HHI and why they are me best friend.

House Hunters International, which will hereafter be called HHI, because we are in fact on acronym terms (we're best friends, after all), is one of the best shows ever created, especially for people like me.

It's educational:

I have learned that nobody with money and a stable lifestyle ever actually wants to move *to* England because apparently the weather is horrible that all people with good sense are fleeing to other warmer climates. I have learned that all British end their sentences with questions and it's endearing, and annoying. I have learned that exposed wooden beams on your ceilings are all people need to see to think your house is special, and I have learned that in Europe, well, moving to a new country really ain't no thang. (meaning: it's no big deal)

It's inspirational:

After one episode of HHI you think to yourself, "hmm, well, yeah, *those* people can move to another country, they're kind of weird anyway."

After two episodes you think to yourself, "Well, well, good for them, yeah, they're kind of odd, in a way, but good for them, they did it."

After the third episode you think to yourself, "Wow, that is so neat, I wish I could do that!"

And after that, well, chances are you've already put your house on the market and are looking at cheap fixer-upper castles in France.

I mean *come on.*

It's motivational:

That show makes you feel like you could sell all your posessions, buy a wonderful little flat right on the Riviera and drink nothing but Mimosas and Fiji water for the rest of your life. There is never any mention of work or struggles associated with the move. There is never any talk of missing friends and family back home, of which I always have to assume their participants have none because they are rarely referenced, and there is never any mention of a couple who just decided it wasn't for them after all and packed up and went back home. To be sure, this is not the point of the show, so they will not share the negative aspects which might occur (*except* in the one show that is centered in Krakow, it makes Martin's blood boil every time).

These are the many reasons this show is for me!

It's glass-half-fullational:

Why dwell on the negatives when I can buy a country villa in Italy for the same price as sending my kid to four years of private high school in Austin, Texas? Exactly!

Anyway, if you haven't seen the show, you should, it is on the HGTV website for free! (we dont have cable). It's fairly awesome , and it does provide me with a much needed boost of confidence, because there are some people hopping from country to country that I'm not even sure know how to spell their own last names, let alone speak a different language and hob knob with the locals, that surely *I* can do it with relative ease.

Speaking of last names and knowing how to spell them...For your viewing pleasure, I will post a link to the episode that was shot in Poland about a young lady who is moving to Poznan to begin medical studies (it's about 20 min. long and a good look at another Polish city besides the two biggest). She is looking for a flat. Her realtor is awesome and is often quoted in this house. And if you look at his last name you will see that my last name, DEMKOWICZ, should be heralded as the easiest name in the Polish language to spell and pronounce.

http://www.hgtv.com/video/renovated-flats-in-poznan-video/index.html



And here is a link to the Krakow show... the scenery is beautiful, the first house they view is right near the area where we want to buy land. The second house they look at is exactly the view we hope to have... and the third house... well, that might be what ours looks like at some point before it's done. AWESOME! Their predicament... not awesome, and most likely not a problem for us because Martin is a citizen... even so... we'll see...

http://www.hgtv.com/video/rural-homes-in-krakow-video/index.html