Last Friday afternoon we headed off to the school for the childrens' interviews. All went well, we met the infant and junior heads and they were both lovely. The children saw their class rooms and neither will be the only new children starting in their classes next term. Adam did a great reading and comprehension test and we left having bought the P.E. T-shirts, school hats, swimming costumes and our uniform vouchers to take to the uniform shop.
On the way out, in the lovely courtyard garden by the office, was a large spider's web which contained (arachnaphobes may want to avert their eyes here) a spider with a body almost 2 inches long and legs considerably longer. Apparently its been living there since last August and may become the school mascot!
Term starts 3 weeks yesterday.
Now, some settling in experiences:
Yesterday, having checked which bus to take and after waiting ages for it, the kids and I set off for the shopping centre and supermarket. After going round and carefully selecting the essentials that we needed, we arrived at the check out with a basket of goodies. But then, when the total was given, I handed over my credit card. The cashier looked suprised "You want to pay with this?" she asked, to which I replied "well, yes". She then explained that they didn't take credit cards, just cash! I had insufficient cash, so, on a need to have/cost basis I slowly handed things back until the bill was low enough that I could afford it. Can you imagine - a major supermarket that doesn't take credit cards? What's more, I'm sure they have taken ours before, in that very store. Maybe I just needed to spend a whole lot more. As it will almost certainly become our local, time will tell.
Today, we went to the bank! We just went to collect our cheque books and ATM/Debit cards for our local Singapore Dollar bank account. The account had already been set up from the UK in tandem with a new UK based "Premier" account (which in HSBC marketing-speak means singing/dancing/internationally accessible etc or, in short, EASY). We were there for 3½ hours! Some things defy explanation so I am not even going to try. Suffice to say, Bureaurocracy at its best. But it was worth the wait ... I now finally have enough money to go shopping again!
Now I have to cook some dinner. I met our neighbour here yesterday who clearly thought I was mad when I said I was going to cook supper. Having tried it, I'm starting to understand why. The kitchen, typically, has no aircon/fan and if I open the window for a breeze, it blows the gas out. I'm not sure what is hotter in the end, me or the food. I feel a lot of salads coming on.
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LOL! I'm sorry, I'm giggling like crazy! Mind you, you mad girl, you have already told us how hot it is - why are you switching on the gas anyway? (Or you could get your own Pet Crematorium. Or does the van you saw have a tinkling bell, like an ice-cream van? Dog-on-a-stick, Dog-on-a-stick, fresh cooked, get your Dog-on-a-stick here . . .)
I'm guessing Adam and Hannah are being extraordinarily patient with the whole waiting-around-for-HOURS-while-mummy-shops / takes money out thing. I'm glad the school is nice, and I definitely want a picture of the spider. On your hand so we get a sense of scale.
Remember the T-shirt from the Singaporean nursery that made my friend Lin remove her 2-yr-old son there and then? With the slogan that said 'I am a Dynamic Child with Strong Moral Values and a Passion for Learning'?
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