I Need Help/Advice, Please?

[CatPat]

Both also good ideas, GG, and taxy.

Thank you, Addie! Since I've made friends with Carl and Laki, they have helped me with English. They are tireless about this! This is what I mean about real friendship. They help me so very much with English and absolutely anything else! All I do is ask, and they get to me as soon as they are done with their important things, which is so very kind.

My English prof is wonderful! He gives me very many extra assignments in addition to the regular studies and homework. It's much more work, of course, but in order to be a respectful American citizen, I must speak English as flawlessly as possible and try very, very hard. Nothing good comes from people who do not try to better themselves, Papa says.

Laki is worried that she and LM don't have proper clothes for this, so she is going to show me their closets tomorrow. I can't think of anywhere we would go which would require formal attire, so I don't think this is a problem.

I want to take Azia, and I talked to the vet today of her travel. If she has her shot records, she won't have to be quarantined, I think. Mamma will call the consulate on Monday to see about bringing Azia. Usually it's not a problem of American or western dogs to go to Eastern Europe; it is the opposite. Our vet could also put her in service dog status just for the travel. My precious German Shepherd was 16 when I left; he was too old to undertake the journey, and I had to leave him. He died last September, and I cried terribly, but Azia helped me heal. Mamma still has her Corgi and Papa has his Border Collie, and since these are sweet dogs, I'm sure Azia will get along with them. Azia loves other dogs and they do also.

Gwen will take care of the cats. She will be here daily to spend time with them and they get along with her Dachsund very well, and she'll spend some nights here in my lair so they won't be too lonely without a human to maul at 4:00am.

I think Azia will have to be in the cargo section, and the vet says there are calming medicines I can give her. She will be in a large crate.

It's been a long day. DA's boyfriend is ill and in the hospital, and so we visited him. I think the poor dear is very tired.

With love,
~Cat

 

[taxlady]

Does Azia have a chip? I know for some EU countries, the vaccination papers have to list the code on that's on the chip.

 

[Addie]

Does Azia have a chip? I know for some EU countries, the vaccination papers have to list the code on that's on the chip.

Good point TL. One of man's better ideas. Chipping our pets. BTW Cat, are dogs licensed in Romania? Do they have tags?

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Cat, I just want to say I'm so happy for you, for Laki, and for everyone else that will be along for the trip. Such a wonderful adventure for Laki, Carl, and their Moms. I'm a little bit jealous, but that is nothing compared to the excitement I feel for your friends.

Also, all those points you made in an earlier post are good advice no matter where you are. Inattentive shoppers lose their purses by leaving them in a grocery cart, or on a table or shelf in a department store...only to have some light-fingered thief nab it. GG also makes a very good point about keeping valuables close to your body and away from view, but if you drive somewhere be sure you don't leave those kinds of things in a car either. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Addie]

Cat, I just want to say I'm so happy for you, for Laki, and for everyone else that will be along for the trip. Such a wonderful adventure for Laki, Carl, and their Moms. I'm a little bit jealous, but that is nothing compared to the excitement I feel for your friends.

Also, all those points you made in an earlier post are good advice no matter where you are. Inattentive shoppers lose their purses by leaving them in a grocery cart, or on a table or shelf in a department store...only to have some light-fingered thief nab it. GG also makes a very good point about keeping valuables close to your body and away from view, but if you drive somewhere be sure you don't leave those kinds of things in a car either. Better to be safe than sorry.

Good point CG. If you have packages, hide them from view in the car. Put them in the trunk or under a seat if it will completely fit.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Nope Addie, you shouldn't take valuables at all if you can't carry them on you. Cousins of ours went to France and surrounding countries. Parked to go on a hike to some historical old building and didn't want to take the camera along. They put that in the trunk of the car, put their passports in her purse and into the trunk, and carried cash and their wallets in a very small purse she brought along. Unfortunately. but apparently a common occurrence in many tourist areas of Europe, a small band of thieves was working the parking lot. They pay attention to who leaves stuff in their cars so the guys that stay behind can pop trunks and steal that stuff. Meanwhile, a few others walk along as if they too were off to the tourist destination. When the time is right the guy following you robs you - at gunpoint, in the case of our cousins. Her purse, his wallet...everything. Well, everything except some cash and a credit card to a different account than the crooks took that he had stuffed into his sock "just in case" just before they left their hotel. It took two days of vacation time spent at the U.S. Embassy for them to take care of all the problems they had to attend to before they could continue with vacation.

 

[taxlady]

Another tip: if you carry a wallet or passport in a pocket, don't pat the pocket to make sure it is there. Pickpockets watch for that.

A friend of mine said there is a sign at Central Station in New York that warns people to beware of pickpockets. Apparently a lot of pickpockets wait near that sign, because lots of people read the sign and then pat the pocket with the wallet. He wondered if the pickpockets had arranged for the sign.

 

[Dawgluver]

Another tip: if you carry a wallet or passport in a pocket, don't pat the pocket to make sure it is there. Pickpockets watch for that.

A friend of mine said there is a sign at Central Station in New York that warns people to be ware of pickpockets. Apparently a lot of pickpockets wait near that sign, because lots of people read the sign and then pat the pocket with the wallet. He wondered if the pickpockets had arranged for the sign.

I use purses from Pacsafe and Travelon, both have metal cables in the straps, cutproof mesh in the bottoms and sides, zippers that can be locked, and they can be worn cross-body. Amazon has them at reasonable prices.

 

[Cheryl J]

Cooking Goddess, that very thing happened to my ex DH and his wife in Italy a couple of years ago. They thought they were being discreet and careful, but thieves saw them put their camera in the trunk, broke in, and stole it.

Taxlady, that's a good tip, good thing to remember!

Cat, best wishes to you, I'm glad you get to see your family soon and that your friend has decided to go. And yes, your English has improved at an astonishing rate!