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.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
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.
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