MiEH, Part Two

As I continue planning Masters in Expat Housewifery, I need to give serious thought to one of the most important courses in the curriculum,

Identity 203:
Traditional Unemployment in a Non Traditional Setting

Over the course of my working life, I have a corporate careers, seven or so years working in advertising and marketing for major American magazines, crunching numbers to sell advertising or traveling around the country to inform engaged couples of the accessories they must have to start their lives together.

There were another two years at a freewheeling dotcom, the kind before the bubble burst where we would have meetings over games of pool as we planned how to translate advice from community members to stories in the magazine.

And during the latter, I executed my master plan to give it up for graduate school so I could officially switch over to journalism.

For the last seven or so years, I have worked both as staff and freelance reporting on the various (mis)deeds of celebrities and writing about the intersection of culture, entertainment and lifestyle. I've even been linked on Gawker.

For the most part, it's been loads of fun. And, I've always been up for any sort of adventure, whether it's been in some facet of reporting or my own life.

So, it's been a little bit of a transition, to say the least, to admit that I don't have a job. At least not a "real" job.

Right now, even if I was fluent in Norwegian, which I am not, at least not yet, I could not get a reporting job here.

My papers have not come through yet, so I don't have all the permits to work in any capacity.

Yes, I have transferred my affiliations to the European offices of my American magazine clients.

And, I am getting started on some travel writing and there is always, this, my blog.

There is even The Project (which I can't talk about, so please don't ask, but send happy creative thoughts in my general direction, please) that I intend to finish during this time.

And, a friend and I are working on a secret business venture.

Best of all, Husband is completely supportive of any and all things that I want to do, but it's been a slightly difficult mind-shift.

Overall, I'm happy. Husband and I are having fun setting up house and figuring out being newly married, as well as newly living together.

Our dogs are here, so The Pack is complete.

Finances are in order, so the fact I am not working doesn't impact us in that way.

I finally have the time and a partner's willing palate to practice my culinary skills.

Life is good and I suspect that it is only going to get better.

But last night, we were going over some papers, one of which was a power of attorney authorization solely based on my immigration papers. (My papers for living and working here have been delayed in Oslo due to a backlog, which may or may not impact my travel in and out of the country, getting my personal number, etc...loads of things that matter here...)

I didn't mind signing it at all until I looked at the last line on the form. In the space labeled "occupation" was the word "housewife."*




*No offense to the happy housewives out there. It's a noble and difficult profession. It's just that, even if I don't have an actual employer right now, I am a writer.