We have been here for exactly two weeks now. We are over our jet lag and away from all the rushing to get everything organized. There is still enough to do, but the first priorities are set. Oliver has started work two days ago. Now slowly the everyday normal life is getting reality. So I guess the ordinary life is about to start. Why does it not feel that way yet?
There are two reasons I can think of an explanation. One, the children have not started school yet. The two week winter break has just started. They do not have any friends yet, nor do they really know how to spend there time here. Kai is used to sport a lot and to always be able to play with his friends outside. Now he has not met that many children yet.
The second reason that I see is that we are still living in our own and still very small ‘cultural bubble‘. Everything is the same, we eat the (almost) same food, play the same games, talk the same languages. It is just that the outside world has changed a bit. We have just met very friendly people everywhere. Well except for the lady at the car rental place where we turned in our car.
So is this what our life is going to look like in the coming months? We can expect ups and downs in the process. So here is a down and an up that we have experienced so far.
Down
When the children where still reading a bit before they went to bed yesterday suddenly a crying Kai came down. “I miss my friends so much”. I guess he suddenly realized how far away he actually is and that he will not see them for quite a while. It was heartbreaking.
Up
Yesterday we went to the local swimming pool – the Monash Aquatic Centre. That was a big success. They had a 40 meter wave pool, which was a bit scary for Luka at the beginning, but loads of fun after-wards. “The best swimming pool ever” according to Kai. When they turned on the big waves, we had body boards and the waves really where very high. We were all still feeling the waves when we got back home.
Are we still liking it here? Yes, definitely! Do you still need to find our way? Yes, definitely!
europe2australia.com 
Hallo, Ihr Lieben, Ihr wart ja die letzten Monate (nicht nur die letzten 14 Tage) damit beschäftigt, alles zu organisieren und zu planen, so dass Ihr keine Zeit zum Nachdenken hattet. Nachdem nun der erste Stress vorbei ist und tägliche Routine eintritt, kommt natürlich ein kleines Loch. Ein Loch, das Ihr aber strategisch nutzen könntet, nämlich: was können wir wie und wann tun, damit Ihr Kinder und Leute kennen lernt (Trainingsstunden in einem Fitnesscenter, Bastelgruppe im Nachbarschaftstreff, vielleicht sogar Besuch einer Kirchengemeinde etc.). Strategisches Kennenlernen Eurer neuen Umgebung: Eine Fahrt nach Melbourne und Rundfahrt mit der alten Tram oder Auskundschaften, wie Ihr mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln ans Meer kommt oder, oder … Wichtig scheint mir, das gegenwärtige ‘Loch’ als neue Chance und Aufgabe zu betrachten und eben nicht darin zu versinken.
Wir wünschen Euch viel Kreativität dabei.
Schön, dass wir von Euch hören!
Liebe Grüße H.-W. und M.-D.
P.S. Die einzige unfreundliche Person auf unserer Reise durch Australien und Neuseeland war eine Frau von der Autovermietung!
LikeLike