Thoughts, Three Weeks In

It's hard to believe that it's been over three weeks since we've moved to South Africa. I feel like I have a much better handle on things than even two weeks ago. It's been such a drastic move--with no break from the constant adjustments to new--but I did feel at least somewhat prepared after making a similarly big move to Albuquerque nearly three years ago. One of the hard parts is not being able to call home at any time. Not because I can't, because I'm sure I could find an affordable calling card, or keep using Google Phone, but because when I wake up in the morning at 7am, it's 11pm in Chicago. Everyone is asleep, or finally getting in bed, and by the time I'm awake and moving, they're well into their first sleep cycle. And I'd hate to disturb that. :)

The challenges are different this week than last, and the week before that. Our current challenge is finding a place to live in about two months. Stellenbosch University is giving us free housing for three months since we haven't sold our house yet. It's wonderful of them, and we are praying that our house does sell soon so that we know where we'll be at financially when these three months are up. Otherwise it will be hard to tell what we can afford. Location is another consideration. Right now we are in the heart of Stellenbosch--it's beautiful, there's easy access to shops and grocery stores, and Dan can walk to work. However, as I've mentioned, it's not super child-friendly. An acquaintance has recommended three different neighborhoods for where we'll find families with children, but we'll likely need a car to get groceries and do other things if we live in any of them. That's a hard pill to swallow when gas works out to about $5/gallon or more. Ouch. If we stay in Stellenbosch Central, and do get a car, then we will only pay for gas on the weekends when we want to go climbing or visit friends who live far away. It's kind of a tough call.

Security is another thing. I was expecting this, but it's strange to see security concerns everywhere. Almost every house has burglar bars on every first-floor window--if not every window. Most houses have tall gates around the yards, ferocious dogs, and perhaps even barbed-wire or electric wires topping it all off. Most houses have security company signs - ADT Armed Response. Here's a funny one: CSS Tactical Armed Response. I think their tag line should be, "We'll get you with our code!" Ta ha. I know, not that funny. Or Dan and my favorite: Chubb Armed Response. Haha.. Anyway.. One more thing on the list of non-negotiables for where we'll live.

And an update on our house: It is actually under contract right now. We're not expecting this one to go through. We feel cheated, but I suppose that's just how things go when it's a buyer's market. But really, I am starting to have very little respect for realtors. (With the exception of one fantastic one--Laurie, you know who you are. ;) Last week we got an offer on the house. It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible. They asked for a sewer inspection and $1000 worth of repairs. They already had the inspection report from our last buyer and were well aware of the repairs that need to be done. We accepted their offer. And then they come back and ask us to complete all of the repairs (90% of them are already done, which shows that they didn't look around very thoroughly). Which to me is a complete bait-and-switch. They knew what they were getting into, we all agreed on $1000 worth of repairs, and then they come back and ask for so much more. It's like pissing on our wounds. Or perhaps a lesson in humility for us.

I guess the part that hurts is that the house is fantastic. We love our old house. It was a fantastic home, and it is a fantastic place to live. The neighbors are a dream! We miss them dearly! The neighborhood is perfect! It's such a great house, and we want the people who move in to love it and not just want to get an awesome deal on a house that the owners clearly need to sell. We want them to be blessed in our house, to adore our old neighbors, and to be a great part of a wonderful community. So it's hard to deal with seemingly-dirty people and expect a great fit for such a wonderful home. Thanks for all your prayers about this.

Well, it's getting dark, and I have 17% battery power left. I think it's hard to find a place where you can plug-in. Ah well.

Btw, I feel bad ending this post on a bad note. It really is beautiful here and it feels more like home every day. And we may have found the perfect church with tons of potential friends for the boys! Things are definitely looking up. :)

Cheers from SA.