When we first arrived, I was desperately looking for a job
at a nursery where Braxton could attend as well. I thought it would help with
the transition for him to a new school as he had been at the same school in
Savannah since he was about 6 months old. I had an interview at Little Smarties
Nursery and Preschool and landed the job. Braxton also started. It took him a
good 4-6 weeks to finally settle and not be so emotionally distraught every
time he saw me throughout the day. By the end of my three month probation period,
I decided (for many reasons I can’t post here…) that working there just wasn’t
the best for me. Braxton, however, was loving it. He made so many new friends,
I love love his teacher and teacher
assistant. I decided wherever I found a new job, I would leave him at Little
Smarties. He will be going to “big” school in September for yet another
transition so I didn’t want to disrupt him again when I moved. I found a job
teaching at Redwood Montessori Nursery and I LOVE it. I have my own identity,
Miss Michelle, not “Braxton’s Mom” and I just love my boss and the people I
work with. All of the classrooms are bilingual with two teachers who speak
their native language to the children all day long. I am a teacher in the
French/English classroom. My co-teacher is from France and I just adore her.
She is so sweet and we make such a great team. I have picked up some French and
she is steady learning her English (she’s pretty fluent). I love my kids (24
from ALL over the world) and am just loving learning the Montessori Method.
Anyway, I am almost 4 months into the job and so happy I made the move. Braxton
enjoys still being at Little Smarties and I enjoy still getting to see everyone
when I drop him off and pick him up. We just started our third (and last) term
of the school year! 9 more weeks left until it’s over! Crazy!! So much to do
this term…
I’m sure everyone saw the pictures of Braxton’s 4th
birthday party at good ole Chuckee Cheese! We had about 9 children come and we
had a blast. We spent a good 4-5 hours there and everyone really enjoyed themselves.
I mean, what kid can say they had their birthday in Dubai?! We are so thankful
for everyone who made the trek to Dubai to celebrate with us. With only being
in the country for 6 months at the time, we felt so loved! Can’t believe our “baby
Braxton” is 4! He has such a sweet heart, is so stinking smart, and keeps us
laughing. What a blessing he is.
Phew. Thailand. What a trip. We spent our two weeks of
Spring Break traveling through Thailand. We left Abu Dhabi and traveled through
India, and then to Bangkok. Then we flew to Chiang Mai, and then to Krabi. We
took a ferry boat to Koh Phi Phi and then another ferry boat to Koh Lanta. We
took a passenger van back to Krabi to fly once again to Bangkok, then back
through India, and then finally back to Abu Dhabi. The three of us went along
with our friends from Indianapolis and there were a total of 3 kids (ages 2, 3,
& 4) and 4 adults. I do have to say we were quite a sight trekking through
the airport with our three strollers, 5 checked bags, 3 carryon, and 2 kids’ book
bags. We had so many laughs. Such a fantastic time. We went to water parks,
rode elephants, pet tigers, rode ALL sorts of transport, went to night markets,
got (many) $3 foot massages, and so, so much more. You probably saw our post
about being stranded in Bangkok. If you’d like to know the story, continue
reading. It’s quite lengthy. If not, skip down to the next paragraph J
So we all packed up and went to Abu Dhabi airport around 8pm
for our 10pm flight out of AD. We had two layovers in India on the way there,
and one layover in India on the return flight. So we check in, go through security,
wrestle with super tired kids, and begin boarding. We get to the gate, hand our
tickets in, and they inform us we cannot board. We cannot board. Why? Well.
Somewhere along the line we were never informed we needed transient visas to go
from the first airport in India to the second. Why do we need visas? We aren’t
leaving the airport. Just a rule. I guess. But we weren’t the only ones. There
were 5 other people who were also in the same boat. So the guy says no problem,
let me bring you to the ticket change counter and you can take another flight
to Bangkok and then still use your return flight that’s already booked because
there’s only one stop in India. So we wait. And wait. And wait in this massive
long line. All to be told we needed to speak to another counter. So we go
there. Nope, have to go to another counter. So we go there. Nope, have to go to
another counter. (mind you, tired kids who couldn’t wait to get on this
airplane that was now nonexistent) After about 4 hours of walking to all these
different counters, everyone said it was our fault for not knowing the visa
requirements and would need to purchase, out of our own pockets, one way
tickets to Bangkok. We sadly went home for the night to book tickets out the
next day. We arrived home about 1am, put the disappointed kids to bed, and
spent the next two hours on the phone with Etihad Airways, Jet Airways, and
Travelocity. All who say they will not reimburse or book us on another flight.
So frustrating. So we paid out of pocket for the one way there. The next day comes,
we arrive at the airport and thank God, we board and are on our way to India
(only one stop...) and then to Bangkok. We spend two weeks in Bangkok and have
a blast. We head to Bangkok Airport on Thursday to board our flight home. We
get to the check in counter and guess what? They can’t find us booked! Nope,
sorry, you are not on this flight. Yes, actually we are, and here is our
confirmation. Oh, nope, since you were a NO SHOW for your outbound flight, your
return flight was cancelled. So. We spend another two hours on the phone with
Travelocity and Jet Airways. We were told to buy one way tickets and use
original return flight. We did what we were told to do. No one informed us it
was canceled. Sure, it makes sense, if you aren’t on outbound flight, you won’t
be on return flight. However, we were instructed to do different. Our friends
had booked one way tickets back originally because they had a child that was
turning 2 during the trip (could be free as lap child on the way there and only
had to pay coming back). So their tickets were fine and they had to leave to
board the flight. Us? Not so much. Stuck in Bangkok we were. And another
frustrating piece- Bangkok International only allows two hours of free WiFi,
which we had already used since we signed onto WiFi when we arrived. So we had
no way to search online and find more tickets back. We went to the Passenger
Services Counters to try to buy tickets in person, but they didn’t have any
flights to Dubai OR Abu Dhabi for another three days, and we both had to be
back at work. So we found a taxi and asked them (in best English we could) to
PLEASE just bring us to the closest hotel. After getting ripped off by the
taxi, we arrived at one of the nicest (and cheap!) hotels we had stayed at so
far, that had a/c, a pool, and WiFi! We were able to book a ticket that night
and fly out the next morning at 6pm. But no India for us, our layover was in
Malaysia! Which meant, yep, Malaysian Airlines. So, anxiety soaring, we boarded
the plane home and thank God, finally made it to Dubai that evening and arrived
home around 10pm. We all went straight to bed, so so so so thankful to be
HOME!!!
Speaking of Home. Let’s switch moods.
Home – “the place where one lives permanently” “relating to
the place where one lives”
Since moving abroad…well really, since leaving Calhoun, “home”
has had a strange meaning. Sure, Calhoun is where we grew up, went to school,
where our parents live. But Savannah is where we bought our first home, had
career jobs, where our son was born and family started, etc. So is that home?
What about now? We moved our whole lives, have jobs, a home, friends, and
settled here. So, is this home now? Can your “home” change? To be honest, I’m
not real sure where my earthly “home” actually is. We say “Oh yeah, we’re going
home for the summer.” But when it comes time to come back to Abu Dhabi I’m sure
I’ll say to Braxton “Okay, it’s time to go back to our home.” After listening
to a sermon yesterday, I’m reminded more than ever that no where on this Earth
is really home. For our real home is
somewhere eternal. Somewhere with our Maker. Our Creator. Home is where we were
meant to be, where no tears, no pain, no sadness exist. And where we will
forevermore worship Him. The Creator, our Maker. But for now. Today. My home is
Abu Dhabi. I am from Calhoun, then Savannah. In the next few years I don’t know
where “home” will be. Maybe Abu Dhabi? Maybe Savannah? Maybe Calhoun? Maybe
another foreign country? A conversation happened last night over dinner that
went kind of like this…
Braxton: Daddy, will we stay in Abu Dhabi forever?
Zach: No, not forever son. We will stay here until God says
move.
Braxton: And then where will we go?
Zach: Wherever God leads, is where we will go.
Braxton: Ok.
So simple. For Braxton at least. Such a simple response.
Sure, wherever God leads, we will go. Wherever that may be.
We have been here just short of 8 months. And 8 quick months
indeed. Here’s a piece of me sharing my heart… I’m sure most expat parents (especially
mothers) feel what I do. Am I benefiting my child by giving him the experience
of living/grown up abroad? Or is it more beneficial to stay in the same town
and grow up with family? To be honest, I don’t’ know the truthful answer. There
are many, many pros to each. But I do know this, no matter where Braxton grows
up, be it abroad or in our small hometown (wherever that is..) he will always
have the security of his mom and dad. And I think that is the most important.
Nonetheless, it’s a hard line. And sometimes guilt is involved. Am I making him
miss out on spend the nights with grandparents? Going to the same school system
his whole life? Giving that stability. Or am I helping him by giving him a
foundation that I never had the opportunity to have? Growing up where everyone
is different, being exposed to different cultures, learning about the world,
being exposed to different languages and religions, I could go on and on. Here
is an example… the worship service we went to yesterday was at a zoo. A zoo!
And another one we sometimes attend is at a movie theatre. I made a comment to
Zach that I wonder if this will shape Braxton’s idea of “church”? That church
really is the people and not the building. Things like this.
I know this is kind of rambled on, and I wish I was a better
writer to be able to convey my feelings a little better than the above. But you
get where I’m going.
For now, this is where God had brought us. And we will
continue following Him all the days of our lives.
Love to all from AD.
Until next time…
(Oh yeah! 7 weeks and 4 days until we come home (?) for
summer break!)
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