so happy to say 'see you soon' to each other. Kids are coming with.

As about other stuff...
12 more days till we go to US.
First 3 days, we are staying at Herbert Schulz. We are so greatful for that. I hope I will get an opportunity to see how an automatic gear car works before I get to rent one.
We got in touch with Chris, a very young friend of ours, who is doing good and coming to South Bend as well. He, apperently, willing to join us to the baseball game and a dinner. David is especially looking forward to see Chris.
As for the rest of the trip we are still open. There are so ideas but nothing is planned. All though Lonely Planet USA has been ordered and on the way to DK.

Camping

2009-06-30T10:52:00.003+02:00

Last week David went camping with his school. THere were not so many places, but we have managed to sign him in time so he was one of the lucky 15 kids. THe most important fact was that Davids girlfriend, Pauline, went together with him.

So a day before the trip things like sleeping bag, food, batteries were suppose to be found or bought. And of course the packing happened to be in the morning, right before the trip. I was teaching David where to put his glasses during the night, how to get himself packed into the sleeping bag, what to do, if it rains, or if he gets scared. I have managed to tell him what to do with the flash light nad how to use it.

In other words, David is NOT ready for such adventures, but his mum, happens to sign him to different activities.

The kids went to the south of Copenhagen, where they were sleeping on the beach and singing (french) songs next to the fire.

This was the first time David went to such activity, so I have asked him, afterwards what he thinks about camping.

Well, he didn't like it what so ever. And you know why? Because you need to work! that is a quote. Yep, you need to work! Surprise! Work! So not like hotel when you go to the restaurant and there is food, and bed, ready to sleep. Here you need to go 4 km. with your stuff, then put it together, then get wood for the fire and then make your own food. Thank goodness they were not asked to catch there own food first.

So I guess more camping for such a gentelmen, so he will taste the reality of life. ;-)

Great news

2009-06-02T13:51:00.001+02:00

Great news today. Not good, not okay, but absolutely great news. More follows when Zhenya can stop trembling.

America-Australia

2009-05-15T22:46:00.003+02:00

Finally I got time to write.
Well, things have been crazy around here.
The new move is coming up, but at least this time to the permament place. Yes, the apartment is bought and officially ours from today.
4 big deadlines in June, some of the project take days and nights at the same time.
Then some course called Business Intelligence, which is taking all July.
And finally, we are out of here.
Abby got 6 more teeth at the same time (they appear like muchrooms in the fall). She is a very shy, great looking and charming lady.
David performed at the violin concert in Tivoli concert hall and getting ready for the 4th grade (notice, he is still 7 years old)
and then it is summer...

Yes, we are off to America, to buy 1/64 violin to Abby, to get David to see Sue at the Field Musuem, The largest, most complete, best preserved T-rex, to visit Amish and lots of my Christian friends in Indiana area and to just to the Tex 2009 conference.

We got Lufthansa (Star Alliance) tickets and off to America for 3 weeks.

And then, when we get back, the new adventure is infront of me. I got extremely cheap tickets with SingaporeAir (Star Alliance as well) to Australia, and I am taking the kids with me. So after spending 12 hours on the way back from America, I will take them on a 24 hours flight (12 to Singapore and 12 to Brisbane). We will be practically living in the planes for 3 days. And so what...

I would love to see koalas and roos, I would love to see my friends and I hate the thought of driving on the wrong side of the road again.

And on the way back we will get an opportunity to spend in Singapore, so me and David will get to show Abby the famous night safari and the Zoo and Sentosa, and the hippos of course.

En attraktiv stilling

2009-04-01T14:56:00.000+02:00

Københavns Turistråd søger topløse havfruer (m/k)!
Københavns Turistråd

Har du en havfrue gemt i maven og har du mod på et stillesiddende job? Så er dette måske noget for dig.

Vi søger vikarer (fuldtid og deltid) til Den lille Havfrue, da statuen skal til Kina for at deltage i verdensudstillingen i Shanghai. Stillingen er nyoprettet og er oprettet på baggrund af, at Københavns Turistråd ønsker en erstatning for Den lille Havfrue mens den er i Kina, så turisterne ikke bliver skuffede, når de kommer for at se Danmarks største turistattraktion.

Det er tale om en enestående mulighed for at skabe internationale kontakter og samtidig repræsentere Danmarks mest berømte varetegn. Du kommer samtidig til at arbejde centralt i København - lige ud for Langelinje, hvor du sidder i skønne omgivelser med udsigt over vandet.

Hvad går jobbet ud på?
Jobbet går i al sin enkelthed ud på at imitere den nuværende havfrue og sidde på hendes plads nogle timer om dagen. Du indgår i en fast vagtplan og der er selvfølgelig indlagt en række pauser i løbet af dagen, da arbejdet kan være fysisk krævende. Til gengæld har vi en god massageordning, som du selvfølgelig altid kan benytte.

Du får mulighed for at arbejde med de dygtigste body paintere, som sørger for, at du ligner Den lille Havfrue mest muligt. I vinterperioden stiller vi en våddragt til rådighed.

Hvad skal du kunne?
Det vigtigste, er at du er god til at sidde stille og har en virkelig god kropskontrol. Det vil selvfølgelig være en klar fordel, hvis du allerede har erfaring som levende statue, erfaring med pælesidning el.lign., men ellers sørger vi for en grundig oplæring.

Det er også vigtigt, at du ikke er blufærdig, at du trives i et selvstændigt job, og at du modtager alle gæster med et smil. Hvis du i fysik og udstråling ligner den lille havfrue, vil det ligeledes være et klart plus. Endeligt elsker du at være ude i den friske luft i alt slags vejr og du er selvfølgelig også glad for vand. Kendskab til selvforsvar er en fordel, da Den lille Havfrue tidligere er blevet mishandlet, lemlæstet og halshugget.

Interesseret?
Så send os en ansøgning samt vellignende billede til: havfrue@jobindex.dk

Københavns Turistråd tilstræber mangfoldighed i medarbejderstaben og opfordrer derfor alle uanset køn, alder og seksuel orientering til at søge stillingen.
Ansøgningsfrist 1. april 2009.

Historien om Den lille Havfrue
Den lille Havfrue, der forestiller hovedpersonen i et H.C. Andersen eventyr af samme navn, er Danmarks mest berømte turistattraktion. Statuen på Københavns havnefront er et nationalt vartegn og for mange synonym med hovedstaden. I 1909 bestilte bryggeren Carl Jacobsen - manden bag Carlsberg - billedhuggeren Edvard Eriksen til at skabe en statue af Den lille Havfrue, der stod færdig i 1913.

Skriv venligst i din ansøgning, at du så annoncen hos Jobindex.

Christmas is now every Saturday

2009-02-07T21:30:00.004+01:00

The fact that many investors of danish fashionable shop were from Island, and that many declared bankruptcy is not a secret for anyone. Today, visiting Illum http://www.illum.eu/, that is the name of the shop, I have seen a very piculiar picture.

Discount of 70% were on all children clothers. That is unusual for my reasons, taht the discount on all the clouthers, that it is 70% and that it is in the middle of February.

Knowing a little bit about financial crisis and those methodes that many shops were forced to inforce in order to beat the crisis, I would say that it is a certain signal of panic attack and bankruptcy.

There were not to many things to choose from, but such brands as Ralph Lauren, Gant and Levi with 70% discount gets us, people living in Denmark, a little bit closer to the level of prices in the states.

Normally for the Ralph Lauren dress (1,5 y.o) you would end up paying 2100 kroner (360$), Levi pants 700 kroner (120$), and Gant blouse 554 kroner (95$). Yes, I am talking about kids clothers. So even with the 70% discount the prices are still way too high.

The worse thing is that for my Birthday I got a gift certificate for 700 kroner for this particular shop. Today I have realised, that all the money should be spent right now and there. Or what? If the bancropcy will be announced I will loose all the money. So I went shopping, blouses, pants and dresses were on my list. So now, my kids would have to wear those clothers day and night for the next 10 years in order for me no the feel so bad about the price I have paid.

From pension fund to data intellegence

2009-02-06T18:23:00.002+01:00

Right after when it was announced to me that I woulo not be promoted I have decided to try to look for enother job. Well, the other thing is that it has been quite hard for the past 3 months, 2 times all the leadership has been changed and plans for the department has been changing so rapidly that at a certain point it began to be hard to follow up.

Anyway, I have sent my CV to 2 companies and was invited to the interview to both of them.

The first company (I will not disclosure the name of it, yet, as you guys, from my office will probably read this). It is a pension fund. I am applying for the risk management department as well. I have never, ever in my life have tried such an interview. It was 1,5 hours. But during this time, I had to show all the knowledge I do and donot have. I was crusified, literally crusified. I had a feeling that I was at an oral exam in finance, risk management, statistics and data management just extended about 5 times. Questions such as, and how would you write this function, and which passives can influence to risk forecast when there are no rate, can you draw Garch model for currency, and etc. etc. etc.
I came out dead. I had almost the same type interview about 2 years ago, when I applied to National bank. I didn't get it due to not possesion of Danish passport. Fair enough.
Good salary, pension... everything one wants. Great colleagues.
Today I have noticed that the vacancy was taking out of the website. Well, let us way and see.

The other company, was totally different type of company. I was suggested, by Morten, to send my CV to the CEO of that company. The interview started not in a way I was hoping and palnning. The CEO, happended to be called Morten, as well, asked me a quite piculiar question. About if I know that Russian girl, that Morten knows, who happened to study with him long time ago. Well, I didn't know what to say. So I said I do know her, more then one things, because it is me. With this tone we have started the interview process. It was a little shorter, about an hour, and the conclussion of this meeting is I need to make a presentation with the unknown data. Sound fun.
Not such a high salary, no pention. work 45 to... how knows, presentation, one should look and behaiv nice at any occasions, and one should play golf (well, that part I have to be better to)

Well, rapoing things together, I can tell, to get to 2 interview out of 2 applications is not bad what so ever, judging the current situation. I have not a clue what will happen. But I can tell, I want to get the company nr. 2. Less money, yes, but super cool and demanding job.

Time for celebration.

2009-01-28T20:07:00.003+01:00

I am holding my EU passport. I did it. I got it. That is the greatest feeling in my life. Feeling I can share with the slaves that got a freedom. I got my freedom today. I can just get on a plane and go. I don't need invitations (unless I decide to go to Russia, then my mum should invite me as a guest from now on), proof of finance, visas, nothing. I can just go. And I can work anywhere I want. YYYEEESSS!!!!
I really need to celebrate that.

what has been and what will be

2009-01-27T13:55:00.002+01:00

Finally I have decided to write something to the blog. Life is going so fast that it begins to give me frights.
If I begin to tell what has happened for the past 6 months it will take too long time...
But in short, what did happen last year...
I got a little girl,
I have changed work, sold an apartment, got a new one with a view to the sea, photos of which I still didn't manage to post...
I became a EU citizen, and while 'burning my passports on the dour-steps of the embassy', I have discoveret that I was not the only happy one, there were 2 other my former and my current citizens that were happy to get away from Russia...
I have visited almost half of the Europe, have travelled to Africa, have managed to get to 2 car accidents, but got into the mountains in Spain from the first time and managed to turn on the 1st (not the 3rd road) on a round about in Ireland.
I have managed to miss all the viokin concert of Davids in Denmark, the same applies to the parent meetings.
That is about all that I can remember from the past year. And now, it is 9 o'clock, and I need to get back to work, as noone has cancelled risk analysis, noone has canceeled currency backtesting. But my promotion has been cancelled and I have just managed to brag about that financial crisis didn't touch us....
Well, happy new 2009 year.

Press release "Citizen Dane"

2009-01-12T20:53:00.003+01:00

And it did happen, believe it or not. 2 miracles in one day.

MIRACLE #1.
Get through to the Russian embassy after only 1 call.

MIRACLE #2.
The Russian government decided that I was not a valuable specimen for the former Soviet Union and I was released from carrying the "wrong" passport.(Which unfortunately for me results that if I ever decide to go to North Korea I would have to obtain a visa.)

Due to the confusion of the double citizenship for Miss Abby/Masha (in Russia she is a Dane, but in Denmark she is Russian), there are hopes that her case will be sorted out as well.

The older one was not affected by this event!

Smile

2008-11-26T12:46:00.002+01:00

I just love my job. Above that I have been praised for my job and told that I am ambitions during my 3 months interview. On the 19th of December my future in the company will be decided and guess what… I think it will be for the best. And another thing… Morten is involved in that as well, but he doesn’t know about that yet.
And now I am going back to volatility smiles…. (financial thing, for those who don’t know that)

New job, exams, tickets...

2008-11-25T14:07:00.008+01:00

Things are quite busy here. We have 3 more exams to go. One is done. 2 of them are oral and in Danish which will be fun. She we have been placed as the last ones on the list, I have to take both kids to the exam. Think about it, if I am on at 4, I can't possible make it to two different places in 30 minutes. And Morten is of to Christmas party right away.

Of ya, Morten, started at a new job, new once again. He is at FORCA (with s even that it says c). Seems to be pleased with his title, salary, responsabilities but not with the food. (I work for the place where they have the most healthy food in Denmark, healthy doesn't mean taste). And noone would ever amagine that he will work with finances.

I have passed 3 months at my current work. Going to have a chat with my boss tomorrow. I am in a quantitative risk analysis team and we develop ideas.

And the last news I guess is that I am going to Il Divo. I love opera and I am going to hear them singing pieces like Alleluah and Ave Maria in Copenhagen.

Crier la vie

2008-11-09T22:24:00.002+01:00

David is 7, Abby is almost 1! Time just runs away...
I have learned to hold on to every single moment in my life while it hasn't slipped away.

All that we needed, was right
Les ombres ce soir nous menacent

Open to everything happy and sad
Seeing the good, meme si tout va si mal
Femmes au soleil quand la nuit nous accable
Oh, pour un jour croire aux dieux croire aux fables

Focus on everything better today
Crier la vie quand tout autour se tais
Hold on to people they're slipping away
Hold on to this while it's slipping away

All that we needed, tonight
Are people who love us, and life
Je sais les douleurs et les doutes
Oh, partir et ce qu'on redoute
Oh siiiii

Open to everything happy and sad
Seeing the good, meme si tout va si mal
Femmes au soleil quand la nuit nous accable
Oh, pour un jour croire au dieu croire aux fables

Focus on everything better today
Crier la vie quand tout autour se tai
Hold on to people they're slipping away
Hold on to this while it's slipping away

so long

Mais l'ombre...

7 years old

2008-11-09T22:21:00.001+01:00

Congratulations big boy!

7th birthday

2008-10-10T11:17:00.001+02:00

David is approaching his 7th birthday and the only thing is on his mind is Wii. He wants is badly. He was one of the last ones to get a Gameboy. The problem is: it is so expensive in Denmark. Because of a tax system that thing ends up costing us at least 270 euro if we are lucky. On the top of that the birthday party would be about the same price…. I am beginning to think about getting somewhere a sponsor, anyone?

sounds familiar?

2008-10-09T10:37:00.002+02:00

The kids

2008-10-03T13:41:00.003+02:00

And she is off into the world.

My guy with 2 ex-girldfriends.

and them together playing.

Norway

2008-10-01T11:36:00.003+02:00

Away from the kids and all the way to Norway on a surviving course with Risk and Model Development department.
As a start I have managed to get me and my collegue up on the top deck of our ship at 5 a.m. in order to be able to capture the view of the Oslo harbour.
Then climbing on the mountains, driving on the old jeeps, making fire and shelter, and getting sea sick on the way back from Oslo is all I can remember.

job stuff

2008-10-01T10:28:00.002+02:00

So, it has been 1,5 months since I have started at my new job at DONG.

Got my first pay check, has been to the first corporate party, first team building and still trying to understand the meaning of mathematical finance...

Since transport from my house to the office and back, with the school and nursery stops takes all in all about 2 hours of my day, I have startet borrowing audiobooks from the library and kill my time by listening to Agatha Christie as a start.

The part of the fun starting at the new place was that I had to take a course in SQL at my old work, SAS Institut. The fun part about that is that I decided not to inform my previous job where I was going to work, so by my showing up at the course reveal all. Well, I am kind of still employeed there as SAS ended up paying all the way to December.
Were people surprised? Yep, a lot! (Thought I was a looser, nope!) But it was just nice to see some of my ex-collegues, gossip with the reception and to realize that I have made a good choice of coming to DONG Energy.

Walking?... Ex-girlfriend?... Way to busy

2008-09-09T09:04:00.003+02:00

Yesterday I have been told that in about 2-3 weeks there will be no more peace on the planet earth.
The teachers at the nursery think that Abby will be walking around sooner then I wanted and hoped.
Well... Abby is doing fine at the nursery. The stuff have never experienced to have such a young kid before, but it goes quite fine.
David has started in the 2nd grade. He ended up being with his best friend and his girlfriend and ex-girlfriend in the same class. So above homework and violin and tennis life is busy for young man.
Things are just too crazy right now. Me... going to London? Waiting for visa to go to London. Going to Jylland, Norway and once in a while being home.

We have found them!

2008-08-12T22:44:00.000+02:00

I have decided to post some of the good experiences from Cairo. Above Davids foot and broke Abbys trolley on the top of that we have.....
Yes, you are right....
We did that... Frank, Morten, you remember my eyes and excitement when I have heard about the hippos, so we have found them.

Everything can be done when...

2008-08-11T21:14:00.004+02:00

As I was more in chock then thinking rationally, when I left the hospital with David, a day efter, by the time we arrived at Sharm, I have realized I don't have any papers, no information what so ever.
So I contacted my agent to get the information. And the answer we got is... We have to wait until Saturday evening (today is Monday), as the doctor, who performed the surgery is not on duty until Saturday. and he is the only one, who has the information.
Just great.
So I got a plan B. As I am staying at Movepick Golf hotel in Royal suit, we have a doctor 24-7. I have contacted him and the plan was to get intouch with the hospital, using the excuse of David complaining for the pain in his foot.
What amazed me actually is... the most rediculous plan C has work.
Hilton! In this world everything can be done, if Hilton is involved and one know the general manager. Efter a short conversation with him, we got faxed all the medical reports in about an hour time.
So, my suggestion, if you happened to get injured, do it on the Hilton property, they are the best!

David in Egypt

2008-08-10T23:14:00.000+02:00

As you guys know, we are in Egypt at the moment. Yesterday, David got in an accedent at Hilton in Cairo. The result has been taht he has been in 2 different hospital and was operated.
Now he is not allowed to walk for 2 weeks, and actually we are still waiting information from the doctor what had happened and what kind of surgery has been performed.
At the moment David is very dissy, as he has experienced a full operation on his foot.
I will be updating with what is happening.

Ireland in quotes

2008-07-30T23:41:00.006+02:00

After thinking what the sentences "Do not interfere with trees" is about, I began to collect pictures of different Ireland. Just like this:

Dublin

2008-07-28T22:55:00.006+02:00

Yep, we have made it.
The trip was more then pleasant. Thanks to the bananas and gameboy, no psychologist needed to the fellow passengers.
Well, it was quite easy to find a good place to stay, clean, cheap, with breakfast and right in the city center. We even have a window!
There is a huge differences between Cork and Dublin. While in Cork, one tends to hear more Spanish then English, in here it is just Russian or any other Slavic language group all over the place. I can't believe that.
Sightseeings are done...

The Zoo is convered...

Yes, that is right. There were the most adorable hippos there.
Everyone was in a great mood and not trying in impress anyone...

And the finally...
Phrase of the day!

picture of the day

2008-07-17T09:53:00.003+02:00

well, to be honest, it is from Russia, but it matches the day.

It was a peaceful Sundag morning

2008-06-27T11:57:00.001+02:00

davids plans

2008-06-23T10:36:00.005+02:00

You have reached David Herløv Larsen.
Between 20th and 30th of July I will be in Ireland meeting new people, speaking English, playing violin with the Celtic style, playing golf and exploring the castles.

Between 31st of July and 14th of August I will be in Egypt cruising on the Nile, climbing on the pyramids and playing golf with my mum on the coast of the Red Sea.

Between 15th and 22nd of August I will be in Aarhus at the French camp with my future to be girlfriend Pauline.

At the moment my mum is planning our New Years Eve vacations so if you want to get in touch with me, do please book a time.
Have a nice day.

investment

2008-06-23T10:12:00.005+02:00

Do you know that I have always dreamed to get an apartment or a house with a view, a sea view. and you know what... I GOT ONE!!!
My grandparents always told me that it is important to count you money and invest them wisely. Taking all the advises in the account, that is what has been down for about a month ago.
Going to the bank and signing a bunch of papers with MY! name on was so great. I am an owner of the prorerty. And it is not just the sea view, it is the best area, judging with the prices for properies as well.
Well, I guess it is not bad after all.

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