I've written before about how challenging it is to go shopping here. Grocery shopping is not ever a really fun task, but in Angola it borders on torture. The smells, the bugs, the crowds, the lack of edible food....it's no one's idea of a good time. Given all of that, I try very hard to not subject my kids to the grocery stores. Sometimes, though - it's unavoidable.
Last weekend, while we were out for lunch for Max's birthday (KFC - the one and only American 'restaurant' in Angola!), I needed to get a few groceries for dinner. I took Max and Molly with me, and Adam and Miles went to the car to wait for us. We had the misfortune of being at the closest grocery store to our house - which is also one of the nastiest. My plan was to grab the few items we needed, and get through the store as fast as possible. Well......it was Saturday, which is the worst day to be in the stores. It was even MORE crowded than usual. The kids and I navigated through the packed aisles, dodged the roaches (not exaggerating!) and got into one of the ridiculously long lines. After a few minutes, a man with an armload of groceries maneuvered his way in front of us. I rolled my eyes and sighed, but decided against making a fuss. A few minutes later, two men tried to do the same thing. So....let me state the obvious here, and tell you that it's different in Angola than in the US. In the US, it's generally understood by everyone over the age of 3 that 'cutting' in line is not ok. In Angola, the consensus seems to be that if you can get away with it, it's worth a try. So I'd had enough, and told these guys to get to the back of the line. They sheepishly went back, and I tried to not feel rattled. That 'safe' feeling you have at home, when you speak up - where you pretty much know that if you call someone out for obviously bad behavior, someone will have your back? Not here. It doesn't matter that I'm a woman, doesn't matter that I have young children with me - no one is going to stick up for me if I get into trouble.
So finally we make it to the front of the line, and I start putting our groceries on the counter. Max and Molly were standing behind me, next to the cart. Suddenly I hear Max quietly, but in an upset voice, saying, "No!" I look up, and the same two men are right behind him, pushing him to try to get past! My poor Max was NOT budging - even though he was frightened, he was not about to let those guys get around him. I'm like most moms - if you mess with my kids, you're going to see me go all mama bear on you. I marched over there, and in my best Portuguese, told them to stop. The cashier and all the people around us were watching, and no one felt the need to help me. After a few tense moments, they finally moved back. I was shaking, and managed to pay for our groceries, bag them, and get them in the cart.
It all ended up fine, but it was a tense situation, where I was reminded of just how vulnerable I am here. I think the truth is, I'm not in any more danger here than anywhere else - there's just more of a sense of security in America, where I understand the culture and speak the language. I'm not sure it's a bad thing to really experience what it feels like to be the underdog....it's just not fun.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Left Behind
One of the hardest parts about expat life is that nothing is permanent. The cycle of new families arriving and other families leaving is tough. I've learned in the past year that the friendships made when you are living overseas tend to be on fast-forward; people become close very quickly, and when they move, it leaves a big hole in the community. Even here, where close friendships are a necessity, the closeness of my friendship with JoAnn is unusual. Even the cashiers at the supermarkets (who are known for their blank stares and careless attitudes) comment on the rare occasions when we aren't together. She's my constant companion, my partner in crime....and she's leaving me behind.
We knew it was coming, but that doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye. My kids are devastated that their friends are leaving, and they are sad for me, too. I'm feeling a mix of emotions - I'm definitely going to miss JoAnn terribly, but I am also incredibly grateful for the time we've had. She was here when I needed her most - when I felt like I couldn't make it another day here, she'd come and drag me out of the house and make me laugh. When I ran out of something, she'd bring some over. No matter how miserable my day was, or how awful I felt - she was the kick in the pants I needed to keep going. And even though she's leaving, our friendship will be a permanent one.
As sad as I am for me, I'm happy for her, and for her extended family. I know everyone back in the US has missed JoAnn, her husband, and her kids - so they'd better take really good care of them! They are a special family, and Angola won't be the same without them.
We knew it was coming, but that doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye. My kids are devastated that their friends are leaving, and they are sad for me, too. I'm feeling a mix of emotions - I'm definitely going to miss JoAnn terribly, but I am also incredibly grateful for the time we've had. She was here when I needed her most - when I felt like I couldn't make it another day here, she'd come and drag me out of the house and make me laugh. When I ran out of something, she'd bring some over. No matter how miserable my day was, or how awful I felt - she was the kick in the pants I needed to keep going. And even though she's leaving, our friendship will be a permanent one.
As sad as I am for me, I'm happy for her, and for her extended family. I know everyone back in the US has missed JoAnn, her husband, and her kids - so they'd better take really good care of them! They are a special family, and Angola won't be the same without them.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Happy Birthday!
I asked our driver, Tomas, if he could teach me how to sing 'Happy Birthday' in Portuguese. He was happy to give me a performance, so I thought I'd share.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Musings from Miles
I know it goes without saying that I love all three of my children. Like most parents, I think my kids are pretty darn cute, funny, and smart. Miles is no exception, and being the youngest, I think he often has to step up his game in order to compete with his older siblings. Somehow this has resulted in some of the funniest, strangest conversations - most often about God.
Today Miles was helping me make dinner, and out of nowhere, he blurted, "God never sleeps." I agreed with him that yes, God is always awake and watching over us.
"I bet he sure gets tired," Miles added. I agreed.
"I wonder if his mom and dad tell him to go to sleep, but after they go to bed, He gets back up and keeps making more people!" I think Miles is projecting his naughtiness onto God here, but man, that kid cracks me up.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
How Angola says, "Good Morning"
I had a post ready for today, telling you about Adam and I going golfing. I was relaxed, puttering around the house after putting the kids on the school bus. I went to let Fletcher out the back door, and as soon as I slid open the glass, I felt something big fly into my hair and stay there. I reacted like any reasonable person, and started screaming and shaking my head. Nothing fell out onto the ground, so I started wondering if I'd imagined it.....and then I looked down at my shirt.
Sometimes....I really hate Africa.
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| "Good morning, Katie!" |
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Thankful
As everyone at home is gearing up for Thanksgiving, I'm feeling a little sad that we're left out. True, we will celebrate with a few other fabulous families on Saturday, but I am sad that we don't get to be with our fabulous family. I do, however, have a lot to be thankful for. In no particular order, the things I'm really thankful for are:
1) Technology. Sure, the internet connection here is really sporadic and slow, but it does allow us to keep in touch with our loved ones. Hearing my mom's voice, getting a voicemail from my dad, and laughing with friends are all a huge boost to me.
2) Love. The kids are so loving and sweet (most of the time) and sometimes it is hard to believe that I really could be so blessed. Max has his own cell phone (with only a few key adults' phone numbers programmed into it) and he texts me every day when he gets out of school. Yesterday's text said, "On bus. Been here 4 a long time. How was ur day? I'm sure mine will get a lot better when I see u!"
3) Our house. This is kind of ridiculous, since our house has been the source of so much stress - but I still am very thankful for it. We have a place to sleep each night, and a place that we're making many good memories in. It's the middle of the hot, rainy season here, and we've had lots of nights where there is rain and lightning - which doesn't affect us. Our maid, however, has had her house flood, and her kids have had to shovel out water and mud. She's hoping to save up to afford a cement floor soon, so that she doesn't have these problems. I am very, very thankful.
1) Technology. Sure, the internet connection here is really sporadic and slow, but it does allow us to keep in touch with our loved ones. Hearing my mom's voice, getting a voicemail from my dad, and laughing with friends are all a huge boost to me.
2) Love. The kids are so loving and sweet (most of the time) and sometimes it is hard to believe that I really could be so blessed. Max has his own cell phone (with only a few key adults' phone numbers programmed into it) and he texts me every day when he gets out of school. Yesterday's text said, "On bus. Been here 4 a long time. How was ur day? I'm sure mine will get a lot better when I see u!"
3) Our house. This is kind of ridiculous, since our house has been the source of so much stress - but I still am very thankful for it. We have a place to sleep each night, and a place that we're making many good memories in. It's the middle of the hot, rainy season here, and we've had lots of nights where there is rain and lightning - which doesn't affect us. Our maid, however, has had her house flood, and her kids have had to shovel out water and mud. She's hoping to save up to afford a cement floor soon, so that she doesn't have these problems. I am very, very thankful.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
So You're Thinking About Moving to Angola...
I've had a fair number of conversations with women who are considering moving to Angola with their spouse. Each time, I'm reminded of just how much I've adapted and changed in just one year. When we first found out that Angola was a possibility, I was panicked at the thought of moving to Africa. I searched online for a blog that might help, but found very little information. If you are thinking about becoming an expat here, I'd like to share some thoughts that I think would be helpful.
1) You CAN survive here. It sounds crazy, and lots of people might tell you that you shouldn't consider it - but the fact is, there are a LOT of expat families here who are happy and thriving. If this is your first expat experience, then it will be a huge learning curve for you, but it absolutely CAN be done.
2) Practice the "at least" game. Your car broke down? At least you have a car! The heater doesn't work? At least you have blankets! It sounds silly, but this skill is invaluable when you live here. It doesn't solve your problems, but it CAN be the difference between getting bogged down by your problems or moving on. It could always be worse!
3) If you're worried about your kids, don't be. The kids adapt way faster than us adults, and honestly I think their lives are pretty darn great here. They learn great life skills, they forge tight bonds with their siblings, and in a lot of places, they have more freedom than they would back in the US. In our compound, for example, my three kids can walk to the playground and play unsupervised. They know that they can go to roughly any of twenty different houses in the neighborhood, and count on an adult being there to help them. They will have stories to last them the rest of their lives, and a broader knowledge of the world than kids who haven't lived abroad.
4) There are plenty of things that you can't buy here - but you can usually bring them. A lot of people (including me) get hung up on the stuff that you can't get here. Clothing, appliances, toiletries, waffles....the list is long, but if you're willing to plan a little, and put in a little extra effort - you can have whatever you deem necessary.
That's it for now, but I hope this helps someone feel reassured that life here isn't totally miserable. Sometimes it is, but that's true anywhere. And even though I still struggle with the challenges here, I think the good outweighs the bad.
1) You CAN survive here. It sounds crazy, and lots of people might tell you that you shouldn't consider it - but the fact is, there are a LOT of expat families here who are happy and thriving. If this is your first expat experience, then it will be a huge learning curve for you, but it absolutely CAN be done.
2) Practice the "at least" game. Your car broke down? At least you have a car! The heater doesn't work? At least you have blankets! It sounds silly, but this skill is invaluable when you live here. It doesn't solve your problems, but it CAN be the difference between getting bogged down by your problems or moving on. It could always be worse!
3) If you're worried about your kids, don't be. The kids adapt way faster than us adults, and honestly I think their lives are pretty darn great here. They learn great life skills, they forge tight bonds with their siblings, and in a lot of places, they have more freedom than they would back in the US. In our compound, for example, my three kids can walk to the playground and play unsupervised. They know that they can go to roughly any of twenty different houses in the neighborhood, and count on an adult being there to help them. They will have stories to last them the rest of their lives, and a broader knowledge of the world than kids who haven't lived abroad.
4) There are plenty of things that you can't buy here - but you can usually bring them. A lot of people (including me) get hung up on the stuff that you can't get here. Clothing, appliances, toiletries, waffles....the list is long, but if you're willing to plan a little, and put in a little extra effort - you can have whatever you deem necessary.
That's it for now, but I hope this helps someone feel reassured that life here isn't totally miserable. Sometimes it is, but that's true anywhere. And even though I still struggle with the challenges here, I think the good outweighs the bad.
International Day 2012
One of the very best parts of living overseas (in my humble opinion) is that our whole family is exposed to amazing people, cultures, and experiences that we would never see in the US. The international school that our kids attend has a yearly event that really exemplifies why I feel that all of the struggles that come with living here are worth it. International Day is a time for all of the countries represented by students in the school to teach us about their country. Families come together to have a booth for each country, where they prepare food to share, maps, costumes....really anything and everything that they feel is important to represent about their country. On the day of the event, there is a parade and performances. Kids and adults visit each booth, and it is an amazing experience. This year I was up close and personal to all of the action, because the PTA organizes International Day! It was a lot of work, a lot of stress and sweat and possibly a bit of swearing.....but it was a success!
I'm so glad that my kids have this chance to be exposed to so many beautiful cultures and people, and I'm proud that I helped to make the day great.....but I will NOT be volunteering for the PTA next year! It is a ton of work, and I have so much respect for the women who have done it more than once!
I'm so glad that my kids have this chance to be exposed to so many beautiful cultures and people, and I'm proud that I helped to make the day great.....but I will NOT be volunteering for the PTA next year! It is a ton of work, and I have so much respect for the women who have done it more than once!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Weight
Sorry!!! My poor little blog has been ignored for the past few weeks, and it isn't because I don't have stories to tell, or photos to share....it's because I've been overwhelmed with activities and responsibilities and truthfully, I've been a little depressed. The PTA group is such a great bunch of ladies, and having all of the planning and tasks involved with that has helped make the last couple of months pass quickly - but not quickly enough. It's been 16 weeks since we left the US, and I've been feeling every one of those weeks weighing on me. I really expected that by now - our second year into the Angola experience - I would have adjusted to life here and wouldn't be so bogged down by all of it. I know I have adjusted so much, but it's still not enough to say that I'm enjoying it, truthfully. I'm trying, I am trying my very best, every day, to push through my frustrations and sadness and make the most of it - but I still very much wish I could hop back on a plane to Alaska and forget this expat nonsense.
What's stopping me from throwing in the towel here? The fact that the other four members of my family are thriving here. Adam is constantly exhausted, but he enjoys his job and takes pride in doing it. Max, Molly, and Miles are all doing great in school and you would never know that they're missing any part of living in a civilized country. They miss their family and friends back in the US, but they have adapted and blossomed in more ways than I could have predicted. So what is wrong with me?
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| "Mom, how can you not be happy?" |
What's stopping me from throwing in the towel here? The fact that the other four members of my family are thriving here. Adam is constantly exhausted, but he enjoys his job and takes pride in doing it. Max, Molly, and Miles are all doing great in school and you would never know that they're missing any part of living in a civilized country. They miss their family and friends back in the US, but they have adapted and blossomed in more ways than I could have predicted. So what is wrong with me?
Maybe I lived too long in the US, and I just can't quite give up the notion that things SHOULD be easier. Definitely I'm spoiled. But I'm not giving up. I refuse to give more weight to my needs than those of my family, and they are most definitely doing great here. I just need to figure out how to get with the program, and find a way to make it great for me, too.
Friday, October 12, 2012
A Long, Strange Week
I honestly don't even know where to start telling you about my week. To say that it's been a doozy would be a giant understatement, but at the same time, I know that it could always be worse. Still - it's pretty darn amazing how many things can go wrong for one family in a short period of time.
So - we moved out of our house on Tuesday. After the kids left for school, Adam and I packed up our things and loaded the car with everything we needed for four days in the hotel. It took a little while, but finally we were ready to go....and then the car wouldn't start. I called a friend who lives in the neighborhood, and she kindly sent her driver to get us. We transferred all of our stuff to their car, and went to the hotel. The hotel has about 15 'chalets' for extended stays, and we were put into one of them. This is supposed to be one of the very nicest hotels in all of Angola, and it IS very nice - as long as you keep in mind where you are. The furnishings are a little odd....like this coffee table.
But the kids were jazzed to stay in a new place, so we tried to look at it as a little adventure, and settled in. The thing I was MOST excited about was taking a bath. It's been so long since we had hot water in our house, and this hotel has a beautiful big bathtub! After getting the kids tucked in, I had a lovely hot bath. I left the water in for Adam (we do this a lot, since he doesn't like having a HOT bath) and went downstairs. As I was putting things away in the kitchen, I heard water draining, and knew he had finished with his bath. I thought to myself, "That sure sounds like the water is draining right over my head!" but I figured the pipes must be right above me. Until....water started raining down on my head! Yep, we didn't leave our water problems at home, we somehow brought them with us! I was so tired, so overwhelmed with dealing with stuff like this, that I simply threw a towel on the floor under the leak and went to bed.
So - we moved out of our house on Tuesday. After the kids left for school, Adam and I packed up our things and loaded the car with everything we needed for four days in the hotel. It took a little while, but finally we were ready to go....and then the car wouldn't start. I called a friend who lives in the neighborhood, and she kindly sent her driver to get us. We transferred all of our stuff to their car, and went to the hotel. The hotel has about 15 'chalets' for extended stays, and we were put into one of them. This is supposed to be one of the very nicest hotels in all of Angola, and it IS very nice - as long as you keep in mind where you are. The furnishings are a little odd....like this coffee table.
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| Less coffee table, more coffin table |
On top of this, we've all been battling a nasty cold. I woke up yesterday (Thursday) with no voice at all, and feeling awful. I've been to our house twice to get more supplies, and both times I've been appalled at what a disaster area it is. They've drilled through the cement walls, the entire place is coated in a thick layer of dirt....it's a mess. Supposedly we're going to be able to move back in today, but I'm not packing my bags just yet.
Since we're in a hotel, I haven't been able to cook. This means we've gone out to dinner THREE nights in a row! Twice we've gone to a Chinese restaurant that our driver took us to, and once we went to a new little bakery/restaurant nearby. The Chinese food was really good, and when we asked our driver what the name of the place was, he told us, "Chinese Restaurant." Okay, that'll be easy to remember! And at the bakery/restaurant, they have a little store. When JoAnn and I were in there a week ago, she had mentioned to the manager that it would be great if they carried peanut butter. Well, this time I looked around the store and what did I see? Skippy peanut butter!!! It was the high point of my entire week, which is sort of sad.
I guess it's a little morbid of me, but whenever I start feeling really sorry for myself, I always think about parents who have really sick children, or parents who have had children die. It sounds terrible, but it does quickly bring me back to the reality of how little my problems really are. So many times in the past year I've felt like I couldn't take one more problem, one more inconvenience or stress....but I guess we have no idea how much we can bear until we have to do it. And as crazy as it sounds, I still do believe we're in the right place, at least for now. Our kids are happy and thriving, making friends and learning amazing things. Hearing each of them speak Portuguese makes me so happy, and teasing Adam about his Portuguese makes me happy, too. So don't worry about us, we're doing okay - even if we do seem to be magnets for domestic disasters!
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Two Months, 11 Days, and 12 hours
Our house is officially a disaster. We're being moved tomorrow to a hotel, so that they can shut off our power for four days and (supposedly) fix it. I've asked, suggested, begged, and demanded that they move us permanently to another house in the compound, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen. So instead, I get to pack up my three children, the dog, school supplies, clothing, and everything else we'll need for four days, and completely disrupt our lives. I've got to figure out where to move all of our refrigerated and frozen foods for four days, and find someone to fill in for me on bus duty. Oh, and just to keep things interesting, I've also got two kids home sick! So....I'm counting the days until we go on vacation. This stinks.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Punished
When we first moved to Angola, I felt like I was being punished for something. I'd go for a walk around the compound, surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards, and it literally felt like I was serving a 3 year sentence in prison. Now it's been a year, and my feelings have changed so much! Our neighborhood feels safe - our kids can run around the compound, visit each other's houses, and play at the playground. Going to the grocery stores is no longer a scary prospect - it's still not a good time, but it's gotten to be no big deal. Our driver is so friendly and dependable, as is our maid - these things make life here pleasant.
HOWEVER..... our house is a complete disaster. Every day there is something new that's going wrong, something that should be fixed but instead is made worse. I have become the most hated wife in the compound, at least to the maintenance supervisor. I am exhausted, and so frustrated at being powerless to do anything about these problems. It turns out that our water problems were due to the water heaters being installed improperly, and all they needed was to have the valves adjusted. This simple process took over a week to get done. And guess what? Now that we have hot water, the entire city is in the middle of a water shortage! The electricity is a nightmare - now, not only is the downstairs breaker tripping, the upstairs breaker tripped at 3am and will not go back on. This means that I've been up since 3 am, and now we have no air conditioning in our bedrooms. I'm back to feeling like surely I must have done something horrendous in a previous life, because these problems are insane, even for Angola.
The kids and I all have colds, and we miss Adam terribly. The only bright spot is knowing that he'll be home later today. I know we will get through this, and I can still tell you that we are incredibly blessed in so many ways....but I really hope that this house nightmare is close to being over.
HOWEVER..... our house is a complete disaster. Every day there is something new that's going wrong, something that should be fixed but instead is made worse. I have become the most hated wife in the compound, at least to the maintenance supervisor. I am exhausted, and so frustrated at being powerless to do anything about these problems. It turns out that our water problems were due to the water heaters being installed improperly, and all they needed was to have the valves adjusted. This simple process took over a week to get done. And guess what? Now that we have hot water, the entire city is in the middle of a water shortage! The electricity is a nightmare - now, not only is the downstairs breaker tripping, the upstairs breaker tripped at 3am and will not go back on. This means that I've been up since 3 am, and now we have no air conditioning in our bedrooms. I'm back to feeling like surely I must have done something horrendous in a previous life, because these problems are insane, even for Angola.
The kids and I all have colds, and we miss Adam terribly. The only bright spot is knowing that he'll be home later today. I know we will get through this, and I can still tell you that we are incredibly blessed in so many ways....but I really hope that this house nightmare is close to being over.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Soundtrack
This is a quick post, as the kids are off of school today and we have a bunch of errands to run. I listen to music a lot here. When I'm cooking, when I'm sewing, when I'm in the shower - I depend on music a fair amount to boost my mood and keep me in a positive frame of mind. These two songs are getting played a bunch lately here.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Monday, September 24, 2012
Boiling Point
Well, it's happened. That point that I knew I'd get to eventually here, even though I've been trying my very best to stay relaxed and positive. I am SO tired of everything going wrong in our house. This is supposed to be the one place in Luanda that we can come to and relax - but instead it's the biggest source of stress! I'm sure no one really wants to hear all that's going wrong with our home, but for the sake of being able to look back on this and laugh someday (long after we've moved!) I'm going to write it all down.
1. We have no hot water. Again. On Wednesday a guy came to clean the air conditioners, and he apparently missed the memo that electricity and water are not a good combination. He sprayed the garden hose up to clean the outside of an air conditioning unit in our backyard, and got water directly into the outlet where we have our chest freezer plugged in! Immediately the power blew out upstairs, the adapter where the freezer was plugged in melted, and somehow the hot water heater stopped working. So for the past 4 days, it's been cold showers for the Hortons. If you've lost count, let me remind you - this is the SEVENTH hot water heater we're talking about. SEVEN. In 11 months.
2. Our dishwasher isn't hooked up correctly, and floods the kitchen with water when we use it. The guys have been out twice already, and tell me there's nothing wrong with it. Today, without coming to look at it, they've decided to replace it. What really gets me is that we HAD a dishwasher that worked perfectly, until they decided to replace that one because it was causing the breaker to trip (allegedly). Now, this one floods the kitchen, and our breaker still trips!
3. The breaker still trips.
4. We have a security system for the house, but no code or instructions to use it. We have been requesting these for 11 months.
5. I still can't call the US from our house phone. But I can call Ireland! And Portugal!
I felt good when I woke up this morning, ready to start the week. But when I walked into the kitchen and slid in a puddle of water from the dishwasher, it all went downhill very quickly. I know these problems are really minor in the grand scheme of things, but when they all pile up, I feel so overwhelmed. I've been calling people all morning, trying to get someone to come and help....but it's 2pm, and there has yet to be a single repair person at our house. If you hear on the news tonight about an American woman arrested for going ballistic in Angola, please start a rescue fund for me. I don't know how much longer I can keep my cool.
1. We have no hot water. Again. On Wednesday a guy came to clean the air conditioners, and he apparently missed the memo that electricity and water are not a good combination. He sprayed the garden hose up to clean the outside of an air conditioning unit in our backyard, and got water directly into the outlet where we have our chest freezer plugged in! Immediately the power blew out upstairs, the adapter where the freezer was plugged in melted, and somehow the hot water heater stopped working. So for the past 4 days, it's been cold showers for the Hortons. If you've lost count, let me remind you - this is the SEVENTH hot water heater we're talking about. SEVEN. In 11 months.
2. Our dishwasher isn't hooked up correctly, and floods the kitchen with water when we use it. The guys have been out twice already, and tell me there's nothing wrong with it. Today, without coming to look at it, they've decided to replace it. What really gets me is that we HAD a dishwasher that worked perfectly, until they decided to replace that one because it was causing the breaker to trip (allegedly). Now, this one floods the kitchen, and our breaker still trips!
3. The breaker still trips.
4. We have a security system for the house, but no code or instructions to use it. We have been requesting these for 11 months.
5. I still can't call the US from our house phone. But I can call Ireland! And Portugal!
I felt good when I woke up this morning, ready to start the week. But when I walked into the kitchen and slid in a puddle of water from the dishwasher, it all went downhill very quickly. I know these problems are really minor in the grand scheme of things, but when they all pile up, I feel so overwhelmed. I've been calling people all morning, trying to get someone to come and help....but it's 2pm, and there has yet to be a single repair person at our house. If you hear on the news tonight about an American woman arrested for going ballistic in Angola, please start a rescue fund for me. I don't know how much longer I can keep my cool.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Flashback
When Max was in kindergarten we lived in Petaluma, CA. We had no plans to move, we loved our little blue house, and the concept of ever living in Africa was one that had NEVER crossed our minds.
His class had a 'pet' that each kid got to bring home for a weekend, and Max was the first one to bring Zoe the Zebra to his house.
His class had a 'pet' that each kid got to bring home for a weekend, and Max was the first one to bring Zoe the Zebra to his house.
Now that Miles is in kindergarten, so much has changed! We've lived in Alaska, and now are 'veteran' travelers, living in Angola. But yesterday, Miles was the first in his class to bring home the class pet, Larry the Lion.
Funny how radically things can change, and yet still not be all that different.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
My Favorite Things
I know I whine a fair amount (ok, a LOT!) about the hard parts of living here. And let's be honest - it IS hard over here. But there's also a lot of really nice aspects of our life here, and those sometimes get lost in the stress. In no particular order, here are some of my favorite things about life in Angola:
*Surprises. Sometimes it's sour cream in a store that's never sold it. Sometimes it's a construction worker with a sombrero made of cardboard. The one thing you can count on here is that nothing is ever exactly how you think it will be. And that, my friends, can be extremely entertaining.
*Accents. Lordy, do I love a good accent! I can't always understand what people are saying, but I sure do enjoy listening to them. Scottish, Irish, British, Portuguese, Brazilian, Oklahoman (is that right? I didn't want to call it 'Okie') - it never gets old. Call me simple, but I get a good chuckle every time I hear someone say, "I'm gonna bowl the chicken." (This is JoAnn's way of saying 'boil' the chicken.)
*Learning. I'm constantly learning new things - about other people, about myself, about infectious diseases....it's an education every day.
*Simplicity. There is something to be said about not having a million and one obligations to take care of on the weekends. Most of the time we have no plans, other than spending time together.
*Fresh Air. Oh, the smell of body odor, unencumbered by deodorant! Ok, so that's not really a positive. But walking through the grocery store, you'll often see a non-local suddenly stop dead in their tracks and whip their head back like they've been slapped. That's the BO hitting them dead in the face, and that is what passes for entertainment here.
*Appreciation. Nothing makes you appreciate what you have like seeing people without. I've never in my life realized how good we have it, and how little most of us appreciate it. The expats who seem happiest here are the ones who have figured out how to really focus on the positives, and what a great life skill that is to pass along to our children. That, and wearing deodorant.
*Surprises. Sometimes it's sour cream in a store that's never sold it. Sometimes it's a construction worker with a sombrero made of cardboard. The one thing you can count on here is that nothing is ever exactly how you think it will be. And that, my friends, can be extremely entertaining.
*Accents. Lordy, do I love a good accent! I can't always understand what people are saying, but I sure do enjoy listening to them. Scottish, Irish, British, Portuguese, Brazilian, Oklahoman (is that right? I didn't want to call it 'Okie') - it never gets old. Call me simple, but I get a good chuckle every time I hear someone say, "I'm gonna bowl the chicken." (This is JoAnn's way of saying 'boil' the chicken.)
*Learning. I'm constantly learning new things - about other people, about myself, about infectious diseases....it's an education every day.
*Simplicity. There is something to be said about not having a million and one obligations to take care of on the weekends. Most of the time we have no plans, other than spending time together.
*Fresh Air. Oh, the smell of body odor, unencumbered by deodorant! Ok, so that's not really a positive. But walking through the grocery store, you'll often see a non-local suddenly stop dead in their tracks and whip their head back like they've been slapped. That's the BO hitting them dead in the face, and that is what passes for entertainment here.
*Appreciation. Nothing makes you appreciate what you have like seeing people without. I've never in my life realized how good we have it, and how little most of us appreciate it. The expats who seem happiest here are the ones who have figured out how to really focus on the positives, and what a great life skill that is to pass along to our children. That, and wearing deodorant.
Pride
One of the bummers of living so far away from our family is that they don't get to experience the kids on a regular basis. We try to skype as often as possible (which isn't nearly enough) and I definitely feel like the grandparents all make a huge effort to connect with each of our kids. So - I am going to try to post at least once a week about what's going on with each kid, in the hope that our family back home will feel a little more 'in the loop' with what's happening in their lives.
*Max was asked to participate in a small group of judo students who will train two extra days per week, in order to compete in a local competition. This is very exciting for him, and though it will be a lot of hard work, we hope that it will be a great experience. He's also decided to run for Student Council Treasurer of the Secondary School. He'll be going up against kids not only in the Middle School, but High School students as well - so it will be a tough campaign. I'm so impressed by his willingness to go for it!
*Molly is starting tap dancing and yoga next week - and these will be in addition to girl scouts and swim lessons. Adam and I worried about the kids not having as much access to activities here, but that clearly is NOT a problem. Molly is also planning to audition for a part in the school play. I'm guessing that she gets her bravery in front of an audience from her Dad, because she certainly doesn't get that from me!
*Miles is doing great in Year 1 (aka Kindergarten). He's learning Portuguese, becoming a stronger swimmer, and continuing to get better and better at READING! This is exciting for our whole family, and often if I'm busy, one of the older kids will sit and listen to Miles read. It's incredible how much Miles has changed just since last year - often he would fall asleep on the bus ride home from school, but this year he's bouncing off the bus and ready to go!
I'm hanging in there, trying each day to find things to be positive about. Of all the things that needed repair in our house, I think the only one that's been completed was getting a lightbulb in the kitchen changed....but hey, it's something!
*Max was asked to participate in a small group of judo students who will train two extra days per week, in order to compete in a local competition. This is very exciting for him, and though it will be a lot of hard work, we hope that it will be a great experience. He's also decided to run for Student Council Treasurer of the Secondary School. He'll be going up against kids not only in the Middle School, but High School students as well - so it will be a tough campaign. I'm so impressed by his willingness to go for it!
*Molly is starting tap dancing and yoga next week - and these will be in addition to girl scouts and swim lessons. Adam and I worried about the kids not having as much access to activities here, but that clearly is NOT a problem. Molly is also planning to audition for a part in the school play. I'm guessing that she gets her bravery in front of an audience from her Dad, because she certainly doesn't get that from me!
*Miles is doing great in Year 1 (aka Kindergarten). He's learning Portuguese, becoming a stronger swimmer, and continuing to get better and better at READING! This is exciting for our whole family, and often if I'm busy, one of the older kids will sit and listen to Miles read. It's incredible how much Miles has changed just since last year - often he would fall asleep on the bus ride home from school, but this year he's bouncing off the bus and ready to go!
I'm hanging in there, trying each day to find things to be positive about. Of all the things that needed repair in our house, I think the only one that's been completed was getting a lightbulb in the kitchen changed....but hey, it's something!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Neverending Story
Today is voting day in Angola. Tomorrow is voting day as well, since I guess it takes two full days to get everyone's votes recorded. Yesterday JoAnn and I accidentally found ourselves in the middle of a giant rally for the current president. There were buses and trucks filled with locals dressed in t-shirts with the president's face, wearing wigs with Angola's colors....it was a sight to see. It was the last day for the president to win votes, so I guess he was passing out free beer and throwing a big party. We managed to get through the area where the rally was being held before the traffic got too bad, so it wasn't a big deal.
What IS becoming a big deal is dealing with our house. The saga continues, with our electricity STILL not fixed. To recap - they've replaced every kitchen appliance, and the breaker still tripped. Then they decided the iron was the problem (even our maid was rolling her eyes at that one) and the breaker still trips. We do have running water, and hot water - but the pipes in our attic that connect to the hot water heater need to be replaced. Our phone still won't connect to the US, and no one seems to know how to fix that problem. A technician came out to see if he could take care of it, and he tested the line. "Madame, you can make international calls on this phone." I told him, "I can't call the US." He fiddled with the phone, and then happily exclaimed, "You can call Portugal!" I tried again to explain, "I need to call the US - that is where my family lives." He messed with the phone for another 30 minutes, and then reported to me proudly, "You can call Ireland!" I'm beginning to think that having our families relocate to Ireland would be simpler than getting the phone fixed.
On the bright side, the weather has been gorgeous here. It's sunny and about 70 degrees, with a breeze. Every day after school, the kids come home and have a snack, do their homework, and then we head over to the park inside the compound. JoAnn and I can sit and gab while the kids play, and it's so peaceful. For all of the struggles that come with life here, there really are some big benefits as well. The slower pace of life here is wonderful, when I can remember to appreciate it. And as my dad often reminds me, "If you can make a funny story out of it, it's not so bad!" I have never in my life lived in a place with so many funny stories waiting to be told.
What IS becoming a big deal is dealing with our house. The saga continues, with our electricity STILL not fixed. To recap - they've replaced every kitchen appliance, and the breaker still tripped. Then they decided the iron was the problem (even our maid was rolling her eyes at that one) and the breaker still trips. We do have running water, and hot water - but the pipes in our attic that connect to the hot water heater need to be replaced. Our phone still won't connect to the US, and no one seems to know how to fix that problem. A technician came out to see if he could take care of it, and he tested the line. "Madame, you can make international calls on this phone." I told him, "I can't call the US." He fiddled with the phone, and then happily exclaimed, "You can call Portugal!" I tried again to explain, "I need to call the US - that is where my family lives." He messed with the phone for another 30 minutes, and then reported to me proudly, "You can call Ireland!" I'm beginning to think that having our families relocate to Ireland would be simpler than getting the phone fixed.
On the bright side, the weather has been gorgeous here. It's sunny and about 70 degrees, with a breeze. Every day after school, the kids come home and have a snack, do their homework, and then we head over to the park inside the compound. JoAnn and I can sit and gab while the kids play, and it's so peaceful. For all of the struggles that come with life here, there really are some big benefits as well. The slower pace of life here is wonderful, when I can remember to appreciate it. And as my dad often reminds me, "If you can make a funny story out of it, it's not so bad!" I have never in my life lived in a place with so many funny stories waiting to be told.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Say What?
I've mentioned quite a few times that the national language of Angola is Portuguese. I have been trying to learn to speak Portuguese, and I have a fair grasp of it, enough that I can manage most situations. When we first moved here, one of the biggest stresses I had was communicating. Not only did I have a hard time understanding Portuguese, I had a hard time making myself understood - so each interaction with someone was a trial.
One thing I did NOT expect was the difficulty communicating with other English speakers. Yes, we may speak the same language, but when accents and local phrases come into play - it can be harder to understand than a totally different language!
Yesterday was the perfect example of this. I went to school in the afternoon, and was waiting to gather Miles from his classroom. A woman that I know walked over to me, and began talking to me. Now - I know this woman casually. She is from South Africa, and so she speaks English, but with a thick accent. Most times I can understand what she's saying, but yesterday I was truly baffled. She said, "I have to ask you a favor. Can you make beps for nakebowl? "
Say....what?
I said, "Umm, I'm not sure I understand." She spoke louder, "You know, nakebowl? I need BEPS, BEPS for the children to play nakebowl!" I was mentally searching for anything I could think of that sounded similar to what she was saying, but I was coming up blank! She was standing there, waiting for an answer. I said, "I.....have no idea what you're asking me, I'm so sorry." She sighed, and clearly thought she was dealing with an idiot. Slowly, she explained that she was organizing a game of NET BALL for the children at school, and she needed me to sew BIBS for each team to wear. I've never even heard of netball, and I'd rather not spend my time sewing dumb bibs for it - but I was so frazzled by the whole ordeal I just told her 'sure' so we could end the conversation. Exhausting, I tell you - that is the best description of life here.....but it's sure good for funny stories.
One thing I did NOT expect was the difficulty communicating with other English speakers. Yes, we may speak the same language, but when accents and local phrases come into play - it can be harder to understand than a totally different language!
Yesterday was the perfect example of this. I went to school in the afternoon, and was waiting to gather Miles from his classroom. A woman that I know walked over to me, and began talking to me. Now - I know this woman casually. She is from South Africa, and so she speaks English, but with a thick accent. Most times I can understand what she's saying, but yesterday I was truly baffled. She said, "I have to ask you a favor. Can you make beps for nakebowl? "
Say....what?
I said, "Umm, I'm not sure I understand." She spoke louder, "You know, nakebowl? I need BEPS, BEPS for the children to play nakebowl!" I was mentally searching for anything I could think of that sounded similar to what she was saying, but I was coming up blank! She was standing there, waiting for an answer. I said, "I.....have no idea what you're asking me, I'm so sorry." She sighed, and clearly thought she was dealing with an idiot. Slowly, she explained that she was organizing a game of NET BALL for the children at school, and she needed me to sew BIBS for each team to wear. I've never even heard of netball, and I'd rather not spend my time sewing dumb bibs for it - but I was so frazzled by the whole ordeal I just told her 'sure' so we could end the conversation. Exhausting, I tell you - that is the best description of life here.....but it's sure good for funny stories.
Monday, August 20, 2012
School Days
It's the first day of school for Max, Molly, and Miles!
Adam and I are the proud owners - I mean parents - of a 6th grader, a 4th grader, and a Kindergardener!
This morning went pretty smoothly, especially since I had Adam to help me get the kids ready for school. We made it out of the house on time, and then found out that our school bus hadn't shown up. Weird, right? I mean....it just wouldn't be a day in Angola if everything went right! So we had to pile two busloads of kids/parents onto one bus, but it all worked out okay. I'm heading out the door in a few minutes to be bus mom for the afternoon, and I can't wait to hear about their day. I missed the little turkeys today, though it was really nice to get the grocery shopping done in peace!
This morning went pretty smoothly, especially since I had Adam to help me get the kids ready for school. We made it out of the house on time, and then found out that our school bus hadn't shown up. Weird, right? I mean....it just wouldn't be a day in Angola if everything went right! So we had to pile two busloads of kids/parents onto one bus, but it all worked out okay. I'm heading out the door in a few minutes to be bus mom for the afternoon, and I can't wait to hear about their day. I missed the little turkeys today, though it was really nice to get the grocery shopping done in peace!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Speechless
I can't even formulate a real paragraph to explain the situation here. It's....unreal. We finally complained to the right person, and got a team of repair people to visit yesterday. The hot water heaters in the attic were repaired (they say) and the leaking water pump outside was fixed as well (they say). Two electricians (one of them is the one who previously told me there was nothing wrong) spent a couple hours in the kitchen, trying to find out the problem that's causing the breaker to trip repeatedly. Around 5 pm, they decided that every major appliance in the kitchen is causing the problem. The stove, the dishwasher, and the refrigerator need to be replaced. Now....I'm no electrician, but doesn't it seem rather odd that 3 separate appliances are simultaneously causing power outages?
So now it's 2pm, and supposedly these appliances are on their way to my house. We have not used any of the kitchen appliances in the meantime, and yet our breaker is tripping approximately every 30 seconds.
And the water? It's hot again, but there's still hardly any water pressure. Luckily for us, the drinking water delivery guys must have heard about our situation. Instead of delivering the usual 3-4 jugs of drinking water, they stacked TEN jugs on my front step! This place will be such a source of funny stories someday. Until then, we will just keep on smiling.
So now it's 2pm, and supposedly these appliances are on their way to my house. We have not used any of the kitchen appliances in the meantime, and yet our breaker is tripping approximately every 30 seconds.
And the water? It's hot again, but there's still hardly any water pressure. Luckily for us, the drinking water delivery guys must have heard about our situation. Instead of delivering the usual 3-4 jugs of drinking water, they stacked TEN jugs on my front step! This place will be such a source of funny stories someday. Until then, we will just keep on smiling.
Because we have each other. And, as cheesy at it sounds, that's all we need.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Water
I'm currently feeling like I'm on the verge of a breakdown. I have only been back in Angola for TWO WEEKS, and all of my energy and determination and positive attitude have been drained out of me. That whole, "It's a new year!" thing is not really going like I planned it....to say the least.
So, the water situation? On Monday the repairmen (five of them - one to work, and four to sit around and chat with him) fixed the leaky pipe on our water pump, and we were once again able to shower and do laundry and flush toilets! Tuesday morning I realized that even though we had running water again, we had no HOT water. After approximately a hundred phone calls, I finally had two guys at my house to see what the problem was. They climbed up in our attic (where the water heaters are installed) and 'fixed' the problem. I use that term a little sarcastically, because as they were leaving the house, Max informed me that we no longer had running water! Now, just so you get the whole picture - while this is going on, the electrician had also showed up at the house. He's the same guy that has come several times to check on our breaker box, and each time tell me that there's nothing wrong. Remember when I said I had bad luck? I was so wrong! I was lucky enough that our power went out at the exact moment that this electrician showed up, which proved to him that perhaps I wasn't just imagining this problem with the breaker. I also had a random guy show up to inspect our fire extinguishers, as well as a new neighbor drop by to chat. Good times.
I'd like to say that there was a resolution to any one of these problems yesterday, but there was not. The electrician said that 'maybe tomorrow' he'd install a new breaker box. The water guys did get the water running again, but a couple of hours later, Adam and I realized that the water pressure was really low. We couldn't find another leak in the water pump, so we weren't sure what to think.....until it was time for bed. I went to check on the kids, and stepped in a puddle of water in Molly's room. Guess what? Our attic is filled with at least 2 inches of water, and it's leaking out into the bedrooms! I'm really starting to question how much more of this I can take. I know there are literally millions of people with bigger problems, but the constant stress of these issues is taking its toll on me. I feel like I'm playing a twisted game of "Whack-a-Mole," but instead of moles, it's house problems popping up all around me.
On the bright side - some things have been great since we got back. Our housekeeper is just as wonderful as ever, and I am so thankful for her. One of my pearl earrings fell out over the weekend, and none of us could find it. On Monday, before I could even ask her to keep an eye out for it - she found it and brought it to me! Our new driver, Tomas, is everything that the other drivers weren't - he is friendly, helpful, kind, and reliable. Having two wonderful people doing the jobs that impact me most is a huge deal - so I will be very grateful, and try to keep my head above water. Ha.
So, the water situation? On Monday the repairmen (five of them - one to work, and four to sit around and chat with him) fixed the leaky pipe on our water pump, and we were once again able to shower and do laundry and flush toilets! Tuesday morning I realized that even though we had running water again, we had no HOT water. After approximately a hundred phone calls, I finally had two guys at my house to see what the problem was. They climbed up in our attic (where the water heaters are installed) and 'fixed' the problem. I use that term a little sarcastically, because as they were leaving the house, Max informed me that we no longer had running water! Now, just so you get the whole picture - while this is going on, the electrician had also showed up at the house. He's the same guy that has come several times to check on our breaker box, and each time tell me that there's nothing wrong. Remember when I said I had bad luck? I was so wrong! I was lucky enough that our power went out at the exact moment that this electrician showed up, which proved to him that perhaps I wasn't just imagining this problem with the breaker. I also had a random guy show up to inspect our fire extinguishers, as well as a new neighbor drop by to chat. Good times.
I'd like to say that there was a resolution to any one of these problems yesterday, but there was not. The electrician said that 'maybe tomorrow' he'd install a new breaker box. The water guys did get the water running again, but a couple of hours later, Adam and I realized that the water pressure was really low. We couldn't find another leak in the water pump, so we weren't sure what to think.....until it was time for bed. I went to check on the kids, and stepped in a puddle of water in Molly's room. Guess what? Our attic is filled with at least 2 inches of water, and it's leaking out into the bedrooms! I'm really starting to question how much more of this I can take. I know there are literally millions of people with bigger problems, but the constant stress of these issues is taking its toll on me. I feel like I'm playing a twisted game of "Whack-a-Mole," but instead of moles, it's house problems popping up all around me.
On the bright side - some things have been great since we got back. Our housekeeper is just as wonderful as ever, and I am so thankful for her. One of my pearl earrings fell out over the weekend, and none of us could find it. On Monday, before I could even ask her to keep an eye out for it - she found it and brought it to me! Our new driver, Tomas, is everything that the other drivers weren't - he is friendly, helpful, kind, and reliable. Having two wonderful people doing the jobs that impact me most is a huge deal - so I will be very grateful, and try to keep my head above water. Ha.
If it Wasn't For Bad Luck.....
I'd have no luck at all. Yeah. Our electricity is still wonky, despite a 'team' of men working at my house all day long last week. They spent about 6 hours turning our power on and off, and ended by saying, "There is no problem, Madame." Amazing conclusion, considering our power cuts out even MORE than the average Angolan household (which already is a lot), and our breaker trips constantly, sometimes refusing to go back on. But there's no problem!
After a weekend with no running water, plus at least three visits from repairmen, we can again shower and flush the toilets - pretty key for a household of 5 people. Unfortunately for us, the minute our water was restored, we realized a new problem - no HOT water! This isn't a new problem, either - but in Angola, if something happens once, you can bet it will happen at least a few times more! I'm waiting for someone to show up to check out the problem. At 8:30 am, he said he'd be here soon. At 10:30 am, he said he'd be here in 10 minutes. It's now 11:10, and I'm just hoping someone shows up before lunchtime. Another little fact about Angola? Lunch time is at least two hours long.
On the bright side, however - my BFF is back in town!!!! Yeah, life in Angola just got a lot better for me, now that JoAnn is back. Now if I could just take a hot bath, I'd really have it made.
After a weekend with no running water, plus at least three visits from repairmen, we can again shower and flush the toilets - pretty key for a household of 5 people. Unfortunately for us, the minute our water was restored, we realized a new problem - no HOT water! This isn't a new problem, either - but in Angola, if something happens once, you can bet it will happen at least a few times more! I'm waiting for someone to show up to check out the problem. At 8:30 am, he said he'd be here soon. At 10:30 am, he said he'd be here in 10 minutes. It's now 11:10, and I'm just hoping someone shows up before lunchtime. Another little fact about Angola? Lunch time is at least two hours long.
On the bright side, however - my BFF is back in town!!!! Yeah, life in Angola just got a lot better for me, now that JoAnn is back. Now if I could just take a hot bath, I'd really have it made.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Happy New Year!
In one week and three days, the kids will start a new school year. Though it's not quite a full year since we arrived in Angola, I'm declaring this a new year! We aren't the new kids on the block anymore, and though this place is still chock full of unique experiences and challenges, I feel like I'm much better equipped to handle them.
The electricity in our house is still having some sort of problem. This was supposed to get fixed while we were gone, but that didn't happen - so instead, a crew of guys are supposed to come today and test every circuit to find the problem. For a few hours this morning, we also had no water upstairs. The water worked fine downstairs - but not upstairs! I called to report that to maintenance, but it magically started working again on its own, and the maintenance guys still haven't showed up!
We wanted to paint a few rooms in this house, just to jazz things up and make it feel more like home. Our first trip to the paint store, we picked out colors, and then found out that they were out of paint. ALL PAINT. They told us, "Maybe Monday," they'd have more. So Tuesday I headed back with the kids, and spent about an hour at the paint counter - only to find out that again, they didn't have the 3L cans of paint we wanted, that are $60. They did, however, have 15L cans - and those were only $478 apiece. Needless to say, we still don't have paint. You notice how buying in bulk actually costs you MORE here? That's just one of those things that makes no sense, but there's no point in questioning it.
I'm rolling with the punches, and not letting these things faze me much - but I can tell you, I am SOOOO looking forward to JoAnn coming back, and the kids starting back to school! I can handle a lot, but 10 weeks straight of summer vacation is pushing my limits! ;-)
The electricity in our house is still having some sort of problem. This was supposed to get fixed while we were gone, but that didn't happen - so instead, a crew of guys are supposed to come today and test every circuit to find the problem. For a few hours this morning, we also had no water upstairs. The water worked fine downstairs - but not upstairs! I called to report that to maintenance, but it magically started working again on its own, and the maintenance guys still haven't showed up!
We wanted to paint a few rooms in this house, just to jazz things up and make it feel more like home. Our first trip to the paint store, we picked out colors, and then found out that they were out of paint. ALL PAINT. They told us, "Maybe Monday," they'd have more. So Tuesday I headed back with the kids, and spent about an hour at the paint counter - only to find out that again, they didn't have the 3L cans of paint we wanted, that are $60. They did, however, have 15L cans - and those were only $478 apiece. Needless to say, we still don't have paint. You notice how buying in bulk actually costs you MORE here? That's just one of those things that makes no sense, but there's no point in questioning it.
I'm rolling with the punches, and not letting these things faze me much - but I can tell you, I am SOOOO looking forward to JoAnn coming back, and the kids starting back to school! I can handle a lot, but 10 weeks straight of summer vacation is pushing my limits! ;-)
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Home
We are back in Luanda! Adjusting to the 8 hour time difference, unpacking, and gearing up for another year...it's all so much less stressful than it was last October. I had a hard time leaving our friends and family in the US this summer - that part never gets easier - but our house here is feeling more and more like home.
The flight from Houston to Angola went smoothly. You'd be amazed at how easy it is to be on a 14 hour flight with three kids! Well....at least a 14 hour flight on the Houston Express, anyway! The kiddos are getting to be pros at international travel, and they were happy to watch movies, read books, eat, sleep, and talk for the entire trip. When we arrived in Luanda, there was the usual long line at passport control. We were brought to the front of the line within 5 minutes (the perks of having children!) - but this doesn't guarantee a faster passage through. Shockingly, this time it helped, and we were through and at the baggage claim in record time!
This is where reality set in, however. We stood in front of the baggage carousel for TWO HOURS, waiting for our luggage. Apparently whatever machine is used to load the bags onto the carousel had broken. The airport baggage area is not air-conditioned, there is no seating, just hard linoleum floors and two baggage carousels. I repeat - TWO HOURS....and this is after flying for 14 hours, with very little sleep. The kids were champs - they found some other kids to play with, and did a great job passing the time. We finally got all 15 of our bags (don't laugh - another lady had 29!) and saw that our driver, Tomas, was waiting for us.
It was so great to get to our house, where Fletcher and Sao greeted us. Now the kids and I have a couple of weeks on our own, before the rest of the expat families start returning to the compound. I'm so thankful for the fabulous time we had with our family and friends...we are so blessed.
The flight from Houston to Angola went smoothly. You'd be amazed at how easy it is to be on a 14 hour flight with three kids! Well....at least a 14 hour flight on the Houston Express, anyway! The kiddos are getting to be pros at international travel, and they were happy to watch movies, read books, eat, sleep, and talk for the entire trip. When we arrived in Luanda, there was the usual long line at passport control. We were brought to the front of the line within 5 minutes (the perks of having children!) - but this doesn't guarantee a faster passage through. Shockingly, this time it helped, and we were through and at the baggage claim in record time!
This is where reality set in, however. We stood in front of the baggage carousel for TWO HOURS, waiting for our luggage. Apparently whatever machine is used to load the bags onto the carousel had broken. The airport baggage area is not air-conditioned, there is no seating, just hard linoleum floors and two baggage carousels. I repeat - TWO HOURS....and this is after flying for 14 hours, with very little sleep. The kids were champs - they found some other kids to play with, and did a great job passing the time. We finally got all 15 of our bags (don't laugh - another lady had 29!) and saw that our driver, Tomas, was waiting for us.
It was so great to get to our house, where Fletcher and Sao greeted us. Now the kids and I have a couple of weeks on our own, before the rest of the expat families start returning to the compound. I'm so thankful for the fabulous time we had with our family and friends...we are so blessed.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
2 days to go!!!
Two days! Two more days until we leave Angola and fly to the US. I can hardly sit still, I'm so excited to get back to CA to see my family and friends. I will probably not post much, if at all, here while I'm back in America, but I'm sure I'll have a few updates. Until then, just picture me with a big smile on my face, strolling the aisles at Target - I'm sure that's exactly where I'll be most days!
Monday, June 4, 2012
I Couldn't Make This Stuff Up! *Updated with more crazy*
This last week of school before the summer break is hectic. I've got PTA meetings, last-minute travel details, home repairs, plus packing suitcases. All of this is no surprise. What WAS a surprise was getting a phone call today from Miles' preschool teacher. She said, "I need to speak to you about a mouse.". Because I'm so used to misunderstanding people here, I was sure I must have heard her wrong. Nope. Apparently when the kids all went to get their snacks out of their backpacks, Miles grabbed his bag and a mouse jumped out! The teacher said they've had a mouse problem, and I guess when Miles left his bag open, the mouse jumped in and snacked on his sandwich. Miles tried convincing his teacher that his sandwich was still okay to eat, but luckily she has more sense than him. Just another day in Angola!
***Update: I told our maid, Sao, about Miles' adventure at school. I was trying to describe 'mouse' to her, since I don't know the portuguese word for it. She finally understood me, and said (translated), "Oh, rats! Very good!" She must have noticed my strange expression, because she followed that up with, "Cook them with tomatoes and onion, very good." Have I mentioned how thankful I am to have been born an American???
***Update: I told our maid, Sao, about Miles' adventure at school. I was trying to describe 'mouse' to her, since I don't know the portuguese word for it. She finally understood me, and said (translated), "Oh, rats! Very good!" She must have noticed my strange expression, because she followed that up with, "Cook them with tomatoes and onion, very good." Have I mentioned how thankful I am to have been born an American???
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
9 days until we leave Angola for summer break. You'd think we'd be skipping around, delirious with joy that soon we will be back in America. Somehow, that isn't happening - instead it's just the opposite! Yes, we are definitely happy to be leaving, and YES, we cannot WAIT to see our family and friends - but it's just getting harder and harder to deal with all of the last-minute stuff that invariably makes you feel like you are losing your mind. I swear, it's like JoAnn and I are playing a twisted game called, "Who will crack first?" She's having crazy nightmares about psychotic maids, and I keep *almost* bursting into tears at the drop of a hat. It's no wonder we don't really have any other friends! ;-)
Our internet has been bad for weeks. This wouldn't be too big of a deal, except that it makes talking to family nearly impossible. We have a land line as well, but that drops calls almost as often as using Skype. After 2+ weeks of pestering the maintenance crew about the internet, someone finally came to the house today. He told me that one modem (the one that is supposed to work the best) needed another technician, who couldn't come until Monday ('Monday' is code for 'never'). The other modem he fiddled with, then called someone. This went on for over an hour, and in the end - nothing got fixed, nothing changed, and he told me as he walked out the door, "Paciencia, Madame." I smiled and nodded, but on the inside I was screaming, "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!??? I've had nothing BUT 'paciencia' with this place and all it's challenges, and now I have HAD IT." I am so done with living in Angola. I know having a nice long break will give me the strength to come back with a good attitude and renewed 'paciencia' but for the next 9 days.....people had better steer clear!
Our internet has been bad for weeks. This wouldn't be too big of a deal, except that it makes talking to family nearly impossible. We have a land line as well, but that drops calls almost as often as using Skype. After 2+ weeks of pestering the maintenance crew about the internet, someone finally came to the house today. He told me that one modem (the one that is supposed to work the best) needed another technician, who couldn't come until Monday ('Monday' is code for 'never'). The other modem he fiddled with, then called someone. This went on for over an hour, and in the end - nothing got fixed, nothing changed, and he told me as he walked out the door, "Paciencia, Madame." I smiled and nodded, but on the inside I was screaming, "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!??? I've had nothing BUT 'paciencia' with this place and all it's challenges, and now I have HAD IT." I am so done with living in Angola. I know having a nice long break will give me the strength to come back with a good attitude and renewed 'paciencia' but for the next 9 days.....people had better steer clear!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The Countdown
We have 18 more days until we fly out of Angola. At that point, it will have been 7 months since we last saw our family and friends in the US. It feels like so much longer.
I can hardly wait to see everyone, and for everyone to see the kids. I can see how much they've grown and changed, but I suspect that their grandparents and aunts, uncles, and cousins will see it even more. There's the surface stuff, like them growing taller....and browner.
Then there's the really good stuff. The way they've grown even closer since we've moved here. The way they seem to have a deeper appreciation for their family, and can't wait to see them again. The easy acceptance they have for things and people that are different - it makes me so proud. Of course, they're still very much their own fantastic, strange selves - that part hasn't changed!
For my part, I'm plugging away, anxiously waiting for the last day of school, and then we'll be off! Today is the craft sale that JoAnn and I are taking part in - we have been sewing up a storm, and today is the first time that many of the women here will see the clothing that I make. I am a nervous wreck.
And just to round out this post that is chock-full of random, unrelated info - I'd like to share with you my two grocery-store finds from the past week! Number one -
Jalapeños! These are a key ingredient for homemade salsa (add that to the list of things I never bothered making until we moved here), and last week was the first time in 7 months that I've seen them in the store. So of course, I bought six packages, JoAnn bought six, and we cleaned out the store of jalapeños! We each have a gallon size ziplock bag of these in our freezer now, so we should be set for at least a few months.
Number two -
I saw this at the nicest grocery store in town, and even though I knew better - I bought it. It was in English! It's something they sell at home! It's ice cream! These are the thoughts that were running through my mind.....even though there was a little voice that was shouting at the same time, "It's ANGOLA!" So I wasn't too surprised when we opened up the box and found a melted-then-refrozen, freezer burned, unrecognizable lump instead of the pretty creation on the box. 18 more days, just 18 more days....
I can hardly wait to see everyone, and for everyone to see the kids. I can see how much they've grown and changed, but I suspect that their grandparents and aunts, uncles, and cousins will see it even more. There's the surface stuff, like them growing taller....and browner.
Then there's the really good stuff. The way they've grown even closer since we've moved here. The way they seem to have a deeper appreciation for their family, and can't wait to see them again. The easy acceptance they have for things and people that are different - it makes me so proud. Of course, they're still very much their own fantastic, strange selves - that part hasn't changed!
For my part, I'm plugging away, anxiously waiting for the last day of school, and then we'll be off! Today is the craft sale that JoAnn and I are taking part in - we have been sewing up a storm, and today is the first time that many of the women here will see the clothing that I make. I am a nervous wreck.
And just to round out this post that is chock-full of random, unrelated info - I'd like to share with you my two grocery-store finds from the past week! Number one -
Number two -
I saw this at the nicest grocery store in town, and even though I knew better - I bought it. It was in English! It's something they sell at home! It's ice cream! These are the thoughts that were running through my mind.....even though there was a little voice that was shouting at the same time, "It's ANGOLA!" So I wasn't too surprised when we opened up the box and found a melted-then-refrozen, freezer burned, unrecognizable lump instead of the pretty creation on the box. 18 more days, just 18 more days....
Monday, May 7, 2012
Thirty Seven
Happy Birthday to me! I can honestly say that I never ever imagined celebrating a birthday in Angola, but that's just what I did. Adam and I went out for a lovely dinner alone on Saturday night, thanks to my pal JoAnn and her husband Kenny. They kept our three crazy children while Adam and I went out, and it was SO NICE to have some quality time with my hubby.
Today, after getting up at 4:30 am to run (clearly I've lost my mind), I had Portuguese lessons with JoAnn, and then we went into the city for a birthday lunch. I know that some of you might think I'm really being overly mushy, but I have to tell you that I would not be handling this major life change half as well if it weren't for meeting JoAnn. She makes me laugh when I'm crying, she puts up with my whining while making me do things that are good for me (see above - RUNNING!!!), and whenever we spend time together, I feel like I'm home. She is the best gift I have received in the past year, and I'm keeping her!
Today, after getting up at 4:30 am to run (clearly I've lost my mind), I had Portuguese lessons with JoAnn, and then we went into the city for a birthday lunch. I know that some of you might think I'm really being overly mushy, but I have to tell you that I would not be handling this major life change half as well if it weren't for meeting JoAnn. She makes me laugh when I'm crying, she puts up with my whining while making me do things that are good for me (see above - RUNNING!!!), and whenever we spend time together, I feel like I'm home. She is the best gift I have received in the past year, and I'm keeping her!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
The Power of Words
You would think I'd be running out of oddities to write about, but you would be wrong. Today JoAnn and I were riding along, chatting while we were going to the fabric store. As we rode, I innocently said, "There are so many crazy motorcyclists around here - I really hope I can make it through my time here without seeing one crash." 10 minutes later, as we are stopped in traffic, we suddenly hear a loud 'thump' and feel the car shake. A guy on a motorcycle crashed into the car! He seemed okay - he got up and rode off, but JoAnn and I were stunned. I'm having a hard time deciding what I should wish for next, because apparently I am pretty darn powerful!
This and That
I haven't posted in such a long time - partly because we were on vacation, and partly because I couldn't figure out how to make my blog page NOT appear in German. Somehow our internet links to Germany, so all of the headings for my blog, when I log in, are in German. Perfect!
Our trip to Mauritius was fabulous. I was able to spend a little quality time with my husband, and the kids had a blast. My favorite parts were snorkeling with the older two (amazing fish in the coral + warm Indian Ocean = super snorkeling), and taking each kid separately for a special dinner with us. It was very relaxing, and we were able to see the entire island. I'm starting to feel very comfortable with going to new places. Each place we go, we learn so much that we never would have known otherwise, and it's lovely to see how many friendly, kind people there are all over the world.
Adam put a ton of pictures in albums here: Horton Pictures
I don't quite feel as refreshed as I did after our Cape Town trip, but I think that's because we're in the home stretch before going back to CA this summer. I've been pushing thoughts of home to the back of my mind for the past 6 months, knowing that I had to get through....but now it's all I can think about! I know we are so blessed here, and have a million and one things to be thankful for - and I am. But it's still a struggle to keep my sense of humor about the things that are ridiculously hard about living here! Example - our remote control for the tv. It stopped working about 2 months ago. So - in the US, that would mean we'd drive ourselves to the store and get a new one. Here - not so easy. I called the maintenance supervisor, and was told that I had to send an email to maintenance. Ok, sent an email and got no response. Adam got tired of waiting, and had our driver take him to some back alley store where he purchased a 'new' remote. (I say 'new' because it was clearly not, but that's not even surprising anymore!) That worked for a few weeks, until suddenly one day, the remote inexplicably got burning hot when no one was using it. I popped it open, and the batteries were melting together! So back to the maintenance - I thought maybe since we'd given them 2 months, they'd have a remote for us? No - I still was told to send another email, and when they got back to me, I was promised a different remote within the next few days. It's not such a big deal, considering there's nothing on tv worth watching anyway - but all of these tiny things that consume most of my day, and are just SO complicated....they wear on me.
Hope you enjoy the pictures, and I will attempt to brush up on my German so that I can post more often!
Our trip to Mauritius was fabulous. I was able to spend a little quality time with my husband, and the kids had a blast. My favorite parts were snorkeling with the older two (amazing fish in the coral + warm Indian Ocean = super snorkeling), and taking each kid separately for a special dinner with us. It was very relaxing, and we were able to see the entire island. I'm starting to feel very comfortable with going to new places. Each place we go, we learn so much that we never would have known otherwise, and it's lovely to see how many friendly, kind people there are all over the world.
Adam put a ton of pictures in albums here: Horton Pictures
I don't quite feel as refreshed as I did after our Cape Town trip, but I think that's because we're in the home stretch before going back to CA this summer. I've been pushing thoughts of home to the back of my mind for the past 6 months, knowing that I had to get through....but now it's all I can think about! I know we are so blessed here, and have a million and one things to be thankful for - and I am. But it's still a struggle to keep my sense of humor about the things that are ridiculously hard about living here! Example - our remote control for the tv. It stopped working about 2 months ago. So - in the US, that would mean we'd drive ourselves to the store and get a new one. Here - not so easy. I called the maintenance supervisor, and was told that I had to send an email to maintenance. Ok, sent an email and got no response. Adam got tired of waiting, and had our driver take him to some back alley store where he purchased a 'new' remote. (I say 'new' because it was clearly not, but that's not even surprising anymore!) That worked for a few weeks, until suddenly one day, the remote inexplicably got burning hot when no one was using it. I popped it open, and the batteries were melting together! So back to the maintenance - I thought maybe since we'd given them 2 months, they'd have a remote for us? No - I still was told to send another email, and when they got back to me, I was promised a different remote within the next few days. It's not such a big deal, considering there's nothing on tv worth watching anyway - but all of these tiny things that consume most of my day, and are just SO complicated....they wear on me.
Hope you enjoy the pictures, and I will attempt to brush up on my German so that I can post more often!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Sister Amelia
Some of you know that I went with a group of other expats to visit a school in a very poor section of Luanda a few weeks ago. I have some pictures, and a lot of thoughts about the experience - but not enough time to write it down just now. So - to hold you over, watch this video that was taken a few years ago. Sister Amelia is an amazing person, and it was an honor to meet her and see what she's accomplished.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Still alive
I have all sorts of other pictures and stories to share - but I can't really focus long enough to put them here, because you see, it has been 12 weeks since we came back from South Africa. I promise, in April, I will be back to posting regularly and hopefully will be able to put together a coherent story or two. Until then, I am just trying to keep my cool and not punch anyone.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Water, Water....
I felt like the biggest jerk last week! After telling our maid about the hot water heater leaking, and our 4 days without hot water - she gently informed me that her house doesn't EVER have hot water. I'm such a bratty spoiled American!
Should I start with the positive? We have a functioning hot water heater again. But just to keep us from getting too crazy, we are also smack in the middle of a water shortage. This means that sporadically, throughout the day, no water will come from the tap. We've got plenty of drinking water, since that gets delivered in 5 gallon jugs - so really, it's just a nuisance.
Back to the tap water - it's filtered, but there's some question about whether or not it's okay to brush your teeth with it. Some people in the compound use the bottled water to brush their teeth, but that is just a pain in the pooper - you have to remember to fill a container to take with you every time you brush your teeth. So since maybe the 3rd week of living here, we've just used the tap water to brush with, and it's been no problem.....for 4 out of 5 people in our family. ONE person seems to get sick when she uses the tap water to brush with. ONE person's intestinal tract seems to be too delicate to handle the African tap water. And ONE person can't quite get it through her thick head that this is the case, so she keeps trying to go back to using the tap water....only to get sick again. So forgive me for not posting here last week - I was feeling a little bit icky...but I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with the water!*
*Yes, I know, it's the water. Yes I will only use bottled water to brush with from now on, if only to save myself from the severe beating that JoAnn has threatened me with.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Negative
Yesterday I stayed home the entire day, waiting for the repair people that we were told were on the way. All day long, no one came. This morning, a supervisor came by to look at the water heater, and he thinks the brand new one is broken now - so tonight will be the 4th night in a row of cold showers. Add this to the fact that the new cell phone that I waited 3 weeks for only worked for one day, the bugs I found crawling in the popcorn kernels I bought last weekend, and our computer's inability to download ANY shows or movies from iTunes.....and I am one unhappy camper.
I try really hard to be positive, and most days it's not so hard. I can laugh about most of the inconveniences, and having JoAnn to pal around with makes most of the days fun. But sometimes it just all piles up, and I want desperately to get OUT of here! I want to sleep without having to be shrouded in a mosquito net. I want to hop in the car and drive myself wherever I feel like going (mainly Target). I want to eat at a restaurant without picking through my child's food to remove eggshells, pig hair, or whatever else has been thrown in (that's a story for another day). In short, I'm just having myself a pity party. Maybe a cold shower will help!
I try really hard to be positive, and most days it's not so hard. I can laugh about most of the inconveniences, and having JoAnn to pal around with makes most of the days fun. But sometimes it just all piles up, and I want desperately to get OUT of here! I want to sleep without having to be shrouded in a mosquito net. I want to hop in the car and drive myself wherever I feel like going (mainly Target). I want to eat at a restaurant without picking through my child's food to remove eggshells, pig hair, or whatever else has been thrown in (that's a story for another day). In short, I'm just having myself a pity party. Maybe a cold shower will help!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Under Water
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| There was a line of 6 taxis, all with "Jesus" on them. |
Yesterday was a pretty good day. JoAnn and I left the compound early in the morning to go fabric shopping in the city. It took about 2 hours to drive the 15 miles or so into town, which is about what we expected. On the way, we played our favorite game in Luanda, "What crazy stuff can you spot on the street?" This game is very entertaining, and there's really only one rule - don't point! With your car surrounded at all times by people attempting to sell their wares to passengers in cars, pointing at someone means they will assume you want what they are selling - and they will chase your car and knock on the windows to sell it to you. As always, I'm too chicken to take pictures while we're driving, so JoAnn 'No Fear' Jones handles the photography.
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| Brooms - not heavy but tricky to balance! |
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| Tupperware |
Fabric shopping was fairly uneventful, but the real excitement started after Adam got home from work. He went upstairs to change his clothes, and yelled out, "We have a problem!" Water was pouring out of the ceiling in our master bedroom, covering the entire floor. Apparently the water heater that was replaced earlier in the week was either A) not installed correctly, or B) the second water heater in less than 2 weeks has broken. Either way, not really a fun way to start the evening. We called the maintenance supervisor, and got a recording that the number no longer exists. We called the help desk, and got no answer. We called the condominium emergency line, and were told, "No fala ingles." So....just a typical experience here! Repair guys finally showed up at 8pm, when the kids were going to bed. They managed to mop up the water in the attic, and disconnect the leaking water heater. When Adam asked if they'd be back to fix it today, they said, "Maybe." In case you don't speak Angolan, let me translate for you - that means "No way it's getting fixed tomorrow!" So now we have no hot water, but hey, there's a pool in the compound, so we'll get clean one way or another.
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| I'm always being reminded how fortunate we are. |
Maracujo
I have a new love here in Angola! A passion, actually - the passionfruit! I've always liked passionfruit-flavored juices and smoothies, but I'd never even seen an actual passionfruit before we moved here.
They're weird looking little guys, and they kind of smell up your kitchen when they hang around for a while .....not unlike the maintenance men here! But the fruit inside is delicious - tart and sweet. JoAnn brought me one from her vine, and I've become a little obsessed with them. I'm making passionfruit chicken for dinner tonight. I asked our gardener to plant two passionfruit vines in our yard, and then my maid pointed out that we have a BIG one growing in the front already! Then, as if that weren't enough passionfruit - I used 4 of them and made fresh passionfruit juice today - fabulous!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Biz
My fledgling home sewing business has taken a big hit since we moved here. Snapdragon Stitches, my little dream of using my love of fabric, color, children's clothing, and sewing - to do something that would bring in a little income - well, it's pretty well come to a screeching halt in the past 4 months. I'm regrouping, and putting together a plan to make my creations something that people know about and can purchase here in Angola. In the meantime, I'm still sewing up a storm.
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