Our time in DC was so short. We wanted to see so many friends and we wanted to see so many things but when it came right down to it Shawn had to work. So we spent our time there actually getting stuff done for our move to Manila.
However we were blessed enough to get together with one family, who we love dearly. We were in Paraguay together and our kids were good friends. The Pierces made their way to the hotel on Monday evening, we spent a few hours catching up and then grabbed some dinner before heading to the park to play. The park is such a wonderful park, on Barton (for those DCers interested) and it kept the kids entertained for hours.
Eli was constantly getting "lost" at the park. I even went over and stood right by the play structure to make sure that he would not wander off and get lost with the oh so many people at the park. But before I knew it he had disappeared.
I surveyed the park and noticed the ice cream truck stopped in the road with a line around the block. But if you know my child you know he has no patience; so I found him at the front of the line with his hands out. Before I could get to him he was running toward me with a "tweat."
Trying not to shake him for scaring me nearly to death I stomped over to the stroller and grabbed my wallet to pay the ice cream man for the sucker my son had clearly begged off of him. I stuck my head in the window and said, "Hi, you gave my son a sucker, how much do I owe you?" He smiled at me and said, "Oh, he gave me a quarter for it.
Not only was I shocked that Eli had a quarter to give (although he has been keeping "treasures" in his pockets, apparently for this very purpose) but I was even more shocked that he knew what to do with it. I guess living in a cash economy he has picked up a thing or two.
So now I know I need to guard my spare change or my 4 year old will be buying suckers from every ice cream vendor he sees.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
How much is too much?
I am a believer that life at post is what you make of it. I truly believe I could be happy in any post. Maybe not as happy as I could be in say London or Madrid; but nonetheless there is good and bad about each post.
So I wanted to start this by telling you how much I love Paraguay. Sure there are things that drive me crazy, the coke store closes in the middle of the day everyday (yes, I know it is sad that the coke store is on the top of my list, but if you know me you know I love Coke), drivers think they are the MOST important person on the road, buses stop every 30 feet to let people on or off, everything is closed on Saturday after noon (so get your errands done early)! But Paraguay has so much to offer. All in all the people are so nice and want to help, in general they love Americans, I can walk pretty much anywhere (in my neighborhood) during the day without a second thought, we have hot (yes blazing hot) and cold (actually really chilly) seasons, we have a pool in our yard, and there are even some extra benefits we have a maid, and a cook, gardener, and massage therapist that come to the house once a week. It would not seem that I have much to complain about. In fact I dare say (being so far away from family aside) the pros out weigh the cons.
However, our housing here has been one big headache. We were put in a house that although lovely was unable to be repaired when it rained. It rained inside every time it rained outside. So after some pleading from those in housing we decided to move. We put the request in with the embassy and were given a house with a whole different set of problems. From day one my 4 year old has been sick. I reported the smell of mold to maintenance and the health unit. We spent months fighting to get someone to fix the issue. I even switched his bedroom with my older son because I thought that might help. People came over to the house with moisture readers and told me that the house was in fact very moist, "but there is nothing we can do about it. We live in Paraguay, it is humid." I finally gave up the fight knowing we only had 6 months left.
In April we returned from a trip and our floor had a bubble in it. Not just a little bubble a bubble that was about 5 feet long and 4 feet wide. So in early May the work finally began. When they pulled up the floor there was so much mold they could not relay the floor. They cleaned it and let it dry (only the 5x4 section of it because there must not be mold anywhere else). It dried for nearly 2 weeks before they finally relayed the floor. Once it was relayed the repair guy told me that when they finished the floor we would need to be out of the house for 12 hours. They would start about 8 am and could probably return to the house around 10 or 11 at night. Really??? What am I supposed to do with my kids for all that time? So I told them to wait to refinish the floor until we moved.
Now we have the exact same issue in another part of our house. The direct exposure to the mold has caused breathing problems and headaches for everyone. Even keeping my kids away from the area it is still in the air making everyone feel under the weather.
Although housing issues do arise when living stateside (I have had my fair share) dealing with them while living overseas adds a different kind of stress. It is not in my power to fix it. We can't just move. And we run the risk of pissing off the people we work with/for. And this one has been especially hard because my husband (the state employee) has not been here to advocate for our family, so we have in a way been swept under the rug, so to speak.
So although one would think the pro's out weigh the con's of living here, once you factor in our housing experience, for me, it quickly leans in the other direction.
So I wanted to start this by telling you how much I love Paraguay. Sure there are things that drive me crazy, the coke store closes in the middle of the day everyday (yes, I know it is sad that the coke store is on the top of my list, but if you know me you know I love Coke), drivers think they are the MOST important person on the road, buses stop every 30 feet to let people on or off, everything is closed on Saturday after noon (so get your errands done early)! But Paraguay has so much to offer. All in all the people are so nice and want to help, in general they love Americans, I can walk pretty much anywhere (in my neighborhood) during the day without a second thought, we have hot (yes blazing hot) and cold (actually really chilly) seasons, we have a pool in our yard, and there are even some extra benefits we have a maid, and a cook, gardener, and massage therapist that come to the house once a week. It would not seem that I have much to complain about. In fact I dare say (being so far away from family aside) the pros out weigh the cons.
However, our housing here has been one big headache. We were put in a house that although lovely was unable to be repaired when it rained. It rained inside every time it rained outside. So after some pleading from those in housing we decided to move. We put the request in with the embassy and were given a house with a whole different set of problems. From day one my 4 year old has been sick. I reported the smell of mold to maintenance and the health unit. We spent months fighting to get someone to fix the issue. I even switched his bedroom with my older son because I thought that might help. People came over to the house with moisture readers and told me that the house was in fact very moist, "but there is nothing we can do about it. We live in Paraguay, it is humid." I finally gave up the fight knowing we only had 6 months left.
In April we returned from a trip and our floor had a bubble in it. Not just a little bubble a bubble that was about 5 feet long and 4 feet wide. So in early May the work finally began. When they pulled up the floor there was so much mold they could not relay the floor. They cleaned it and let it dry (only the 5x4 section of it because there must not be mold anywhere else). It dried for nearly 2 weeks before they finally relayed the floor. Once it was relayed the repair guy told me that when they finished the floor we would need to be out of the house for 12 hours. They would start about 8 am and could probably return to the house around 10 or 11 at night. Really??? What am I supposed to do with my kids for all that time? So I told them to wait to refinish the floor until we moved. Now we have the exact same issue in another part of our house. The direct exposure to the mold has caused breathing problems and headaches for everyone. Even keeping my kids away from the area it is still in the air making everyone feel under the weather. Although housing issues do arise when living stateside (I have had my fair share) dealing with them while living overseas adds a different kind of stress. It is not in my power to fix it. We can't just move. And we run the risk of pissing off the people we work with/for. And this one has been especially hard because my husband (the state employee) has not been here to advocate for our family, so we have in a way been swept under the rug, so to speak.
So although one would think the pro's out weigh the con's of living here, once you factor in our housing experience, for me, it quickly leans in the other direction.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
7 Months and Not a Peep!
So I really thought I would be a great blogger while my hubby was in Afghanistan. I was going to let the world know just what our Unaccompanied Tour was like and how like so many others have claimed, it was "so much easier than expected."
Well, after September 13 I realized this year was going to be hard. It was going to be filled with fear and worry, sleepless nights and tears. Lots and lots of tears.
I had decided to stay at post. I did this for a million reasons but mostly because we didn't know where we would be headed next so I didn't want my kids to be in 4 schools over the course of 2.5 years. Sounds reasonable right? I did not take into account that our embassy would have a HUGE turn over the summer my hubby left and thus no one would know me. I would be left out of the embassy community and at home counting the days until our next R&R.
I was unofficially asked to move houses right before my hubby left because of an uncompliant landlord, and the process to move after he left was a NIGHTMARE. Not just moving but navigating the embassy politics when I didn't have anyone at post to call BS on my behalf. The house we were moved to all though not perfect is better than the one we left in so many aspects, but I'm not sure it was worth the fight to make it all happen.
We have had some exciting adventures this year because the UT provided some extra money to splurge on a couple of great vacations.
In December the kids and I visited Panama. We spent a few days just hanging out on the beach, swimming and playing. Then we took a tour and saw the Panama canal and visited the Natives. It was truly amazing. A few days later we met up with the hubby for Christmas and enjoyed 2.5 weeks together.
In April we flew to Germany and stayed in Garmisch for 2 weeks. It was amazing. Other than 2 days in the hospital because Eli took a fall we saw it all and still had time to relax and EAT!
May also brought an R&R. The hubby came "home" and we tried to have life as normal. The kids going to school and we spent the days planning our pack out and watching movies. Oh yeah, and we took 3 days and went to Rio ALONE!
We are about to say our final good-bye of this UT and begin the craziness of end of the school year and sorting through the house to lessen our load. Good-bye's SUCK! And even with the mantra of only 45 days to go, I wonder how we are going to do it.
We are looking forward to being a family again, we are excited to move to Manila, and we already have a summer packed full of activities.
I hope to be a better blogger in Manila.....but honestly, probably not.
Well, after September 13 I realized this year was going to be hard. It was going to be filled with fear and worry, sleepless nights and tears. Lots and lots of tears.
I had decided to stay at post. I did this for a million reasons but mostly because we didn't know where we would be headed next so I didn't want my kids to be in 4 schools over the course of 2.5 years. Sounds reasonable right? I did not take into account that our embassy would have a HUGE turn over the summer my hubby left and thus no one would know me. I would be left out of the embassy community and at home counting the days until our next R&R.
I was unofficially asked to move houses right before my hubby left because of an uncompliant landlord, and the process to move after he left was a NIGHTMARE. Not just moving but navigating the embassy politics when I didn't have anyone at post to call BS on my behalf. The house we were moved to all though not perfect is better than the one we left in so many aspects, but I'm not sure it was worth the fight to make it all happen.
We have had some exciting adventures this year because the UT provided some extra money to splurge on a couple of great vacations.
In December the kids and I visited Panama. We spent a few days just hanging out on the beach, swimming and playing. Then we took a tour and saw the Panama canal and visited the Natives. It was truly amazing. A few days later we met up with the hubby for Christmas and enjoyed 2.5 weeks together.
In April we flew to Germany and stayed in Garmisch for 2 weeks. It was amazing. Other than 2 days in the hospital because Eli took a fall we saw it all and still had time to relax and EAT!
May also brought an R&R. The hubby came "home" and we tried to have life as normal. The kids going to school and we spent the days planning our pack out and watching movies. Oh yeah, and we took 3 days and went to Rio ALONE!
We are about to say our final good-bye of this UT and begin the craziness of end of the school year and sorting through the house to lessen our load. Good-bye's SUCK! And even with the mantra of only 45 days to go, I wonder how we are going to do it.
We are looking forward to being a family again, we are excited to move to Manila, and we already have a summer packed full of activities.
I hope to be a better blogger in Manila.....but honestly, probably not.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)