Tales of an American moveable family
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This week we’ll have to start the process to get Susana’s U.S. passport, her Social Security number, and register her birth as a U.S. citizen born abroad. One of the passport requirements is a 2×2 photo, against a white background, with the baby’s eyes open and no parents’ hands in the frame.
Our solution? The changing table photo studio. Here she is getting ready for her closeup.
I spent the better part of Sunday shopping online for pregnancy shoes. In case you are curious, “pregnancy shoes” is a term I just invented to mean shoes that are a half-size to size larger than you normally wear and can be put on and taken off without bending over.
The only thing I think I really dislike about being knocked up (aside from the ‘no-booze-or-sushi’ rule, which goes without saying) is how it has turned my already large feet (size 9 - 9.5 US) into puffy round sausages. Or, as another long-time expat here so kindly put it, “just off the scale” for most Korean shoemakers. Many will special order shoes for you, but you will wait about two weeks and pay more. I’ve been told that stores in and around Itaewon and Hannam-dong, catering to expats, will carry “large-ee*” sizes. But, at 30 weeks, dragging my huge belly and swollen feet around crowded streets just isn’t going to happen unless it’s a dire emergency. (Think: In search of food or water…)
I was really glad to find out that Shoebuy.com ships internationally and has a great selection of women’s shoes. Also, I learned that if you you like something in a store that does not ship overseas, there are websites that will act as address go-betweens to facilitate international shipping—for a price, of course. But, still, when you’re desperate, you’re desperate.
For expats all over the world, Sendit.to and International Orders can really be lifesavers.
Now, I won’t be barefoot and pregnant—just pregnant. And trying to stay out of the kitchen.
*I am not making fun. I am aware that size “large” is usually denoted by the use of the words “대” or “근” in Korean. But, when I walk into a shop or when I look for clothing in a store, the salesperson always helpfully picks out the biggest one and says “large-ee” to me in English, just to make sure I know.
David and I are about to start childbirth preparation classes here next month, and we already have the book and accompanying CD. This is a good thing, it turns out, because I’m going to need those breathing exercises and calming meditations for a lot more than labor pains.
Case in point: Our Insurance Carrier Who Shall Remain Nameless (but whose name starts with a ‘C’ and rhymes with, um, let’s say, ‘Rig-na.’).
We started coverage under the international plan for expatriates in January, when we got this great booklet explaining our coverage, and our nifty little plastic membership cards. We read through them, coverage looks great. We have to submit our own claims, but we expected as much. To be honest, we didn’t think much about it again until last month (May) when we received another coverage booklet.
(Helpfully forwarded to us from our Atlanta P.O. box where it had been sent by his company. You know, if anyone were supposed to know that we actually live abroad and not at our U.S. address, you’d think it would be them, right? Alright, really, no major problem. Inhale, slooowly exhale.)
This little missive contained some information not mentioned the first time around. To wit: Routine hospital admissions must be pre-approved. For routine hospital admissions that are related to pregnancy, we should contact the health plan by the end of the third month. Right. Entering my seventh month here. That’s going to be complicated (OK, relax, there’s a website for more info. Inhale, exhale sloooowly…. Imagine you are sitting by a gently flowing stream, etc.)
So, OK. I visit the carrier website, click on the tab under member login and—wait for it!-–attempt to log in. To make a long story somewhat shorter, I’ll briefly summarize what followed.
From the CScout Japan blog comes this item about a Japanese restaurant that has goldfish living in its deep fryer. The hot frying oil floats on top of the water while the fish safely swim below it, munching on the scraps of food that sink to the bottom.
Check out the You Tube video here. (Commentary in Japanese, but I think it’s pretty self-explanatory. Especially the “zzzz-zzzzt” phrase uttered by the announcer in the first few seconds. I don’t speak the language, but I assume that’s the international phrase for what happens if the fish try to, ahem, ‘rise above their station.’)
Note to the stupid: Do not try this at home. As the blog and the video explain, the restaurant deep fryer has been specifically modified to not explode when water is added to the hot frying oil.
(Hat tip: Kottke.org)
