The day and time had come for our adventure to begin. We left my parent’s home in Bryan, Ohio around noon on Tuesday, 13 November 2007. My brothers, Mike and Tom, and family friend Shawn, stopped to wish us farewell.
We made it through customs and the wait at Detroit Airport. We arrived in LAX at 11pm our time. Then we had to leave the original airport terminal, walk past two buildings to get on our international flight on Qantas. Our flight left at about 2:30 am our time. So needless to say we were all tired and ready to sleep. We were seated in business class, after a bit of juggling, we were able to all sit together: The kids on either side of me and John across the aisle from Kait. Our seats were very luxurious. They were sort of capsule-like. Our seats had an open dome shape structure behind each seat. When we moved our seat to completely flat our upper body was in sort of a pod. It felt private. The plane was quiet and darkened and everyone slept. They gave us each a set of pajamas with a kangaroo on the front and a wish for dreamy travels with Qantas. We were entirely too exhausted to change though. We received the airplane socks, the eye covers, toothbrush and toothpaste and a wash up kit. We were very well taken care of. When Kait, Sam and I awoke, the steward was right there with coffee, fruit, cheese. Kait says she watched 3 movies back to back. However I know she dosed off some too. The plane was kept dark and quiet until they served the hot breakfast when were just 2 hours out of Sydney.
One hour before we disembarked, we had to fill out custom papers on each person. One question asked if we had been to a farm or touched any farm animals in the last 30 days. Mom, trying to help John and I, with the final trip packing and anxieties, took Kait and Sam for a walk. They stopped and petted a goat, horse and cow. Apparently the cow really liked Sam, he got a big lick on the hand. Ok, so John and I are in a dilemma. Do we lie or answer truthfully and risk quarantine? We at first decide to be untruthful and we mark “no.” I go over our decision with the kids in whispers and all is fine. I begin to think what if the custom officers ask the kids. So I lean over to Sam and in a whisper ask,”Did touch a cow recently” and he said,” Yeah! I just told you the cow licked me.” So I motion to John and say we need to be truthful and check “yes.” We were very nervous going through customs and being questioned with our passports. However, no one said a word about our positive answer on the kid’s questionnaires. We bypassed quarantine and are on our way out the door to experience Australia.
Brian Whalen, from Bluescope Steel, picked us up from the airport with a driver, Dominic, who had a large van and a trailer being towed behind. The day was beautiful and sunny. Sydney looks like a wonderful city and I hope we get to give it a proper visit sometime soon. Brian planned for two stops on the way from the airport. One at Mac’s or Macker’s (McDonald’s) for a drink and toilet (no restroom here—it is called toilet). Then we stopped at an overlook on the escarpment which overlooks the city of Wollongong. Imagine rolling mountains –like in southern Kentucky and Tennessee. And then the mountains are sliced away. When you look over the high cliff, you see a city down below sprawling out to the ocean edge. At the connection of city and sea, are beautiful beaches curving like decorative lace at the edge of a garment. Amazing!
And then we realize there are flies swarming us. Not American houseflies, but smaller and more persistent little buggers. We are all batting them away from our faces. AHHHH!
Brian and Dominic take us to our apartment. We pull up in front of a 5 story very attractively landscaped building. Bec, the secretary in John’s department, has met us at the entrance to the building. She is a gem(typical oz endearment). We have a new Barbie on the patio, a new patio set, a new Mitsubishi 380 in the garage. She is showing me that she put bread in the cupboard, milk, Coke and Diet coke in the fridge. We also are given a basket with basic provisions: instant coffee (more about that later), tea, sugar, peanut butter and jelly, assorted candies and a box of cookies. Then, she gets a phone call that her sister just had her baby. At our encouragement, she leaves to go to the hospital. We are fine—we tell her—go!!! We will be ok. Brian had given us his phone number, she gave us hers.
Then we pick up the phone to find out while it looks like a phone it is actually the intercom system to get into the building. We find a phone in the bedroom and it is not on! No big deal, I will look in the phonebook. It should tell us how to get a phone hooked up. Well, it did!! Just call 2241 2560. No address for the phone company—just a number. No worries—who are we going to call anyway!! So we unpack clothes. Take showers. It has been 30 hours in the same underwear and we already know the flies seem to take a liking to us!!
We head out!! Of course, on foot! Because, neither John nor I is ready to drive. They drive on the opposite side of road. Left turns are not left turns and rights are not right. The steering wheel is on the right side of the car. We are not ready!!! So we walk towards the “mall.” We need basic supplies—some cereal, and pillows. We find the school (11 minute walk) and church. We find the mall. It is an outdoor and indoor shopping area. The indoor part is similar to American malls. The outdoor part is like a market with wares spilling out of stores. The food is all fairly foreign looking. There are the bakeries, the meat shops, the pasta stores, every ethnic kind of food is represented. The Chemist is the drug stores. We find a Telstra store!!!! That is the phone company. We go in and talk to the sales people our accents got in the way of conversation some. We do not set up the phone. Why? I am not sure—I think we were so unsure and culture shocked at that moment that we were going to even be here long enough to need a phone. Besides we needed a bank account to sign up –a luxury we did not yet have. We asked the guy at the phone company about groceries. “Oh, there is a Woolworth’s one block over.” Cool!! We are doing better, we have hope.
We walk into the grocery. The produce is the first thing we see, looking familiar, tomatoes, bananas, apples, lettuce. Then I notice the sign above the tomatoes $5.95. What almost $6.00 a pound for tomatoes!!!!!!! I slow down my breathing as I quickly remember it is Kilos or 2.2 pounds for $6. Not a bargain, but do-able. I get some bananas. Head for the green grapes. $12.80 per Kilo. That is about $5.00/pound. No grapes! Go look at the meat counter. I spot the kangaroo filets first. I am working on keeping a stiff upper lip. I can do this!!!! This is not going to get to me. Let’s get cereal. We find Corn Flakes and I even break my no sugar coated rule and let Sam get Coco Puffs. We buy some pillows and we start home.
After getting back to the apartment, I am exhausted. We have not had proper sleep since Monday night at Mom and Dad’s. It is now Wednesday late night USA time but, only 2 pm in OZ land. Sam and I take a nap.
John jars me from my blissful sleep. If I continue to sleep I will not get on track with this foreign land—besides he was hungry and we still had not real food. He did not want another peanut butter sandwich. So we decide to make our way to the water’s edge. The harbor. We walk to the corner and down one block. The busy city gives way to a wide open park and across the street a harbor with sailing boats. Rock jettys sort of curve around and cradle the boats from the ocean waves. It is beautiful. John and I breathe a sigh of relief and have renewed enthusiasm about this whole thing.
We have heard about the fish and chips place at the harbor. This would be perfect for dinner. We go to the counter and place our order. Kait not wanting fish orders a hamburger—plain no catsup. The chips are our standard French fries. We find a table outside over looking the boats, seagulls circling and flies!!!! They are landing on my face. Sam starts to melt down. He is doing a helicopter imitation because the flies are landing on his lips, eyes and even up his nose. I couldn’t blame him. If I did not have adult hesitation I would have been whirling my arms too. No one else seems bothered by these pests but us. We realize if we sit calmly the flies settle on our backs (everyone had 10-20 flies camping on thier backs). I have new appreciation for the poor African children we see on TV. The flies are less of a nuisance if you let them be!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, Kait’s burger arrived fully loaded—lettuce onion and beets. She only took one bite and only ate fries.
After the battle with flies, we cannot sit any more. We walk around on the bike, walk path. It is a popular spot. There were lots of walkers and bikers cruising by. Families with children running and playing on the sand and chasing the seagulls that dare come close. We walk towards a building that promises fresh fish and another restaurant over looking the port. We walk out on a large pylon type dock—one for big boats. It is wooden, old but stable and sturdy. We are amazed at how clear the water is. The strange shaped seaweed or kelp is brilliant greens and reds and flowing gracefully in the water. Sam sees no fish and is a bit disappointed, when he looks down and sees a large –I mean large--sea ray. It is easily 4 feet across. It is right below us, with many tiny varieties of colored fish hovering about it. That picked the mood of the family a bit.
We head back the other direction on the path. We know the patrolled beach is that way. John looks up to see Andy Mullens, his new boss, a man in his early sixties I would guess, is smiling and walking towards us. He went to our apartment and found it vacant. He came in search of us. We talked a bit. Then, he presented John with a six pack of beer as a welcome gesture. John was so grateful!! I think there was a tear shed, for the friendship renewed, that was created over brewski’s in the States years ago.
We walked a bit more and head back home with a new sense of place and self. We all fall into bed dead-dog tired to prepare for another day.
Our body clocks are off. I wake at 5:30 am to find John already up. He is sitting in the living room staring forward. After a morning greeting, he hesitantly asks if we are going to be ok. I reassure him—yet not so sure myself. He is worried about our upcoming driving adventure. Soon he decided to go down and sit in the car. He returns proud that he started the car—backed it up and returned it to its home in the garage. What a sense of accomplishment!! Later he went back again. He went without me or the kids. He went around the block. All lefts!! Those are easy he tells me. He had no accidents, he hit no one and only got beeped at twice so, he decided to venture a little further. He went past the school and the church. He made a few rights. He felt great. Jubilantly, he returned to the apartment. He was ready to find the bank. We needed funds. We brought several thousand in American Express traveler checks. But we only traded a little currency at the airport. The exchange rate was poor—the US dollar weak—the fee to exchange was high. But, now we were getting low and needed to get cash. The bank had become a necessity.
John has to drive. We talk to the kids about the magnitude of this task and threatened them with bodily injury if they so much as utter a sound. We head out with the map in the phonebook. Looking for the Lysaght Credit Union, we get on down the road. We cruise past Bluescope Steel which is a HUGE complex. At least for a mile we were in awe of the eyesore necessity of the refinery and steel plant. (John just read my description and was offended). We are looking for Auburn Street. We see it on the map. We see a round-about. This is hard to describe. It is like nothing I have seen in the States. It takes the place of four way stops. Anyway we get from one highway to another in the wrong lane and miss the turn for Auburn Street. No worries! I see on the map how to get back to Auburn through a series of turns. We finally turn on to Auburn. Our initial relief is quickly given way to a cross of laughter and headshaking. We are in residential Cringilla, a city near the plant that is up high over looking the beautiful view of the steel mill. Smoke and flame billowing from stacks loom on the horizon. Small orange tiled roofed bungalows line the snake shaped street as we hairpin turn. John says, “There is no bank on this road.” Then we see on our right a goat and some sheep tethered to the front fence of a small home. We all broke out into hysterics—Sam shaking his head saying that is just wrong!! We all share a laugh. We soon realize we need Auburn Street in Willawara not Cringilla. We are in the wrong town.
So we consult the phone book once more, find the right Auburn street. John white knuckles us to the credit union. No parking in front, no parking lot in sight. We circle the block and find a city lot. Mind you, every time John makes a left- I have the instinctive reaction to duck because it feels like we are about to run into everything. We are all quite relieved to get out of the car. We walk to the bank. John pulls on the door –it is apparently locked. We look at the “business hours” sign. It should be open. By the way there are even people in side. John tries the door again. It will not open. We walk around the building thinking there must be another entrance. No other doors. We head back to the previous door. Try again. We see a button with a speaker. Maybe we need to announce ourselves to come in. We push the buzzer. We push it several times. Sam tries the door. By now people in the bank are looking at us. Finally, an elderly lady makes her way to the door and pulls it from the inside and says “Push the door” shaking her head in completely disgust. We are now in the bank—we are getting funny looks from all employees who peer over cubicles to peer at the ridiculous foreigners. They are now not sure we speak English –as on the door it plainly says to “PUSH.” Well, there is some discussion on who will talk to us. One lady comes forward and hesitantly approaches us not sure what language we might speak. You should have seen the relief on her face to find out we speak English or a variation of it anyway. We set up the account—however we are still not sure how the wiring of funds will go.
She sends us to the American Express in WESBANC to cash our traveler’s checks. So we have to go to the Mall. Luckily she gives us directions and sends us off. We are at the mall and there is Friday Market going on. So there are stands set up selling all sorts of vegetables and art-type things. It is crowded. We get our cash. Decide to get our phones—A few other things. We head back to the grocery store too. We are a bit less uneasy about the shopping and got real groceries this time and we have a car to take things back to the apartment. That was a big stressful day. But we survived our first real day in Australia.
Now it is Saturday a.m. We got up early because we have not entirely adjusted to the time change. So after hanging out, we walk to the beach it is only 7 am. The beach is beautiful. The shells and stones are intense blues, reds and greens. It is very different than the Atlantic Beaches we are accustomed too. The water is quite cold. We see the bad blue jelly fish that has tentacles that sting and the reaction makes you stop breathing. So, we know what those are. John stood on the beach in one spot, his arms crossed. He was in terror one of us would be hurt. We were fine though. We also went to the pool at the beach which is a lap pool filled with salt water and unheated. The kids enjoyed it.
We had no sunscreen so we were home by 10 am with our sights set on finding sunscreen.
After shower, John calls Spencer and Tami Parr on our newly acquired cell phone. They are from the Delta, Ohio steel plant and came last April. We were to call them when we go in, but no phone. Anyway, we make plans to go out with them at 4 pm. We also get in touch with Brian Whalen and make plans for Sunday: fish and chips at the beach.
We head to the mall again; it is a half mile walk to get there. Things are now familiar and we feel more comfortable. We get sunscreen and a few other important items. Walk back and get ready for a night out with the Parr’s.
They walk over to our apartment and then we walk to a brewery pub on the coast. Wow!! How gorgeous this walk was. We went south this time. It was so great to be with some one who understood our speech. We shared stories, experiences, and bonded quickly. Tami is 31 and Elaina, their daughter is 18 months. I think she is lonely. She has many friends but, none from the States. They invited us to Thanksgiving dinner next Saturday. I am bringing Nonie’s stuffing. John is making his sweet potato casserole. She and I vow to meet on Monday at 10 am to walk with some other women. Wow, do we feel better listening to their stories about driving the first time. The disorientation of being plopped down in this country where everything is initially the same, but quickly we realize is a very different culture. I think we made some good friends –they go home in April. So we have 5 months to support each other.
I think I now have you caught up and can begin to write daily.
Sunday was a great day. We woke up feeling refreshed. We planned to go to Mass, but we did not get the scheduled times when we walked that direction yesterday. No worries, I could call the church office. I did-- no Mass times on the message. We could not look at internet-- it was not up yet. So, we had a relaxing morning. I keep forgetting to mention that on day one—Kait and Sam met Dakota and Romy. These two girls live next door—they are 10 and 8. So they have been together every day. We found out they are moving in two weeks to another apartment in the city. Well, they call them “flats” here. Yesterday, we met Emma, a 10 year old in flat 4. Today we met her brother Alex, age 8, and their father, Sean. They are from British Columbia, Canada. And have lived here one year. The kids are together every chance they get, they leave notes with each other in the mornings to plan their days. Dakota, Romy, Emma and Alec go to St. Bridgette’s. So they will not be in school together.
We meet up with Brian Whalen and his wife, Jill—he will be John’s direct supervisor. We meet them at 1pm at the same fish and chips at the Kiosk at the harbor that we ate at on Thursday evening. The kids played in on the water’s edge as we sat at a picnic table getting to know one another. Jill and Brian are very nice. They are the same age as John and I. They have three kids: daughter 20, son 18 and son 16. They live about 15 minutes south of us in Dapto. They were helpful with pronunciations and other local information. John got a better understanding of his role at Bluescope. Apparently, John is doing a special project on scale. So he feels better having a bit of an idea of what he will do. Work for John begins tomorrow.
I have to tell you. We are picking up the accent rapidly. The kids have even called me “Mum” a few times. We are all putting the high lilt to the end of our words. I am sure you will all laugh at us when we get home.
After a couple of hours with the Whalen’s we walked up the beach to North Beach so the kids could swim. I forgot to mention we have had “the deer in headlights mentality” for a few days and we forgot the camera every time we left. We remembered it today. So I will have pictures to put on the blog. When we arrived at the beach we met up with Sean, Alex and Romy. So the kids had pals to jump waves and boogy board. We saw the blue bottle jellyfish and find out that they sting you, but it is similar to a bee sting. Pain that leaves in about 30 minutes—you put ice on it. So not as bad as the Box jellyfish up north that causes allergic reaction and loss of breathing. What a relief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John drove to get petrol for the Barbie. We had grilled chicken on the veranda!!
Life is stabilizing!!!!!!!!!!! This is key because yesterday morning before the kids got up John suggested I call my Mom and let her know we are okay. I became teary because I really didn’t feel ok and I knew I could not say otherwise. However, later in the day things looked up. Today, we all are feeling great about where we are and feel very blessed to have this awesome opportunity in such a beautiful place. Ok, John has first day jitters –but, I know he will be fine. The kids and I are meeting Tami and other Bluescope wives to a walk at the beach at 10 am.
Monday 19 November
We had an awesome day. We live in such a gorgeous area. The kids and I met up with Tami and Elaina Parr for a walk along the ocean. We enjoyed the walk/bike trail from North Beach out past the rock pool and Harbor. We went out to the lighthouse and back to North beach. I am not sure how far maybe 1 or 1.5 miles round trip—so not too far with the kids. We then had coffee and ice cream at the Kiosk at the beach. There are lots of Mom’s visiting at the tables while the kids are down the beach in the water. So, of course, Kait and Sam had a great time –even though they were in thier clothes. Nanetta McKeever came to join us. She is from Wollongong but lived in Wauseon for 6 years when the plant there started up. She and I hit it off or “took up good” as they say here. She offered to take me and the kids shopping at the discount shops for some additional kitchen supplies. So, we came home had lunch and rested. We joined up with her after she picked up Casey and Nicki from school. She and I continued to have a good chat. So I have 2 friends now—yippee!! She also pointed out a grocery that is more reasonable.
John had a good first day at work. While he is overwhelmed by the new environment and culture, he is excited about all he is going to learn.
Our clocks are still off—or maybe just walking a lot—but, we are all exhausted and it is only 8:30.
We have a big day tomorrow—we get a phone. Stuff we grew to take for granted has been gone. So we are so excited to get things back. Some melamine plates and a casserole dish today, phone tomorrow and internet on Thursday. Woohoo! We are big time.
Goodnight!
Tuesday Nov. 20
We had a relaxing day (Well, John had to go to work). We sort of hung out in the morning. The phone was connected today. So I got to call Mom and Dad, Bonnie and Delbert, and Barb. It was nice to hear familiar voices.
The kids and I walked to the beach. We had a great time. I took my book and they played for a couple of hours. Sam is getting the hang of the big waves. They built a sand castle and fended off the seagulls when I let them get chips (French fries here)–normal stuff for the beach.
When John came home we walked to the mall to get internet completed. Store closed at 5pm—so we couldn’t. We hit the internet café because we still had no way to view e-mails. We were most concerned about our money wire from the States. It went through from Napoleon. In a few days we will find out if it gets here. We decided to catch dinner at a fast “foodie” -- the Noodle Box. I think those are in America.
By the way, we now say we are from America. That is how we are introduced. Then, they want to know if we are from Canada or the States. Of course, we say States. Most know where the Great Lakes are—so that is our indicator of home. It amazes me how many people from here have been to the States—either LA or NY.
We walked from the “mall” to the Harbor. Sam had to point out the fishing charters and place he would like to fish when his fishing pole gets here in the “Crate.” By the time we got home we had probably walked 5 miles or more—not counting the earlier beach walk. We were all exhausted and asleep by 10pm
Wednesday Nov 21
The problem with going to bed early is that we are up at 6 am.
Tami picked us up and showed me a fruit and veggie stand in Fairy Meadow—a town just North. Wow!! The prices were more tolerable and I stocked up. I would say we now have a base of food in our cupboard and fridge.
After she dropped us off, we walked to the school. It is just a short walk away. I was going to just get forms for a meeting scheduled at 2 pm on Monday. Mrs. James, the principal, had the children tour the school with other children. I met some mothers who were volunteering, the priest, Fr. Ron. (He was just in New York) and a few teachers. Mrs. James showed me the uniform exchange and gave me soe things to get them started. We also purchased hats and backpacks from the office. So with only the need to purchase a few more uniform items, the kids will start school on Tuesday. We have a meeting on Monday for John and I to meet with the principal and discuss the kids class placement, etc. The school is lovely (aussie words) and the students are very polite and friendly. It is small and simple. The building and church are older. Kait and Sam are both happy with the choice and are reluctantly eager to begin.
Kait and Sam found out the cafeteria is called “tuck shop.” The drinking fountain is called a “bubbler.” Students are called “schoolies.” I think they found the kids a bit hard to understand as they talk fast and use different words for just about everything. However, they are catching on fast. Sam said to me “Mom, here they say food is “nice” and people are “lovely”—we say people are nice.” He is right. It is fun watching them observe language differences.
This afternoon, Helen stopped by –she is Emma and Alex’s Mum. She told me what the symbols on the oven mean. Don’t laugh—I had absolutely no idea why two of the symbols represented our toxic waste symbol. You know the one with 3 diamonds stacked like a pyramid. It is for convection one for “the baker” and one for “the broiler”. Who would have known???
She and her husband Sean, took Kait and Sam to Alex’s rugby practice down by the beach. They had planned fish and chips for dinner with our kids. They told us to go on a date. We did. We had two hours to ourselves—to talk about life and it was wonderful. We went to the same brewery we went to with Tami and Spencer. It is on the beach and was perfect. It was about a ¾ mile walk one way up and down hills so we most likely burned a bit of the beer calories off.
When the kids returned we found out, Sam got to join in on the touch rugby game and he had a great time. He was excited to tell us all of the rules and excitement. Kait and Emma were beachcombing during the rugby session and she had seaside treasures to show. We will definitely have to pay them back for such a generous deed.
John was happy when he came home from work today—I think he actually got to do some things to day and learn more about what is happening at Bluescope. He is overwhelmed by the magnitude of the plant. It is an amazingly large place. Wollongong is definitely a company town. Bluescope is represented everywhere similar to Proctor and Gamble in Cincinnati.
We still have no internet. I went today to get the modem. We could not get it until we had a connected phone. That happened yesterday. So today, they said I could register, but would have to wait to have the modem “posted” to me. So in two days to 2 weeks I will get the modem in the mail. It is really a self install kit. After that I should have internet. Who knows when???
Oh a few new words: A capsicum is a green pepper. A sultana is a raisin. Banana is pronounced with a short a like Bonona. If you say banana—they don’t know what you are saying!!
One more thing! The flies are gone. Apparently, they were just moving through. Something about a southerly wind—I don’t know but I am happy to see them leave!!
More tomorrow!
Thursday 22-11-2007
Good morning,
Happy Thanksgiving!! It is only Wednesday in the states, but it is officially Thanksgiving Day here. Of course, they do not celebrate it.
It is gray today. The first cloudy day we have had. The kids are still asleep at 7:45. This is very different; they have been getting up at 5:30-6:00 am. I am happy they are sleeping in.
Yesterday, I told you about the oven. I thought I would tell you about the other things that I find different.
In the kitchen, there is no disposal—apparently none in Australia. What I thought was a coffee pot is really a hot water kettle. It is electric and holds enough water for 12 cups. No one uses electric drip coffee makers. I tried to even buy one. Thankfully I packed my French press in our crate. So I will be able to have non-instant coffee when the “box” gets here—maybe next week??
The electric outlets all have a power on/off switch above each outlet. You are supposed to have all outlets off when you are not using an item. So even the oven has a switch I am to turn off when we are not using it. However it messes up the digital clock every time—it is a military time digital clock—so I don’t use it much anyway. The idea is that no electricity seeps wastefully.
The toilets are taller and more narrow than US toilets. On the back, on the tank lid is the flusher. There are two. Shaped kind of like the ying/yang symbol. Depending on your “business” there is a stronger heavier water flow with the flush. The water that stays in the bowl is minimal all most non-existent. Again, the purpose is to conserve water.
The beds are longer but narrower than in US. I think our queen is about 6-8 inches wider. So, a full size bed is like a ¾ bed.
Our phone number is 8 digits not 7. You say the date—day, then month, then year. The vacuums are not “suck –worthy” they stink. I thought it was just the one I have. But, through conversation have found that mine is typical. It conserves energy I am told????? Uses more of my energy, though.
My washer is Whirlpool so all is normal there. The dryer is wall mounted and it extracts water and drains the water to the utility sink. It uses air cool or hot to dry, but the extraction is new to me. The vent is on the front door and it just vents into the laundry room through the lint collector in the door. So needless to say it gets quite warm in there. Yes, I have to turn the outlets off when the washer and dryer are not in use.
The coins are different. There is no penny so your bill is just rounded up or down to the nearest $.10. There are 1 dollar and 2 dollar coins. These are golden. The one dollar is large similar to our silver dollar. But the 2 dollar is small like our dime but thicker. We have no one dollar bills. The bills are different sizes the 5 is smaller than the 10 for example.
Kait, Sam and I walked to the mall to get school uniforms and shoes. Each school wears uniforms. Public or private—no exception—through year 12. Each school has its own distinct colors and plaids. There is a summer and winter uniform. We are in summer, so we got the summer uniform. Kait’s is a simple light cotton dress that is blue plaid, peter pan collar and simple tie at the neck. She wears black leather tie shoes and little white socks. She must wear her hair up or in a pony tail, with the school bow (blue and yellow). Sam’s is a button down royal blue cotton shirt and grey elastic broad cloth shorts. His socks are grey with a blue and yellow stripe that he must cuff. His shoes are black leather tied. They both must wear the school hat and use the school back pack. It is royal blue with the school crest embroidered on it. That is what they wear Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesday, Thursday they wear a gold polo (golf shirt) with the crest embroidered on it and royal blue knit shorts. Kait also has the option of wearing a pleated skirt. Tues and thurs. are sport days so they also wear white gymmers (tennis shoes). The winter uniform is worse—I will let you know. I will get pictures on their first day!
They wanted to go to McDonalds for lunch. It is similar to home—kinda gross.
Just now, Jenny Edwards stopped by. When John and I first moved to Napoleon, she and her husband were in Delta. She and I went to Sauder’s museum and to the park in Napoleon. We also had them for dinner at our house one night. Mom and Dad also had us both to their home for dinner. She brought TimTams—an Australian cookie, and the promise to get together next weekend. The world is quite small!
We are content and happy. Sam is playing match-box on the floor with Alex. Kait and Emma in her room doing girl stuff.
We have been here one week today!!!!!!!!!!!! We have survived and are very pleased to be here.
Well, I still have to learn to drive. But, that will be on another day!!!!!
This is the school uniform for summer Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Don't they seem excited!! They do really like school so far. There are many fun activities as the school year is ending. They are taking a week long water safety class. There is a swim carnival (like a field day -only at the pool). They are going to a rugby game. They have an afternoon at the beach, a talent contest, a trip to the art museum. Oh christmas parties, a special christmas liturgy. Imagine U.S. teachers having year-end activities combined with Christmas activites--it is all a blur--I think. All of that in 3.5 more weeks.
There they go! The day is beautiful--Low 80's and clear blue skies. 
