The Laundry Room from Hell

I am usually so happy, upbeat, and positive when I blog, but today I need an outlet to vent. Most people have heard this story or pieces too many times to care anymore, so I decided to write it all out as a way to vent some frustration.

Most of you know that we pay astronomical rent rates in Bermuda. The average rent for a one bedroom is around $2000 a month, a two bedroom $4000, and 3+ bedrooms can run anywhere from $5000-$25,000 a month depending on location and quality. Thanks to good housing allowances, we can afford to pay the rates, but usually it comes with some cost. It is difficult to go from owning your own house to renting from landlords that don't always have your shared priorities. Okay that is the build up to the story of, "The Laundry Room from Hell."

When Ryan first looked at our place it was nice, close to town, and had most everything we wanted. It had laundry in the front of the house below the front apartment. You have to go outside to get to it, and it is shared by the renter in the front, but it was on site and usable. After moving in we discovered that it was coin operated ($1.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry). While I was frustrated by the fact that the laundry was essentially in our house and we had to pay for it, I found out that the landlords pay the electricity that goes to the laundry room. So they were using the quarters to pay these bills.

After living here a month, the cold water stopped running to the washer. It only came out scalding hot! After waiting 2-3 weeks to have someone fix it, we decided to start carrying buckets of water from our back faucet to the washer. That got old quickly! I also discovered that since the room is a basement and is damp and cool, cockroaches, spiders, ants, and even the occasional rat like to inhabit our laundry room. I refused to go down there after dark!

A few months after the cold water was fixed, the dryer coin operation piece was jammed. The tenent in the front had jammed a Canadian quarter in the slot. While the machine accepted USA and Bermudian quarters, it did not take Canadian quarters. They had to order a whole new coin piece. Once that was installed it jammed again the next week. Once again a Canadian quarter. After that, 2 times in December and 4 times in January the dryer just didn't work. You would wash your clothes, put the money in the dryer and it wouldn't turn on! We started keeping a tally on how many times the dryer didn't work. I was forced to bring laundry to friends houses or hang it in our house or on a line outside. Many times after hanging it outside, it would start to rain. The wet laundry in the house would take forever to dry as humidity levels were extremely high. We had had it!

After a heated email in January, the landlords decided to buy a brand new washer and dryer. We were excited to have new units. After they were installed this week, I discovered that that washer and dryer are once again coin operated! We were hoping this wouldn't be the case. While I don't mind paying some money for the cost of electricity, it is ridiculous to have to go to the bank monthly to get quarters! The thing that set me off today was that I found out they upped the cost to $2.50 to wash and $2.50 to dry. That is 20 quarters for one load of laundry. With a baby on the way, I can't imagine how many quarters I am going to need to keep up with all of the future laundry. Also in the summer it is so humid that if you leave anything wet in your laundry hamper it will mildew! I had moldy towels and shorts this summer. Mold does not come out of clothing!

Here is the real kicker. I could not get the washer to work last night even after putting in the appropriate amount of money. I soon discovered that the coin operation pieces only take USA quarters. When you buy rolls of coins at the bank, they bundle them with Bermudian and USA quarters mixed. Since money is one for one, it does not matter which currency you pay in. All soda machines, parking meters, and other machines in Bermuda accept a mix of Bermudian and USA quarters. The quarters essential are the same size and shape. They must not be exact as my machines now only take USA quarters. I could see if it only took Bermudian quarters as we live in Bermuda! I sorted out all of my quarters today into one bag of USA and one bag of Bermudian quarters. I have since emailed the landlord to express that this is not acceptable, but I will have to keep you updated. For now I am headed back down to the dungeon to retrieve my dried clothes! At least there wasn't a rat down there today!

Until next time...

Winter Vacations

I was in Minnesota bearing the cold weather this past week. I actually enjoyed the snow and the cold wasn't too bad. I didn't miss wearing winter jackets (especially since mine is a little tight fitting in the middle) and trudging through the slush in boots. I decided that I miss these few things about the USA:
1. Family. It was great shopping with my mom and sister, eating dinner with the family, and seeing my extended family over the weekend.
2. Mexican. Yes, Mexican food is a must for me. There is no good authentic Mexican in Bermuda. At this point I would even settle for Taco Bell every once in awhile!
3. American interstates, large parking spots, and appropriate size roads! I did well switching back to driving on the right hand side of the road. I didn't however have my normal winter driving skills built up. Some ice and snow on the road made driving for me tense!
4. Pure Convenience. I would have said Target, shopping malls, large grocery stores, etc..., but it all leads back to convenience. Things are open late, there are stores where you can buy everything you need (Super Target was my dream come true!), and things are just plain affordable!

While I had a wonderful time back in the USA and even managed to bring back two extremely full suitcases and a new piece of IKEA furniture, I was excited to get back to my home. Bermuda has become our home for now and flying in over the beautiful blue waters and sandy shores of the island had me excited to get back. The weather has been getting better. There is still a rain shower almost every day and unexpected winds, but the sun is out and the temperatures are staying steady in the low 60's. We are also excited to leave in a few weeks for Cabo San Lucas. While we are leaving one tropical paradise for another, we are excited for some time away together. We will be enjoying a week vacation/baby moon with another pregnant couple. It should be a great time.

Until next time...

Bermuda Winters

I have been depriving my blog lately and that might be because Bermuda is boring in the winter months. The weather has been windy and rainy plus darkness by 5 pm doesn't encourage the general public to venture out after work. I don't mind the rain as our water tank is full and we have a car to drive around in, but it does deter beach walks with Limerick, weekend exploration of Bermuda, and just getting out in general. We have planned a vacation or "baby moon" for February and we are going to Cabo San Lucas with some friends to get out of rainy Bermuda. We know we need a trip away when the highlight of our week nights is watching, "Wheel of Fortune" at 8pm!

We have been enjoying Bermuda and have gotten back into the swing of things since after the holiday. I even landed myself a job. Yes, it only took 10 months of searching and getting myself "knocked up" for someone to think my job skills were beneficial enough to apply for a work permit. I am really excited about this opportunity. It is part time, summers off, and in the school counseling field. It was truly a perfect fit for my skills and interests. I haven't formally accepted the job (just received the offer on Friday) and of course the work permit hasn't even been submitted, so I will divulge more information later.

I can tell you that childcare is not easy to obtain here. We are only in the very early stages of research, but have found some key issues or challenges.
1. Most daycare facilities/nurseries only accept children 2 years and up. Some start at 18 months, but very few take younger infants.
2. In-home daycare is an option and there is an approved list of providers registered with the government, but in-home providers are only allowed to take 3 children at one time. Most don't consider part time children as they need the money from 3 full time children.
3. Babysitters are hard to find and you can only legally pay a babysitter if they are Bermudian. You cannot employ or pay an expatriate without formally advertising and submitting a work permit. Unfortunately, we really know a lot of expatriate's like ourselves here and very few Bermudians.
4. Nannies! Many people employ a nanny to watch their children. It is very common for dual working couples. Most nannies are from other countries and nannies from the Philippines are very common in Bermuda. Nannies can make a lot of money in Bermuda and tend to leave their families in the Philippines while they come to Bermuda to make a living. Many nannies are live-in and are expected to care for the children and pets, make the meals and grocery shop, clean the house, and wash all of the clothes. It is truly a full time job and they get compensated any where from $45,000-$60,000 a year plus trips back to the Philippines to see their families. Sometimes nanny shares are available and you could employ a nanny for 15-20 hours a week. They would only come to your house to watch your children and then go back to the other house to work and live. While it seems appealing and most nannies are very reliable, the cost is extremely high.

I just thought I would give you an outline of child care in Bermuda. While I know that child care in the USA can also be challenging and expensive, it is more difficult here as you have to be careful to only employ a Bermudian or seek a work permit for child care from a non-Bermudian. Hmmm so much to think about.

Until next time...

The New Year

We made it through the holiday's for the most part. Tonight is New Year's Eve and we have neglected to make plans. That is okay as drinking and staying up late are not in the works for me anyways. Christmas in Bermuda was a blast. It may have been because of good food and family (see how the pregnant lady mentions food before family!?), but the weather held out and we enjoyed ourselves.

Breaks of sun made Bermuda seem like a tropical paradise for my family from chilly Minnesota, but the rain held off Christmas day and we were able to go to Elbow Beach for the typical Christmas party on the beach. My parents popped the bottle of Champagne and we had lots of Christmas cookies to share. It felt great yet slightly odd to be on the beach over Christmas. I am not sure anyone missed the snow.

Most stores, tourist attractions, and even restaurants were closed over the holiday, so we spent some good time exploring the beaches and hiking around the island. Most things were even closed on Saturday as Boxing Day was celebrated. I have heard of Boxing Day, but knew nothing about it other than the fact that it is a British celebrated holiday. Through some research I have found that Boxing Day is always celebrated on December 26th. To me it just seems like another day to give off of work, but according to a website by Woodlands Junior School in the UK, "During the Age of Exploration, when great sailing ships were setting off to discover new land, A Christmas Box was used as a good luck device. It was a small container placed on each ship while it was still in port. It was put there by a priest, and those crewmen who wanted to ensure a safe return would drop money into the box. It was then sealed up and kept on board for the entire voyage. If the ship came home safely, the box was handed over to the priest in the exchange for the saying of a Mass of thanks for the success of the voyage. The Priest would keep the box sealed until Christmas when he would open it to share the contents with the poor." Current day families, schools, and churches still collect money and gifts to distribute to the poor the day after Christmas. Okay so maybe people do get off of work another day in Britain, but it seems like a lovely holiday to help others and spend time with family, so maybe the US should adopt this tradition.

Until next time...

It's Christmas Time in the City...

Christmas is rapidly approaching and I can tell. It is cold here. I say that after the whole Northern portion of the USA got blasted with snow, ice, and cold temperatures, but I must admit 55 degrees and windy at night makes for some cool nights with down comforters and maybe, possibly our space heater. We don't have a heating unit in our house, and I think it will be cold this winter.

As I prepare for my family to visit for this Christmas, I am trying to decide if I should give into the Bermuda traditions or stick with the, "Steck family favorites." When the Bermuda traditions are cassava pie and minced meat pies, I think I will stick to what I am used to. Cassava pie is a Bermudian tradition which includes the ingredients of:

• 12 lbs. grated cassava
• 2 lbs. sugar
• 8 oz. condensed milk
• 27 eggs, unbeaten
• 2 pounds melted butter
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• Brandy - to taste
• 5 lbs. chicken
• 2.5 lbs. cubed pork

This recipe makes enough for 50 people! Now what the heck is cassava? Cassava is also called yuca and is a root. Past that I am not sure, but you can buy it in frozen bags already shredded. I tried this Bermuda tradition and it wasn't bad. It reminded me of a sweet corn bread with meat on the bottom. The meat threw me off, so maybe this sweet bread would be better enjoyed vegetarian style. While mince pies are a British festive sweet pastry, they have found their way to Bermuda through the English influence on this island. I have to say I have never tried it, but any thing with the word meat in my pie just isn't quite right. Once again that may be why I wasn't crazy about the Cassava pie. Actually mince pies do not contain meat but a variety of dried fruits such as raisins. The one Christmas tradition that we will partake in is going to the beach with some champagne on Christmas morning. If anyone in our party is daring enough (and I nominate my father), they just might take a dip in the ocean. Last I heard, the water was 70 degrees which may be warmer then the air temperature. I will be excited to spend my first Christmas out of the USA! I just hope Santa will be able to find me!

Until next time...

The Holiday's

We had a successful Thanksgiving/early Christmas with Ryan's family in Pittsburgh. We are back on the island and we were excited to get back after a few weeks away. We thoroughly enjoyed the luxuries of America such as Walmart, shopping malls, fast food, and good cheap everything. I missed America, but we came back to an island decorated for Christmas with 72 degree temperatures. I am enjoying the warm weather and don't miss the cool temps of Northwestern PA. I may not this winter. We are preparing for Christmas in paradise as my parents, sister, and brother-in-law will come to Bermuda for the holiday! I have decorated our house to the best of my ability as we have absolutely no room for a Christmas tree and no outside outlets for Christmas lights. This season I am thankful for loving, supportive family, and for the additions to our family. Ryan and I will be bringing a baby into this world on May 16th, 2010! My sister will also be adding a new addition to the family as she is due with her first child on June 6th, 2010! It has been amazing sharing the pregnancy journey with my sister!

The first question I get is will you have the baby in Bermuda? Yes, we will deliver the baby in Bermuda. I have been going to my doctor here since week 6 of this pregnancy and we will see it through in Bermuda. I have asked many people about the health care here and have been assured that Bermuda offers everything that the US can offer, well I guess on a smaller scale. There are only 3 OBGYN's and 3 Pediatricians on the whole island. I have asked my doctor what happens if she is in surgery or with another patient when I go into labor, she told me that scenario is very unlikely as there just aren't that many pregnant women here. I find that hard to believe as I see cute pregnant women every where on this island! Many women are like me in the fact that their husband's work and they are unable to secure a job, so starting a family sounds like a good idea. It sure was for us, and we feel blessed that the pregnancy is progressing nicely!

The other question is whether or not our baby will be Bermudian. The answer is, "NO." Babies even if born in Bermuda need to be born to a Bermudian citizen in order to gain Bermudian status. As soon as we obtain the birth certificate from the hospital, we will have to apply for US citizenship, then a social security card will be issued, and lastly, we will get a baby passport in order to take our child in and out of the country. Bermuda keeps its rules and regulations strict and it is impossible for us to gain Bermudian status or to live here for more then 6 years (more than 6 year permits are granted if an individual has a "key" role in a company, such as a CEO type position). The government watches the ex-patriot population very closely and in some ways makes us feel transient. They would like to keep Bermuda to its own citizens which is okay for us as we have no plans to stay here for an extended period of time. We have no idea where our Bermuda journey will take us, so we are enjoying the perks while me can!

Until next time...

*The picture is a beautiful fall tree in Boston from our last visit to the states. We were in Boston for an actuarial conference for Ryan. I missed fall here, so had to capture this tree!

Bermuda, Cows, Boating, and Friends

I looked at my last post and can't believe it was on October 30th...it has been awhile. We actually went boating on November 1st, what made me think about it was the fact that Bermuda was beautiful in November and we were actually able to go out and swim, boat, and water ski. I do vow that it will be the last time until May or June as the water temperature is now in the low 70's. We were able to catch some sand dollars on the boat that day. They were beautiful, but I threw them back for safekeeping. I should have saved them for Christmas tree ornaments!

This past weekend we attended the Bermuda Rugby Classic. It is a week long event where teams from all across the world come to play rugby. We bundled up that day as it was 68 degrees with a nice wind. We sat on the cold bleachers and watched a game I knew nothing about. It seemed as violent as American football as there was tackling, tripping, and general throwing of the body, but these guys weren't messing around as they wear nothing other than tee-shirts and shorts. No full padding and helmets. We tried to wait to see the USA play, but rain sent us inside for some soup and hot chocolate. I actually felt like it was a cool fall day in the US!

I just took what I would call a pleasant walk at Spittle Pond, that is until I let Limerick off her lease to chase some chickens. It is one of her favorite past times, and since she is too slow to catch them, I let her harass them a bit before continuing our walk. Today turned into more then chasing chickens. I lost track of her for a bit and ending up finding her in the cow pasture. Bermuda packages it's own milk on the island and you tend to see cow farms here and there. This particular cow farm is near the walking path and had about 10 cows milling around. Limerick found the biggest cow and was chasing it around. She also found a giant cow pie and to my relief wasn't rolling in it as expected. She did decide it was a tasty afternoon treat which may have been even grosser then rolling in it. This cow was huge and I was so worried that she was going to get kicked by it. She was trying to pounce on the cow which was 10 times her size and she was obsessively barking at it. The worst part was that fact that the pasture was surrounded by a barbed wire fence and what I thought was an electric fence. Yelling seemed to make her more obsessed and I had to shimmy under the fence to chase her through the pasture and back out to the path. The rest of the trip was uneventful but boring as Limerick was restrained on a short lease! Oh the trials of having a dog.

We will be in the USA on Sunday through Thanksgiving. This may give me an excuse to not write for a few weeks. Check back in December as I am sure we will be up to something new.

Until next time...