A sign of life

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to check in again. I still read along here on the forum every now and then. I hardly have any time for crafts these days because of our upcoming move to Germany in September.

It’s official now. Everyone here is going crazy. So many factors have come together that told us, “Now’s the time.”
That means from now on: stress, packing boxes, sorting things out, organizing the move… Everyone knows what that means. All the furniture is staying here.

Finding an apartment is also proving complicated with their stupid Schufa credit report. It’s all true, but things work differently here in Norway. Here’s how it goes: the landlord calls the previous tenant or the workplace to check. If everything’s okay, the process moves forward. There’s no Schufa here like there is in Germany.

So without a Schufa report, no apartment, no job, and no registration possible. Our heads are all over the place.
I’ve already involved my parents, who are on site and have to attend the appointments for us. There’s no other way.
So by the end of September, it’s game over here, no matter what happens.

Keep your fingers crossed for us that everything works out.

Have a great weekend, everyone

Warm regards from me

Then I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you that everything goes smoothly.

Love, Gabi 

We’re keeping our fingers crossed for you, and good luck with your plans

Best wishes, Inge

Oh, dear Andrea, what a challenge! Moving is stressful enough on its own, but in your case, the circumstances are really making it even harder 😲
I’m keeping my fingers crossed too that everything works out in time! I wish you lots of strength, patience, and good luck 🍀

Best regards, Sonja

P.S. If you ever hit a rough patch, think of all the beautiful yarn you’ll soon be able to buy again at a lower price 🤗

All the best :-)

I’m also wishing you all the best for your plans. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that everything turns out well. In which part of Germany are you looking for your new home?

Best regards, Petra

Dear Andrea,

oh dear, moving… I know all about that. But when the time comes to make a change, something much better is guaranteed to come along. That’s always been the case for us, and we’ve moved many times.

You’ll see—everything will be fine, and even much better. Yes, Sonja is right—just imagine all the beautiful yarn you can buy here for much less. Plus, the warmer season lasts much longer, and winter isn’t nearly as dark as it is in Norway. Just start picturing yourself living in your dream home here and how wonderful it is. Then that’s exactly what will happen. And you’ll be able to hold your family close again.

I wish you all the very best from the bottom of my heart, and may many little miracles happen that will help you settle in happily here.

Warm regards from Monika

Dear Andrea,

you’d planned it anyway: the move to Germany. Maybe the current circumstances are just meant to make it easier for you to take this step with full conviction. Now it’s no longer just theory—your wish is taking shape. Sometimes we’d like a smoother transition, but sometimes we need a nudge to let go. Now is the time to be brave and confident. Everything will work out in the end. Even if a problem seems unsolvable today, I guarantee there’s a way! I’m absolutely certain of that.

It’s great that you have your family in Germany supporting you from here. Even if you live in Germany and are looking for an apartment, you have to provide a Schufa credit report. And the housing market is tight anyway. But maybe you don’t necessarily want to move to the best part of a big city. You’ll probably have to make some compromises anyway, but for now, your main goal is to move again. So if you’re not 100% satisfied, you can always look for something else yourself later. That’s a whole different experience than having to do it from a distance or having your parents handle the viewings.

If someone (your parents?) in Germany acts as a guarantor for your rent, you can get an apartment even with a less-than-perfect Schufa score. Landlords just want some assurance that they’ll get their rent. You’re hardworking and disciplined, and your parents will never have to pay your rent. But technically, it’s possible.

Well, dear Andrea, now it’s time to put your crochet supplies aside and get started on the moving boxes. We’re all here to support you—at least morally.

And once the move is done, you’ll have to get used to Germany again. Things move at a different pace here than in Norway. But there are plenty of perks, too: You can give your parents and kids a real hug and never have to Skype again. You can eat as much Nuremberg gingerbread as you can manage at Christmas. And you can bask in the warmth and never have to freeze again. And so on and so forth. So: the first step is done; now just take it one step at a time. Take heart!

Warm regards from Ina

It’s late,

but I wanted to say a big thank you for your support and encouraging words.
Ina always hits the nail on the head. It’s true

—we now have 2 1/2 months to pack all the boxes at our own pace. Anything we don’t need is already going into labeled boxes for customs.
We’ve already gotten a lot done today—four boxes of books and crocheted figures are stowed away, and my husband’s model train set, or rather his modules, are also well packed.
The move didn’t come as a surprise; the plans were already in place either way.
I did the math—this is actually my 10th move. You know what to expect. It can only get better.

We’ll be happy just to get any apartment at all. We can always move within Germany later, which will be easier.
The paperwork for the WBG has been filled out and emailed. Let’s hope for a positive response.

I still have a few days off, so I can keep packing.
When I take a break, of course, I’ll get my crochet supplies out. I’ll have to make time for that, too.

We’re already really looking forward to coming home. No more shoveling snow, more summer, going out for ice cream, eating strawberries and cherries—and above all, hugging my kids and my parents again…
and of course, as you’ve all advised me… ordering some wonderful yarn from Germany, and especially a custom yarn cake.

When I think that I only have two more months of work left, it’s such a liberating feeling. No more stress.
We’re listing our furniture here on Finn.no (a Norwegian classifieds site) to give away to anyone who can pick it up themselves—it saves us the trouble of taking it to the recycling center (gjenvinningstasjon).

Oh, but now I really have to head off to bed.

Good night—or good morning to you all. I’m sending you all a big, big hug :-)

Dear Andrea

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you too! Moving is always stressful, but moving from one country to another is even more so. Many years ago (1986), I went through the same thing—moving from one continent to another, alone with my three children, since my husband had already been in Switzerland for almost a year. At first, we were able to stay with my parents and look for a suitable apartment from there. We then decided to stay where my parents lived. That apartment was our home for 18 1\/2 years, until we moved into my parents’ house. I hope you have just as much luck finding a new place to live!
Now you’ll have to explain this to me: What is “Schufa”?

Best regards

Christina

Thanks, that’s sweet of you, Christina.
That’s pretty much what we had in mind, too—staying nearby or with my parents for the time being. Somehow, things always work out.

“Schufa”—I have no idea what that means, but it’s that credit report for landlords to check whether you can pay your rent, whether you have any rent arrears, or if there’s a negative note about you on file.

They just don’t have Schufa here in Norway. Where are we supposed to get that from? They insist on their own forms, which you have to fill out. If they’re incomplete, it’s a rejection.

Best regards