kitchen Angst!

I have started my new life in Croatia… I’m not really legal, but I’m not yet breaking any laws. Please allow me to explain.

I have officially moved here, but I am in no way a citizen. I am nothing more than an American on “extended holiday”, therefor I have only three months to get all my paperwork in order if I want to stay for any longer. I came across my first hurdle this week, and I feel the need to talk about it for a while.

Proper Immigration procedure, This differs in Croatia from other Countries in Europe that I have visited. I’m not sure why but they do things a bit different here. Last year when I traveled to the UK, and Germany, I had to fill out an entrance card on the plane before landing with all my pertinent information… where I would be staying, how long I would be there, and how much money I was bringing with me. I had the same experience when I went to Australia back in 2000, so this is not strange to me even though I didn’t quite understand it all.    This time, however, no card was required… I thought It was just because Croatia was a new Independent republic and wanted more tourism, or foreign money so they wanted to make things easier on outsiders. Silly me!! I know I’m in a lot of ways a “stupid American”, but I really didn’t even give it a second thought. Well I was stupid… It turns out here in Croatia they have a different system to deal with the same issues.

The issues are that any Country you visit wants to know that you have enough money to pay for your time there, and where you are just in case something happens to you ( God forbid ).  well Croatia does it a bit different, They don’t have you fill out the card, They expect you to physically check in at the local police station if you’re going to be staying more than two days, and you only have 48 hours to do this or you get fined anywhere from 500kuna-5000kuna for not doing it on time. talk about stress!!!! Plus if you put this off for more than a month, you can and most likely will get deported. Not a good vacation!!!

I was fortunate enough to figure it out, well my friend figured it out for me and we ran down and got it taken care of, but it was a long and stressful day for us both. Don’t take me wrong the police were very friendly and helpful, however there was a lot of waiting in line and much more paperwork than the other method, but it wasn’t ( over all ) a bad experience. I just wish some one had explained it to me before I was on the ground.

This is why I guess I felt so compelled to write today, I just wanted to help some one else if I could to not make the same mistake I did, and follow the laws of the land…. And if you have any questions ASK FIRST!!!! It could save you a lot of money, as well as headache!!

The comic festival is this weekend along with the “new wine festival “, boose and books all over Zagreb! what could be better?

Until later, just remember to read the fine print!!!! and enjoy your travels!!!

I arrived Thursday afternoon and have already been busy getting into the swing of my new life. Nikola’s birthday was Friday and W fixed him a lunch of steamed Scampi!!! As I have mentioned before the fresh markets here or top notch! I think the hardest thing for me is to make the decision what to buy, It all looks so good!!!

It’s been raining every day so far, however that hasen’t stopped me from getting out and exploring a bit!! I’m not made of sugar (or salt for that matter). Winter is quickly coming and really I can’t wait!! I love the change of seasons, something I missed living in Southern Califorina. I just hope my body is as ready as my brain. I do have plenty of cold weather gear, so I think I’ll be okay.

My first big task will be to start learning the language. It’s not going to be easy, but the fact I’m here should make it go a bit faster, I hope… We will see. Speaking will be easier than reading or writing, but I’ll get ther I’m sure. I just have to put it in high gear if I want to find a job soon! I’m going to put “post it’s” on everythin in the flat so I will see the words every where. that should help. I’ll keep you posted on my progress!!

I’m sorry I haven’t written lately, but I have been preparing for my move to Zagreb, Croatia. and It happens tomorrow (or today) at 3pm.

I can’t wait to write about my crazy adventures getting to know the language, culture, and most of all the FOOD!!!!

I know this is too short but as I said I have to go to sleep now so I don’t miss my ride to the MPLS. airport tomorrow…. I can’t wait to dive in feet first and bring you down into the depths of Croatia with me. I love my followers on “Today” and I hope I won’t let you down with the telling of my new antics in Zagreb!!!!

It will still be about my life, in and out of the kitchen….just in a different Country!!!!! COOL HUGH!!! I can’t wait and I hope you too are as excited as I am!!

See you soon and keep logging on because the ANGST is back!!!!

Love,

James

I am getting ready for a big move, and I need to “purge” a lot of things. This is not that strange, however I am moving 6,233 miles away so It is a bit different! My move is overseas and into another Country, and culture! I am trying to accept not only my moving… but also my complete change of lifestyle!!

I’m only taking three suitcase’s of my life at first. The rest will be shipped later, One year later at the least! This is causing a few problems for me, How do I decide what goes now, and what comes later? I am just trying to look at it like “what I need tomorrow” and “what I want a year from now”. I hate this process, but I will say it is making me see my life in a new light!. Today, I went through my shoes, and I threw away over half of them! I am sad about loosing them however, I also feel a sense of relief…

I have to learn a new language and culture, but I will also be able to try something I have never done before! I am so excited  and scared I know I will be very focused! I will be out of my element, and open to new things! I haven’t been in this for many years so I need it!!

I will keep you abreast of what happens… I am so excited about what will happen, that I can’t stop thinking about it! I look forward to telling you about my change from American, to Croatian!!!!!!!!!!

I think it will be fun and informative!!!!

Love,

James

Today at work, I was suddenly hit with a statement, one I’m not really unfamiliar with to be completely honest… but still jaw dropping!

I Love your Eyes!!!

It’s true, I have beautiful blue eyes, I know this. I had nothing to do with it, but I was blessed with a unique color of deep blue eyes. This fact is not lost on me of course, but after all these years I tend to forget.  I don’t look myself in the face very often, and when I do, I see the same iris’s I’ve seen my whole life. I must say.. it knocks  me off my game for a bit when someone mention’s it.

I do love having them though!

My eyes not only are a great color, they are also shaped in a way that express compassion, love, and anger all in a way. I have been told I have Very Expressive eyes!! I know I can’t lie! You can read my every mood or thought if you look me in the eye! I don’t mind it keeps me honest, pure, and if they are pretty then I don’t have to feel bad about you looking at them intently.

Back to today!!! A co-worker out-of-the-blue!! just looked at me and stated “you have beautiful eyes”…I was taken aback for a bit, not because I hadn’t heard it before, but because I wasn’t feeling beautiful right then. The unexpected complement took me a while to too absorb, and my blank stare startled her a bit. The uncomfortable moment only lasted for a few seconds, but the damage was done! She felt embarrassed, as did I for my “cold” response and We walked away from each other without properly acknowledging what was just said. I tried to approach it later but by then it was too late!

This tells me I need to learn to look at myself more and understand my great qualities, and be ready to accept complements when they come ” even if from left field”!

All I’m saying is we all need to love ourselves more, Like others love us!!!!

Love yourself,

I’ll love me! And you!

James

Well, let me tell you!

Before, I would say that Thursday night was the best night to go out for drinks with friends. The clubs aren’t as crowded as the weekend, the music is better, and often there are drink specials! However, these days, I know I can’t afford to be hitting the bars anymore, not even while the happy hours are on! I am going through everything I own, getting ready for a big move. I will need all the extra money I can save for my move overseas in October. I can’t wait…. I want to write about my whole experience,  from starting my new job, to learning the language, and just exploring the city!

That’s later though, Now, I want to get back to Thursday night!

A friend of mine does a weekly internet radio show that’s just the “BOMB”, some of you may know Him from this site! Michael Nolan AKA. “The answerman” to a lot of us, is bustin out some rare trax on His weekly show, “The cheap and easy show”. If like hearing things you probably have never heard before tune in, drop him a tweet, IM, or even request something if you feel so inclined. I normally just put it on and use those two hours of musical bliss, to clean my room,  purge the last 8 years of my life, and chat with an good friend!

Like I said, I’m making a BIG move soon, and I don’t want to be moving a lot of junk.

Please check it, I think if you follow me you’ll love this show!! I do!!

I at  home listening to The sweet sounds of Oingo boingo. They  really seem to find my emotion. I love to listen to them while I’m working on my pearl necklace’s.

I haven’t written a lot lately and I am sorry for that, but I must say I am in a much better place…. I am going to try to write more but I can’t be sure I will.

I’m finding it hard to write about food, when I’m feeling down about my job. I love food , But I am feeling sad right now!! I’m am planning a move to Croatia! I am not sad about that!, however , leaving the U.S. for a semi-permanent time is daunting!! I accept the challenge!!! Music is Universal, therefor… comforting!

Wherever I am, there you are!! So I will never be alone!

Lets talk about the Toque… The chefs hat!  I have said before that it was an important part of who a chef was , and I mean it!! now days it isn’t so important, but in the past It was how you recognized the Head Chef!!! Every member of the kitchen had a separate hat, ranging from a pillbox, to one with 100 pleat’s. The pleats were the key to the rank of the kitchen! The more pleats the more respect… How you earned a pleat was just as interesting. You had to master an egg dish… Egg’s are the most difficult thing to cook correctly, therefor each one you mastered  is worth a pleat, and a step up the ladder! Now we are talking classic french cuisine, not your every day cooking, so you can’t compare your omelet to the classic one!

For example: scrambled eggs french style involve  a double boiler, and at least 20 minutes. American style, I can do it in a saute pan in less than a minute! I love the Toque, however I don’t love being judged by it!!!!

I have to say, I don’t know everything, but I feel with the latest facts, that Michael Jackson suffered from some source of social anxiety disorder.

Michael Jackson was ” The ultimate performer“  However, He was also very quiet, and reserved in his personal life! I also felt this odd dichotomy.  I loved being ” on stage”,  but felt very inferior in my normal life!   I am not comparing myself to “Michael”  in any other way than that I feel His pain of trying to “grow up” when your childhood was robbed from you! A twelve year old, in a thirty year old body! You never grow mentally, just physically. This does not make you a pedophile, just a kid in a mans body! It’s not about sex, It’s about your mental, social state! I don’t believe He wanted too, or ever did have any sexual encounter with these children. He just wanted to be with them ” as a child” , something He never had!

I don’t know what His life was like,  But I do know this…. He brought me joy through his music, and that’s enough!!

I have been back from Croatia for two weeks now, And I haven’t even been able to write about my return. Zagreb was an amazing city, and the people were great! I had 16 days to “take it all in” and come home with a new perspective, and understanding of a part of the world I had never seen before, instead, I came home with a deep sadness….

I Knew going into this trip that I wanted to move overseas someday, and live the “European lifestyle”,  but two weeks in Zagreb, Croatia really brought that home for me! Outside of holding down a job in a country where I don’t speak the language, I was able too get a true sense of what my daily life would be like living there. I went out on my own, shopping, exploring, and just tooling about town. Most Croatian’s speak at least enough English for me to have a conversation, and get what I needed, and were very gracious about doing so! I found not only the City to be beautiful, but the people as well!! The food was ” off the hook” I had sausage’s, bacon, local wine, and fresh eggs, cheese, veggies, and anything else I wanted for that matter!!

As in other European cities I have visited, the ” markets ” are the best!! Every day year round they have fresh markets where you can buy fresh produce, eggs, cheese, cream ( unpasteurized),meat, poultry, WHATEVER YOU WANT!!! They are normally in the ” city center ” and very accessible!! I really need to live in a city with that kind of approach to food! Fresh today, in season, and not far from home! I love to cook, but more than cooking I love to create, and design a menu around what is available, and ” in the now”! Tomatoes in the winter don’t excite me, But Squash…. or beets!! bring-em on!!

Here is a perfect example!! I can find cherries in the states, but they are within yards of fresh fish, every day there in season!! One stop shopping at Its finest!! Not to mention It’s only a 10 minute walk from the flat ( where I was staying )!! I found this true not only in Croatia, but also Germany. I haven’t explored enough of Europe but I can say without doubt… other countries are the same! I want to live like that, and I will!!!!!

I am so sorry It’s been so long sense I’ve written, I promise to try and write more often, however I am finding the time harder and harder to find these days.  I am really trying to find a way to live in Europe, and fully enjoy my life.

All my love…

James