One year down (under)

One year on…
A year ago we arrived in this beautiful foreign land. Australia adopted us and we were to start a new chapter in our lives. The time has flown by and we have endured many challenges, but survived. We have grown accustomed to buses swerving out with hardly any indication, the cheeky mynah birds that dive bomb the curious cats. We have gotten used to dodging cars on the roadside as very few people actually use their garages and still marvel at the fact that the car is still there, everything intact the next morning. We have developed a taste for sushi, we have managed to live on one salary for a time, we were blessed enough to afford a car after only 3 months of being here. We have grown closer, we have faced challenges with smiles, and we have learnt that the value of life lies in relationships.

Of course there have been a few challenges along the way. It took me a while to find work; Jacques is still unable to find work in logistics although he has decided to take a different route as he pursues teaching. He has endured Swine Flu, Shingles and plenty of colds. But here we stand, strong, happy, together.

We have come a long way since our timid arrival. We have joined a church, made friends and can even eat inside a take food restaurant as opposed to our previous ‘hobo status’ which involved use eating plain bread rolls on the side of the road (quite fun actually, but had my sister-in-law aghast).

The hardest part is missing family and friends. We have adjusted well and slotted in well to life ‘Down under’ but there is still that piece of one’s heart that is neglected, that love you know exists, but is too far away to enjoy. Our histories are different to the Australians, so we lack that camaraderie that we experienced with our fellow ‘Saffas’.

Overall though we are happy with the decision we made to move. We love the freedom and peace we feel here. Our new land has many opportunities and as our second year begins, we hope that new and exciting adventures await us, pleasantly surprise us and develop our characters even more.

Chat soon…I will try be more regular. With school starting though, I just had a bit of a lapse.