[stellachiara]

Well, we finished moving our stuff out of the student housing and into our flat in Roslyn. This seems to have sent me straight into culture shock! I guess in a way we were somewhat sheltered from the full impact of living in a foreign country -- surrounded by other international students, inherently part of a group, just a few blocks away from school on foot. But it is different living with just you and your partner in a flat in a quiet neighborhood up on the hill over the uni area.

I started crying whilst making dinner (something I had really been looking forward to doing!) because the water drips onto the floor when you wash the dishes, and there are only two burners on the stove, and I don't know how much 200 kilograms is, and there are no bags that fit the garbage can in the kitchen, and I have to pull the skin off the chicken thighs and find some way to throw it away when there's not a bag in the garbage can, and I have no salt and pepper or spices, and everyone who loves us is not here, etc.

Fortunately, my loving husband comforted me and assured me we would get a chart showing kitchen conversions and put it up on the wall. And the dinner actually turned out quite good. And we are at the uni using their wireless because we have no internet at home. So, things are feeling better, although I continue to wish we had access to housing that is warm, dry, and comfortable. It seemed so easy to get back home! :exit

[YouMeAndThree]

Sounds like you could do with some cyber (((((hugs))))) too.

I'm assuming you were looking forward to making dinner, rather than crying.

I use plastic carrier bags in my kitchen bin as it's just a little one. Is it a 'swing-top' bin that you have?

200KG would be VERY heavy, think you mean 200grammes.........which is just under a cup if that helps. I still find kgs and g's confusing as I'm far more use to lbs and ozs, despite the UK converting to metric several years ago.

I hope you are settled soon and it feels more like home. Sorry, can't help with having family and friends nearby though :wah

(((hugs))) again.

[stellachiara]

Thanks so much -- cyber hugs and sympathy are gratefully accepted! Haha, yes, I was looking forward to making dinner, not crying, and I did mean grams! I have a kind of large plastic bin with a removable top -- it looks like a mini version of the old metal trash cans we used to have way back when. The flat is furnished, so I am discovering what we have been provided with, what is acceptable out of that, and what we will have to provide ourselves. I think just that process alone will make it feel more like "ours."

[JandM]

((((()))))

When you've got your internet connection at home sorted out, weights and measures conversions are really easy to do with Google. You just put in '200g in ounces', '63 kilometres in miles', (or whatever you want it to do), and it just comes up with the answer. It WILL be okay, promise! I remember when I was first a student in Paris, that feeling of being all on my own with nothing between me and the foreign-ness.

The thing that nearly made me cry in the first week was trying to buy a new pair of shoes urgently because the ones I was wearing had had the heel break off. The woman asked me what size I needed, and of course I told her my English size, not knowing there was any other system (!). She sighed heavily, and said, 'We haven't anything like that. We only have proper sizes here.'

(I got my shoes. Common sense cut in and I got her to measure my feet!)

[sekilau]

Lucky your flat is furnished and may be a furnished flat make you think you can cook by yourselves on the first day. I have a number "start from zero" experience. The last one I had in Melbourne earlier this year, the flat is really empty, which I sleep on sleeping bag on the floor (not even has bed frame).

As you have your partner with you, i think days will not be too tough.

If the region you are staying has take-away or pizza delivery, I believe it worth 15 to 20 dollars for each of the meals on your first few days. you have alot to sort out. relax yourselves, buy kitchenware, utensils you used to use before start cooking.

Thanks so much -- cyber hugs and sympathy are gratefully accepted! Haha, yes, I was looking forward to making dinner, not crying, and I did mean grams! I have a kind of large plastic bin with a removable top -- it looks like a mini version of the old metal trash cans we used to have way back when. The flat is furnished, so I am discovering what we have been provided with, what is acceptable out of that, and what we will have to provide ourselves. I think just that process alone will make it feel more like "ours."

[Duncan74]

Remember when we moved into our first unfurnished place. Went to ikea to buy furniture but they didn't accept solo cards so we couldn't buy what we needed ;-( had to decide between bed or sofa. Then got home and didn't even have any numbers for the pizza places, so had to walk to the shop then home again with cold pizza. Finally boxes all over the place and nowhere big enough for both of us so sat at opposite sides of the lounge each eating in our own little space! 11 years on and remembering htat night still makes me smile. 1 bed flat, paid £900 a month, freezing cold, damp, annoying neighbours, constantly broke. Was perfect as we were together and on our own.

[Familyofmonkeys]

That brings back memories for us too. When we got our first flat after uni, the agent handed over the keys, took a look at the car full of our only belongings and asked what time the rest of our stuff would be arriving......well there wasn't anything else, that was the lot. We slept on the floor in a bare flat for the first month until OH got his first paycheck and we could just about afford to buy a mattress, the next month we bought a bed frame, and on the third month we exitedly visited Ikea and bought a cheap futon for a sofa and some book shelves. Oh and for our first night's dinner we ate some discounted sandwiches from Sainsburys as we didn't need saucepans, plates or cutlery :laugh

[Shones]

Hope the above stories made you smile, they did me.
I think it's when you finally pause, all the tiredness catches up with you. I always seem to have "one good cry" whenever I've been through something exhausting. Glad your partner lent you his shoulder to cry on. It'll get better, then you can laugh about it all :)

[newarrival]

Having problems with the measurements- I can very much relate to that problem! And for me it was just the other way round, coming from Germany I am used to put everything on a scale, so I was really lost when I tried to cook something from Edmond's and had to use cup measurements!
Same goes for dress sizes, shoe sizes etc!:wah
But- if it is of any consolation, I for sure belong to the "older" ones on here and I managed!;)

Two of our children are flatting together in St.Kilda (at the moment) and had to get used to do everything on their own- never having had to cook before (well, I admit that our daughter is very practical, so that definitely helped a lot), go shopping, do the laundry, clean the flat......., that was a big learning curve as well!:cool:

I am sure you will manage very well after the first days and start to enjoy your own space, even if there are small things which could be better- but that is something which is part of my life since we arrived here:laugh

[Carey]

Time is a great healer and you will look back on these early days, sometime in the future and smile. Cup measurements are easy to use and cheap to buy so go treat yourself to some. And just take one day at a time.

[925dancer]

Yep, you are definitely at an advantage having a furnished place!

Starting from scratch is not fun when you have no money. Being a real cook it can be endlessly frustrating when you don't have everything you need or even want. I am still, a couple months down the line, discovering things I don't have. My Mum actually paid for an online store cupboard shop so I have heaps of staples now which makes a huge difference.

I'm still missing a rolling pin, nutmeg grater, muffin and cupcake tins, shelves so I can unpack all my nick nacks, any furniture for the spare room, bedside tables, drawers for the bedroom but I know I will get there in the end!

Starting over is difficult and we all have our wobbly moments but it will be okay :o

[dusk]

Aww, poor you - it's frustrating when the little things are not where you expect them to be isn't it? I was the same with condiments and bin bags :D

You will adapt and survive. note on chicken stuff I always throw that stuff away wrapped in something - if you have a bin that doesn't need emptying for a couple of days it can get a bit unpleasant otherwise.

[NikT]

Hang in there guys.;)
You can't expect everything to be right staight away.
It might take a little time, but it will all come good.:nice1

She'll be right :laugh.

Nick.:cheers

[stellachiara]

Thanks guys! All your stories did make me smile and feel better :) We went to the Warehouse today and bought a bunch of little homey things to make things feel more comfortable, like area rugs and storage bins and power strips and kitchen towels. We also bought electric blankets - sorely needed! -- and went to Telecom to set up our phone and internet. Things feels better already.

[JandM]

I'm still missing a rolling pinIn case you haven't sussed it - I expect you have, though - a glass bottle makes a perfectly good substitute.

Stellachiara, glad to hear the clouds have lifted a bit.:nice1

[M-Squared]

Furnished place = NICE! :nice1 Glad you're settling in well. :)

[Sam B]

Brings back memories of my first weeks here - couldn't open the gates to kindergarten at work, the keys turned the wrong ways in all the door locks at home, indicators on the wrong side of the car. It gets better, slowly...