school days

Darian had a little party at school to celebrate the end of Ramadan. The children got to wear what ever they wanted besides their uniforms. The parents were invited to come and watch a little show that the children put together..... You always wonder what your children do when you are not there. I know that when I am there, mine picks her nose!!! How lovely!!

Happy Birthday Riley

We had a huge water theme party for riley's second birthday. The kids swam and played water balloons. It was so much fun for everyone...

Swimming

Well we don't live on the Gold Coast anymore, however the beaches are still a lot of fun. Everyone drives on the beach (about 80km/hour) and everyone swims. I have yet to see anyone in a swimsuit, bikini or anything of that sort(besides in resorts) ...instead people do indeed wear traditional clothing into the water. When the tide is high the waves can be quite powerful, and this can only make us all strong swimmers. Or sometimes we just stay at home and skinny dip in our paddling pool in the privacy of a yard.

Attractions

Well the children seem to attract a lot of attention here, especially Riley. Everyone comments on her 'tan' and I have to explain that I do not put her in the sun, she has a Sri Lankan tan.with the light hair it really throws people off. Darian on the other hand is looking more and more like Rorie and without him present, people wonder where I fit into the equation. I however, look like a western lady behind the wheel, which is a double whammy for less respect on the roads. The drivers here are unreal, and apparently the requirement to teach driving lessons is simply to have held any licence for 3 years. This place was also pure desert not too long ago, and with less paved roads to travel on, there was no need to worry about rules and safety. This is a big problem here and the amount of accidents that occur daily is increasing at a steady pace. In fact there has not been a day yet where I have not witnessed a crash while driving! Having said that, I am so glad that our car seats have arrived, as they are not a law here, some cars don't even have any clamps in the back to anchor them. Children can be found dangling from windows, the sunroof, or sleeping in the back windows. I get a lot of locals checking outmy car seats and of course, me!! I now where a burka on my head while behind the wheel, not to offend anyone, merely to blend in,establish and maintain respect on the roads.

Creatures great and small

We no longer see kangaroos and koalas, however there is an abundance of hermit crabs. They tickle your feet, and the girls are getting used to the feeling after a lot of screaming and carrying on!! The stingers wash up on the beach like in Australia, but the amount of goats in this place is wild!!!! Everyone has a goat, whether it is a pet or a meal, they are everywhere!!! We have yet to see camels besides being transported in the back of a truck, but I'm sure in time we will meet a few close up.

The Chedi

Living the expat life has many benefits. We recently visited an amazing hotel and had an amazing experience.

Fun in the hot hot sun

When it is not 45 degrees, we often find water and have a nice warm bath....There are many beautiful resorts nearby that allow day visits and westerners are allowed to wear what they want and eat/drink in public (Ramadan restricts many things for one month). We have been enjoying the sites and living it up as school finishes at 1:00 during Ramadan.

the park on campus

Within the gated community/school grounds there are several playgrounds. The Arabic kindergarten is by far the best choice to play in. The girls love the grass and the spacious layout. The best part is that it is not available for public use; this means no dog poo and no strangers, only local children and families associated with the school. The kids are pretty happy(the big kids too!!!!).

Work of art

Darian has been drawing people that actually resemble people. Take her puppets for example, she actually convinced me that two of the puppets were Marina and Gramps. (the ones on the right, and the two on the left were Daddy and Mommy!!)






Not to be outdone, Riley had to make a contribution.......


With a face like that, how could I freak out when the Dora markers would NOT WASH OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The beach has new meaning

Going to the beach now has a new meaning; we actually drive right to the beach!!! With the cost of petrol being so cheap..( $18 AUD to fill a 3.5litre/V6 with supreme gas) and someone to clean our vehicle daily for $20AUD month, life is good........ (BY THE WAY IT IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE A DIRTY CAR HERE.....YIKES, IN AUSTRALIA I WOULD BE PUT IN JAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Riley's world

Riley's world has suddenly changed. Now that big sister is in school, Riley is lost. She really does not know what to do with herself. We are looking into school for her too, as all she knows is being with Darian and I. She said to me "Riley school too." Her latest phrase is " bit tricky". I may have to home school her!

Darian's world

This blog is all about Darian; she has had a busy week settling into her new school. She now attends a private school where she is learning so much! She came home the other day and told me that she was learning to be 'sensible'. It is a huge adjustment for her, as she attends classes 5 days a week from 8-12.(everything shuts down here between 12 and 4. We are very happy with the education system here and would not be able to afford fees in our own country..(they are insane, like triple the cost of Australian private schools and mind you this is for a 3 year old!!).
Life is good...