My favourite 4 words

My favourite words to post ever - The container finally arrived!

:-) I was just reading another ex-pat bloggers page and she spoke about - you know you are an ex-pat when.... and one of the things was blogging about your container arrival.

I suppose it is a difficult concept to understand if you have never experienced the trials of trying to make do with less than 23kg's (cause the suitcase weight also has to be included) worth of stuff for an extended (way beyond expectations as is often the case) period of time. Like the dilemma of deciding whether to buy the extortionately priced swimming goggles for the kid whose doing once-a-week lessons as an after school activity when you know (and now kick yourself for having done so) that there are at least 50 4 pairs packed in one of the boxes sitting happily in the 'blessed' (my parents read this ... some language has been substituted) container which was meant to arrive before we did and thereby eliminating the need for me to make this decision in the first place. 

It may seem a small decision and possibly you would have done it in a split second but when one actually starts to think about all the decisions we (my long-suffering hubby and I) have had to make in the space of the last 6 months, one might feel more inclined to add more value to the pressure and stress that teeny tiny decision put me under. 

I'm not sure how pertinent it is to say that these decisions were the outcome of our ex-pat life choices or whether we just happen to be at that stage of our mature lives and a mass of decision-making comes with the territory but what I do know is that I have never had to make so many important (okay maybe not all of them life-changing important but important none the less) in all my life. To say my 'brain is fried' is an understatement.

One of our important decisions in the last month or so has been to decide whether to rent out or property in the UK or not. Such a difficult choice really as we have come to call England our home and our children have grown-up there and we have lifelong friendships nurtured there - do we want to tie up that loose tie, really truly... well anyway to cut a long story short we decided to go for it and I flew up to get everything properly packed up until we can find something else. 

It was eerie walking into the house and knowing that the next time I see it it'll not be ours ... well you know what I mean. It was a hard physical and emotional 2 weeks for me packing everything up and decided what should really be thrown out now, what we should send to our new 'forever' home (this was the most difficult of all as I wanted to send all of it) and what should stay and be used to make our new UK home home eventually. The plus was I got to spend really good quality time with friends and family as I was by myself and could set my own schedule. 

My trip did clarify one of our other important decisions as to where next to buy in that I was made even more aware of what a strong connection we have with Billingshurst and surrounds now that it would just feel weird not to be going there on our return visits. In the final days of my time there I found the perfect bolt hole (being in the right place at the right time essentially) and all things going smoothly we should own it by Christmas.

I joked with a friend as I was leaving that on my immigration forms from now on I am going to put in the space that previously I have written things like mom (they questioned me regards this reply once ?), mother, home executive and even once boldly put silversmith the following occupation: Intercontinental Removals & Packing Expert with Strong Professional Skills in Emotional Well-Being & Making New Friends & Keeping Old Ones (I added the last bit just now - i'm sure Clare will approve). What a business card hey?! But in the last few days you won't believe how I wish someone would take that job description seriously and pay me some attention when I voice my opinion. My husband joked in a follow-up voicemail to the one where he 'calmly' told me what a 'fool' I was for not carrying the car papers at all times in the car, that he should never have doubted me as I am always right .... he jokes .. I'm serious - if the stats on my being right even after being doubted were compared to the stats on when I was proven wrong or incorrect I'd be a sure bet as the ideal candidate for the job, or a no-risk business plan. 

I am still newbie ex-pat wife by all accounts but thanks to the excellent training of Sundae I have an extremely good and deeper understanding of being a 'trailing spouse'. Her course encourages 'trailing spouses' to make changes and focus on becoming a 'Trailblazing spouse' instead. (every global company hiring ex-pats should offer her course to new spouses, it should be compulsory and will make there lives so much easier)

My biggest question is why do companies (spouses with the jobs) place no worth on our skills (that is those amazing Intercontinental Removals & Packing Experts with Strong Professional Skills in Emotional Well-Being & Making New Friends & Keeping Old Ones).

Can you tell i'm a little introspective today? For the millionth time I am being told that 'the company' says you can't have this and unfortunately this week they've said there is no budget for my little shed which I would use to help myself to a little self-worth and produce pretty things for people who like my jewellery and keep myself busy and thus happy and thus my family happy and thus my husband happy and thus them happy - no?

Anyway I digress - The container arrived!!!

Chocolate Spread Sandwiches & Youtube

My 8-year olds latest request is to go and live with Nana for at least a year. What brought this on you might ask? Well I was threatening him with his life if he didn't eat the vegetables on his plate one evening when it all came out that Nana's house was way better and it would be so EPIC if he could stay there for at least a year because then he would be able to only eat chocolate spread sandwiches while watching Youtube… oooooh really I say, which is when big sister quickly tries to save the day by saying no mom he ate chocolate spread sandwiches and cucumber and carrots for supper! oh well then that's ok then says I. 

Naaannnnaaaaa! That's the last time she gets them for 3 weeks ;-) Only kidding Mom. What a godsend it was that they were able to stay with my mom this past holiday. 

We came down from the UK en-route to Zambia via SA. We spent a week with Clayton and the in-laws in the Kruger (surprise, surprise) and had an absolutely fantastic time and then made our way down to spend a few days with my mom, my sister and my gran at a lovely ladies beach house near Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape. Bearing in mind it was the middle of winter in SA, we had a fabulous time just spending time with each other and having lazy days. My gran has been very poorly over the last few months and we were so grateful to be able to spend the quality time with her. It was really important for me that my children have the opportunity to get to know her better as they were all quite small the last time we saw her. My favourite bits were her teaching them to play Checkers, building bloody difficult puzzles together and choosing the worst possible day to try dune surfing and body boarding!

Then the kids stayed with Nana and I headed back up to do some supervision of the renovation of our house in Pretoria. I really enjoyed it actually and think I did a reasonable job. The house's maintenance had been much neglected over the years and spare funds had prevented us from updating it but after much saving, a lot of discussions and a well connected bros-in-law we managed to make some valuable changes. 

In between all that though the kids came back and we spent a good 2 weeks with Granny & Grandpa. Jenna was by far the most excited by this part as it meant she got to spend more time with their cousins - Anika and Luke and as an extra bonus Anika's christening was while we were there and they got to see their Richard's Bay cousins too. 

Precious moments. 

We also spent time revisiting old haunts and discovering a few new ones. Gold Reef City was definitely a highlight (thanks cousin Andre). I'm not sure who had more fun - the kids or Granny….

Needless to say though that Owen's not getting his wish this year but maybe Nana can twist my arm and he'll have a few chocolate spread sandwiches more than normal when she comes to visit at Christmas time. 

Journey down south

Oh my goodness - did you just see that whirlwind that went through here???? Yup that was us the Reeves family trying to do it all again! What a few months it has been.. 

I'll start at the end shall I and try and work my way back as I have so much to fill you all in on. 

As I eluded to in my previous post - we're now nicely settled in our new home in Solwezi, Zambia. 

We are lucky enough and truly blessed to live on a golf estate just outside of the town and within 10 minutes from the mine for Clayton. The house itself is positively palatial in it's modernness compared to our Ouaga home. We're in a newly built section at the bottom of the golf course and our veranda and back garden overlook the 8th hole and 9th tee. What's even nicer is that the estate is stocked with wildlife who happily come and feast on the lovely green grass of the fairways and greens. We've seen Zebra, Sable Antelope, Impala, Puku Antelope, Lechwe Antelope, Oribi Antelope, many Yellow-Billed Kites and an unknown Frog.

#Estateliving so far is the bees knees. The kids have discovered their independence and certainly trying their best to encourage my feelings of redundancy :-) The boys are completely immersed in their new found love for fishing and it helps that there are at least 3 fully stocked dams within walking distance with fish it seems that are suckers for punishment! They operate a 'catch and release' scheme here but as Owen says - you only have to count to 5 and you have another fish on your hook mom! Maybe this kind of 'speed' fishing will entice their dad to try his hand at it too. Besides the fishing all three kids have made some lovely friends and spend their afternoons going for house to house in little people gangs. 

Robert, for now and Owen's school is on the estate - not quite walking distance although it can be done in a hurry if necessary, and the boys are loving it. They both have lovely teachers and the their classrooms are fab. It's a small school but their classes are slightly bigger than what the boys had at ISO. 

Jenna's school is a bus ride away and is in the most beautiful setting ever adjoining the mine's game reserve. It's a long day for her though as they set off here at 6.30am and only come back around 5pm. They have lessons until 1.20pm then a break for lunch and then compulsory after school activities until 4.15pm. Jen is doing hockey, netball and history club. Even so she is also loving it and so enjoying getting back into her sports.

Life hasn't been all roses though and we've had some teething issues. Our container has been ridiculously delayed and shows no sign of turning up soon. Getting our pets (Russell the dog and Morris the cat) here has turned into a nightmare and is only just this weekend (fingers and toes crossed) being sorted out as Clayton has travelled up to Ouaga to fetch them and is making his way back today. And then a few minor things like getting a car here is not as easy as it sounds and so on and so on. 

We're tying up all the bits and pieces now though and once december arrives we're looking forward to just kicking back and enjoying our time together as a family after so many years of going and froing! 

Oh and did I mention - the washing gets done by someone else :-)

Quick Catch Up

I'm ashamed at how unseriously I have taken this blogging thingy. I haven't told you all about our fabulous trip to the paradise of Zanzibar, I haven't even given you a mention of my hush hush surprise trip to the UK followed by an absolutely awesome week with my Sista in Hiroshima and then of course (although most of you know thanks to the joy of Facebook and the proverbial grapevine) that we are in fact upsticksing and moving to Zambia this summer (winter for all ya southerners).

Ok virtual handslap done….

Zanzibar was amazing. I have never seen such white white beaches and such blue blue sea. It was just the holiday we all needed with much lazing, swimming, snorkelling, sight-seeing and reading. Zanzibar was also the most fantastic contrast to the dry, dusty, desolate looking Ouagadougou and so it took ages to complete the 're-entry phase' as it's referred to in the ex-pat world. 

We spent 2 weeks in Zanzibar with my mom, my sista and my in-laws. In fact although it feels like we didn't do anything we accomplished a fair amount in that time. My mom and the kids swam with regte egte sea turtles while Clayton and I captured the moments in between giggles …. Robert proclaimed the water too cold - no, I'm not scared he said it's just cold! Jenna jumped in feet first and we had to drag her out she loved it so much. Mom and Owen did it hand in hand. We hired a car for a few days and travelled from the North to the South of the Island - we did a very informative but hysterically funny spice tour and I personally will never use nutmeg the same way again, we saw the Zanzibar Red Colobus monkeys only found there up close and personally, we trailed through the Mangroves and all the while took in the most amazing scenes of village life, gorgeous green farming, palm trees and ocean views. There was hours of snorkelling and pouring over lists to confirm sightings, much beach walking and secret eateries discovered. But my most favourite bit was getting to spend time together as a family playing board games, sharing meals and being lazy in our spaces. 

to be continued...