Things here are good. We are getting everything done bit by bit. Every little accomplishment is a vital part of getting settled here. Arrive. Eat a meal. Rest. Survive jetlag. Get groceries into the apartment little by little, walking one 1/2 mile trip to the store at a time. Do the same for drinking water. Maintain the inflow of necessities. Cook with bare basics. Get the kids into school. Get them registered for childcare in preparation for a week of mandatory orientation training. Call a realtor and begin visiting amazing houses for rent. Try to get the realtor to show you something nice close to the base, if possible. (Easier said than done.) Homework and chores every night! Do everything with a three-year-old in tow. Take the driving test. Take the driving test again and pass it this time! Try to find a vehicle. Find out how to buy, register and insure the vehicle. Be patient when the chosen vehicle becomes delayed due to vandalism (smashed window) repair. Figure out how to get the promised advance pay so that we can begin to pay for temporary quarters. Ride a bus accross the city to jump through the hoops to get an ID card. Go home for documents nobody told you to bring, then ride accross town and try again. Try to get the kids registered at the hospital in case of emergency. Have hubby visit the ID office again to fix what wasn't done before, then try to get registered at the hospital again. Gratefully arrange and accept rides to church. Make new friends. Enjoy the warm sunshine. Chat with the Italian maids. Try to figure out how to use Italian appliances. Wonder at the beauty of a big brown grashopper and thrill to watch bats hunting bugs. Get used to watching your feet so you don't step on the handsome, large black beetles that love living in the grass. Feel young and alive. Feel low sometimes but keep going. Hug your kids and be amazed at how they're growing. Hold your sweetie's hand a little more often. Notice how the family has really been getting good at pulling together. Keep going, and watch it all come together, bit by bit.
The picture above is the view from our balcony. (The building to the right is the school, which I think is a very convenient location. It's a very nice school.)
We're just about ready to commit to a house. What an amazing experience. The housing allowance in Kevin's assignment is extremely generous. When you can have anything you want, what would you choose? A gorgeous house right on the beach? A luxury apartment with a view of the entire coast? A lovely cottage next door to international soccer stars? A big home in the middle of a small, quiet, 1000-year-old town? When you get to choose, that's when you learn some very interesting things about yourself.
Ciao bella, eveyone!
--Annie
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