Moving to New Place

My son and I spent the past 2 days moving to our new place. We were also able to talk to my wife via the Internet and tell her about the move. We told her about what we were doing so she can get excited as well. The fridge, washer, dryer, cable and Internet connection were delivered and installed last Saturday. We also bought an LCD TV because all the transmission done now are in digital. The TV coming over from Singapore may not be HD ready. We also set up the air mattress so we have a place to sleep. I think that our stuff will arrive in a few days hopefullynext weekend so we can arrange the furniture. It was a good week and the planning came into place.

I also got the government document so every thing is all set for the 'new life'. My son was not able to pass the driver's permit last Friday but I think he will pass it after a few more tries. This is the main challenge for me: to help adapt my wife and sons to the life here. One of the main thing is get them a driver's license so they can start driving. Nothing can move here without an automobile. So they need to know how to drive well so they can drive to school, drive to shopping centers and give them some confidence in life. I hope that this will make them confident to look for work. This is one of the great things in living here; the sense of freedom and independence that the society brings.

My wife was able to sleep well after we had our first video conference last Saturday. I hope she gets better in the coming days. Her sister will be arriving in Singapore in 4 days so she will have some company in the next few weeks. My friends have been helping out, some have visited herand gave her fruits, while another sent his maid to help in the weekends. I appreciate their support because I am so far away and I cannot do anything from here. All I can do is to make phone calls and try to arrange the support from here. I even had to call my property agent and the bank where I made the loan so I can  help close the sale. I am glad that it is working so far with the sale.

I guess I am paying the price of moving here if ever there is such a penalty. I should have thought about my wife and the stress of the moving. Relocating is 3rd most stressful event according to some surveys so I should have placed more emphasis on preparing my wife. But I may just be making a big thing about it. The sad fact is that my wife needs minor surgery to cure the problem in her liver. We will schedule the operation when she gets here in 21 days. I hope everything at home will be settled when she arrives like my son's driving lesson and school application so she won't worry too much. According to the the relocation staff, it's always the trailing spouse who is affected the most.

My friends here in the office have been very helpful in helping me adjust. They gave me a lot of information like where to buy things, the places to go, how things work in the office and so on. Without them I would not have adjusted so easily. There is always someone out there willing to help people in their journeys. I guess I will be called to this mission when it is my turn to help someone adjust to the new life. Life here works in a large scale and one will be judged by the efforts and choices his makes. It's difficult but also fulfilling. I think living here is a privilege and a responsibility as well. It so much easier to accomplish things here than anywhere here else in the world.