marcia
15th May 2007, 02:55 PM
Well it’s our six month anniversary today. I can’t believe how quickly time has flown, seems only yesterday we were stepping off the plane at Palmy to a welcoming committee of forumites (thanks Diny, Fergie, Henry, Julie, Steve and John!)
We have had our ups and downs, my downs mainly being missing family and friends, and needing to get into my own home, which we did at the beginning of April, I think I only have two small boxes of ornaments to unpack and it’s all done. Really feels like we are here to stay now I’ve got all my bits and bobs around me. It was really unsettling for me in the rental, which was furnished, we thought that was wonderful at first, but when all our stuff arrived and we had to put it into storage, then it wasn’t fun, it was just flippin expensive!
We thought before we came it would be easy to find a place we fell in love with, but we searched every lifestyle property in and around Palmy for months before we found something we wanted. It really started to get me down, because I didn’t feel settled at all. We had to choose a school for the boys in the area we hoped we would find a house because I really didn’t want them to have to change school again. They are going to a primary school that includes intermediate, which to be honest I hear is not a well liked stage by many children and parents, because they only go to intermediate for two years, they feel the sense of belonging they do at primary and high school, they are struggling with the teenage years and have to go through two difficult transitions very quickly. So for us the fact that our eldest has another two years to settle here before changing school again is a big plus. Also no school uniform at their primary, which is a big expense here, no nipping off to Matalan or Primark to get black pants and polo shirts, you buy from the school and they are not cheap!
The kids have adapted really well, they have the odd moment when they have a bit of a cry thinking about people they won’t see again, but we all do, its just a case of have a sob, have a hug and carry on. My worst bits are when we look at photos that my parents have emailed and my littlest one says – ‘I miss grandma and grandpa’ and all I can say is ‘yep me too’ behind the tears! The older two have joined a football team and play every Saturday, they love it, the eldest is the fastest in his year at cross country, and he was the one who we were the most worried about settling in here, but he is doing great.
The boys really seem to enjoy school, I have to reserve judgement on the maths they are taught at the moment, it certainly isn’t at the levels they were taught in the UK, but we have discussed this with the teachers and they are trying to challenge them in different ways. So I will wait and see. The boys love all the sports stuff they do, and they seem to go on lots of trips and days out too.
If any of you have young children and need a way to get to know some other mums, my advice to you is join Play centre. It’s fantastic!! Nothing like it in the UK, its run by the parents, the kids get to do all sorts of stuff, basically the world is their oyster, if they want to try something they are encouraged to go for it. I’ve met some really lovely people at our play centre and it has given me a sense of purpose and belonging, so if you want to be involved in your child’s education and meet other parents, it’s a much better choice in my opinion than a kindy. (Don’t forget, if one of the parents is working and you are on a low to middle income you can apply for funding for childcare places – go along to the work and income place and check it out!)
Kev is not finding it too bad working for someone else again after 12 years running his own company, but he is lucky that he is based at Ashhurst domain and there are only 3 men out there so they run the job themselves anyway. The pay not up to much, we really struggled when we were in the rental and paying storage fees, but we never came here to make money, we came for a change of lifestyle and for Kev to slow down and spend time with us as a family, which is working really well.
For us having the stockcar racing as a family hobby has really helped us settle, we have so many wonderful friends there, who have included us in family parties and BBQ’s and introduced us to other people, we really would have been lost with out them. I think it is vitally important that if you have an interest you get out there ASAP and get involved to make contacts and meet new people and make friends. They won’t come to you, you have to get out there and find them. I really enjoy it now we have our place, being able to invite friends around for the kids after school, or Emerson’s play centre friends. And remember once you issue the invitations, they usually get returned!
One of the hardest things we find is not having a ‘history’ over here, not being able to say to friends ‘do you remember when we…………….’ Didn’t we have a laugh when……….’ But you have to continue working on your socialising, and making friends. At the end of the day you have to remember that friends are like a good wine – they take time to mature.
Do we regret coming here? NO!
Would we consider going back to the UK?
A MAJORITY VOTE – NOT ON YOUR LIFE!
We have had our ups and downs, my downs mainly being missing family and friends, and needing to get into my own home, which we did at the beginning of April, I think I only have two small boxes of ornaments to unpack and it’s all done. Really feels like we are here to stay now I’ve got all my bits and bobs around me. It was really unsettling for me in the rental, which was furnished, we thought that was wonderful at first, but when all our stuff arrived and we had to put it into storage, then it wasn’t fun, it was just flippin expensive!
We thought before we came it would be easy to find a place we fell in love with, but we searched every lifestyle property in and around Palmy for months before we found something we wanted. It really started to get me down, because I didn’t feel settled at all. We had to choose a school for the boys in the area we hoped we would find a house because I really didn’t want them to have to change school again. They are going to a primary school that includes intermediate, which to be honest I hear is not a well liked stage by many children and parents, because they only go to intermediate for two years, they feel the sense of belonging they do at primary and high school, they are struggling with the teenage years and have to go through two difficult transitions very quickly. So for us the fact that our eldest has another two years to settle here before changing school again is a big plus. Also no school uniform at their primary, which is a big expense here, no nipping off to Matalan or Primark to get black pants and polo shirts, you buy from the school and they are not cheap!
The kids have adapted really well, they have the odd moment when they have a bit of a cry thinking about people they won’t see again, but we all do, its just a case of have a sob, have a hug and carry on. My worst bits are when we look at photos that my parents have emailed and my littlest one says – ‘I miss grandma and grandpa’ and all I can say is ‘yep me too’ behind the tears! The older two have joined a football team and play every Saturday, they love it, the eldest is the fastest in his year at cross country, and he was the one who we were the most worried about settling in here, but he is doing great.
The boys really seem to enjoy school, I have to reserve judgement on the maths they are taught at the moment, it certainly isn’t at the levels they were taught in the UK, but we have discussed this with the teachers and they are trying to challenge them in different ways. So I will wait and see. The boys love all the sports stuff they do, and they seem to go on lots of trips and days out too.
If any of you have young children and need a way to get to know some other mums, my advice to you is join Play centre. It’s fantastic!! Nothing like it in the UK, its run by the parents, the kids get to do all sorts of stuff, basically the world is their oyster, if they want to try something they are encouraged to go for it. I’ve met some really lovely people at our play centre and it has given me a sense of purpose and belonging, so if you want to be involved in your child’s education and meet other parents, it’s a much better choice in my opinion than a kindy. (Don’t forget, if one of the parents is working and you are on a low to middle income you can apply for funding for childcare places – go along to the work and income place and check it out!)
Kev is not finding it too bad working for someone else again after 12 years running his own company, but he is lucky that he is based at Ashhurst domain and there are only 3 men out there so they run the job themselves anyway. The pay not up to much, we really struggled when we were in the rental and paying storage fees, but we never came here to make money, we came for a change of lifestyle and for Kev to slow down and spend time with us as a family, which is working really well.
For us having the stockcar racing as a family hobby has really helped us settle, we have so many wonderful friends there, who have included us in family parties and BBQ’s and introduced us to other people, we really would have been lost with out them. I think it is vitally important that if you have an interest you get out there ASAP and get involved to make contacts and meet new people and make friends. They won’t come to you, you have to get out there and find them. I really enjoy it now we have our place, being able to invite friends around for the kids after school, or Emerson’s play centre friends. And remember once you issue the invitations, they usually get returned!
One of the hardest things we find is not having a ‘history’ over here, not being able to say to friends ‘do you remember when we…………….’ Didn’t we have a laugh when……….’ But you have to continue working on your socialising, and making friends. At the end of the day you have to remember that friends are like a good wine – they take time to mature.
Do we regret coming here? NO!
Would we consider going back to the UK?
A MAJORITY VOTE – NOT ON YOUR LIFE!