Keeping Busy

When I started my very first blog (October 2010) I was contemplating our first big move...from Green Bay, Wisconsin to Montreal, Canada. It WAS a big move. I had quit my "dream" job only to have our "international" move canceled at the last minute. (seems like such a small move now, but it WAS international...)

If you've known us long enough, you know that we DID move to Montreal, and then to Tampa, and then to Guam a few years later. Nick's company has offices all over the world, and getting to see the world is one of the perks of working for an international company. You know what's not so much fun? The actual moving part. I'm sure it's stressful for every family that moves for a living, but Nick's company is not so good at getting the information out to the affected employee and family. This has been the case EVERY time we've moved. I understand that there's a lot going on behind the scenes, but geez, these are peoples' lives you are messing with.

In my last post, I mentioned that we were in Manila scoping out potential living arrangements. We spent days looking around Makati and BGC, where the school and expat communities are. We invested our energy in checking school bus stops and pharmacies and green spaces. We had the driver show us several potential neighborhoods and weigh in on which ones would fit the work/school/life balance the best. We figured out the BUS, for heaven's sake... and then this past weekend we were told plans had changed. We're not moving to Manila.

The good news is that they are now sending us to Singapore. If you're not familiar with this part of the world, Singapore is an ultra-modern city-country with a booming economy, 'efficient' healthcare, and strong tourism industry. When we told people we were being relocated to Manila, we would get condolences and 'prayers'...but now we receive congratulations on our announcement that we are being relocated to Singapore...

While it may seem exciting to change to much more coveted location, I'm still not 'over it'.  If you are a spouse (military or otherwise) that has moved due to your spouse's employment, you are more than likely under-appreciated. Nick was asked today if I was taking the news of the new relocation better than I had two months ago when we were originally told we were leaving Guam. His response was that I 'don't like change' and that I was 'keeping myself busy making the arrangements for the dog".  HOLD.THE.PHONE. WHAT?  I believe there may be one or two misconceptions here. (disclaimer...he always proofreads my posts before they are published...)

Where do I start? How about "I don't like change"? I'm not even going to justify that one with a response. Clearly he had gone temporarily insane while attempting to form a witty response...

She has no idea how much things are about to change

Now for the biggie..."I'm keeping myself busy making arrangements for the dog". Back up the F-ing truck... "keeping myself busy?!?"  I had already done all of this once. Balance school/home location with work location and do they take dogs while making sure there is a grocery within walking distance because I won't have a car and don't forget about a place to walk the dog and where will we buy dog food and go out to eat and get our hair cut and look at all the bus exhaust here we need to look somewhere else and are there cockroaches here and ohwaitnevermind......

There are SO many details that we have to consider. Yes, I am keeping busy making sure the dog can get into the country (it's a 10 page document that needs authentication by government vets and airline staff/pilots and requires meeting ISO standards - there are 22571 International Standards ), and making sure our passports are updated, and now we have a new school to investigate and apply to, oh yeah, the car and driver's licenses both need to be renewed before we leave Guam...this doesn't even include all of the boatwork and arrangements and decisions that need to be made in the next month.  Let me assure you that this IS keeping me busy, but it's NOT busywork.