Our world trip status update - 3 weeks to go
Now that I had my very last day at work and we only have a couple of days left in Berlin, I am starting to get a little nervous about our travel plans. I am waking up with excitement and my thoughts are changing from “OMG, I am so much looking forward, I really can’t wait and I could literally leave RIGHT NOW” to “wait a sec, what are we doing, why are we doing this and HELP, we still have so many things on our todo list” and everything in between. But based on what I have heard from other travellers, I guess this is normal. I just read a nice quote that I think fits my feelings quite well:
“If your dreams don’t scare you. They aren’t big enough.”
This trip feels like a bigger step in my life then moving from Amsterdam to Berlin. With that having said, let’s move on with the next status update!
My last day at work
Yesterday was my last day at work, a day with mixed feelings. The past couple of weeks I have been reflecting a lot on the past 2,5 years I worked at Yext. It was an amazing experience to be part of growing a brand that is new to the German market. I am quite sad to leave a great team and a great company behind but I am also extremely grateful for everything that I have learned during this time and of course I am also very excited for the reason why I am leaving behind my job: our travel plans!
I had been working towards this very last day for weeks. The past couple of weeks were all about finalizing projects, handing over tasks and onboarding new colleagues. So on this very last day, there was not much more to do anymore, other than having a last lunch with the team, cleaning my desk, answering replies to my goodbye email and enjoying the amazing view from our office for one last time… After we both had our last day, we decided to celebrate this new ara with some sushi.
I am surely going to miss this amazing view from our office a lot!
Status: we had our last days at work. Not much different than any other last working day, other than that our countdown towards our world strip has now officially started!
Arrangements with the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)
This was by far the least fun item on the list: clarifying with the Federal Employment Agency what we have to arrange for our employment status. As we both quit our jobs, we will officially be unemployed by January 1st and we wanted to know what will await us when we come back to Berlin after our travels. At all costs we want to avoid, that we come back to Berlin, we are not entitled to receive any unemployment benefits or health insurance. Of course we will try to find a new job as quick as possible but who knows, how long that will take.
Online we read different stories so I made my way to the agency to figure it out. First of all, I got very lucky to meet a very helpful officer who explained everything very clearly and patiently. There is not much we have to do now, other than report ourselves as ‘arbeitssuchend’ (meaning that we quit our jobs). Once we get back to Berlin, we need to go to the agency as quick as possible to report ourselves as ‘arbeitslos’ (meaning that we will be in Germany, actively looking for a new job). With the ‘arbeitslos’ status, we can apply for all the German unemployment benefits. If you are in the same situation, please make sure to talk with a knowledgeable agent directly, as most of the online information lacks lots of details and of course every situation is different.
The Federal Employment Agency in Berlin-Mitte
Status: we don’t have to report ourselves as unemployed (‘arbeitslos’) now, we can do that when we come back. That was easier than expected!
The apartment situation
In our previous update, I already wrote that we found the perfect couple to stay in our apartment during our travels and that we completed all of the paperwork. They came to Berlin just two weeks ago to have a a look at the apartment, to meet us and for handing over a first set of keys. It was great meeting them and we are so grateful to have find these lovely people to take care of our Berlin home!
Apart from making some room inside the apartment, we are almost done here! We have already started packing our books, clothing and personal items in boxes. We feel as if we are moving to another home! Which, if you think about it, is actually true. Just instead of moving a ton of boxes, we just leave with two pieces of luggage.
Status: packing, packing, packing. Our last days in Berlin will be mostly spend with packing, cleaning and making the apartment look shiny and new!
Goodbye presents and a final coffee in one of our favoriete ‘Stammcafes’ in Berlin
Saying goodbye vol. 1: the Berlin edition
Since most of the official tasks around housing, insurances and other paperwork had been completed already, we spent most of the past weeks with saying goodbye to our dearest friends in Berlin. Thanks to the time of the year, that means lots of Christmas markets and Glühwein! We also hosted a little goodbye party with tons of pizza, wine and fun. It was so much fun, that I totally forgot to take pictures. Oh well, I guess that is a good sign.
We just have 4 more days in Berlin that we will spend with visiting another Christmas market, meeting with friends, packing and cleaning. Now that I think about it, our world trip actually starts next week already with our first country being the Netherlands. Since I live in Berlin, I’ve never been home for more than a couple of days and I’m very much looking forward to spend some more time with my family and friends back home.
Status: just a few more days in Berlin, before we are heading to the Netherlands to spend the holidays and our final days in Europe.
December is a great time to spend our last days in Berlin, thanks to the many beautiful Christmas markets
A last visit here and there
Last visit at the dentist, final check at the gynaecologist and getting a fresh haircut. Check, check, double check!
To do list
We’re getting there! The to do list is getting shorter and shorter.
To do / in progress
Clean the apartment, sell stuff online and pack final boxes
Clean mobile phone and computer, back-up everything
Reducing or stopping contracts (just have to downsize my mobile phone contract)
Finish administration (almost done!)
Pack our luggage
Researching travel destinations (incl. daily budgets, Visa requirements and best/worst travel periods) and travel routes
Done
Quit our jobs
Quit our national health insurance and organized travel health insurance
Found subtenants for our apartment and finished all the paperwork
Went to the ‘Bundesagentur für Arbeit’ (Federal Employment Agency, BA)
Booked train to the Netherlands (where we will be spending the holidays), first flight to Bangkok and first 5 nights in Bangkok
Got all the vaccinations
Got an international drivers licence
Got extra pass photos
Copied/scanned important documents
Cut unnecessary spendings
Spent a weekend in Dresden with Kais family and friends to say goodbye
Purchased all larger investments for the trip (laptop, hard drives, noise cancelling headphones). Thanks Black Friday!
Set-up a mail forward program
Hosted a little goodbye party in Berlin
Our next word trip update will come from the Netherlands, where we will be spending the last two weeks of 2019 and the last two weeks before our adventure starts. Thanks for following along!