I've been told that you should always write the good stuff at the end; people then only remember the good stuff - I think it's called the latency effect. So that's what I'll do.
We've been here about 10 weeks now and over that time, I have come to the conclusion that emigration is like the last trimester of pregnancy and the first few months of being a first time parent. Allow me to expand on this analogy. The thought of moving to the other side of the world is very exciting; the process is incredibly scary and painful and once you've done it, there is some much to deal with, all in one go, that you wonder how you're ever going to cope. If you're ever going to cope.
Everyone says that the first year is hard. I guess that is an understatement.
Work is fine. I thoroughly enjoy my job but it is taking up so much of my life. I have been told by other new members of staff that it is the most high pressured environment in which they've worked - and they had the summer holiday before hand to recharge their batteries; a luxury we had to do without. Still, I am not going to complain about that. As a true Aussie, I will 'suck that up'. What I will complain about, however, is the following:
We have still not received our furniture. Let me tell you, living without a couch for 10 weeks is horrible. I know that sounds superficial but sometimes,you really need to just chill out.
We haven't watched TV for about 5 weeks - again, sounds superficial but you try it!
We are still, chasing up so many loose ends in England because of lazy and incompetent gits who can't be bothered to do their jobs properly.
We're still paying for gas and electricity at a house we haven't lived in since December.
We're still having to constantly chase up stuff in England that should have been sorted out months ago. Doing that late at night (cos of the 11 hour difference), when you're already exhausted from a brand new job and sorting out 2 daughters who are struggling with the transition, is less than ideal.
The house we're renting here has drainage and sewage problems and at $800 per week, you would expect it to be sorted out sharpish. But no, 5 weeks on and we're still constantly having to badger the letting agents to get it sorted.
In addition to the parking fine and speeding fine, australian customs and excise have required a further $1000 to do whatever they feel they have to take weeks and weeks to do. We have had to pay an additional $82 for them to destroy a Christmas decoration which didn't meet with their approval!
Both the girls, now over the honey moon period, are struggling to settle. They are both enjoying school but not finding it easy in other ways. However, I have been very impressed with the health care system here. (We have now also sorted ourselves out with private healthcare - a must over here for lots of different reasons).
Ok, so enough of the woes! Yesterday, we had a lovely day at Manly Beach to celebrate Becky's belated birthday. We bought her a body board and then hardly saw her - she loved it. A real surf chick. At one point she got 'totally smashed' and was 'rescued' by an australian boy!
We had a big burger each for lunch on the beach and Becky decided it would be a great idea to recreate the seagull scene from Nemo by feeding one gull with a bit of her bun. The next thing we knew, we were surrounded by seagulls desperate for a bit of her lunch. Rather embarrassing!!!!!
I went for a couple of walks along the beach - beautiful, and got beaten by Erin in a sprint race! Oh how I love to be reminded of my age!
Nathan got burnt!
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