Trust in the process

After a short sabbatical for rejuvenation through an ayurvedic deep cleanse we are slowly getting back in the groove of things.  Although, it is probably an overstatement to say that we actually have a groove!  There is a scale called the Holmes-Rahe Stress Scale that is a helpful tool in understanding how major life changes impact us.  It has been easy for us to underestimate exactly how much this years changes and challenges have affected us.  The cleanse was a helpful reset button after hitting a number of things on that stress scale this past year!  It is going to take us a while before we actually get a real groove!

Nothing quite prepared us for becoming expats.  Travel and moving didn’t do it.  I have traveled to 20 countries and still feel like a novice adventurer.  We have moved more times than I care to recall and still that didn’t prepare us for a move abroad.  While our language is shared there are differences there as well.  It seems to us that lots of words here are shortened.  For instance, I give you the word arvo.
arvo
Avacado is avo.  Australia is straya.  Biccy is biscuit, cookie.  Breakfast is brekky.  Brisbane is Brissie.  Choccy is chocolate.  Cuppa is a cup of tea.  Definitely is defo.  Devastated is devo.  Footy is football.  Lappy is laptop.  This afternoon is s’arvo.  Gas station is servo.  Liquor store is bottle-o.  Police officer is coppa.  Things sold in cans are tinnys.  A tradesman is a tradie.  A postman is a postie.  Garbage truck driver is a garbo.  A present is a prezzie. Facebook is facey.  Sunglasses are sunnies.  Vegetarian is a veggo.  You get the idea!

And, culturally there are lots of differences as well.  It is fun and challenging and disorienting all at once.  While travel is one long trip of exploration, being an expat is different because you are doing some travel when you can but also  you are building a life with all the little details that come with it!  We very purposefully came with only our clothes and computers and have been renting everything.  We are now at the point where it feels a bit like we have been in a hotel for quite a while.  The kitchen rental equipment was just not cutting it.  Food preparation is very important to our family.  So we have slowly been starting to acquire some basic kitchen equipment.  We turned our first round of rental equipment back in this week.  We have a rental contract on this home till the end of the year and are not quite sure what is next.  We love living in New Farm as it is close to the central business district (CBD) and is on a little peninsula.  It is just a very cool community!  All four of us are nesters so the temporariness of everything has been challenging.  Flexibility and resilience and trust in the process are absolute requirements for an expat adventure.  We are in constant learning and adjustment mode!  We are trusting that by the end of this year we will know what the next step is!
Trust
This week the contract on my parents home officially fell through.  In addition, our realtor who is primarily an appraiser encouraged us to find a realtor who could be full time.  It has been a wild ride with two offers, both falling through!  It has been extremely hard to be so far away during this process.  I have had to resist the urge to hop on a plane and head home.  There are some repairs to be dealt with and we now have a full time realtor on it. We are back to square one!  Again flexibility and resilience and trust in the process!
Patience
We are so incredibly grateful to our friend Rhonda for the use of her car!  It has been an absolute godsend!  While we love using public transit for most things, having a car has made our life so much easier!  We are defo (see we are learning) going to have to look at getting a car in the year ahead!

This past week we found a new groomer for the dogs and Eve also found a hair salon to get a cut.  Seemingly small things but these things make a place feel more like home.  We think they all look great!
IMG_7899Eve before and after
Everyday as an expat is a new day of learning!  It is a move and travel all wrapped into one.  There is a longing to explore and a longing to be settled.  There is a longing for home back in the USA and a longing to put down roots here in Australia.  Everyday we start again!  Here’s wishing you a lovely new day and week ahead!  As always, thanks for joining us on our Aussie adventure!
a new day

 

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4 Comments on “Trust in the process

  1. We are so sorry the house sale fell through. And, l just know you are very strong with all the decisions you ‘ve had to make this past year and I know you will survive!!! Eve, you just keep on getting prettier and prettier! When will you see Sophie again?I am sure you probably connect with her every day! I pray she is all settled by now .Thinking of you with prayers, love and JOY!

    • Oh thank you so very much for that encouragement Miss Tommie Ann!! She does doesn’t she? She is lovely inside and out! Sophie is so busy with university! She started a volunteer position with the Red Cross today and has a good group of friends as well. So glad she is living with us so we get to see her some! Love to you and Mr. John!!!

  2. Really loving all of your posts ! You’re so honest about the ups and downs it makes it so real to read ! I laughed at the list of words which you are finding different .. I counted 11 of them which we also use here in Ireland ! It’s funny as there is such a large Irish presence in Oz and has been for generations that I’d like to think some it came from us but more realistically it’s probably an English influence on us both ! All of your struggles will be outweighed by the hurdles you have overcome and it will all weave in to the best experience and adventure for you all . Not sure I like the sound of the cleanse though !! Hope things work out for you with the sale of your parents place !
    Trish & Clicker

    • Thanks so very much Trish!! I’m kinda surprised that you use so many of the words in Ireland too. It totally cracks us up! It is a little like learning another language…so much fun though! It sounds weird when we try to use the words though! The girls are like “please don’t” when we try to do it…haha! It is interesting that the Irish and British influence sounds so different in the US. Yeah, the cleanse has been tough but our years of going through an exclusive western system of healthcare with our parents inspires us do all we can to integrate the two….so far no pharmaceuticals for us at 53 and 55 so we are thankful for how it has helped thus far! Thank you for the encouragement! It is wonderful having this adventure! I know it will all be worth it in the end and also that my parents home will sell at the right time to the right people! Hope you will have a beautiful day in Dublin!

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