Today is a special day...it is special...because one year ago today we disembarked an airplane in Manchester England about 5 am in the morning to begin this adventure.
A little about Day 1 for those that might have forgotten:
It was dark - cold - blowing rain as we arrived at Manchester. Since this first arrival, I have flown in and out of Manchester numerous times and always flown right next to the gate and off the jetway into the terminal - for some reason this first trip for us had us struggling with 3 tired kids, 5 backpacks, and 5 roller bags down a wet set of steps onto the freezing tarmac of the airport where we had to find our way into the terminal. We made it into the terminal and to a long line (1 hour wait) to get through passport control. We were the groggy ones - a bit scared - a bit freaked out - a bit over our heads. We were joined by all the tan British holiday goers who were back from a relaxing holiday in somewhere tropical.
We then eventually made it with our 3 kids, 5 backpacks, 5 rollerbags, and 8 large roller bags to the awaiting driver to take us to our home in Harrogate/Knaresborough. We all rested a bit on the 2 hour drive to the house - hungry - tired and trying to keep it all together. We were met at the house by our relocation lady who had been instructed to ensure the heat had been turned on a few days to warm up It wasn't - we walked into a house 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The relo lady rushed out in about 5 minutes and we were left trying to make sense of the boiler ourselves. We started a quick fire (carried a wadded up piece of paper from the gas stove into the front room) and burned some paper to get a bit of warmth and then proceeded to unpack suitcases and cover ourselves with clothes to warm up.
We were waiting on a rental car to be delivered - which came about 3 hours later and it was delivered empty and it was a stick shift...when I had requested an automatic...wasn't that keen on driving on the wrong side of the road with a stick on little no sleep. I called for an automatic and it wasn't to be delivered until 9 that night. It was about 11 am by this time. I decided if I didn't want my family getting back on a plane without me, I had better figure this stick out so we did...I bet the car got a new clutch soon after I retaught myself how to shift that rainy morning!
Well....fast forward one year later. We have made quite a journey and enjoyed quite a few adventures along the way. At the 6 month mark I made some observations of our journey so far - you can check them out at the link below.
http://ourroyaladventure.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=abu+dhabi
At the one year mark the 6 month ones still stick and apply. We are very happy we took the leap to see what was on the other side of comfortable. We still miss plenty of our old life and look forward to a day when we will get back to it...but not yet...this adventure isn't over yet.
The kids have all grown so much this year learning more about themselves, the world, and how tough they are. They will always be better for this and I am excited to see what lives they plot for themselves in the future as I think the world is a lot smaller to them now and full of possibilities.
From a work perspective, I say it has been the best year of my career and the hardest. I have been through more in 1 year than typically comes in the lifespan of a career, but I'm better for it and things are a lot better than the way I found them...still plenty of work to do. I have really enjoyed the fun and challenge of international business- learning cultural differences, world economic challenges on different pieces of our business and building an international team. More fun to come I'm sure.
For Kel, she has probably grown the most from this experience. She has done so much of the heavy lifting on the home front and just "figured out" what needed to get done and get on with it. She has also created a strong network of friends and hasn't sacrificed her true self in the process.
We have seen so much of the world this year. We have been fortunate enough to see Paris, London, Edinburgh, much of Ireland, Barcelona Spain, and now the Canary Islands off of Western Africa. We are looking forward to more trips in the future with Italy, Greece, and an African Safari on the top of the list.
Well I write this from the front of the home we are renting in the Canary Islands and where we have been fortunate enough to spend the last 10 days relaxing and enjoying some winter sun (70+ degrees - sun and lots of pool time). We head home tomorrow. More on that trip on future blog posts.
A teaser from our recent trip.
A little about Day 1 for those that might have forgotten:
It was dark - cold - blowing rain as we arrived at Manchester. Since this first arrival, I have flown in and out of Manchester numerous times and always flown right next to the gate and off the jetway into the terminal - for some reason this first trip for us had us struggling with 3 tired kids, 5 backpacks, and 5 roller bags down a wet set of steps onto the freezing tarmac of the airport where we had to find our way into the terminal. We made it into the terminal and to a long line (1 hour wait) to get through passport control. We were the groggy ones - a bit scared - a bit freaked out - a bit over our heads. We were joined by all the tan British holiday goers who were back from a relaxing holiday in somewhere tropical.
We then eventually made it with our 3 kids, 5 backpacks, 5 rollerbags, and 8 large roller bags to the awaiting driver to take us to our home in Harrogate/Knaresborough. We all rested a bit on the 2 hour drive to the house - hungry - tired and trying to keep it all together. We were met at the house by our relocation lady who had been instructed to ensure the heat had been turned on a few days to warm up It wasn't - we walked into a house 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The relo lady rushed out in about 5 minutes and we were left trying to make sense of the boiler ourselves. We started a quick fire (carried a wadded up piece of paper from the gas stove into the front room) and burned some paper to get a bit of warmth and then proceeded to unpack suitcases and cover ourselves with clothes to warm up.
We were waiting on a rental car to be delivered - which came about 3 hours later and it was delivered empty and it was a stick shift...when I had requested an automatic...wasn't that keen on driving on the wrong side of the road with a stick on little no sleep. I called for an automatic and it wasn't to be delivered until 9 that night. It was about 11 am by this time. I decided if I didn't want my family getting back on a plane without me, I had better figure this stick out so we did...I bet the car got a new clutch soon after I retaught myself how to shift that rainy morning!
Well....fast forward one year later. We have made quite a journey and enjoyed quite a few adventures along the way. At the 6 month mark I made some observations of our journey so far - you can check them out at the link below.
http://ourroyaladventure.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=abu+dhabi
At the one year mark the 6 month ones still stick and apply. We are very happy we took the leap to see what was on the other side of comfortable. We still miss plenty of our old life and look forward to a day when we will get back to it...but not yet...this adventure isn't over yet.
The kids have all grown so much this year learning more about themselves, the world, and how tough they are. They will always be better for this and I am excited to see what lives they plot for themselves in the future as I think the world is a lot smaller to them now and full of possibilities.
From a work perspective, I say it has been the best year of my career and the hardest. I have been through more in 1 year than typically comes in the lifespan of a career, but I'm better for it and things are a lot better than the way I found them...still plenty of work to do. I have really enjoyed the fun and challenge of international business- learning cultural differences, world economic challenges on different pieces of our business and building an international team. More fun to come I'm sure.
For Kel, she has probably grown the most from this experience. She has done so much of the heavy lifting on the home front and just "figured out" what needed to get done and get on with it. She has also created a strong network of friends and hasn't sacrificed her true self in the process.
We have seen so much of the world this year. We have been fortunate enough to see Paris, London, Edinburgh, much of Ireland, Barcelona Spain, and now the Canary Islands off of Western Africa. We are looking forward to more trips in the future with Italy, Greece, and an African Safari on the top of the list.
Well I write this from the front of the home we are renting in the Canary Islands and where we have been fortunate enough to spend the last 10 days relaxing and enjoying some winter sun (70+ degrees - sun and lots of pool time). We head home tomorrow. More on that trip on future blog posts.
A teaser from our recent trip.
1 year down! What a great milestone and a hard-won milestone at that. I wonder what you would tell that family if you met them at the airport now? So many things to look forward to...so many things to overcome...so many firsts? I am pretty sure you would struggle to put into words the amazing experiences they have in front of them that will start the minute they step down on to that tarmac and realize they aren't in Missouri anymore. Well, if it were me, on that tarmac, I would tell them to know that they will be stronger than they imagined they ever could be, to get excited for the people they will meet and to not feel defeated when the simplest rights in America suddenly felt like privileges after living without them for 365 days. I would tell them how proud their friends and family would be of them and that while they mourn what they’ve left behind in America to remember that they still had the one thing that would give them unbelievable strength in the 365 days ahead: each other.
ReplyDeleteI'm proud of what you've seen, the places you have been and the willingness you have had to take on challenge after challenge. Mostly, I'm proud of how you've grown closer as a family. In the end, that will also be the most important part of making it through the 365 days to come.
I have loved this blog and am so glad you keep it going. It helps us share in a little bit of your world and to know how hard and wonderful (at the same time) your new life is. Thank you!
So proud of all of you. Keep the photos and blog updates coming and I can only imagine what the next year will bring. I wish for the same happy, healthy family who will find ways to find the greatest joys in the most challenging events yet to come.
Love you guys,
Aunt Di
It seems like you guys have been gone much longer than that.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how much things have changed for all of you since you left the states.
I am so happy that your entire family has had such a great opportunity to rethink how one lives their lives. Never again will any of you think non-global. Listening to languages, learning the differences between the way people live their lives....just priceless.
We look forward to your return to the states and miss you all very much.
Love all of you,
Julian, Laurie, Eli and Eze
Wow, Congrats for a year well done and the prospect of a bigger and better one to come. If that is possible. LOL
ReplyDeleteAs Julian said it sure seems like it has been a lot longer. We all here in the US miss you all very much but would not want to change your experiences you have had and will continue to have for nothing.
When you look around you and see all the accomplishments that each of you have made and the growing it is amazing how a year can change you.
I am sure getting off that plane for the first time and everything, I mean everything, different and no friendly faces to greet you that more than once the thought was "I am out of here, I am going back where I came from" but aren't you so glad that you didn't?
It only made all of you better.
We love the blog. It has made us feel that we were going along with you on your journeys and enjoy the sights. Keep it up.
We are so proud of you all and I know that this next year will be just as wonderful and NOT as scary as the first year. The changes will be amazing and we here will be along with you for the journey no matter where it goes.
We love and miss all of you and I look at your blog every morning just to see how things are going and keep up with the bates and etc.
Onward and upward to see what is around the corner for the next year. Wonderful, amazing and blessed opportunities I am sure.
Love and Lots and Lots of hugs and kisses,
Mom & Pop