Holidays and Kindergarten - August 9

Yesterday, AK and I set off on a little adventure of our own to find school uniforms.  The Bens stayed home to meet the cleaning lady (who was supposed to clean before we moved in ) and the Ikea delivery guys.  I had the name and address of the store that sold uniforms, and I had a vague idea of where it was based on 17 year old memories.  So, off we went in a taxi to Holland Village.

She was THRILLED to try on and buy uniforms!  her school requires a back pack and hat, too, so she looks like she's ready for quite an excursion, and she couldn't be any happier.  Of course, she was a little sad that a 'dress' wasn't an option, but she's satisfied for a skort (which she quickly chose over the shorts alternative). 

After the uniforms (and a pink sparkly headband and princess Jibbitz for her Crocs) were purchased, we went in search for lunch.  She proudly announced that it was our "Kindergarten celebration" lunch, so it had to be good. I knew that Holland Village had tons of options since it's home to many, many expats, so I wondered what she would choose.  I keep looking for an opportunity to ease her into the local favorites, but we have 2 issues with that.  First, I want to make sure we choose something that she'll like so she doesn't automatically hate all Asian food, and I'm not at all sure what to choose.  And, second, she says it all "smells".  Well, she's right about that.  Anyway, I steered her down a street away from the Wendy's sign that I saw peeking around the corner ahead. 

And there it was. 

She spotted it first. 

Cha Cha Cha.

Mexican food. 

Once they learn to read, the gig is really up, huh?   No denying it; she saw the chips and salsa.  She spied the sombrero.  We were having nachos for lunch. 

She enjoyed every bite and had enough sour cream to fill her quota for a month. 



After the fabulous nacho lunch, we decided to have our toes painted.  It was her first experience with a pedicure, and I'm afraid that it won't be her last. She loved it. 

 Perhaps it was getting to choose the color all by herself - "I'm a Kindergartener, Mama.  I can make great choices now!" Perhaps it was being called 'Princess' by the entire salon's staff.  She was not thrilled, however, to learn that school requires shoes that will always cover those pretty toes.  "There's always the weekend...and pooltime!" she sighed.

 After the pedicure, we decided to take the train home. First, we had to take a bus to the train station, which was AK's first experience with public transportation in Singapore. She couldn't understand why we didn't hop on the first bus we saw, but she quickly learned to spot the bus number and look for the correct bus. Yesterday was National Day (more on that later), so both trains we took to get home were packed. She was thrilled to ride the train and handled all 12 escalators we encountered like a pro. She's had trouble with them in the past, but no more - "I'm a Kindergartener, and I can do this all by my self!!".
Notice a pattern? Kindergarten is, evidently, life changing. Even before the first day of school arrives.

On the train.

Back to National Day...

Singapore celebrated its 46th birthday yesterday, and the whole island proudly decorated in red and white to celebrate. Flags  and banners were everywhere.  The Subway was packed with people in red shirts. 

 Our Condo building - flags all around the entrance

 Banners of all descriptions on every post.

We knew there was a parade but couldn't find out where or when it was.  Finally, we figured out it wasn't a parade like we have on the 4th of July...it's a stage production.   It's sort of like the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, only it's all about Singapore.  As we watched it on TV last night, it was a little crazy to look out our window and realize that we could see where it was taking place - right outside our window. 

Ben called us to the window just as we were returning from a quick swim last night.  This is what we saw:

 Three helicopters carrying the Singapore flag over the Parade area.  There was also a military flyover, which B3 loved. 

Then, right at 8 pm, the fireworks started.  Again, right outside our window.  No worries about trying to go somewhere to see them at bedtime.  No trouble for AK, who enjoys the show but detests the booms and cracks (and loud noises in general).  Perfect. 



Home Sweet Home!

Yesterday, we made it to the 11th floor condo that is home.  AK and B3 seem to love it.  B3 has construction sites to watch, and AK is generally happy wherever she is.  We filled our taxi once again with luggage (even thought Ben had already delivered 2 to our apartment).

(this is the view inside the van - stroller is at the ceiling.  I'm so glad we didn't have to stop suddenly; all of this would have been in my lap since we were rear facing in the taxi.  Yikes!)

Ben and I immediately began to unload suitcases and try to sort what we had brought.  The movers missed a closet during packing, so we stuck some winter items in a bag so that we'd have a few cold weather things.  Little did I know that would provide hours of dress up fun in a tropical climate....

Today, AK and B3 got their first taste of what a real taxi feels like.  I'm not fond of putting them in a car without carseats, but it's a necessity around here.  We'll get our car eventually, but until then, we'll do what we can.  They both loved the ride!

We went to Ikea to buy some necessities like bookshelves and pots and clothespins.  Little did we know that half of the entire population of Singapore would be there.  Actually, they weren't shopping; they were all in the restaurant. Who knew Asians liked Swedish meatballs so much??



Day 1 - Saturday, August 6

We arrived without incident, and even managed to get all19 pieces of luggage into one van. It was a tight squeeze, but we made it. After breakfast at the hotel (which we checked into at 6 am), Ben went to meet the realtor to get keys to our new home while B3, AK, and I went to the pool. There was actually a chilly breeze in the shade, and that may very well be the last time I say those words in Singapore. After baths, the kids and I took a much needed nap. It was midnight on our internal clocks, and they (OK, we) were crashing. Two hours later, Ben returned and woke us up.
It did not go well.
There was weeping, wailing, collapsing, resisting, tears, limp body falling, stumbling, and more wailing. We really needed to get them up and out of our hotel room to keep them awake, so we had planned to walk over to a store adjacent to Ben's office building. After about 20 minutes of the hysteria, we finally made it out of the door. B3 hade calmed enough to go, but AK was still carrying on s fabulously that I was actually concerned that someone would think that she was being abducted or was in some sort of serious pain. We walked a good ways in underground malls that were teeming with people. Singaporeans are shoppers, and it was Saturday evening. Also, there were hundreds grouped around tables set up in the mall for some sort of travel fair. I so wish I had taken my camera to capture the madness.
We bought a few essentials to take to our condo today: toilet paper, Oreos, cheese and crackers. All the while AK was still wailing and complaining that she "hurt allllll ovvvvveeeeerrrrrrrrr!" Poor girl. I was afraid that she would make herself sick, but she finally snapped out of it when we spied some Angry Bird junk at a mall kiosk. Evidently, the thought of Angry Bird hats, purses, pencils, phone covers, pencil boxes, notebooks and more. Evidently, video game merchandise has healing value even without buying a thing.
Next, we learned a very important lesson - always carry cash. We stopped for pizza, and our bill was $27. A $30 purchase must be made to use a card. Who knew? Fortunately, we did have cash, and a crisis was averted. It's not normal for me to always have cash, so I'm hoping I've learned a lesson.
During the entire walk back, AK kept asking, "Can I go to bed when we get back?". By 7 pm, we were all in bed and asleep shortly thereafter. AK and B3 slept until 3 am and played, squealed, and watched videos until 5 am when Ben and I finally gave in and got up, too. Thank goodness for hotel TVs that hook into laptops for easy video viewing!!

Today we move into our condo. At least tomorrow morning there will be more room for them to play when they're up at 5. I'm optimistic they'll make it that long. We'll see...

Leaving On a Jet Plane

08-04-11
Airplane Day!
We’ve been talking about this day for a while. Anticipating; dreading. Anna Kate was a little hyper, and B3 was thrilled to finally be on his way to “fly!!” with Daddy. All morning long, Ben kept calling roll; he had to know where we all were at all times. If he couldn’t see me, he’d roam the house yelling for me until I responded. If Anna Kate was playing in a different room, he had to find her. If Ben went out to load, B3 followed along. Just by looking at the mountain of luggage, he knew something was up. Something, indeed.
Since we’ll be there at least 6 weeks without before our household goods shipment arrives, we maxed out our luggage allotment on the flight. As a result, we had to borrow the bus from my parents’ church to haul us and our bags to the airport,. It’s a little embarrassing, but it was better than driving 2 vehicles. Of course, we had to have a picture of the stack. Note there are a couple of carry ons missing.

Eight bags and a car seat were checked. Everyone had 2 carry-ons, and we also had B3’s car seat and stroller. That’s TEN items to traipse through the airport and navigate security with. The only glitch was failing to warn B3 that he’d have to remove his hat, shoes, and beloved turtle snap bracelet (Thanks, Aunt Barbara!) in security. Melt. Down. In Newark, we had learned from our mistake and were able to appropriately prepare him for it.
Our flight from Charlotte to Newark departed at 6 pm. Both kids did well; window seats, snacks, and an iPad helped. My favorite moment of that flight came as we landed; Anna Kate erupted into chants of, “Sing-A-Pore! Sing-A-Pore!”, loud enough for everyone around us to hear. Her excitement was obvious.
After a 3 hour layover in Newark, we finally took off at 11 pm on a Singapore Air flight. Oh, how I love Singapore Air! As soon as I boarded, 2 attendants, dressed in their beautiful traditional dresses, insisted on helping me carry my 5 bags to our seats. I’m not sure anyone has ever, ever helped me like that before. The service is excellent, the seats are spacious enough for me to sit comfortably with a kid, and the food isn’t bad, either. Besides, who doesn’t enjoy a flight with an attendant who does Louis Armstrong impersonations after he offers croissants and sweet rolls? This same singing attendant pushed our bags thru the airport to the taxi stand after we met again at baggage claim – singing Sinatra the entire way. Later, Ben told me he was also the one who turned “Kung Fu Panda” on so B3 would be entertained while the plane loaded.
Both AK and B3 were hyper and going wide open. Our flight was all business class, so each of us had a large seat that folded into a bed. B3 was in his car seat, and he finally crashed around midnight. Remarkably, he slept until 8:30. We were both pleasantly surprised and shocked. AK was showing no signs of being tired, so she was still watching a movie when I went to sleep sometime after 1 am. She, too, slept until after 8.
As I typed this, we’ve got 4 hours left. Anna Kate has amused herself quite nicely by singing, reading, watching “Rio” 4 times, and playing with the somewhat scary toys the attendants passed out. She truly enjoyed the warm washcloth treatment, too.  She's being spoiled, I'm afraid. 

B3, understandably, has been very high maintenance. I’ve had a finger up my nose and my hair painfully rearranged. I’ve sung “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” and the theme from Thomas a dozen times. I’ve had my shirt pulled, stretched, and tugged to revealing lengths and I’ve had sloppy kisses. The kind, friendly flight attendant has taken him on nearly as many laps around the plane as Ben and I have. He’s made his presence known to everyone on the flight. Some have heard him; others have been poked. Seriously. As he makes his way down the aisle, he must touch every arm rest for balance. Some seats are empty, thankfully. Others have arm sticking out, and some folks have other body parts sprawled all over, just asking to be poked. He’s more than happy to oblige. And, in case you’re wondering – Benadryl doesn’t work.

Welcome to Over Here

Over Here.
It’s quite an adventure – moving. Even if it’s just a move to a new house around the corner, it’s still a big deal. You find stuff you lost in the last move, and you move boxes you never unpacked from last time. You get rid of stuff even if you’re not ready to because moves are not kind to packrats and impracticality (ask me how I know).

Our move to Singapore is no different. It’s a new city for our family, and I want to chronicle some of our explorations and experiences. I want our families to be able to see current pictures and know what we’re up to, but I also want to just jot down some details so that we don’t forget. I regret not keeping better journals in Mexico. The memories there are many; we bought a maid at the grocery store, we were stared at in awe by a boy in Veracruz who had likely never seen a white face before (“Son gringos??!!”, he asked, obviously thrilled), and I cried over cheese, Cheerios, and chocolate milkshakes. But those evens aren’t recorded anywhere except in our minds. I know this adventure is different; Anna Kate and Ben add a dimension to expat living that will be uncharted territory for us. I want to remember for them, for us. So, here it is. Our family’s blog:

Over Here.
What’s behind the title, you ask? Well, let me give you a few examples of questions we’ve heard this summer:

• What’s the weather like over there?

• What language do they speak over there?
• Do they have schools over there?
• Do you know that you can’t chew gum over there?

And on and on. So, we’re moving “Over There”. Except, now, we’re “Over Here”.
We hope you’ll join us on this crazy trip to the other side of the world. Be warned: the purpose is largely to keep our families up to date with us, so if reports of kindergarten and speech therapy bore you, just remember that next week’s post might be more interesting. Or, it won’t be. Who knows? Maybe I’ll answer some of those “Over There” questions along the way, too.
**The header pictures are temporary and borrowed until we have our own album of fun Singapore sites. Stay tuned…

Finally!

After weeks of waiting, it's finally official.  Ben signed a contract while  in London this week, and we're really moving.  There's so much to do!  First, we need a school for Anna Kate. There are applications to fill out, forms to gather, and passports to obtain. 
Tonight, I thought I'd mark another item off the list and go get B3 and AK's passport pictures made.
Turns out, that was an ambitious goal. 
We started out at CVS.  Sure, the teen behind the counter said, we do passport pictures. 
Only the 5 and under crowd is obviously not their target audience.
They each had to stand in a rickety folding chair to be tall enough to have the backdrop behind them.  AK did beautifully; her picture is exactly as it should be for a passport:  not flattering at all, and yet, it looks just like her.
B3, on the other hand, will get yet another go tomorrow. 
He danced.
He wiggled.
He grinned.  With his fingers in his ears.
I gave up. 
I can only imagine that standing in line for the actual passports on Saturday (provided we get pictures tomorrow) will be as much fun as we had tonight.  At least Ben will be home to accompany me to the Post Office. Hooray!

Making It Real

In mid Febrary, Ben brought a "Maybe" home from work with him.  It was a big Maybe, and we've discussed, hashed, and rehashed that Maybe for two months now.  Somewhere in there, the Maybe turned into "Probably".
Until last Friday, when Probably turned into "Almost Definitely".
As in, We're Almost Definitely moving.
To Singapore.
Tonight, it became a little more real when I actually said the words "We're moving" to my Bible Study friends.
Singapore is 10,000 miles from family.  10,000 miles from Harris Teeter.  10,000 miles from nearly everything that is familiar and comfortable.
And, that's ok with me. 
Part of the reason it's ok with me is that seventeen summers ago, I spent 12 weeks in Singapore as a BSU summer missionary. It's undeniable that that experience has enabled me to know without a doubt that we'll be ok in Singapore.  We'll be better than ok; we'll love it.  Will we miss family birthday celebrations?  Certainly.  Will we wish sometimes we were in Charlotte instead? Absolutely- especially in the fall when the leaves are changing. When the air is cooler.  When there's football to watch on Saturdays. 
Not that there's an absence of all apprehension; I have plenty.  I'm anxious about what we'll take with us and what we'll do with the stuff we leave behind. I'm anxious about making those decisions in every cabinet and closet in every room of this house.  I'm anxious about spending t w e n t y-f o u r loooooooooooooong hours in transit with B3. 
I've got plenty of questions, that's true. But I'm thankful that God began to prepare me for this new adventure seventeen years ago.

Who would have thought??