New 'temporary' home and country

Oh well...have not been posting for over a year.

Have been busy since my last blog in 2008 - I was in Papua New Guinea then - got a job around the time of my last blog, was kept busy and as the internet in PNG was very expensive and SLOW!! didn't feel much like blogging except check my emails and go into Facebook to read what others are doing.

And now.....fast forward to Sep09, after talking about the pros and cons, husband has decided to take up a job offer in Geneva, Switzerland and I should just up and go so that we are together as a family.
SO.....here I am, in another foreign country, trying to adjust to a new life, albeit temporarily.
For how long? Goodness me..I have no idea, it will all depend on husband's contract being extended (currently, only 3months, to extend to another 3 and then to another 6 and who knows..maybe another 2years instead of months so we're not in limbo).

We got here after 3days of flying.
21Sep - Left Port Moresby to Cairns (visit brother and packup some leftover stuff there)
Overnight and took 1st flight out...
22Sep - Cairns to Sydney (met up with in-laws for some last-minute goodbyes, super sleepy/tired but there you go, last chance to see us, so we sit..and talked..and sit..and stared..and sit..till we can't stand it nomore, said our goodbyes and we went in departure lounge..and slept!)
22Sep - Sydney to Singapore - change of plane - thank goodness we got ourselves business class seats so we can catch up on sleep!!
22Sep - Singapore to London - arrive late at night, booked on premium economy so the seats are bigger and we can be more comfy during the flight.
23Sep - London to Geneva - GOSH..the security in London, unbelievable...makes on feel like we're already would-be terrorists from the way we had to go through the security checks between Terminals - try to avoid Terminal 5 - it's a confusing place! haha!
23Sep - arrived Geneva - dead tired! Got our hired-car, packed our suitcases inside...then went to look for our hotel.

Then, unpack a few necessities, then went on hunt for food and stuff to stock up as we'll be staying in this hotel for at least one month.
It's a nice place, called Citadines, at Ferney-Voltaire, France.

Unfortunately, they only had a 1bedroom apartment as their 2bedroom are full till 2010 so we had to look for a new place else, Adam will not have his own room, David will not have space to work etc etc..so...we've ended up in La Villa du Lac in Divonne-les-Bains on 25Oct.
This is a very very nice 2bedroom apartment, except that the public transport is almost non-existant so it's not so easy for me to get into Geneva - which I'd love to explore.

Anyway, first things first, got here, went to the town council to register Adam for school and documents which they need copies are:
a) David's contract,
b) his pay slip (what privacy law? haha!!)
c) Adam's vaccination papers
d) letter from his school, stating when he left his previous school (thank goodness I made the Principal write that before I left PNG!!)
e) health insurance
f) letter from where we're staying stating that we're staying here and for how long (DUH?!! Since we did not specify exactly how long we'll be here, the girl at reception was nice to just put, length of stay - 'undetermined'

Then, just appear in school and Adam has started his new day at school on 05Nov (couldn't go earlier as it was France's 2weeks holiday before).
Oh..not forgetting that he can go to the school canteen twice a week (because I wanted him to try out some other food other than they simple ones I can manage) which he likes and also some time to play and interact with other kids.
Seems that as I am not working, I can't let him eat at the canteen daily but only twice a week. Cost of the meal, depends on income of family - from what I can see/read, it will cost EUR5/meal for Adam.
All menu for the week/month details in their website - very high tech! So parents know what their kids are / will be eating.
School menu (unfortunately, all in French, thank goodness there's google translator! hehe!)

Other days, Tuesday and Thursday, Adam gets picked up at 11.30 till 13.30.
School starts at 8.30 and ends at 16.30.

On Wednesdays, there is NO SCHOOL. :D :D

As David's contract is only temporary, we find ourselves staying on the French border as the accommodation here is 'cheaper' for short-term stay than in Geneva itself though we're still paying alot as it's a serviced apartment hotel. We can't really get our own place as most places require alot of documentation which we do not have at the moment (again, due to our temporary status) and it so frustrates me to be in such a situation....but what to do? Just have to live with it one day at a time and see how things goes.

Adam has also started local public school here which he says he don't enjoy because nobody talks to him (I think it's because they can't, not because they won't as it's a French school!) and nobody wants to be his friend and the older boys in school teases him by calling him 'ching chang choong' which thank goodness, he don't give a rats!! :D :D
However, it does saddens me to hear him tell me this as we've stayed in a few countries and did not get comments/teasing like this till we reach this very 'modern', 'developed', 'liberated' country. But I guess kids will be kids and I can only blame it on the parents - how else would they know to tease like that if their parents have not 'disliked' others who look different from them?

I know I'm rambling and going back/forth on my 'story' but it's been awhile and alot has happened this couple of months of transition.

Anyway, One day at a time, there should be more positive things to take note of which I will record for my reading pleasure and anyone else that cares to read my long long winded stories.
Now..have to go dry my clothes before picking Mr Naughtiness from school. Each time I asked him if he's learnt anything, he just says, 'No I am always playing as teacher lets us play outside. She don't teach us anything. In the morning, when school starts, she asks us to rest so we are not tired later...!!' HUH???!!
This kid, full of stories which he makes up..hard to tell which are true which are made up sometimes.