change is here

a lot can happen in the course of a couple of months...... for example one could completely uproot their almost "normal" life in the suburps and off and move to far away land - unknown to half educated americans.....

good bye bakersfield.......

hello Oman.....

We survived a move half way around the world, without so much as a major hiccup, although it did take 1 month and 1/2 to get internet..... (just about my only complaint - other than CRAZY traffic) My husband flew out one month before us, to pick a home and get things rolling along for our arrival.... The boys and I arrived the VERY first day of Ramadan. (what luck!) After an 18 hour flight, that literally went without incident... (what? how? with 2 little antsy boys?) When we arrived, we spent the very first night in our new villa, all of us as a family. The moon was crescent shaped, just as you see in most flags of Muslim countries..... The airport was buzzing with activity, at midnight?? but the town was sleepy and mostly quite.

Next day, we ventured off to the grocery store - which was an experience just within itself... I will post separately on grocery shopping promise.... and headed to dinner at a new neighbors for spaghetti/ meatballs and some south african wine! (just as if we were anywhere U.S.A) wow - flew half way around the world to have my first dinner be spaghetti? ha ha ha ha - we have actually have made quick, easy friends with the Lakes - they keep us laughing and we commiserate with each other quite often. Since we arrived during Ramadan - the entire town was pretty much shut down during the day (with a few exceptions) most government offices were only open til noon - which makes getting your residency, drivers license and car purchasing VERY interesting, ok, truth be told - it makes it quite difficult. Not to give a bad impression, we honestly have not had any negative experiences since we have been here -just challenging experiences.....

I have had my first car accident...... I'm an american woman in the Middle East..... and I had an accident with a male Muslim..... guess whose fault it was..... yes, completely my mistake - even though the cars marks and dents told a different story.

Want to see the villa???? Here are a few rooms on the first floor. Our lives were packed up the first weeks in July, they sat in a port in Los Angeles for over a month and finally set sail via the Panama Canal then on route to Indian Ocean and are "suppose" to arrive sometime in October (i am not holding my breathe.....) anyhow - the rooms are quite plain because we don't have our shipment yet.......

the kitchen

the dining room

a traditional omani men's sitting room

the office.....

second floor

little guy's room

big bro's room

our room

a balcony off the second floor.

We also have a 3rd floor with maid quarters and roof top access - for now, it's too stinkin' hot to go up there..... it's has stayed empty, except to do the laundry........

Friends this is mostly a pictorial post - to show you the villa, we now call home. I have more to come on my impressions...... hope this helps to connect us back again....

xo,

amt