Tuesday, January 25, 2011

the 'two' blog. two things lost. two weeks to go.

In two weeks time we will be in BA! And, I have had a fun old time preparing myself by losing two very important things:

1) On Saturday, I was enjoying making a killer smoked trout and salad toasted sandwich with mayo (very fancy). I was so excited about this sandwich that I opened the fridge door (to return the mayo to its' rightful place) without moving my foot out of the way! It wasn't until about 5 seconds after I closed the fridge again,  that I noticed that my big toe nail was lifted out of the nail bed (a couple of millimetres from where it should have been) and that blood was pouring from it. I'd caught the end of the toe nail on the bottom of the fridge door! Pain.

An uncharacteristically short trip to the hospital and a referral to a podiatrist confirmed that there would be no soccer, beach or exercise for a few weeks + no normal toe nail for about 3 months. Fun stuff. But hey, it means more chill time with Mik, more catching up with friends, more bass practice and more football manager 2011 during the next two weeks while we wait to leave.

2) The second thing lost was my hair. Mik and I decided to cut my long locks in preparation for a more formal/corporate line of employment in BA. My hair was the longest I've ever had it, so it was tough to see it go. Mik and I could have made a wig out of the removed hair! Nice to have it out of the eyes and easy to manage though, but my hippy/rock muso status has dropped about 5 points. Ah well, got to embrace changes!

So, a little bit of an informative/whinge centred first-addition to this blog by yours truly, but this should be very much over-shadowed in the coming weeks by the excitement of our impending adventures during our new 'Life In Argentina'.

I look forward to reflecting on the music, futbol and language in my posts!

Ciao,

Chris

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Off off and away..

No, we havn't flown off yet, but all our personal belongings were picked up today to be shipped off into the sunset on a boat! haha
So that was a big step..seeing all those boxes loaded into a yellow 'pack & send' van.. I really hope it gets to our door in Buenos Aires!!

We also went back to the Argentine Consulate today for our interview. It went really well, we are fine with our visa's. Should have them back with our passports in a week or two! hoorraaah

And I found our what musical we are doing at school this year, 'Oliver'!
very excited to be starting this new job, so keen to get plugged into my work and make magic happen! weeeeeeee

love miki
xo

Saturday, January 15, 2011

I'll be 24 and taking off to Arg!

So happy bday today for meee! I will be officially a 24 yr old as I fly to Argentina! What a great time to head of on this adventure!!

I have some photos to post up of us getting all our stuff packed up to be shipped off! Chris is so so good at it, he did most of it.. I flitted around like a unfocused git not wanting to spend hours sifting through files and ornaments and plates and whatever else you collect over your life..
and to be honest, we didn't even have a lot!! we have only lived together for just over a year! haha


Anyways, our lives fit into about 18 boxes and some beasty suitcases that will go with us on the plane!
It was a big job that we did over about 2-3 days (and there were lots of breaks)..

We are just waiting to hear from my school as to what company we are using to ship out belongings over.
Ooo and as you can see in the front there is our new 'vivo' tv... yes vivo... hmmm
but it was cheap and we now have good speakers for better quality sound and it will be splendid in Arg, we just have to get this chip thing installed and it will be most excellent! Then we can watch tv in Espaniol and pick up the language quicker.. well that was our idea, or maybe my idea... Chris is sooo looking forward to turning on the TV to watch good quality football that is on air at a reasonable hour at night (not 4am in the morning like it is in Australia)... Maybe I will finally watch it and learn how this game really works..
When I watch soccer, I just watch the ball being kicked around the field. What Chris has told me is that you watch the formations and strategy of the players.... which I have no clue about at all.... something for me to learn!

We went to the Argentine Consulate last week, we dropped in all our papers FINALLY! It is an very expensive and stressful and frustrating process getting everything ready for our working visas! (as I have probably said before. The reception dude called Luis at the counter at the Consulate was lovely! He explained to me what this sign means:


If you don't know what the words mean around the border it says, "Republic Argentina, Consulate General"....  The blue and white in the centre are the colours of the Argentinian flag. The two hands holding together represent unity and togetherness. The small red hat on the stick signifies peace. And that's that. I thought it was really interesting what countries use to represent themselves! I like what this one means =D

So we have a meeting with the Consulate General this coming Tuesday at 2.30pm in the city in Sydney (20/44 Market St.. if you were wondering). This hopefully will be the last step necessary in getting us to South America legally with no hiccups!
It could seem like a test..if you can get through all the paper work and immigration process and arrive in Buenos Aires okay, than you are deemed worthy of living in the country...
Oh so looking forward to landing in BA! How exciting!

I have been looking online at restaurants in BA (Buenos Aires), and seeing what the prices are like in fancy restaurants. The Argentinian Peso (ARS) allows Aussies to travel very very cheaply!! A posh restaurant with all courses and drinks (I think.. it was in Espaniol), was like $20AUD!!! WOW

ooo what's ahead is one big giant birthday/lifetime wish come true!
YIPEEE!

love miki

Thursday, January 13, 2011

8th February, 2011 @ 1pm

And there is the date and time of when we jet set off to our new home!
We are flying with Aerolinas Argentina... does anyone know if this is a good airline for a 13 hr flight?

I'm so excited and nervous!
We still haven't shipped our belongings.. waiting for confirmation from St George's.. I'm getting anxious! At least everything is packed!

Chris and I have continued shopping for bits and pieces. I have a new work wardrobe which is amazing!!! I will be looking very presentable at school, really happy about that.
Chris now has to get some ties and shirts and outfits for school also. Much more corporate than the public schools here in Australia!

We have our interview with the Argentine Consulate next Tuesday, that will hopefully be the final paperwork step in getting our working visa status.

Did you know we have all the same rights as an Argentinian citizen after living there for 2 years! we can buy land and property there if we want, get a passport...my kids later on can have Argentinian passports!! how amazing is that!! weeeee... the possibilities of living abroad is super super!

Yesterday we were at the Arg Consulate submitting our documents and application, we were in the waiting room and listening to the reception dude talking to others in the office and they were speaking so smooth and fast in Espaniol.. chris and I were looking at each other and going "how are we gonna learn this"!! so excited to learn Spanish fluent! and it's gonna be challenging!!

woohoooo!! that's all I can say!

love miki

(when I write 'Arg' it is short for 'Argentina')

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Buying 'stuff'

And so today we were on the hunt for those essential things we need for Argentina. Things that we need to pack on the shipping container that we don't have...those 'expensive' things that are on sale at the moment. Erina Fair shopping centre is ridiculously crazy at the moment!
Chris and I had a list and just went in and got it all!
We went to a bag shop and got a beast of a suitcase for 70% off!

Anyways, all this 'stuff' that we have just purchased is cheaper buying here than in Arg (Argentina)- so we've been told. So while we buy yummy bed linen and face cream I know I can't get over there and all the other bits and bobs...at least we know we will be all set to power on and have a comfy nest over in Arg!

and while this post seems a little fruity loopy and pointless.. me writing on this blog makes me so so eager to be writing while we're over there!!
buzzing!!

If you are reading, feel free to drop comments, I love it when people comment! will just make my excitement be even more retarded!
yay

love miki
xo

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

It has begun..

So packing to move overseas has begun!
Sure, we moved out of our house and have culled all the junk...but this is packing to move overseas...getting all the nice new boxes and choosing what we will take and what we will throw or store...We have got 8 standard boxes packed! We have learnt that the shipping crate we can get can fit about 21 boxes. So we have made a good chunk in... we think we are about half way with our personal items packed!
But who wants to hear about cardboard boxes..
I'll tell ya how I'm feeling.
Apart from the anxiousness of not having all our immigration documents together yet (and we fly in a month!) I am SOOOO EXCITED! Chris and I talk about this decision to be overseas and we just buzz!! I feel like I verbally say over and over "Oh, it's gonna be such a cool adventure," and I find myself saying it over and over in my head and before I go to sleep! very cool!
I'm fully looking forward to starting this job at St Georges!! Can't wait to get into the department and create some funky Koelma craziness! haha. Time to engage these Argentinian kiddies into the language of Music! woohoooo!!
Will write again soon with what expectations I have.. wish I could say I had none, but we always do.

love miki
xo