We are finally back online! Ironically, we could have been online this whole time (the past 3.5 weeks) if we'd only known about a little app called MyWi. Keith found out that we could download this app on our iPhone to make it act like a modem. We can then "tether" our laptops to it, and get online. I don't know how it works, but it does! Technology never ceases to amaze me.
Where to begin? So much has happened... maybe I will wait and collect my thoughts before doing a proper post. For now, I am just excited to be able to get on here and type on a real keyboard!!! Stay tuned...
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Not what I'd envisioned
This is not how I envisioned my blogging venture... Tapping out letters with my thumb. Still no Internet. Sorry! It will probably be a couple of weeks before we are online. Keep checking back though, just in case.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Texting a post
I haven't updated the blog because I don't have wifi in the temporary house, so I am texting this post on my iPhone. In short, it has been a crazy week with the move and trying to get other things (ID cards, drivers licenses, phone, AC, etc) set up. Now Keith is off in Bandar (1.5 hrs away) looking at cars. He has to turn in his loaner car on Monday, but school also starts on Monday and we need transportation. At the very least, we will be renting a car from a coworker for awhile. We haven't been able to buy a car yet because we didn't have ID cards or local licenses. Couldn't apply for those until we got our passports back from BSP. Finally got it done this morning. Well, that's about it for my thumbs here. Hope to have Internet in the house soon, and I will make a proper post from my computer!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Packing up (again)
Time to pack up and move again. Our little 2 week "vacation" here in the apartment ends tomorrow when we move into a temporary house.
"Hornbill" Apartments
Here's how they (BSP-Brunei Shell Petroleum) do things in Brunei... first you stay at either the apartment or a local (not very nice) hotel for anywhere from 1 week to who knows how long...
Then you go into a temporary house IF one is available. If not, you continue to stay in the apartment or hotel. If so, you move into the temporary house for the next 2-6 months, waiting for a permanent house to become available.
The permanent house you get is based on family size. In this case, we actually benefit by having 4 children. For one thing, we'll get a 4-bedroom home. For another, we probably won't have to wait as long as the families with 2 or 3 children who are all waiting for a 3-bedroom home. This is one of the rare instances where we are at an advantage with a larger family!
Obviously, they don't make the settling-in process especially easy. But, at least our temporary home is not far-removed from "camp", and it's just down the road from the SupaSave grocery store. Now I just need a car to get to the store, and everywhere else for that matter! For those who were rooting for the "Mystery Machine", it had already sold by the time Keith called about it. I guess it wasn't meant to be... Still looking for the right vehicle.
Gotta go pack now!!!
Temporary 3-bedroom Home:
Here's how they (BSP-Brunei Shell Petroleum) do things in Brunei... first you stay at either the apartment or a local (not very nice) hotel for anywhere from 1 week to who knows how long...
Then you go into a temporary house IF one is available. If not, you continue to stay in the apartment or hotel. If so, you move into the temporary house for the next 2-6 months, waiting for a permanent house to become available.
The permanent house you get is based on family size. In this case, we actually benefit by having 4 children. For one thing, we'll get a 4-bedroom home. For another, we probably won't have to wait as long as the families with 2 or 3 children who are all waiting for a 3-bedroom home. This is one of the rare instances where we are at an advantage with a larger family!
Obviously, they don't make the settling-in process especially easy. But, at least our temporary home is not far-removed from "camp", and it's just down the road from the SupaSave grocery store. Now I just need a car to get to the store, and everywhere else for that matter! For those who were rooting for the "Mystery Machine", it had already sold by the time Keith called about it. I guess it wasn't meant to be... Still looking for the right vehicle.
Gotta go pack now!!!
Cheetos are saving my life!
After a trip to the local grocery store, Landon was SO excited to have found Cheetos.
He said, "You know why I'm glad Brunei has Cheetos?"
Me: "Because you love them?"
Landon: "No. Because they're saving my life."
He said, "You know why I'm glad Brunei has Cheetos?"
Me: "Because you love them?"
Landon: "No. Because they're saving my life."
We have found some other American products that have "saved our lives" here in the beginning. It's exciting to see what they sell amongst the local products. Of course, these things may not always be available...
BREAKFAST
SNACKS
LUNCH
DINNER
It certainly makes the adjustment a bit easier to have some familiar foods available to us!
Friday, August 26, 2011
A lesson in Malay
The local language here in Brunei is Malay. We are very lucky, however, because nearly everyone also speaks English. On the other hand, it's kind of embarrassing (to me) that we Americans are almost the only ones who don't speak multiple languages. The Europeans, South Americans, Asians, etc. all speak at least their own language plus English.
Even though we don't have to learn Malay to communicate, the locals greatly appreciate any efforts you make at speaking their language. Hoping to assimilate into the culture at least somewhat, I have been picking up some phrases from the sweet cleaning ladies here at the apartment. Now you can learn some Malay too!
How are you?
Apa Khabar (a-paw kuh-bar)
I'm good.
Khabar baik (kuh-bar bike)
Good morning
Selamat pagi (selawmut poggie)
Good night
Selamat malam (selawmut mollem)
What is your name?
Siapa nama mu (see-ahpa nahma moo)
What time is it?
pukul berapa (pookle barawpa)
Thank you
Tarima kasih (tareema kah-see)
Goodbye
Selamat jalan (selawmut jhollen)
I don't think I'll become fluent, but maybe I can pick up a bit more over time.
Selamat jalan!
Even though we don't have to learn Malay to communicate, the locals greatly appreciate any efforts you make at speaking their language. Hoping to assimilate into the culture at least somewhat, I have been picking up some phrases from the sweet cleaning ladies here at the apartment. Now you can learn some Malay too!
How are you?
Apa Khabar (a-paw kuh-bar)
I'm good.
Khabar baik (kuh-bar bike)
Good morning
Selamat pagi (selawmut poggie)
Good night
Selamat malam (selawmut mollem)
What is your name?
Siapa nama mu (see-ahpa nahma moo)
What time is it?
pukul berapa (pookle barawpa)
Thank you
Tarima kasih (tareema kah-see)
Goodbye
Selamat jalan (selawmut jhollen)
I don't think I'll become fluent, but maybe I can pick up a bit more over time.
Selamat jalan!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
New Friends
Tonight we are going out to dinner with a nice part Irish, part Dutch family we met here at the apartment. In typical fashion, Natalie first befriended their daughter at the pool, and the boys soon started playing with their son. That was about a week ago. Since then, our kids have been going back and forth between apartments, getting to be better and better friends every day. The mom and I have hit it off with our love of reading, and our husbands have run into each other in the hallways at work a couple of times.
Tonight, however, we will get together as complete families for the first time. It's always tricky trying to make "family friends". Either it's difficult to get everyone to like everyone else and get along, or you don't like how the other couple disciplines their children (or how they DON'T discipline their children), etc, etc. I am not referring to anyone in particular, if you're starting to wonder!
Anyway, we will see how tonight goes! Following dinner, Natalie is having their daughter over for a sleepover. What's one more kid in the apartment? :) We are looking forward to school starting on Sept. 5 so that the kids can make even more friends, and I can meet more moms too.
To our friends back home, we miss you all! As the saying goes... Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other gold.
Tonight, however, we will get together as complete families for the first time. It's always tricky trying to make "family friends". Either it's difficult to get everyone to like everyone else and get along, or you don't like how the other couple disciplines their children (or how they DON'T discipline their children), etc, etc. I am not referring to anyone in particular, if you're starting to wonder!
Anyway, we will see how tonight goes! Following dinner, Natalie is having their daughter over for a sleepover. What's one more kid in the apartment? :) We are looking forward to school starting on Sept. 5 so that the kids can make even more friends, and I can meet more moms too.
To our friends back home, we miss you all! As the saying goes... Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other gold.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)