Living

I realize that I have not posted a blog in over a month and a half.  I do apologize!  I had a few things I wanted to write about but “life” seemed to continue getting in the way of that. 

The weeks have honestly been disappearing into thin air.  I feel like I was just saying, “I can’t believe it’s February.”  Then, “I can’t believe it’s March.”  And now, “I can’t believe it’s the middle of April and I will be home for my first visit in less than 2 weeks!” 

So “life” has been getting in the way because I guess you could say we truly are LIVING here.  In every ounce of the word: We. Live. In. Australia. WOW!  Our days are filled with doing many of the same things that kept us very busy when we lived back in the states.  Luke is still working like crazy and then works a little more when he gets home.  And…then again in the middle of the night sometimes!  He really never stops but I know his hard work always pays off in the end and I appreciate his dedication because I know that is something I miss about having a job of my own. 

We have discovered that we really like poached eggs for brekky, love wine with any meal, and Thai food has become our new staple!  I can now honestly get anywhere in the city and figure out how to get back to the right bus stop to make it home.  Oh, the little things!  ;)  So, “living” has also involved becoming more and more settled and accepting of the changes that have come our way. 

We are spending more time with new friends and loving every minute of it.  I have a “Worry Free Wednesday” with a couple of my friends who are Luke’s coworkers.  Erin, Sarah, and I try to get together a couple of times a month to have a girl’s night.  We’ve all had our days or weeks of being in a funk and it has really helped to have others who are going through exactly the same feelings to listen and understand.  Erin only lives a couple of blocks away which is heaps of fun for both of us! 

Luke and I are still hitting the gym each week but I have changed up my workouts a little and several days a week I like to take different classes that our gym offers.  I am also now obsessed with Zumba!  I cannot believe this isn’t something I ever tried back in the U.S.  My friend, Ashley is an instructor in Lawrence which is how I first learned about it.  I am so glad it is offered here, too!  A couple of weeks ago Nathan Blake was here from New York and was the guest instructor in one of my classes.  Apparently, he is one of the major Zumba instructors in the world!  The creator, Beto Perez, is in Sydney this week.  On Tuesday, he did a massive master class in the middle of the city.  It was incredible and I was so glad I got to be part of it!  If you ever get the chance to try a class, I highly recommend it!  J

Luke completed his first triathlon a couple of weeks ago and did so awesome!  His work and travel schedule kept him from training for the bike and swim parts as much as he would’ve liked, but he still did an amazing job.  I was so proud of him!  There were over 4,000 participants in this Corporate Challenge event.  I cheered him on and ran around trying to take pictures of him during each of his events. 

That's A LOT of bikes!

That's the only spandex I could get him to buy!  He refused to get the budgy smugglers! ;)

Luke, Richard, and Liam

Waiting to get in the Harbour for the start of the race

Actually waiting in the water to begin

And they're off!

The bike was next

Hitting the finish line!

His team

Part of “living” in the past month and a half also included my frustrations and headaches with the never ending waiting and process of getting my approval to sub over here.  The paperwork process seemed to be an inevitable journey but it finally came to an end.  This was of course after they had somehow lost several pieces of my most important credentials and copies of certified paperwork.  Thankfully, they finally reappeared!  I finally received an approval email with details of the next step in the process.  I will have to do a 7 day orientation which includes observing in the classroom, team teaching, and independent teaching (somewhat like student teaching).  Then I will have a final interview with someone from the department of education here.  I had no idea that this was going to take so long but I suppose I can’t blame them because I would hope we would do the same thing for someone coming to teach from outside of the U.S.! 

The schools go year round here.  Their first break of the school year is April 9-26.  I started worrying about when I was going to be able to fit in this orientation considering I was heading back home for a little over a month.  When I called to sign up, the woman told me that the next available opening for the “course” to do the orientation was at the end of May.  When I told her I would be out of the country she said that wasn’t a problem and the next available date I could start was June 16^th.  This was PERFECT!!  I am so relieved and finally have this huge weight off of my shoulders.  The best part is that as soon as I get back from my long visit home, I will start my orientation straightaway.  It will be so good for me to be super busy as soon as we return and I will be excited to have this to look forward to.  I know leaving everyone will be very difficult once again and this should definitely make it not my only focus. 

With that being said, I am looking very forward to seeing everyone and having many celebrations of births, birthdays, anniversaries, parties, boating, Mexican food, and Angie’s wedding!  YAY!!!! 

As we approach our 6 month anniversary of being here, I know I am much stronger and accepting of living in this big city.  I have taken it in wholeheartedly and appreciate this experience.  It doesn’t change any feelings I have of missing family, friends, and my career, but it feels good to know that this was the right thing for us to do.  It has taken me a long time to say this out loud even though I’ve been feeling it for several months now. 

“Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at will change.”  When I came across this quote I immediately thought of our first visit here last August when we had finally made the decision to come.  I remember coming back home and everyone asking if Australia was so beautiful and amazing as everyone says.  I honestly think my bitter answer was, “It’s just a big city.  I’m sure there are beautiful parts of it but I didn’t see too many.” Wow, what a crappy statement!  I love this beautiful country.  I love the glistening ocean and the boats that occupy it.  I love the different birds that eat berries on the tree outside our bedroom window each day at 4pm, squawking the whole time.  I love the fragrance of the different flowers I walk past each day.  I love how the sun shines on the massive webs that the big (and not as scary) spiders create high in the trees.  I love walking across the Harbour Bridge at any time of the day, stopping to gaze at the Opera House and how beautiful the view is any direction I turn.  I love looking up to see the Southern Cross on a clear night.  I love having a coffee with Luke at a different café everyday if we want to.  This is such a short list of the many more things I have learned to appreciate about our new home.  I've come a long way, haven't I?????

We’ve had so many weird things happen to us and with the black cloud that has followed us around more than we would like, sometimes I have to stop and remind myself of all of these “beautiful” things that are always part of being here.  The weird things, well, that’s just part of “living” and we all experience those things from time to time no matter where we are in the world!