Monday, February 21, 2011

Tired Legs

They are sooo tired! Chris and I can't get over how achy our poor legs are from all the walking we are doing! and on top of that, I also am am doing a bike spin class every Lunas, Miercoles y Vienes (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). I went every day (Mon, Wed, Fri) last week and did it tonight and just loving it!
I have been going with Peggy who is such a beautiful lady! She is a prep school (primary) teacher at St Georges. She is English and has travelled the world. She is living in the apartment right above ours and we go to the cycle class together.
It is so much fun!! the bikes are soo old and squeeky, but work fine and the music is fun and I find I am laughing so much during the class. Talk about hoisting the endorphins! Loving it!

And it's so special to have a female friend who I am bounce with. We are definitely similar and Pegs is just a vibrant happy spirit. Blessed to have a friend like her!

Well I need to get these achy legs into bed. One more day left before the students come back to school. Soooo much to do before then! But the department is definitely coming together nicely. I will take more pictures and put them up on Facebook and on this blog.

Do you notice that I haven't talked that much about food?!
Well, just let me add this. I had the most AMAZING asado for dinner!!! oh my it was good!!! I have not tasted meat cooked like that before!! Now I feel like I am officially in Argentina! yiippeeeeee
hehe

love Miki
xo

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Big day. Big Week. This is a big life

And so, it has been a little while since my last blog. Chris and I have indeed been very very very very busy! We start at 8am and did not leave school today till 7pm. big day.

So where to begin? well the last account from us left us at our Sunday adventure into Quilmes, where I found myself making my way home (all by myself as Chris played futbol) from Palermo. So I caught a taxi..and in very broken Espanol tried having a conversation with the driver, he was so lovely! Actually Argentinian people in general are very very friendly and lovely! They welcome you with a kiss. Even the men do this, Chris is getting a bit of this action! haha its so cultural and cool and normal here!! I go around kissing everyone! haha.. you can imagine.. and its a friendly kiss on the cheek..you know, like the italians do.
Well, got to la constituccion estacion (BA city centre train station-like central station in sydney kinda thing- train terminates and all that jazz) and got on my train no problems for 90 centavos, which is 20c in AUD! So its bum cheap and its a half hour train trip...and sure the train floor is filthy, but the seats are good and open windows and doors! haha.. people sit at the open door while the train is flying and hang their feet out!
(no don't worry mum, I would never to that. hehe)
So we were 10mins into the trip from the city back to Quilmes when we stopped at a station and didn't move for 45mins..I managed to ask in espanol what the problem was and figure out that the nice lady was saying 'broken' and I could ask how long it would take and she said less than half an hour!! amazing how much Chris and I have picked up espanol!! I'm absolutely loving it!!
However, we absolutely suck at it too..I feel so muted when in meetings with all the Argentinian staff.. when they start discussing or a teacher is presenting and it's all in espanol, you feel very dumb, and bored...I listen to hard my brain hurts and I still can't piece together a sentence yet...and they speak so fast!!! I am so excited to be able to do that! I'm not really a jealous person..but I'm so jealous of wanting to speak espanol!!


This is my office..it's going to be painted tomorrow!!

1yr old expensive roof.. the kids stabbed it with pens
when unsupervised! It's sooo not happening again!!
Okay, so news from the school front. Well here are some photos of my music department. Now this department is in a very very bad way... it has had no TLC (tender loving care) for a very long time! The roof has got pen stab marks in it.. there are holes in the walls.. it is filthy!! I have mouse poo in my drawers and ants making their home in my floors..Now, while that sounds all so tragic and mortifying (which it is), it has sent Chris and I into a frenzy of culling out the crap.. getting painters in, testing all the instruments.. and doing all that (which is a mammoth job) while attending hour long meetings back to back... grasping a whole new system of schooling..thinking musicals and choirs and being asked to have duties in the girls boarding house..sooo much to bloody think about and I had a melt down today...
And so the ants moved in...

I have been going so strong and confident and diplomatic all week and now Thursday has come and everything is kicking along good and I had a melt down..
Yes there were tears, but it's okay..one little bite at a time and this music department is going to sparkle!!

I haven't even thought too much about what I am going to teach, and I'm not to worried either which is good. It really helps having two full years under your belt. And being in a school where the national curriculum is so far behind that anything I have been teaching in Australia is waaaay beyond and awesome!! so I'm pretty set with tweaking along the way.

Now I dedicate this next part to my awesome husband! I could not have done this music job alone! Chris and been fully hands on when he isn't in meetings with maths or IT or the other amount of meetings everyone goes too (and it seems more for the new international staff). He is in there whenever he can helping me clear out everything and then repairing so many of the damaged instruments by himself. checking which ones are still playable and functioning. I have had no time to even think about doing that stuff!! It just wouldn't have ever gotten done without him!!! my hero

So things are going good. Social wise its been sooo fun! we had dinner at Melanie's house last night and had the BEST empanadas I have had yet.. all the other expats who have been here for years claim they are winners also!! Empanadas are like little pasties with different flavours.. I LOVE the spinach ones and the spicy meet ones are amazing too!! haha!! and they deliver!!
To keep all this food gorging effects away, I have joined a spin class with a months membership! it cost about $20AUD for a 3 nights a week spin class. I have been twice so far only joining on Wednesday! 1st class was free! It is sooooooo fun! and the spin classes are so different! You know how we have a dark room and all the thick driven music.. well here its super small, old rickety spin bikes, all big lights are on and the music is totally latino and catchy and fun! the instructor is so fit, her name is Gloria (I love that name!) she would have to be super fit 50yr old chick!! and I go with Peggy who is a Prep school (primary school) teacher at St Georges. She lives in the apartment above us. I love her!! a bit hippy, travelled the world, open minded and free spirited! She is a lot of fun! Glad to have a girl I can connect with close by. Just so blessed!

will update soon! the weekend is ahead and I think a good chunk of the time will be in the music department continuing to set up! and hopefully we will have bought bicicletas (bicycles)! Mine must have a basket!!

All my love,
Miki
xo

Sunday, February 13, 2011

futbol in Argentina

Hola amigos,

Well, it's been about 5 days here in BA and it has been full on to say the least! We have learnt so much about this place, the language and its' vibe, that it already feels like we've been here for weeks. But, as promised my entry today will focus on the futbol in Argentina.

I have just got back via taxi from Palermo, a suburb in the North of BA capital, where I played in an indoor football torneo (tournament) with a bunch of ex-pats and Argentines. I have been researching to find out about the local leagues etc. over the last couple of days and I found the BAFA group (Buenos Aires Futbol Amigos). They are a cool bunch of guys and it just so happens that there was a spare spot in a team for the tournament! I was stoked and started to make plans to see how the hell I was going to get to Palermo.

Mik and I decided to make a day of it and tied in a trip to San Telmo markets as well as some exploration of the city centre, which is absolutely massive. This was real cool. Lots of art, music on the streets and handicrafts + heaps of dodgy Argentina national team shirts with 'Messi' printed on the back. Today was hot (about 35C). Whilst the markets were great, next to nothing was open elsewhere in the city as it was a Sunday. It was like a ghost city. Not many cars, shops locked up and just these massive Victorian-style buildings everywhere. We caught the local train and then the 'subte' (metro underground) to get into the city, so it was probably a good day to get a feel for the public transport system without getting nailed by a million pedestrians and cars.

With our entry into the 'ciudad' (google-translate-it, I dare ya) smoothly completed and the market street walked and viewed, it was time to head to Palermo. After a rather un-eventful lunch at a somewhat snooty little cafe, we headed to the subte and shot off for our station, which was named none-other than 'Aguero' station. Which brings me nicely back to the football:

The level at the torneo was good, but actually not as high as I expected to be honest - probably cause a bunch of the ex-pats were over-the-top Americanos, who were so serious about every pass they played I could've sworn we were playing professionally at times. But there were a few guns in some of the teams and they were cool to watch! My toe was giving me some grief, but I had a good few games and banged in a couple of goals whilst wearing my Aussie 'Cahill' number 4 shirt to represent. I met some nice chicos (guys) and sweated most of my body weight in the heat. I also met an American ex-pat (one of the guns) who plays in a local league and he's going to put me in touch with some guys...so we'll see how that goes! Not sure how I'll go with the 1 hour journey to Palermo on a Wednesday night to play with the guys again, but it's a nice start to my footballing experience in Argentina!

Mik left to make her way home by herself before I started the tournament (her journey back to Quilmes is another story in itself!). After the tournament, I caught a taxi back to Quilmes (about a 40 min drive without traffic - and being a Sunday, there wasn't any traffic). It was killer! The entire taxi ride, the driver and I talked. Well, let's say that he talked and I 'worded'. He was asking me all sorts of questions and I was doing my best to answer in probably the most broken Spanish he's ever heard. But it's amazing how in the 5 days that we've been here we have been able to pick up so much of the language. Talk about the benefits of cultural immersion for language development all you teachers!!

So, I'm sitting here in Torres 1 (remember?) fairly knackered, having eaten a solid dinner and reflecting on a cool day.

Wow...a car just beeped a song the whole way down the street as it drove passed! Oh...by the way, Quilmes lost their opening game of the season in the Clausura Futbol Championship. The town was eerily quiet last night :(

Tomorrow, Mik and I start at the school. It's been a great few days of settling in and exploring some of our surroundings. There's lots more to see...but we've made a start and we like what we're seeing so far. Next on the list of explorative experiences is la musica (MUSIC!).

Ciao ciao amigos y amigas, buenos noches.

Chris.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Habla Ingles?

So I have my little spiel before going up to someone in a shop or cafe sorted:
"Habla Ingles?" (Do you speak English?)
-the answer is most likely no-
"Yo soy Ingles... Lo siento.." (I am English.. Sorry)
-Then I get stuck... what am I actually trying to say to this person? So now, I make sure I have written down previously in Espanol what I am wanting.. and so my story of today continues..-

I am in dire need of a full leg/bikini wax (sorry gentleman).. and I had no idea how to go about finding a reputable salon..let alone asking for it all in espanol.. BUT NOW I CAN! (I am such a clever cookie.. haha)

I had recommendations to a beauty salon on Mitre (pronounced 'meat-ray' street..they don't use street here.. just the name.. but it is a street non the less) called 'Queens.' I also was well prepared with the words I needed to ask exactly what I wanted done.
"Quisiera una depilicion, por favor." (I would like a wax, please)
"Pierna entera y cavado" (Full leg and bikini)
"Cuanto cuesta?" (How much?)

So I was set!! I walked there and went in, a little unsure how my espanol would go... and it worked! I did have to ask, "Puedes por favor, habla mas despacio" (Could you please speak slowly)... so I could get the price right... anyways.. as it turned out I had a 40min wait before I could get it done and I had left myself hardly anytime before I had our first welcome work lunch... I definitely did not want to rock up to that with my reason being, 'sorry, I was getting my legs waxed.." haha! can you imagine!! So I said I would be back Lunes (Monday)...which I managed to say with lots of smiles and hand gestures.. haha!!

It is just so so good getting out there and trying!! honestly.. its the only way to learn it! If someone who could speak espanol had come with me and spoken it all for me.. I would never have learnt!! cool hey!!

The work lunch asado was great!!! so much tender tasty carne (meat).. my tummy is not 100%... when I was in India, the boys would call it 'dust'... which is the hindi word for.. well you guessed it...
But i'm okay and happy and had a really great time meeting everyone! some great conversations were had! so many different personalities!
We just got back from a local pub (which was actually really classy and excellent!) we successfully ordered our drinks in espanol.
"Agua con gas, con limon fresca fetas y hielo" (Sparkling water with fresh lemon slices and ice), can't wait to order that for mum and dad when they come over, it's what they like drinking too =D

Speaking of parents, both of ours are booked in to come visit! how cool is that!!! Mine in May, Chris' in August!! very neat!

We are off on an adventure to Capital (buenos aires city centre) tomorrow!!
Will keep you posted!

love miki
xoxo

Friday, February 11, 2011

Dia 2

Day 2


So having had woken up at 3am in the morning and not being able to fall back to sleep..our second day felt long.. I went to bed at about 6.30pm..i couldn't stay awake any longer and now I am up at 4am.. dang! jetlag leave me!!!

We stayed at home skyping all morning to mum and dad and internetting and chilling out and made 'huevos' on toast (eggs). The eggs are cool, the shells were blanco which means white.. pure white large eggs! yokes are a nice yellow..haha.. i can't believe I am describing eggs!

As I look out my dark window, the sky has a continual orange glow...never lived in a city before.. the buses and trucks are so loud and noisy as they drive by..such different sounds.. I miss the cicadas and bell birds in the morning from our central coast. I'm sure I won't notice the dogs barking and traffic noises after awhile..
By the way, this is a beetle we found trudging its way through the grass on a field at the school. We went to the college today to hand in some documents etc.. It looked like a mini rino to me which his big tusks.. Chris thinks it is a dung beetle?! there were lots of them in the grass... makes me think about walking in the grass bare foot..wouldn't want to land on one.. ouch

And here is what one of the buildings look like as you walk in through the main gates off Guido (our street). It is the 'Prep' building, which is the primary school classrooms. I reckon College (Secondary) buildings look even cooler!! The inside is sooo beautiful and old school. lots of dark woods...maybe a bit victorian.. very cool!!


We met Peggy today, she lives in the apartment above us. She came here at 12 noon and just chatted, We found out she is a very well travelled woman! She has been at St Georges for a year now, she came to the school by herself, no partner. She has been to Asia and Australia 3 times, lived in Mexico..she is from the UK. She is a primary teacher and really enjoying it at the college. We went up to have a look at her apartment and it was sooo cool! I can't wait to get our boxes to make this small place our home! She had cool artworks up and plants on her balcony and cool rugs and a comfy futon! We are going to get a sofa bed real soon!! We then all went down to ground and met up with the 2 other new expat groups. a couple with a 4 year old and a single guy called Thomas, all of them from the UK. We were joined by other expat families and people from the school who live in Quilmes. We all went to lunch to the Asado restaurant next door to the torres (towers-our apartments) called Senor Gomez. We had a big table where we order asado dining, which is Argentinian BBQ. they cook the meet over hot coals.. gives is such a lovely flavour.. Now,  I was told that the steak cuts like butter... well, I must have had extremely high expectations.. While the meat was cooked lovely and tasted great, I did have to saw through my steak with my knife.. It was restaurant steak quality of Australia I reckon.. and it wasn't the best one I have had in my life... I am yet to find the amazing Argentinian steak! haha! BUT IS WAS SOOO CHEAP! if you convert it to Aussie dollars, 2 steaks and a big salad and 2 bottles of water for Chris and I, it cost us together $17! nice.. Hogs Breath charge like $30 each for steaks like what we had!
And Senor Gomaz is right next door!! How convenient!

After food, I was ready for siesta.. all the shops actually shut from 2pm-4pm for siesta.. they just close and then reopen. So instead of napping, Chris and I went walking into the centre of Quilmes with Thomas (who is living in town, not in the torres like us). It was a good 20min walk and it was great!!! It was really bustling with people in the open mall, which is pedestrians only. there is a park with a fountain and lots of trees.
The shops kind of look like Kempsey or Tamworth shop fronts with the big boxy old school glass windows and dull signs.. however, the items are really modern and nice. cool clothes and food and jewellery and soccer gear (chris noted) etc... we found the train station that can take us straight into Capital (BA city centre) for 90cents. really cool! Walking back to el torres (the towers) was tiring..we stop across the road from where we live at our local fruiteria (green grocer). the shop room was about the size of a small bedroom and filled with crates of the freshest home grown fruit and vege! it smelt good! ripe peaches and bananas and salad and veggies and basil!! We bought veggies for dinner (which I never got to eat cause I crashed into bed early). We left with 2 large bags full of stuff for $7AUD.. amazing! will last us till next week! we also have a deli and Asian supermarket just round the corner! Very cool! The man was so lovely, I didn't get his name but will learn it soon i'm sure. It was rad trying to talk espanol with him..we were so bad at it!! haha, but so fun to have a go!

We have also learned that there are quite a few Indian restaurants in BA capital!! Chris and I want to hunt them out soon! will keep you posted.

Here is a espanol word of the day for you all...
'Pollo' (pronounced Poh-joh)- it means Chicken! and I have been walking around singing..'Pollo pollo pollo' it makes me think of my dear friend Mr James Crabtree who walks around saying 'baja baja baja'...so he will at least get what my song sounds like! haha.. helps me remember words when I sing them..haha





Love Miki
xo

Thursday, February 10, 2011

llegada y día uno

Arrival and Day 1


So it is 3:30am and we can't sleep.. so it's blog time.. it is all I can think about, the day we have just had and what lies ahead.
................


Leaving Mum and Dad and Ger n Geoff at the airport wasn't easy. I felt rushed because time went so very fast! I didn't feel the same as flying to a holiday. The amount of time we were going to spend overseas, and having not planned anything at our new destination to get excited about really changed how I felt about going. The day of 'taking off' had finally arrived, and all I could think about was if all our extra (and there definitely was extra) baggage and instruments would get through the flight and out the other end okay. 
I know it wasn't long before we would have both our parents over here to see us in Quilmes, but I love them so much and all three of us women were tearing up. Happy and missing each other already. So thankful to have such amazing supportive parents and families. I'm so blessed to be connected to such encouraging, giving and loving parents, my friends! Big hugs to you mum and dad!!


okay, flight was loooong. it said direct 13hrs..but Aerolinas Argentina makes a short compulsory stop at Auckland (always...just so you know if you are flying with them..they are the cheapest direct to Buenos Aires). it was very basic.. one big screen for all to see. I recommend booking seat 25! near a tv, close to the front of the plane... however, the flight did arrive on time! I did not sleep and hadn't slept for over 24hrs when arriving.. I was stuffed and groggy and a great way to meet my new boss at the other end! haha
We went through immigration easy! we were at the front of the line. no problems.
we got all our luggage, all eight pieces, huge. no problems.
got out and there was Derek Pringle, the principal of St George's, with his car right out front. no problems!
It took about 20mins in not a lot of traffic to drive to our apartment building. There were lots of tariff stations on the highway.. all like 20cents a hit.. and we drove past lots of old run down looking apartments.. kind of like what you see in asia., but no motorbikes, not as crowded.. a cross between Vietnam and Europe maybe.. you'll just have to come see it =D
anyways, being so tired.. I zoned out and had to ask Derek to repeat a lot of things.. great way to start our first friendship here in BA.. haha.. it wasn't that bad..but gee I felt it.
Derek drove us through St Georges when we arrived in Quilmes, on the way into the city we noticed lots of shed like housing, junk yards that people live in..rubbish on the streets. this is a developing country and you can tell.
The school is a very nice thing indeed!! big big grounds.. all upkept..guards at the gates..European buildings, nearly 100yrs old!! it was GORGEOUS! and only 5 mins walk down from where we live!!
We are in the East part of Quilmes, we live in 1 of 4 apartment towers in a complex. There are guards at our gates also. We loaded everything in to the lifts and brought them up into our apartment! I was so tired, I had no reaction to where we live except to make Derek and our new friend Soledad (pronounced as it sounds, and she was a lovely lovely woman, about my age maybe older who organises everything to do with housing for the expats) feel like we loved the place. To me.. it feels like a holiday apartment and I have been speaking to myself saying.. 3 years 3 years 3 years. this space is ours for 3 flippin' years.. how nuts is that!!! 


The apartment is small. 1 bedroom, bathroom, kitchen with the washing machine in it, no dishwasher (which is fine), dining and lounge together with a large balcony perched on the 10th floor. Massive views of Quilmes city before us which is super pretty at night and like an old school city dominated with apartment blocks and rusty roofed sheds (peoples houses) during the day. Even though the streets are dirty, there are lots of trees! I love it!


We had a massive sleep our first night, our bed is a double and it is comfy as!!! hooorrraaay! (bedding is something I'm quite fussy about. hah). We have enough cupboard space for everything...however our 22 boxes from shipping is yet to arrive...dun dun duuuun (the scary music thing)..
Should be sweet..I'm telling myself half of what we packed was music cds and dvds for my music department... should be good...fingers crossed! haha
It will feel like xmas when our stuff arrives in a month. We will then be able to make this place home!


Sights, sounds and smells.. so very very different to Australia/Sydney.. I will liken it to a city..because that's what this place is... Buenos Aires is indeed a city...and we are living in a more residential area of the city... 'Capital' (pronounced 'cap-i-taaal' accent on the taal, make it tall sounding) is about a 30 min drive, traffic allowing, which is where all the city fun happens, theatre, live music, big eating and dancing etc... we have yet to explore this, maybe catch a taxi there Friday? Who knows. but the sights of what we have seen are cool... like I said, there is rubbish on the street, people here don't look after it. Everything is in Español, it is fun reading stuff and finding out what it means.. SOO KEEN TO LEARN THIS LANGUAGE! We are both so so excited. We are not very good at it, but its amazing how quick your ears adjust. already have picked up the lingo being used for greetings and sorry and things I have wanted to say but didn't know.. I can kind of say hello, im good, how are you, nod and smile and then goodbye.. that's all i have had to do when being introduced..haha! I say thankyou a lot to people in spanish! haha!


I was on the plane next to a woman who could only speak espanol and I when she was talking I couldn't understand her so I was saying 'de nada' which I thought meant 'i dont know'...well it actually meant 'you're welcome'...hahaha!! so I wonder what she thought.. I did manage to say in spanish that I spoke 'un piquito,' a little spanish and she said the same for ingles, english. We laughed a lot at ourselves cause we both sucked at each others language... I'm sure I will do this more! haha


The place sounds like a city.. buses drive by alll the time...like even now at 4am... big and loud. The coolest sound is horses clip clopping down our street. The poorer people own them instead of cars and the tow an old wooden cart and pick through peoples rubbish to find what recyables they can sell. Every 10mins there is a horse trotting by..its cool to hear the sound of horse shoes on a tar road.. don't get that back in oz! hah
It smells smokey in the morning and evening.. this is when restaurants start their asado (roasting of meat). The put a whole pig and cow over hot coals for hours.. we have an asado restaurant right next door to the apartment towers..we are going there for lunch today with all the new teachers and some staff from the towers. they say the steak is like cutting through butter!!! will let you know!
and its soooo cheap! a main meal, wine, entree and dessert for two people is less that $30...CRAZY!
approx. 3 pesos is $1... 30 pesos is $10.. my head is getting use to this..
It doesn't smell gross and dirty like Asia.. we have had fresh breezes through the doors here.. not many bugs either...


Okay,  so waking up at 11:30am, we had an hour before Simon arrived to take us to the school for a more extensive tour. 1st day in and we are into it! 5 min walk to school.. heaps of squashed dead frogs on the road.. small bats... and HUGE beetles which large pincers... am not wanting to see live ones..
Again, the school is gorgeous! the chapel was built in 1914 and is soooo quaint and beautiful inside!! the mosaic tile floor near the ornate pulpit is nuts! tradition is steeped in catholicism, however the religion of the school is 'optional'... its more 'tradition' than 'a catholic school.' can't wait to sing in that chapel!! haha! and it's my job to put together singing students to do just that! how wicked!!
The music department is all mine! Chris and I can see sooooo much potential!!!!!! my office is huge! it needs a good clean and some serious setting up.. the building is sooo beautiful! lots of practice rooms.. music classes are going to be great! it is set down the very back of the school.. so lots of noise I can make! woohoo... by the sounds of it.. Simon (my boss, head of creative arts) and Derek are saying its a fresh start, and it's my job to do it. dream job for a music teacher. so blessed!!


Went shopping for groceries. Jo (Simon's wife) drove us to 'Carrefour' which like Big W cross a Coles.. everything is in Espanol.. I can only remember how to say oil in spanish..'Oli' hahaha...
we spent lots on cleaning products etc... you know what a first shop is like.
Can't wait to go back and take my time..there is some super fun stuff to look at and try!! haha


So we went to bed at 10pm, woke up at 3am.. heading back to bed now.. hopefully up at 8am.. jetlag is poo.
Talked to our parents on skype. they know we are alive and toured them around our cool apartment.


Is it all to be what we imagined? Well, I tried really hard to not come with expectations.. Had no idea what Quilmes would be like. But I guess 3 months of waiting to leave gave lots of time to create images in my head about this place. I honestly thought our apartment would be 2 bedrooms (thats what the contract stipulated for 2 people.. or maybe I imagined that). But 1 bedroom is cosy..I have just been use to living in a house is all... its great!! fresh paint and wooden floor boards and a big balcony.. I have never lived in an apartment..or in a city where cars are heard 24/7.. but it hasn't kept us awake or anything..
Quilmes is a cool place to live! so different. 




I have more pictures on Facebook.. But here is one of Chris and I on our balcony last night.. a bit tired but happy and well, after our first full day in BA.

Sorry this is so long.. but how do I capture everything!
I have settled into a happy feeling place now, I'm more sure of how I feel about everything. Excited to get into a routine and learn more Spanish! SO so stoked to be here with my beautiful husband. We are such a team!!
We are surrounded by lovely welcoming and supportive happy people!! We have had no problems or stresses while being here. and God dwells in our hearts and has blessed us massive! How full we are with love and light and goodness!! so utterly blessed we are.

Miss you all. I definitely miss things now, and it is only the first day. I need to live in the moment and stop freakin out about 3 years here!!!

All my love,
Miki
xo

Sunday, February 6, 2011

2 more sleeps!

It has come so quick!! our next blog update will be from Buenos Aires!! wowow!! Can't believe this is it! so very excited!!!!

We have started packing our bags..Chris is so keen to start.. we have had way to long to think and prepare for leaving..we just want to be on the plane.. send off's and good byes are going on for days seeing people. and last night as we were hanging with friends, it hit me...it's so so good to spend time with the quality people in our lives. We will miss you all so much!

I saw my grandparents today, gave my Nanna and Grandy some goodbye hugs and exchange of emails. I have a very clever Nanna!! she will master skype and stay in touch over the internet, it's brilliant!! She is very excited.
We then drove over to Mama and Gidhi's house at Marmong Point and had lunch with them.
You know, I thought it would be easy saying goodbye to them, specially having spent time with them over christmas and holidays... But it really was hard. I feel very sad this afternoon. I miss them already. All I think about is how much time they gave me when I was growing up, the memories and their love. My grandparents are so loving and giving!
I looked into my Nan's and Mama's eyes and we both were welling up, choked up with tears. I really hope I will see them again!! It's a dealing with thing for me. I love them so very much. Just had to share how I feel this day.
Full of love and warmth and memories and missing them.

Makes me think how I will go saying goodbye to my mum and dad at the airport, they are my bestfriends. I know I will see them in a couple of months when they visit.. and skype and photos and calls etc...
But it is the realisation that I am stepping out.. a big step.. a new life.. together with my beautiful bestfriend and lover and husband!!

We are starting life anew and it is extremely thrilling and daunting.

Here we go, the adventure begins..

love Miki
xo