Chennai—Denmark 1: Getting Started

It all started with the tingle of an email notification on a warm August afternoon. The email was from our BIL, G, sending us all information necessary to make the 4000 mile journey, across the proverbial 7 seas. The email arrived when I was having lunch with my office pals and I suppressed the effervescent joy that was threatening to burst right off my chest. In no time I finished my lunch and ran upstairs to speak to R and get the things rolling. There were several forms to be filled, stuff to be
bought, tickets to be booked. We had to fly sometime in mid October, but I was already on the cloud, counting my days when I’ll finally find myself in an Emirates flight that will take me to the Land of the Danes! Yes, R’s sister and family stay in Denmark and they decided to invite us for a holiday in Europe! And my joy knew no bounds.

Amidst our busy schedule, we had to find time to read through the instructions on the website that told us what forms to fill, what things to curate, and how to get ready for the life-changing experience!  Ok, the last one was my imagination. And, finally R and I found the much-needed time to go through the instructions in detail. We had to first book our tickets, then apply for the visa, get the visa approved, and get ready to fly out. Actually, it sounds simpler when written out in words than when the whole act was performed a few months ago!

 Couple of weeks after the email, K, R, and I locked ourselves up in a room one late evening and began the paper work. K kept himself busy with either a mobile or a tablet or some random snacks; the poor guy left us alone to do our work. We booked ourselves in an Emirates flight that will have a layover of an hour at Dubai. Then, I was tasked with filling out the visa forms for all of us, which I did with gusto and mounting pleasure with each stroke of the pen. In about 3 hours, we were ready for VFS, the visa-processing center in Chennai. The next day was the VFS day, where we got our photographs and color photocopies of the passports taken. The whole place was bathed in white and with separate counters for each country. Whoa! It was that easy; perhaps, that was how it has been all along, except that it was hidden in plain sight for yours truly. The VFS folks assured us that we’ll receive our visa in about 2 weeks. Then, began the arduous wait for the visa; every single day, I would check the status of the application, which one fine day changed to visa processed and couriered! Yippe! Pure joy! 

In the next weeks, we laid siege on various shops in town and came home with arms full of clothes and winter jackets and shoes and stuff needed for the 15-day vacation! S, my SIL, detailed every single prop we had to carry for the trip, including gloves, shoes, and winter wear. In the process we discovered the different types of winter wear there are and how a layer less or more can make a world of difference in a country that had only three types of weather: cold, colder, and coldest! 

With just a week left to go, there were days I couldn't sit still. Especially, if you have a partner that is as cool as a cucumber, quietly making task lists and ticking them off so that the trip is perfect, it's difficult not to be happily strung up, with a song constantly playing on your lips.

Image courtesy: https://www.google.co.in/search?q=denmark&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=828&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjHkp__1NnNAhXJvY8KHcTeAtoQ_AUIBygC&dpr=1#imgrc=eikk6BovxbOAXM%3A

http://www.eui.eu/ProgrammesAndFellowships/AcademicCareersObservatory/AcademicCareersbyCountry/Denmark.aspx