It's been kinda busy!

You would think that moving to a country where you know absolutely no-one, life would slow down a little. I have to admit quite the opposite is happening here! In fact, I’m exhausted!
We have met some absolutely wonderful people. I guess only being here a short time everything is just intensified and we have been busy with parties, functions, work and life!
The kids have now been at school over a week and really appear to be enjoying it. They had their Christmas party a couple of nights ago and had a blast. Each group got up and did a song. When it was Christopher’s group’s turn I could not find him anywhere. The last place I looked was the stage and there he was, Santa hat firmly perched on head, ready to sing. Anyone that knows my son know that he is painfully shy so and racking this one up to the miracle of Christmas. Scarlett even got up with her group, with some assistance from daddy of course. Santa arrived AGAIN and the kids received presents AGAIN! They are loving this Christmas Party business!!! Christopher seems to have really taken to the structure of the school. They spend an hours singing songs and going through days of the week/weather (hot) etc each morning. It seems like all of the groups spend the whole day singing. There are songs for going inside, songs for going outside, songs for when to have a drink, songs for just bout everything. The kids love it and spontaneously broke out with Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer in the back of the tuk tuk yesterday (much to the amusement of Mr Phea!)
Nick is really enjoying the work and appears to have settled in quite well.
I have a bit of a routine happening at the moment but that will change next week as school is closed until the 28th.
I had a lovely girls night out last night with Carol and Sheryl. Two amazing women who live here. It was so nice to go out with some “chicks”. You don’t know how much you missed it until you do it again. Fantastic restaurant called Fish which serves up….wait for it….seafood! We all shared 6 dishes, 2 wines and five cocktails and were more than happy with the $20 each we paid. Also went to the FCC or Foreign Correspondents Club, which is a bit of an institution here. Sat up on the roof and had a couple of G and T’s overlooking the river. A great night out.
Nick and I have our first Date Night tonight. We have tee’d up one of the Teachers Advisors from Christopher’s class to come and baby-sit ($3 an hour). Her name is Kunthea and yes, you can imagine how Scarlett pronounces it. She has me in stiches. So we are looking forward to just going out to dinner without the kids. It will be nice to be out at night together and get a different perspective on things. (Yes mum, she is fine, she has our number and the kids know her. They will be asleep anyway and she see’s them everyday so they are quite comfortable with her)
I have organised a birthday party for Christopher at a place called Le Jardine for 3.00pm next Wednesday. It is a little French place but actually has a big sand pit and cubby house for the kids. The do a $7 a head party for kids and they get ice-cream, drinks, balloons, hats etc and Quiddy gets a banner and a personalised cake. Kinda like a Macca’s party….but not! There should be about 7 kids or so I think so hopefully a fun afternoon.
I have the name of a local Orphanage that I hope to go and do one morning a week at. It is actually one of Mother Theresa’s orphanages and has a good reputation. Apparently they just need a hand feeding the babies and stuff. I don’t imagine it will be an easy thing to do and I have thought really hard about whether I would be able to do it. I am told it can be quite confronting. I do think though that if I left here without having done something, I would leave disappointed.
Out first guests (Yeah Nic and Fiona!) arrive on the 27th and leave on the 2nd so I imagine we will have a load of fun over the New Year period.
The Internet is currently down at home (it is TOTALLY unreliable, if I disappear for days at a time, that is why!) so I do not know when I will be able to post this. It’s been a long one so will sign off for now.