four month update...

Well as most of you know we have a very slow and somewhat unreliable email server in Riyadh and I have tried many times to post to our blog page without success and have given up in frustration, hence only the one entry in 5 months...but we are currently on holiday in Dubai and the apartment we are staying in has high speed broadband and I am now in internet heaven!!!

So, where to begin our journey that is Saudi Arabia eh? I guess I should back it up a few months to just after our arrival...

Getting used to our new life took some adjusting...there was both Warren and I starting new jobs, me returning to full time paid employment, unrelenting hot summers of over 50'C for months on end, a different language to get used to and a new kindergarten for the boys with a new teacher and new friends to be made. After 6 months though it all seems 'normal' to us now. I don't even really miss driving all that much, wouldn't dream of leaving home without my abaya to cover my 'modesty', but I do occassionally wish I could get ham, bacon or proscuitto for that special recipe and a glass or two of vino for the chef wouldn't go astray once in a while either!!! But alas, this is the life we have chosen living in one of the strictest muslim countries in the world and no one is forcing us to stay there, but while we do we must abide by their rules.

Warren is enjoying his job as clinical instructor on the oncology ward. It's a busy 32 bed unit with patients coming from all over Saudi Arabia for treatment. He has lots of energy for teaching and lots of ideas for staff education on his ward. I started working on the haematolgy ward when I arrived at the hospital, but after 4 months I found it not to be exactly what I wanted to do with my career and I really wanted to work back in my specialty...bone marrow transplant. I put in for a transfer just before we left to go on hols and found out last week that my transfer was approved and I can start sometime around the middle of March...I am delighted!!! Both Matthew and Adam are in a combined kinder class for 3 and 4 year olds which has helped them settle in as they enjoying being together as well as enjoying making a few new friends along the way. Kids are so adaptable and they are having fun seeing and experiencing new things. So a quickie update then... in September the kids started kindergarten, in October Adam was spoiled rotten as he celebrated his 3rd birthday (and is very proud of himself when he tells everyone "I'm thalatha"...three in Arabic) and in November we jetted off to Jeddah for a long weekend getaway. We stayed in a lovely little spot on the Red Sea...friends that came along raved about the snorkling, but we just had a great time on the beach spending time with the kids playing in the water and building sand castles...they talk about it still! December rolled around as quick as it does elsewhere in the world and our Christmas tree came out and letters were written to Santa...we had to think quick and get very creative when Matthew started to ask how Santa knew he was no longer in Melbourne and why he didn't visit all kids in his class! January saw us celebrate Australia Day at a typical Aussie barbie with a great spread of food...Qld prawns and Gippsland lamb chops, but alas without the obligatory beer and wine...well, there was a little 'home-brew' but not always worth the effort! And now it is February and we are on a 10 day break in Dubai...but that will have to wait until my next post.