Leaving Rabat was a much wanted and needed move. As our time drew to a
close it was still bittersweet. We had some great friends our time
there and I still miss them dearly. Starting over and going different
paths was harder this time perhaps, my phone is silent, no lunch dates,
no laughter and joking around to destress life in Morocco.
After much confusion and time we find ourselves now in our new home for the next few years in Alice Springs. It was a move that has been long and drawn out but we are here. Someone mentioned today in church that God has a way of sticking us in places like a jigsaw puzzle, arranging our lives into certain spots and places in life. I thoroughly agree even if we are placed in places we don't necessarily want to be.
Hence how I've felt about this move. Nothing about Australia personally but after 10 years I find myself really at the end of my limit. I'm done with leaving friends behind, packing up, living out of suitcases and starting over in a new city, new country, finding new schools, new church branch, setting up house and doing it again a few years down the road. You reach a point that you don't even want to bother making new friends because you'll just be leaving again soon not to mention trying to do anything.
But regardless here we are a little over a week in our new home in The Alice. Emotions have reached the gamet as we are getting use to life again. Our house is the smallest house we've ever lived in, smaller then our townhouse in Virginia, smaller then even our parents houses but it is four bedrooms and there are a few good points to it. I've never had a laundry room conveniently located it has always been in the garage or in a room next to the garage, big plus. It takes me an hour or less to clean the whole house! , big plus. It does have a big back yard but again we have to get use to a barren yard compared to our yard back in Morocco. The plus is you can wait a month or so (so we've been told) to mow the lawn.
Our first week we have visited 4 different schools trying to figure out where would be a good place for the kids. My initial school I was thinking on really didn't feel right so we ended up putting K and C in a public primary school just blocks away that they can walk to and other kids from church go there as well. Both teachers seem great and after two days of school both teachers have told me they are at the top of 2nd and 4th grade. Sounds great right?!, but if we are coming in the middle of 2nd and 4th and both kids have missed half the school year and are still in the top of the class. How do I possibly keep them from falling back and being on track for American schools when we leave in a few years.
Hyrum after much deliberation, tears and prayer is going to St. Philips. It seems like a great school, its major downfall according to Hyrum is the uniform. He came home the first day happy and in good spirits so I'm hoping the nerves and anxiety are behind us now.
Another thing we've had to get use to is driving. They drive on the opposite side we do so it has been like learning how to drive all over again. It takes some major concentration and continually pep talk to yourself on what you are doing! The big plus, there really isn't many people out driving so I imagine even if I screw up and end up on the wrong side at least there isn't many people on the road with me. I keep thinking if I could drive in Kyiv and Rabat I can do this!?
We've gone to church twice now and we were quite surprised to see after 10 years overseas the smallest city we have ever lived in has the largest branch and even their own church building. We were told the branch consists of mainly New Zealanders and Americans and maybe 10% Australians. It seems to be a nice branch with a nice young mens program and primary. Big Plus as I'm done with my kids being the few or only kids in the church especially as they get older and needing different experiences.
A few things about Australia I've noticed
It has the biggest blue sky I've ever seen, I have yet to see a cloud in the sky during the day.
Australians are the friendliest people we have ever lived around. It is almost overwhelming.
Great place for bird watching.
After much confusion and time we find ourselves now in our new home for the next few years in Alice Springs. It was a move that has been long and drawn out but we are here. Someone mentioned today in church that God has a way of sticking us in places like a jigsaw puzzle, arranging our lives into certain spots and places in life. I thoroughly agree even if we are placed in places we don't necessarily want to be.
Hence how I've felt about this move. Nothing about Australia personally but after 10 years I find myself really at the end of my limit. I'm done with leaving friends behind, packing up, living out of suitcases and starting over in a new city, new country, finding new schools, new church branch, setting up house and doing it again a few years down the road. You reach a point that you don't even want to bother making new friends because you'll just be leaving again soon not to mention trying to do anything.
But regardless here we are a little over a week in our new home in The Alice. Emotions have reached the gamet as we are getting use to life again. Our house is the smallest house we've ever lived in, smaller then our townhouse in Virginia, smaller then even our parents houses but it is four bedrooms and there are a few good points to it. I've never had a laundry room conveniently located it has always been in the garage or in a room next to the garage, big plus. It takes me an hour or less to clean the whole house! , big plus. It does have a big back yard but again we have to get use to a barren yard compared to our yard back in Morocco. The plus is you can wait a month or so (so we've been told) to mow the lawn.
Our first week we have visited 4 different schools trying to figure out where would be a good place for the kids. My initial school I was thinking on really didn't feel right so we ended up putting K and C in a public primary school just blocks away that they can walk to and other kids from church go there as well. Both teachers seem great and after two days of school both teachers have told me they are at the top of 2nd and 4th grade. Sounds great right?!, but if we are coming in the middle of 2nd and 4th and both kids have missed half the school year and are still in the top of the class. How do I possibly keep them from falling back and being on track for American schools when we leave in a few years.
Hyrum after much deliberation, tears and prayer is going to St. Philips. It seems like a great school, its major downfall according to Hyrum is the uniform. He came home the first day happy and in good spirits so I'm hoping the nerves and anxiety are behind us now.
Another thing we've had to get use to is driving. They drive on the opposite side we do so it has been like learning how to drive all over again. It takes some major concentration and continually pep talk to yourself on what you are doing! The big plus, there really isn't many people out driving so I imagine even if I screw up and end up on the wrong side at least there isn't many people on the road with me. I keep thinking if I could drive in Kyiv and Rabat I can do this!?
We've gone to church twice now and we were quite surprised to see after 10 years overseas the smallest city we have ever lived in has the largest branch and even their own church building. We were told the branch consists of mainly New Zealanders and Americans and maybe 10% Australians. It seems to be a nice branch with a nice young mens program and primary. Big Plus as I'm done with my kids being the few or only kids in the church especially as they get older and needing different experiences.
A few things about Australia I've noticed
It has the biggest blue sky I've ever seen, I have yet to see a cloud in the sky during the day.
Australians are the friendliest people we have ever lived around. It is almost overwhelming.
Great place for bird watching.
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| The sky really is this blue. We didn't change anything. |
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| There are a lot of great birds out here, I didn't realize |
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| We haven't seen any kangaroos in the wild yet but these were at a desert park. |
2 comments:
I hope that Australia turns out to be a great place for your family!
You know I understand the ready to be done part with the moving part. Hang in there!!
Love the pictures and love you all!!
Your right if you can drive in Rabat(which I know you can) you can drive anywhere . As time goes by some of the people there may be some of your closet friends. Love you
Keeley looks like Myshell in her uniform!
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