Slow Adjustments

I am struggling a bit with adjusting here. With all the struggle that has gone in to being here (on this note, please be praying that our unsold house in Albuquerque sells ASAP!), I was hoping--but certainly not assuming--that it would at least be a little bit easier on the other side... Yeah...

Our first several days of being here were not bad. We figured out where to do our shopping, how to get to the university and back, and simply covering a little more of Stellenbosch each day. However, we only have an umbrella stroller here, and Auggie has been very particular about wanting to ride instead of walking. This means that any time we leave the house, especially if Dan is at work, I have Eland attached to my person in the mei tai wrap (which is officially worth it's weight in gold) and I'm pushing Auggie in the stroller. I should have Dan take a picture because I look ridiculous. The stroller is just barely narrow enough to squeeze between the curb edges and hundred- if not thousand-year-old trees lining the brick sidewalks. It's tight. And there are cafes with tables and chairs to navigate through all along the sidewalks, too.  And I go like this to the grocery store meaning that I am not only heaving around a 26-lb kid and pushing a stroller, but I'm also carrying a basket at the store because I don't have enough arms to push a cart. And thus I anticipate having to go to the grocery store several times a week in order to be able carry everything home on my own. It's a work out in and of itself. I now fantasize about taking a car to the grocery store. Imagine that. :)

But we do want to do our best to go without a car. No car payments, no insurance, no paying for gas, 100% better for the environment. I think it's a worthy goal.

What else? I am struggling with the fact that our part of Stellenbosch is not child-friendly at all. People look at me like I'm from Mars any time I go walking with the boys. That or I get asked if they are twins--really?! I have yet to find a park with a playground within walking distance, and the only grassy park nearby is filled with shady-looking people that I would rather not have my children playing near. There is no storytime at the local library. I have no way of making friends yet, thus the only adults I know are Dan, Billy, Huba, and a couple that Dan works with. I'm certainly not ready to get on a plane and head back to the States, but this is not easy. 

Thankfully the language barrier isn't such a big deal. Besides the occasional beggar--and there are certainly a lot of them--everyone speaks English and I am slowly but surely learning Afrikaans words daily. And new English words for that matter! I've already written a blog post in my mind about all the new words they use here. (Pudding = dessert, bin/rubbish = trash, etc.) Consider that post coming soon. 

Arrgh. 18% battery left. Time to get moving... Pictures will be coming soon!