UPDATE - Getting Started - HOUSTON TEXAS

Hi Everybody !!!!

Thanks a lot for all your kind e-mails and comments.

I would like to share some of my experiences from Houston, Texas after 1 ½ week in Houston, Texas.

My colleague Pernille took hand of me when arriving in George Bush International Airport. She had arranged with a car and we went direct to my corporate apartment in the Galleria area. I had been staying here last time I was in Houston back in November last year and enjoyed the area, especially Westheimer and Galleria Shopping Mall.

It takes me approximately ½ an hour to get to work. There is a lot of traffic but I have only experienced traffic jams if there is road work or accidents.

As it has been raining a lot and the risk of flooding is quite significant I will definitely buy an SUV – probably a Ford Explorer. Flooding is also quite important to take into consideration when buying a house. I have located some different areas Southeast of Houston which are close by our office in Pasadena. Close by means 15 to 30 minutes drive. We can either invest in a completely new house or a second hand house which could be up to 15 years old. Considerations will be risk of flooding, safety, re-selling options and daycare. But no matter which house we buy we will get plenty of space.

If you want to know more about flooding you can visit http://www.tsarp.org/viewmaps.html which covers the greater Houston area.

Houses in the Houston area are very spacious – so we will probably get something around 3,000 square foot which equals approximately 280 m2. So there is plenty of room for all of your visitors.

Measurements in the US are totally different from Europe and Singapore. So I have used http://www.onlineconversion.com/ a lot.

All Americans are kind and very open. I still have problems getting used to everybody instead of saying “hello” greets you with “hey – how are you doing?”. This greeting is used no matter you are in the supermarket or meet at work in the morning. I am still unsure whether they expect an answer or not J.

Last week everybody was talking about the release of Paris Hilton and the launch of Apple iPhone. All TV-channels was talking about whether it was okay to focus so much on Paris Hiltons 40 days behind bars. A lot of the “experts” were against – and then they could spend hours talking about NOT focusing on Paris – Funny.

Else TV-programs over here are focusing on Sport – it seems like baseball is the big thing at the moment - and religion. You can always be sure to find 4-5 local channels with church people praying and preaching.

Britta, Candy and the kids are arriving next Thursday and I am really looking forward to be together with them again. Its tough to be separated for so long time from my dear wife and my two lovely children and I am looking forward to show them and experience Houston and Texas together with them. We have now been “on the road” since April 1st. and we are really looking forward to settle down for the next 3-4 years – at least.

All the best to all of you both in the Southern part of Jutland, Copenhagen and Singapore (I still miss you guys and Sushi….).

4th. of July – Independence Day

Steen