Hello! Just been checking out the forum after a very long rest, have been sooo busy!!! Sorry I went missing Mother Bear...........but I'm here now!

For those wondering how I'm doing.........the answer is just fine! I love the country and know we're here for good! Work is still difficult. I'm well out of my comfort zone still and feel like my wings have been clipped. I lost loads of confidence when I first started, but talking to a few other newies I've met, I'm not the only one. The kiwi communication level is not as advanced as the English way and can be very frustrating, but I'm trying to adapt as quickly as I can..............the answer is to chill, it will right itself.

For every frustration, you can always see a positive. We took 120 kids to camp last week on the bus. A bus that was nowhere near big enough....when I suggested this, the answer form the other staff was '3 to a seat!' :icon_eek: After a bit of a panic, I soon settled to see that a) the children were very accomodating whilst being squashed, and b) nothing went wrong. We had a great day, all the children pitched in, it was a very physical trip, they were all well behaved and about 40-50 parents showed up to run the activities!

I'm still on my own here with the kids which is a bit wearing especially working full time too but our rule is that Fri nights we go out and do something special! Lewis (my youngest) has joined the local swim club with a view to making one of the teams, he plays hockey for the school team and goes to a maths school aswell. If he's at home, he's out for hours with the local kids skateboarding, biking, scootering you name it! I have to drag him in when its dark!!!!

Jonathan, my eldest has done well to settle socially but is finding school a bit difficult. He's in 6th form at an all boys school............bit of a change form 6th form college at home. Things have been a bit strained, but I think they'll work out. Socially, he goes off to Auckland to gigs at the weekend, has just bought new drums and has formed a band. On Sundays he works in Starbucks. I don't worry about him out at night like I did when he went into Birmingham......he can used his phone in public and get the last bus home without ony hassle.

The teenagers here are young people being young people, not trying to be adults like at home. They don't walk around in gangs and when they are coming home from school aren't shattering bus shelters or burning litter bins. There are things for them to do and intimidating others doesn't seem to be one of them.

Any way, you'll be wishing that i hadn't posted after reading this epilogue. I'll keep it shorter next time.................you never know, hubby might actually know when he's coming over!! :icon_rolleyes:

Fisheress :icon_wink: