DH is settling very well into his new job. There will be even more challenges ahead for him now that this recession is snapping at all our heels. We knew his commute to the factory would be a tough one, and it is. At least he doesn't have to drive it himself, and although he denies it, I'm sure he catches 40 winks here and there. He's working hard and has been fantastic in organising and getting things in place at the house.
The kids are adjusting.
DS has been like a duck to water, he's
everyone's best friend and has everyone wrapped around his little finger. He loves all the attention and has been throwing the most spectacular tantrums known to man - if there was an Oscar to be had he'd win it - and he's still 6 months of being 2. Help me! Three mornings a week I take him to a U & Me session at a fantastic Indian school
http://www.kidscentralchennai.com/home.html and he really loves it, I tell him we're off to school and he runs to fetch his shoes and when it's time to leave I literally have to drag him away kicking and screaming.
DD started off fine, embracing everything with gusto and energy but then I think she lapsed into a case of Culture Shock as it dawned on her we weren't going to be going home sometime soon and she began questioning everything around us. She enjoys her school
http://www.aisch.org/ but found the size of it daunting at first (ages 3-18) especially with so many 'big kids' around. She now goes 3 full days and 2 mornings, the mornings tend to be very focused with no time for play with others, whereas the afternoons are pretty free, so for the last couple of weeks she has been staying all day and has been making some friends. She has a brand new swish haircut since Saturday and the salon even painted her toe-nails for her. She was so good and was as pleased as punch. It was a joy to see her very wide grin as she sat in the chair beaming into the mirror. As we were leaving she comes out with, '
Shall we go for a coffee now Mummy?' But the best 'out of the blue' question she has come out with this week, was today as we're on the way home from school, '
Mummy, how old will I be when I wear a bra?' I choked on my water and
Kumar had a chuckle. You are 4, not 14 sweetheart!!
The school run to
DD's school in the morning takes an hour there and back, traffic and weather permitting. 45
mins at lunchtime and in the afternoon.
DS's is just 5-10
mins away.
Yes, our house in the UK has been let, tenants are moving in either before Christmas or early January.
As for Hair and the Monsoon....let's just put that under a banner title of Hair & Humidity! Good and bad days. Many more good (well, acceptable) than I first thought thanks to John Frieda Moisture Barrier Hairspray - thanks for that great tip Michelle! Yes, I brought what I hope will be a year's supply.
Now for a biggie...
Do we notice the different culture? Oh yes, big time, all the time and I really don't quite know where to start on this one at the moment. Just fathoming out the people and how they tick is a minefield. As the weeks have gone by, and I pinch myself that is just weeks, we have seen/heard/encountered so much that it seems like a big sensory overload. I think I've switched off for the time-being, just to survive getting us up on our feet. Either that or I've d
e-sensitised to it already, but I don't think so as things still surprise and shock me but I'm tending not to dwell on things as much and concentrate on us as a family. It will be interesting when we have fist time visitors to India, here to stay at Christmas. I wonder if I will notice the things they notice?
