Today marks one year in Indonesia, and my goodness, what a year it's been!
Time to reflect a little. I say a little, because I've just finished teaching for the day and am feeling rather frazzled, so I probably won't be able to reflect too deeply at this time on a Monday.
When I arrived in Batam one year ago today, I was on an adventure. New country, culture, language, job, people, places...everything was to be different. Now, one year on, this is my home, although many things are still new to me, and I've only recently begun giving the language the attention it's due.
Then and Now
Then: Blimey it was hot! Two cold showers a day to survive those first few weeks, frizzy hair, lots of sweat, not pretty.
Now: Blimey it's hot! But most of the time I don't notice. If the AC isn't working when I have to teach Grade 1, well then of course I notice, but other than that I could be forgiven for forgetting I'm on a tropical island while I'm at work. The only time I'm outside for an extended amount of time is at the weekend. There are no beaches less than an hour away, so my skin may well be paler now than it was when I arrived!
Then: I had many problems with the local cuisine. As someone who is lactose intolerant, has irritable bowel syndrome, is allergic to soya products, and can't handle really spicy food, I guess that would happen anywhere other than beautifully bland old England.
Now: I've finally figured out what I can and can't eat, and I'm able to order food to please my fussy digestive system. In January I went for an allergy test and discovered I'm also allergic to banana, peanuts, freshwater fish, shrimp, and chocolate. Pretty much all the things that are served in abundance here! But that's okay, I've learned (the not so pleasant way) that it's much better to stick to a few dishes I know won't make me sick and put up with the boredom, than to "indulge" in food my taste buds desire but my body rejects. By the way, I am not at all convinced about the chocolate allergy ;)
More about food: just a quick word about cravings. Before I even knew I was pregnant, I craved mango juice, which fortunately is deliciously fresh and cheap here in Batam. Now, strangely, I don't like it! I still like mangoes, just not the juice. Go figure. After my mango juice craving came a less convenient one - British food. I wanted a Spud-U-Like jacket potato with cheese and tuna soooo badly. I ate jam and bread every day, bought oven chips even though I don't have an oven, paid way to much for Heinz tomato soup in Singapore, and avoided the rice'n'spice of the school canteen in favour of wholemeal pasta and bolognese sauce. Recently I've been craving chocolate. Dairy Milk to be precise. As a pregnant lady with an ever increasing appetite, I guess I should be grateful to be lactose intolerant and 'allergic' to chocolate at this point, as it's probably a good thing that one bar a week is all I can safely enjoy...
Then: My job was totally crazy.
Now: Even more so! But I've survived (definitely the right word) my first year of teaching around 60 students with no curriculum or resources to speak of except for a crappy outdated textbook (cassette tapes, nuff said).
Then: Single and happy.
Now: Married and happier than I knew was possible. Aww. My husband has requested more of a mention on my blog, btw. Watch this space...
Then: When I arrived, I thought I'd be here two years and then return to the UK to live.
Now: Another year from now we'll have a little one crawling/walking around and we'll most likely still be in Batam. Relocating to Europe is a distant dream at the moment. Besides, I'm not bored of the sunshine yet, or the prices.
Cheers to a year!
Time to reflect a little. I say a little, because I've just finished teaching for the day and am feeling rather frazzled, so I probably won't be able to reflect too deeply at this time on a Monday.
When I arrived in Batam one year ago today, I was on an adventure. New country, culture, language, job, people, places...everything was to be different. Now, one year on, this is my home, although many things are still new to me, and I've only recently begun giving the language the attention it's due.
Then and Now
Then: Blimey it was hot! Two cold showers a day to survive those first few weeks, frizzy hair, lots of sweat, not pretty.
Now: Blimey it's hot! But most of the time I don't notice. If the AC isn't working when I have to teach Grade 1, well then of course I notice, but other than that I could be forgiven for forgetting I'm on a tropical island while I'm at work. The only time I'm outside for an extended amount of time is at the weekend. There are no beaches less than an hour away, so my skin may well be paler now than it was when I arrived!
Then: I had many problems with the local cuisine. As someone who is lactose intolerant, has irritable bowel syndrome, is allergic to soya products, and can't handle really spicy food, I guess that would happen anywhere other than beautifully bland old England.
Now: I've finally figured out what I can and can't eat, and I'm able to order food to please my fussy digestive system. In January I went for an allergy test and discovered I'm also allergic to banana, peanuts, freshwater fish, shrimp, and chocolate. Pretty much all the things that are served in abundance here! But that's okay, I've learned (the not so pleasant way) that it's much better to stick to a few dishes I know won't make me sick and put up with the boredom, than to "indulge" in food my taste buds desire but my body rejects. By the way, I am not at all convinced about the chocolate allergy ;)
More about food: just a quick word about cravings. Before I even knew I was pregnant, I craved mango juice, which fortunately is deliciously fresh and cheap here in Batam. Now, strangely, I don't like it! I still like mangoes, just not the juice. Go figure. After my mango juice craving came a less convenient one - British food. I wanted a Spud-U-Like jacket potato with cheese and tuna soooo badly. I ate jam and bread every day, bought oven chips even though I don't have an oven, paid way to much for Heinz tomato soup in Singapore, and avoided the rice'n'spice of the school canteen in favour of wholemeal pasta and bolognese sauce. Recently I've been craving chocolate. Dairy Milk to be precise. As a pregnant lady with an ever increasing appetite, I guess I should be grateful to be lactose intolerant and 'allergic' to chocolate at this point, as it's probably a good thing that one bar a week is all I can safely enjoy...
Then: My job was totally crazy.
Now: Even more so! But I've survived (definitely the right word) my first year of teaching around 60 students with no curriculum or resources to speak of except for a crappy outdated textbook (cassette tapes, nuff said).
Then: Single and happy.
Now: Married and happier than I knew was possible. Aww. My husband has requested more of a mention on my blog, btw. Watch this space...
Then: When I arrived, I thought I'd be here two years and then return to the UK to live.
Now: Another year from now we'll have a little one crawling/walking around and we'll most likely still be in Batam. Relocating to Europe is a distant dream at the moment. Besides, I'm not bored of the sunshine yet, or the prices.
Cheers to a year!
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