Epilogue

Today marks six months since we left Australia.  And the truth is, I still think about it every single day.  I miss the beach, and my apartment.  I miss our friends and the stunning natural beauty.  I miss the sunshine, and the harbour.

Our last family photo in front of our apartment.  On our way to the airport. 3 July 2011

And even though I am happy with the decision we made to move to the UK, there have been times when my husband and I have asked ourselves, "Why did we ever leave Australia?"

When we first considered moving to the UK I wondered if having a second expat experience would in some way diminish my memories of Australia.  I can now answer definitively-no, it will not.  No matter how many places I live or how much I travel, I will always look back on our time in Australia as sort of magical. 

It really is a "Lucky Country" and I feel lucky to have called it home for over two years.

You Did It!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my faithful readers who voted (and voted and voted) to make Yellow Brick Road one of the Top 25 Expat Mom Blogs on Circle of Moms.

I can't believe I actually landed in the Top 25, and I am truly honored.  And, a special thank you to the anonymous reader who originally nominated me for the contest.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for voting!

To those of you stopping by from Circle of Moms, I'd like to say WELCOME!  I'm so glad you've clicked over.  I hope you stay and have a look around.

We left Australia for good last month, and I have decided to archive this blog as a sort of permanent record of our time there.  I still get emails from other Americans considering a move to Oz, and I enjoy being able to offer them encouragement and advice.  So The Yellow Brick Road will stay right here.

But my expat adventures aren't over yet.  This week we're moving across the pond and setting up house near London.  We're looking forward to a year of culture shock. miscommunication, funny stories, and lots of travel.  I would love to have you along for the journey.  So consider this your official invitation to join me at my new blog: Along The Yellow Brick Road.  Here's your chance to become one of my first followers!

Cheers,
Jenny

How We Said Goodbye

Repatriation.  After 2+ years working to build a life in another country, we suddenly find ourselves about to return "home".  We spent our last week saying goodbye to all the people, places and things that we loved in Australia.

The kids each had parties at school and needed small gifts to hand out to their classmates and friends. I scoured Pinterest and found this adorable idea for s'more kits.   I tweaked it a bit to fit our purposes and printed our email and skype info on the back.  Such a cute little way to share an American tradition and encourage the kids to keep in touch.

We hosted a party, with sushi from our favourite place Goeman, to say farewell to our Australian, American, Canadian, and British friends down under.  

We went into the city and had lunch at the Opera Bar, and one last hot chocolate at Guylian.  We tracked down our favourite street performers and stocked up on Australian wine to bring back with us.

We walked from Bradleys Head to Balmoral one more time on our last full day in Sydney.  It was the most gorgeous winter's day.  Sydney was wishing us a fond farewell.  It was the perfect way to appreciate the beautiful spot we have called home for the past 2 years.

View on the bushwalk

On our final morning, 2 of my dear friends stopped by to wave us off.  It was emotional.  We loaded the kids (and 9 suitcases!) into the van and I went back to do one last sweep through the apartment.    It was surreal.  I walked through each room trying to take a mental picture.  This was my home.  I want to remember the happiness we felt here.  I want to carry this experience around with me forever.  And as the door to the elevator closed that last time, I knew I would.  I will always have Sydney.

Jenny

Gifted

Last week I had a birthday.  A milestone birthday. 

Yes, that one. 

To mark the occasion I decided to get myself a gift.

The One Line A Day Journal.

I first read about it at Simple Mom and knew I had to have one for myself.

The format of the book is so clever.  I love the way it chronicles your life for 5 years and allows you to easily look back and see what you were doing exactly one year ago.  Some people have suggested occasionally having your children write in the journal to record what their handwriting looked like.  The one line a day format is not intimidating- I think I'll actually be able to keep up with this journal.  I'm looking forward to recording all my adventures in its pages.

I love this little journal so much I decided to gift it to my children's teachers and coaches as a way to say thank you to them before our big move.  A little kraft paper and a strip of printed map made for pretty wrapping.

I hope the recipients love this little journal as much as I do.

xx  Jenny

Misadventures in Packing

Before the movers arrived a couple weeks ago, I went through every cupboard, wardrobe and drawer (or draw as some say here).  I asked my darling husband to sort through his belongings and get rid of anything he didn't want to take to the U.K.   We purged enough clothing and shoes and toys and household items to require several drop offs at our local thrift shop. 

When the packers finally showed up, I had carefully set aside one suitcase  for me and each child which contained everything we'd need for the next 6 weeks.  This was no easy task since I had to pack for 2 climates!  It was pretty minimal- but adequate.

Now notice that I did not pack a bag for my husband.  This is an important point in the story.  He was responsible for packing his own bag.

Fast forward to packing day.  The crew arrived and, in a very Un-Aussie like way, swept into action.  They were quick, efficient and thorough.  In less than 5 hours all of our belongings were wrapped and packed and stacked in the container.

In fact, they were so good that I was almost able to overlook their slightly offensive musical tastes (like T-Pain's "Take Your Shirt Off" ).

At the end of the day, we breathed a sigh of relief.  The hard work was done.  Now we'd be able to spend the next 2 and a half weeks visiting with friends and enjoying our time in Sydney.

But of course, everything did not go off without a hitch.  When my sweet husband went to get ready for work the next morning he quickly realized something was missing from his suitcase.  Shoes.  He has no shoes.  Well, except for the trainers (that's what they call sneakers here) he had on his feet.  Every other pair of shoes the man owns are now in a container not to be seen again for 6-8 weeks.

You might think, no problem,  just go out and buy a new pair of shoes.  Sounds simple enough, unless you've seen the type of shoes Aussie men tend to wear.  Think long, pointy, duck bill-like footwear.  That's pretty much what was "on offer" at our local shoe shop.

And then, yesterday, I was walking past our local Vinnie's- the thrift shop that served as a dumping ground for all our unwanted stuff.  And guess what I saw in the front window-  proudly displayed to lure in bargain seeking customers?

That's right:  a pair of my husband's discarded shoes!  We could actually buy his unwanted shoes back for the bargain price of $70 AUD  (about $72.80 USD).

 

Believe me, I was tempted to buy them back, but I resisted.  So if you happen to see my otherwise well dressed husband going to fancy dinners and meetings and goodbye parties in his trainers, you'll know why.

Jenny

Dear Australia

I don't want to leave you- with your sunshine and white sand beaches and happy people and tall white gum trees.

I want more time to watch my kids run around Rocky Point Island and stare out at the sea and think about how lucky I am to have landed in this lucky country for 2 years.

I want to ride on the green and yellow ferry, marvel at how the sea and the sky could possibly be so blue and stare at the sparkling white sails of the Opera House as we pull into Circular Quay. 

I want to stop by the kiosk and stroll along The Esplanade holding my husband's hand and just freeze time for a moment.  I don't want to say goodbye.

We will come back some day.  It won't be the same, but I'll remember.  I'll show my daughter where she learned to ride a bike and my son where he spent so many afternoons digging in the sand.  And I'll tell my baby, "You were born here."

Thank you, Australia, for being our home.  I will miss you.  Only one week left.

Photo:Vincent Lai

With love,
Jenny

Packing Up

And so it goes . . . .

I guess it's official now.  All of our personal belongings are being loading into this container, placed aboard a ship and sent to the other side of the world. 

We have to show up in London-  otherwise, what would become of my beloved tortilla press, the Little Buddy's rubbish truck collection (they say "rubbish" in the UK, right?), and our huge library of children's books? 


Nope, no backing out now.  Less than three weeks and counting.

Unraveling a Life

Tasmanian Sunrise

Our time left here in Australia can now be measured in weeks instead of months.  We'll be gone before the eggs in my refrigerator expire.  It's surreal to think that I  have to begin to unravel the life I've spent the past 2 years creating.

Squeeze in a couple last trips.

Sort through our belongings and decide what to take, what to sell, what to toss.  

Close out our accounts and memberships.  

Say good-bye to all the people we've come to love here. 

Even the kids are starting to feel the tension of being torn between two lives on two continents.  Someone once said that beginnings are always scary, endings are always sad, but it's what's in between that counts.

I just wish the in between could last a little longer.

Did you vote today over at Circle of Moms?  2 little clicks is all it takes!

On Becoming a Serial Expat

That's right- we're gonna do it again.  When we leave Australia in July we won't be moving back home to California.

We're going to London!

Source: weheartit.com via Savannah on Pinterest

We've been given a second once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I can't wait to embark on this new adventure.

But don't worry Mom, after this one we're definitely coming home (I think).

So You're Thinking of Moving to Australia . . .

Maybe you've stumbled upon this blog because you are considering a move to Australia.  It's a big decision- leaving everything you know behind and heading to the other side of the world.

When the opportunity was first presented to us we weren't at all sure we wanted to do it.  But now, after 2 years in this lucky country I can say that coming here was one of the best decisions we've ever made.

This is a personal blog.  It's a recount of our time here and most of it is probably only interesting to my family and friends.  But, over the past 2 years I have met a surprising number of people who "found" me through this blog.  They are just like me:  typical American moms moving to Sydney for a few years.  And some things are universal for us expats.  We all have worries and questions.  We're all concerned about driving on the "wrong" side of the road and we're all baffled by the strange flavored potato chips (as evidenced here, here, and here).  We're all experiencing the same things and most of us spent the months leading up to the big move stalking expat bloggers trying to get as much info as possible about what might lie ahead.

So, in the interest of paying it forward, here are my top 10 tips to help others who may be looking into an expat assignment in Australia.

1.  Get a good relocation agent to help you.  We used Nuss Relocations and the service was very thorough.  Our agent set up over 20 property viewings for us, drove us all around the city, showed us schools, rental furniture warehouses, local amenities, and gave us references for doctors and other local service providers.  Be aware that rental property prices are quoted per week.  There are heaps of expats living on Sydney's lower North Shore (Mosman).  If you end up in this suburb, email me and I'll hook you up!

2.  Set up a Vonage account and bring the box with you.  You can actually use your current US phone number.  When you hook your Vonage box up here, anyone in the US can pick up the phone, dial your old number and it will ring at your new place in Australia.  Keeping in touch with friends and family is tough and believe me, people will be even less likely to call you if they have to deal with placing an international call.  It is also really handy to have a US phone number for all sorts of things.  And when you go home for visits you can just take the box with you and have a working phone again.

3.  Buy an Apple TV or a Slingbox.  Australian TV is pitiful-  unless you like watching 3 hours of Two and a Half Men every day.  Do yourself a favor and find a way to get your American TV fix.  And while you are at it, make sure you keep your iTunes account registered as a US account.  If you switch to an Aussie account you will only have access to content released here.

4.  Bring your kindle.  Books are crazy expensive here (I'm talking $40 for a paperback!).  See #3 about keeping your amazon account registered in the US.

5.  Get a set of these Sydney (or whatever city you're moving to) City Walk cards. These have been a wonderful resource for us and have helped us explore this beautiful city.  Strangely enough, they are very hard to find here.

6.  Spend some time on Yanks Down Under.  This forum is full of helpful American expats who are great at answering questions and giving advice.

7.  If you've got preschoolers, get your name on the waiting lists ASAP.  There are 2 basic options for the 2-5 year old crowd:  Preschool and Long Day Care.  "Preschool" means school hours (usually 9:00-3:00).  There is no such thing as half day preschool.  Long Day care is like preschool but with extended hours.  Long day care is typically more expensive than preschool ($100/day or more) and you do not get weeks off for the school holidays.   Many long day care centres run a preschool-like program.  Most traditional "Preschools" have waiting lists that can be 2+ years long.

8. Start a T-Shirt collection.  Get t-shirts from all the interesting places you visit while you're an expat and from all the activities your kids are involved in abroad.  Then, when you leave, have them made into one of these super cool T-Shirt quilts.  Great way to remember your time as an expat!  (Wish I would have thought of this at the beginning of our stay).

9.  Check out Gumtree.  It's like the Aussie version of Craigslist.  I've used it to find everything from a nanny to a piano.  Gumtree is a great resource.

10.  Just do it.  "Home" will always be there, waiting for you.  Take a chance, expand your horizons.  I'm so glad we did.

Linking up at

We're Back

Well, we're all safely back in the land down under.  The kids (as always) were great on the flight.  The passengers sitting around us complimented us on how well behaved they were and what good travelers they are.  I think I might be on to something here.  Load them up with yummy snacks, fully charged ipods, comfy clothes and put them to sleep in an airplane seat.  The novelty of it all makes them forget about tormenting each other!  If only it could be like that at home  . . . .

Anyway, we were so busy while in America that our 2 Year Expativersary passed by without any recognition.  Hard to believe it has been 2 years since we embarked on this adventure.  Sadly, it will be coming to an end in about 4 months time.  Time to make a list entitled "Things We Must Do Before We Leave Australia." 

Any suggestions?

A Chance Meeting

To the lovely couple from North Carolina I met today in the queue at the school uniform shop:

I am so surprised (and a bit flattered, really) that you recognized me from this blog.  Thanks for speaking up and introducing yourselves.  I'm thrilled to welcome you to Australia and look forward to having you over for a cuppa when you're settled in your new place.

Glad to meet you, neighbors!  Hope you love it here as much as we do.

Thanksgiving Down Under- Take 2

The view from our Thanksgiving buffet table.

Not your typical Thanksgiving to be sure, but it was a wonderful celebration.  This year we gathered with about 20 other American families for a huge potluck on the beach.  Some were my closest friends in Oz, some were friends of friends and some were cyber-friends I met for the first time that day.  But all of us had something in common.  We may be living on the other side of the world, but we're still Americans.  And I'm so thankful for that!

Independence Day

I spent my childhood in small town Wisconsin where they really know how to celebrate Independence Day. Everyone- the whole town- would head down to Riverside Park for a boat parade, food, fun, and of course, fireworks. We'd dress up in red, white and blue and wave little flags around. One year my friend Laurie and I dressed alike in matching blue pedal pushers, red shirts and sailor hats. (Mom- you must have a photo of that somewhere!) After the fireworks, we'd go home to our own little show, with Chinese Lanterns, Firecrackers, Sparklers and those little black snakes that grew mysteriously when lit. We'd hear neighbor kids setting off bottle rockets late into the night. It was just how you would picture the 4th of July in small town middle America, and it was perfect.

When my own kids were old enough we had a few traditions of our own in California- pool parties, BBQs, fireworks and an annual bike parade through town.


This year, for the first time in my life, I am not in the USA for the 4th. And even though there were no parades and no big fireworks shows we did celebrate in our own little way. I cooked up some ribs in the crock pot and then we went down to the beach to light sparklers (which they sell in the grocery store here). The Little Princess wore red, white and blue. And we all celebrated America- our home sweet home.

You- Yes, you!

You know who you are. I just wanted to tell you that you are not a stalker. I'm thrilled that you read my blog and I'm willing to overlook the fact that you have never left a comment or sent me an email. ;)
We need to have coffee again so I can learn as much about you as you already know about me.
Don't you just love it when world's collide?
Your new friend,
Jenny

Half Way There

When we signed up to come to Australia we agreed to stay for 2 years. It's hard to believe, but as of this week, we are half way there. March 9th will mark our one year Expat Anniversary!


One year ago we loaded our little kids into those comfy lay flat business class seats and prayed they'd sleep on the plane. We arrived in Sydney with all those suitcases and relied on the kindness of airline employees to help us get it all through customs. I remember the van driver giving the kids little koala keychains and the excitement of seeing for the first time our beautiful apartment all set up and waiting for us.


In the year that has passed between then and now we have changed so much. Our kids have made that long haul flight across the Pacific 5 times. I've done it with them by myself and we've done it in coach and we all survived! I feel confident I could travel anywhere with them, and I won't let fear of a long flight stop me from showing them the world.


When we arrived in Australia we knew no one. It seemed like such a grand adventure for the four of us. But it didn't take long to find friends- real friends. Other expats, coworkers, classmates and even a few true Aussies. I couldn't imagine this experience without them.


There has not been one day during the past year that I woke up and regretted coming to Australia. Sure, I miss "home", our American friends and family, and Boar's Head turkey from the Italia Deli. But I am so thankful to have this opportunity to live in another country, meet new people, immerse myself in another culture and see this amazing part of the world. This coming year we plan to TRAVEL! There is so much we want to see and do before we leave this beautiful country.

This week also marks another important half-way point for us. I am now half way through my third pregnancy. Our "tie-breaker" baby will be born right here in Australia in early August. The adventure continues!

184 Days

Exactly 6 months ago today we arrived in Australia. 184 days.
Since then we've had our first American visitor, and taken our first trip back home.
We've been to the Blue Mountains and Shoal Bay. We've taken bushwalks and cliffwalks, seen the zoo and museums and so many beautiful beaches. We've mastered the public transporation system and become used to driving on the other side of the road. We've found a church, a school, a babysitter, and some favorite restaurants.
We've made friends.
We've made a home.
It's strange to think that 25% of our projected time here has passed. I find myself wondering if we'll have time to see everything, do everything, experience everything Australia has to offer.
The Little Princess asked me last night, "After we move back to America, will we still visit Australia?". I hope so.
Today is a reminder to myself to enjoy our time here, because it's not going to last forever.


And that, at least, is good news for the Little Buddy who still asks me once a week, "Why are we in 'Stralia?"

Celebrating Us

Twelve years ago I stood in a little chapel in Malibu, recited vows we wrote ourselves, and said "I do" to a wonderful man.



Tonight I'm on the other side of that Pacific Ocean, enjoying dinner at Cafe Sydney, and thanking God for this man and the beautiful life we have made together.



In the dozen years between then and now we bought a house, got a dog, got a promotion, had a baby, quit a job, had another baby, sold the house, bought another, remodeled it, . . . . and moved to the other side of the world.

I couldn't have predicted our life together would have taken this turn, but I'm glad it did. I've learned to take a risk, try something new, explore the unknown. It's that curve in the road that makes life interesting. Here's to many more adventures together.
Happy Anniversary. I love you.

There's a First Time for Everything

Today was a day of firsts.

1. First time dropping the buddy off at the occasional childcare center. He LOVED it and can't wait to go back. I think this is such a great service. Every town should have one. You can leave your child there for a few hours so you can actually get something done! Hooray! Already have a booking for him for next week.

2. I made my first friend. She's another American mom from the primary school. She is very sweet and has a son just a bit older than mine. Now that we've been friends for 12 hours, do you think it's okay if I ask her to be the emergency contact on all that school paperwork?

3. First trip to the amazing Taronga Zoo. The above mentioned friend invited me. It was wonderful. Our boys ran around like, well, little boys- shrieking at the Goliath Walking Stick and staring intently at the huge Komodo Dragon.



We meandered down the hill marveling at the beautiful animals and stunning views. Then we took the free "Sky Safari" tram back up to the top of the zoo. And in true friendly Aussie fashion, the tram operator even loaded our prams into the cars for us. So nice!

I loved this zoo so much we went back later after school. That's when my daughter made a new friend. This kangaroo.



That's three new things to love about Australia today!

Unpacking

Hooray! Our shipment has arrived! 18 days door to door (including one completely lost day due to the time change). Everything made it through customs and quarantine- no worries.

It's a little hard to get motivated to deal with this:




When I am staring out at this:



Luckily my cool reclining backpack beach chair and nifty polka dot umbrella arrived in perfect condition. I'll be putting them to good use this afternoon.