
SF Diaries, #04/2022 – EAD, SSN, RX, and lots of ups and downs
Another week has passed, and I can finally talk about some cool events that have happened. Firstly, however, I want to report that I received my EAD card way earlier than expected, which came as a nice surprise. The EAD (short for employment authorization) allows me to officially work in the United States and comes with an actual card that I am now proud to show wherever I am asked for an ID! Now, that’s a huge success!
In order to be employed and receive all the benefits, I was also told to go to the Social Security Administration to apply for a number. Getting an appointment there is actually a pain, as you have to wait long times on the hotline, and try to reach someone multiple times. Eventually, I was lucky though and got an appointment with super short notice–only to be told at the appointment that I don’t need it after all, as the SSN was already attached to my name and sent out to me. Well, even better.
The week was packed with dates, appointments, and a full list of to-dos. First, I finally had a reunion with a friend that I hadn’t seen since the week before Thanksgiving. Covid, weekend trips, and the Christmas break postponed our long-planned evening out, but we finally made it, and it was just as nice as always.
On Wednesday, Daniel had to go to Sacramento for a work field trip, and I went with him to explore the city and get a few things done that are incredibly expensive in San Francisco. I always find Sacramento such a cute and cool city with great vibes and since the weather was lovely too, I had an incredible day strolling through the neighborhoods and enjoying myself. On our way back, we made a stop at the Vacaville Premium Outlets, which are always worth a visit when you’re nearby. There, you’ll find furniture outlets like Williams and Sonoma or West Elm, and we actually were lucky and found a cashmere sofa blanket for an affordable price.
On Thursday, I had my first doctor’s appointment in the US that triggered a hell of a mess, with me basically running around chasing the prescription for the following days. While I did know that the US doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to health care, I had no idea how complicated it was. I wrote about this in a separate post.
On Friday, after the appointment at the SSO, I also saw a fellow expat and blogger for the first time that I had met over Instagram a couple of weeks ago. It always amazes me how the app has so many possibilities to connect with people abroad. We had a coffee and a nice chat about the opportunities that the US gives us and how happy we are that we came to SF.
In the evening, Daniel and I finally explore the bar scene in San Francisco. A ritual that we started in Singapore, but for some reason, we hadn’t made it to any actual bar here before. Of course, we went to the neighborhood bars and saloons a couple of times, but we were impressed by the quality and vibes that the Trick Dog offered and both agreed that we want to explore the local bar scene more and often.
Another thing that we had planned to do more regularly, was to go to the beach. This is why on Saturday, we finally took the great weather as a chance and drove up to Baker Beach, where we spent some lovely hours in the sun. We agreed that we will at least go to the beach once every weekend from now on. We’ll see how this will work out.
Next weekend, we will actually be on our first trip this year and the destination doesn’t include a beach, so I guess we will have to make up for it in two weeks’ time. Speak to you then!
1 Comment
POST COMMENT Cancel reply
Related Posts
Living Abroad: Doctor visits, insurance, prescriptions, and what’s wrong with the health care system
When we told people from Germany that we would move to the US, some were hesitant if it was the right step to move to a country with such a bad health care reputation. Were they right?
Heading off to…?
I have told you pretty frankly why we decided to leave Singapore earlier than initially planned. And although all the reasons given were crucial enough on their own, I have actually kept one major cause for leaving that abruptly for myself. Until now!
Singapore Diaries: Light at the end of the tunnel
I wasn't exactly raving about Singapore, particularly not at the beginning of this year when we were about to settle into our "new home" and keen to explore the city but were forced to stay in our four walls instead. Not the best timing to see Singapore in its best colors, to say the least. But now,
Singapore Diaries: Why going home could cost us $2000 and our visa – Living in Singapore during Covid
Once again we are confronted with the drastic effects of the pandemic on our lives abroad. In this article, I explain why we are still unable to leave the country and why our hope of visiting Germany this year is dwindling...
What it takes to move abroad
Whenever you have the dream to move abroad, make sure you don't underestimate the emotional side of things. Moving to a foreign country will not be a permanent vacation. It will be life after all, and that can be emotionally straining. Not all your dreams and hopes will come true. So be better prepa
Singapore Diaries: Where’s the silver lining – or am I too privileged to see it?
We are still in a global pandemic and in Singapore, the borders remain closed for the time being. For us, who have come to Singapore for traveling mainly, this means tough times. On the other hand, we are constantly witnessing so much suffering worldwide that we do not really dare to com
Bryan
Thanks for fantastic info. What trips can you recommend in 2024? Astro tourism, eco diving, home swapping, train stations are the new food destinations,sports tourism, coolcationing, gig tripping, private group travel?