Want to know what the first full day in our new country was like? Here’s a peek at the nitty-gritty of moving to paradise…
Woke up excited that we got to move into our new house, a house we are buying(!!), for the first time. Relished the novelty of knowing we would have a home-base for the entire time we live in Vanuatu.
Picked up new car, and then had to drive it home on the other side of the road from what I’m used to, in the rain. After navigating manymanymany potholes and the steep hill on the dirt road leading out to our house, I felt thankful we’d bought a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Stopped by a grocery store. Was shocked and depressed by the prices (farewell, Asia). Twenty US dollars a kilo for broccoli, anyone? After much fumbling around, I learned you have to pay for meat back at the charcuterie, not the checkout. And you have to bag, weigh, and tag your own fruit. And you load your own groceries into an old cardboard box you grab from the pile at the front of the store.
Went downtown with Mike to get a local driver’s license. Discovered I’d left my Australian license back at the house. The woman glanced at my passport and issued me one anyway. Score one for Vanuatu.
Took the issuance documents to the cashier to pay for said license and complete the transaction. Discovered that it would cost almost a thousand dollars to complete the transfer of the car, and that the cashier was already closed for the day. Debit one for Vanuatu.
Found out it would cost fifteen thousand dollars (FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!) to fence our pool to Australian safety standards. Debit two for Vanuatu.
Found out that it would be impossible to air condition the main room of the house well without spending an absolute fortune. Debit three for Vanuatu.
Found out that it would be nearly impossible to air condition one of the bedrooms without some fairly extensive renovations. Debit four for Vanuatu.
Cried in the bathroom and wondered why the hell we’d bought the house and what on earth we’re doing with all this moving around the world, anyway.
Decided that we were committed, and that I wasn’t allowed to tally up any more debits that day.
Looked at the view from the backyard of the house. Reminded myself that it was beautiful.
Supervised the unloading of an endless parade of boxes into the house. Wondered (not for the first time) why we own so much heavy wooden furniture. This is basically what our place looks like right now, not even kidding.
Saw children leap into the pool fully clothed from the corner of my eye. Learned that our nanny can swim. Bonus.
Explained to the kids for the 43rd time that we do not have a lawnmower at this house. Talked cheerfully to the children about what a grand adventure we were having. Made up rules about not throwing stones or dirt into the pool, and where little boys can pee, dig, and spray with the hose.
Not ten minutes later, caught eldest son carefully peeing down the inside tube of his father’s rolled-up yoga mat.
Felt totally exhausted by the task of sorting out our mountain of possessions, then overheard the gardener ask Mike for money so he could buy some food for dinner.
Had no idea what to do with those two back-to-back moments.
Bathed the kids, fed them baked beans on toast in front of the iPad, and read them stories. Thought about brushing their teeth. Couldn’t find the energy.
Looked at Mike after they were both finally asleep and felt totally unable to prioritize finalizing the car transfer, signing up for internet at the house, completing our mortgage documents, getting our bridging rental contract, transferring the electricity and water into our name, making the pool kid-safe, opening up bank accounts, and 101 other things on our to-do list.
Went to bed at 8:30pm.
So there you have it. Moving is always hard work. Moving to a new country seven weeks after after Mike started his new job, a month after a Category Five cyclone, with two kids under four, while also trying to buy a house has been… a bit of a category five whirlwind all of it’s own. Just like Vanuatu, however, we’ll get there.
Back with you in a year or two when we actually get functional internet at home.
Stay well.
