Category Archives: Mom Diaries

Our International Move – Part 3

We have landed!!!! This post follows on from our International Move - Part 2. Now that we have landed, here's how Part 3 went...

After 30 hours, which included an overnight layover in Toronto Airport as well as Bahamas Immigration and Customs, we found ourselves walking out into 28 degrees C sunshine and blue skies. Hubby had welcomed us to the island with Mickey Mouse and a very large car for all our luggage and Miss E's carseat. As we made our way to Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, our driver took us on the scenic route and became our tour guide. We got our first glimpse of the beach and Miss E squealed in delight. We were finally in Paradise.

Goodbye Germany, now for the first leg of our journey

My dear friend, Danni was monitoring our flight and sent me this when we ha landed

"Hello Toronto, Canada"

Not that we saw much since we arrived late that evening

"We're coming, Papa!" Our second and last flight to New Providence, Bahamas

Acute Exhaustion

Three days into our stay I woke up with chills and in pain. My body was fighting something. I tried to stay optimistic that it was just adjusting to the climate, weather and maybe also jet lag? But by Day 5, both Miss and I had to urgently go to the doctor. She was diagnosed with a bad case of the flu and I was not only suffering from a cold, but also acute exhaustion - yep, that is a medical diagnoses. The medication we were prescribed would only start working in 24 hours, so we were literally out for the count. We had this beautiful resort to explore and enjoy, but we were stuck in the hotel room, cuddled together under warm blankets, both sleeping for hours at a time. At night I was shivering one minute and then a fever the next. I have never ever in my life felt like this before.

Somehow, Tinsel found his way to Nassau as well and welcomed us with snacks

She was born for this...The pure joy she exudes when she sees the beach - it overwhelms me sometimes

Thankfully our medication kicked in and we both felt well enough to go out and walk on the beach. It did us good. We also managed to go with hubby to look at a few homes - we couldn't stay in the hotel forever.

On Christmas Eve we checked out one of the Resort Restaurants and when we back to our suite, Santa had already arrived. We made it special for Miss E and she enjoyed. She was a bit sad that she would have to say yet another 'goodbye', this time to Tinsel who would head back to the North Pole for hibernation. He promised to be back.

Miss E met Santa and Mrs Claus

On Christmas Eve, she wished her friends and family a "Very Merry Christmas"

Christmas Eve Dinner

Santa made a stop in our Suite

2020

New Year's Eve saw us eating Pizza in our suite. Hubby had to go back to work and Miss E and I went to bed. He came back at 23h45, woke us up for the New Year's fireworks. I decided to skip it as I was exhausted, but Miss E was excited. So off they went and rang in 2020 with many of the hotel guests. I slept through it all.

It was raining on New Year's Eve and Miss E was a bit sad

About an hour later, we were blessed with this beautiful rainbow...I took it as a sign that things were going to get better

New Year's Breakfast with this Munchkin

Praise!!! She is like a fish in water 🙂

On January 4th, we moved into our new home. A fully-furnished (down to the teaspoons) three bedroom home in a lovely family-friendly neighbourhood. Miss E grabbed her scooter immediately and went out onto the street. Weeks went by, where I was struggling to get any maintenance work done - no one sticks to appointments. I was not yet mobile, so couldn't go to the stores for supplies etc. I was also trying to make sure Miss E was settling in. We also wanted to get her into some sort of Kindergarten, like back home. But that is also very different here...And did I mention: we also found ourselves dealing with head lice. Yep, you read that right: head lice!!!!

Our first home-cooked meal in our new home

She is loving the weather...like her Mama, she blossoms in the sun

Our only turned 5 this year

This is why we moved here...

School

After much research, it became very clear that we would be enrolling Miss E into an International School. That being said, our options were limited and also quite different in terms of curriculum. We decided that the British Curriculum best suited our needs and after some conversations with other parents, we knew that was the right decision. We visited the school and met a few of the teachers. The Director took us around and Miss E could even sit in on a lesson while mum and dad walked around a bit. It felt like the right fit. And Miss E started on February 3rd.

First day of school...we had not gotten her uniform as yet. She was so excited and nervous at the same time

This was an emotional day for me and her teacher was kind enough to update me throughout the day

Settling in

Settling in, finding our rhythm - it was not all a walk in the park. I had to learn to drive on the left-side of the road; find my way around shopping; get a uniform for Miss E; sort out our home; and all the while also trying to get connected with other mums. It was exhausting and there were days when I couldn't function without several cups of coffee - which is saying a lot, because I generally don't drink more than three cups per week. Miss E was also not settling in at school - which was not a surprise. For about five weeks, I would drop her off and she would cry and not want to stay without me. It was heart-wrenching, having to leave her there and walk away. Several times I would sit in my car in the parking lot of the school, crying.

She has found a new hobby with her Dad

Did I mention we got a horse 🙂

Book Week at school. I didn't have a sewing machine at the time, otherwise she would have gone as a Sneetch

Finally she is old enough to start another hobby

Covid19

And then, just as both Miss E and I were finding our feet and rhythm, just when we were both setting in, the first confirmed case of Covid19 was announced on the island of New Providence. Friday the 13th March was the last day Miss E went to school - the last day I would pick her up from school, the last day she would see her teacher, whom she had come to love. It was the game-changer. We had finally started to feel like this is home. We could see ourselves settle here...and then we were told to stay home. And we did.

Shortly before the lockdown, I met a friend here for a coffee after dropping our kids off at school. We had such a wonderful time together, we ended up having lunch too

In conclusion...

Our move was not easy, no. It had ups and downs and we went sideways and under and zigzag. We got through illnesses and exhaustion and emotional distress; we climbed up high and fell down low; we hit peaks and found ourselves treading water. However, after six months here - three of those in Lockdown - we really do see our little family settling here. Of course no one knows the future, but we certainly feel like we could have a good life here. It ticks most of our boxes in terms of climate, people, access to travel. We do think of the Caribbean in terms of 'home' and we certainly feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity. Given the option, we would definitely not change anything. This is where we are and this is where we intend to remain.

Miss E is happy...even through everything we have put her through since September 2019, and with a new school and making new friends and then a Pandemic...she is blossoming so well

Have you enjoyed reading about our Big Adventure? What would you like me to write about next? Let me know down in the comments and I'll see if I can oblige.

Till next time, Dearies. Stay safe and stay awesome!
Zee

Our International Move – Part 2

Following on from Part 1 of our International Move - which you can read over here, we continue where I left off...

So hubby boarded his flight which would take him to Nassau, Bahamas via Toronto Canada. Miss E and I were now without a car - I hate driving - and made our way back to Neuss by train. When we got home, we were both emotionally drained and physically tired. I ordered some pizza for dinner and we fell asleep in each other's arms.

Knocked out...Goodbyes are so exhausting

The next day we headed to hubby's family by early morning train to spend the weekend saying our farewells. Damn that was hard! I hate goodbye's in general. But knowing that you won't be seeing someone (be it family or friend) for a very long time, ya'll know how hard that is. At the time, I wondered if it had been a good idea to book this little getaway: the FEELS we both had was draining. I was not sleeping well, Miss E was missing her dad. And it was hitting me hard that I still had a million and one things to do before boarding our flight - how was I going to manage it all!!!

Quality time with one of her cousins

One last walk with her other cousin

Distractions helped...

What helped was that we still had some things to look forward to: There were several things happening at Kindergarten that Miss E was really looking forward to; I had weekday mornings to get through more packing and selling and organising; and I had some dates set up with my girl friends for some last hooras! It was good. It was certainly a very good distraction to the chaos that was my home.

At the same time, I didn't want Miss E's routine to be completely disrupted: yes, Dad wasn't home; and there were boxes all over the house; everyday she had to say goodbye to beloved toys as I either sold them or packed them up (books and plush animals mostly). We had LOADS of Mommy-and-Me time. We made the most of our afternoons and evenings together alone. I took her to the movies to watch Frozen 2. We jumped in rain puddles, went for walks in the park after Kindergarten. And we spent many evenings eating picnic-style in the living-room (it just wasn't the same eating at the dinner table without dad).

I kept this movie date as a surprise and Miss E was super excited when she knew what was going on.

Mommy gets her first Mulled Wine of the Season...helped to lift the spirits.

"Riding" a bicycle on a carousel

Exhaustion didn't stop me

Two weeks after hubby left, I had managed to pack up the last of our things we were putting into storage. I was exhausted: I had packed, unpacked, re-packed and weighed our 6 suitcases about 6 times; Miss E didn't want to talk about moving anymore and we were both just exhausted. I decided we would just take a break. My brothers-in-law arrived to collect the last of our boxes which they would put into storage for us and yet another farewell was had. Miss E and I stood waving them off and when we returned to our very empty apartment, Miss E said "and now?" and we both burst out laughing because those two words echoed through the house.

Packed, unpacked, repacked...this was not fun

On December 1st, we had a visitor: Tinsel the Elf had arrived in style - Miss E found him lying in a 'bubble bath' in the bathroom basin. It was the best distraction I could have come up with for Miss E. And he was such a great sport with popping up in crazy places all over the house.

Tinsel arrived in style

Saying goodbye...to a home

Finally our last day in our apartment arrived - the only home Miss E has ever known. Oma and Opa had also made the trip down to Neuss to help us get to Frankfurt for our flight. That morning I sent Miss E with her grandparents for breakfast and I got our suitcases out to the front door to be loaded into their car. I did one last sweep through the apartment, checked behind every door, even did one last emotional video of our home. Then the lady who was moving in arrived for handing over of the keys. It was a very emotional experience. Miss E had also arrived home and we said 'goodbye' to our apartment. She too, had tears in her eyes. We were closing a chapter, and I reassured her that our next chapter would be amazing.

I shed more tears than she did on her last day of Kindergarten

These kids have been a part of our lives for over 5 years. And I don't know when I will see my Godson again 🙁

Trying to get a posed photograph of this group is hysterical. I think I took about 15 photos...

Our last farewell was to our neighbours downstairs. Miss E was exhausted by then and didn't want a long drawn-out goodbye. We headed to the city afterwards and made our way to the train station for our train to Frankfurt. Once we arrived there, she was feeling loads better and even asked if Tinsel knows that we won't be in Germany anymore and if he was going to visit her in The Bahamas. We checked in our luggage and paid for the excess, then went to our hotel where we would spend the night. Oma and Opa were booked into the hotel as well. Next morning, we enjoyed breakfast together and in a very good move, the grandparents decided it would be best to bid us farewell at the hotel, rather than at the airport.

"Please, no more goodbyes, mommy" - sad to leave

But we are going to see Papa in less than 48 hours!!!

Our last night in Germany

Sometimes we just have to let it out, so that we can feel better...

En-route to the airport, there was a lot of crying on Miss E's part. And it was very difficult to console her, even with the idea of seeing her dad in 30 hours and swimming in the ocean. So I just let her cry.

This could not have been a more perfect send-off if I had planned it. Christmas "Angels" at the departure lounge at the airport

Once we were boarded and settled in our seats, I started to feel like the pressure was finally off. And that is when my body decided to relax...which allowed to for the real exhaustion to hit...check out Part 3 for the start of our new adventure.

Till next time, Dearies
Zee