Jazzercise...Aussie Style!

Jazzercise…Aussie style!

 Tony has said for years (well, since 1995) that I am addicted to Jazzercise.  Probably true.  Before I was even sure that we were moving to Australia, I was searching for the local Jazzercise.  I was thrilled to see little red dots, indicating Jazzercise centers, on the Australian map.  Once Tony moved in, I had him locate the closest center to our house.  WOOHOO…the class is within walking distance of our house (cause we know I am not driving)! He even went as far as e-mailing the instructor.  Can you imagine my thoughts when Hazel (the instructor) responded telling him that class is held at the local Senior Center?  I was certain Hazel would be white haired and I would be dancing around ladies with walking canes.  Much to my surprise, Hazel’s hair was not white and the class consisted of people of all ages (just like at home)! The songs were familiar, the moves were the same…oh the joy! Today was my second class.  (Bulimba only offers one class a week, but there are other classes in the area…again, the driving thing)   I was greeted by some of the same faces as last week and some new ones. My laugh of the day came when a girl named Joelle introduced me to some ladies not there last week and said I was great to watch during class. She mentioned that I had “different moves that I brought from the American classes.”  HAHaHaHaHaHaHa! Okay, we’ll go with that. I just hope she doesn’t visit a Jazzercise class in America anytime soon.  She will realize quickly that my moves aren’t “American Jazzercise” they are just quirky Chryssa moves!

Furniture and Driving

I tend to write my blogs when Tony is at work and the children are at school. Having said that, I left two important details out that happened over the weekend (while Tony and the children were home):

1. OUR FURNITURE ARRIVED! I haven't slept in MY bed since June 3rd. Boy, was it heaven! It was like Christmas in August!  We had so much fun unpacking!

Oh, we were so happy to see this truck!

 

2. I actually drove to the store. I was absolutely horrified!  The only talking I allowed in the car was Tony telling me if I was in the correct lane.Here are the problems with me driving in Australia:
 a. The steering wheel is on the opposite side of the car as the U.S.
 b. The cars ride on the opposite side of the road as the U.S.
 c.  In some spots, they have "round abouts" where you merge into a circle and then exit off on the road you need.  UGH!
 d. Because the wheel is on the opposite side, my perception is completely off.  Tony had to yell a few times in order for me to avoid side swiping cars parked in the road. I missed the cars, but did rub the curb a time or two.

I think I will stick to walking.  I am happy to take bets, though, on how long it takes me to take a side view mirror off a car. 

Yep, I was terrified! And yep, my grip was quite tight on that wheel!

First Day of School update

Well, the first day of school was a success! They were full of smiles when I picked them up! Here are a few things they noted about school:

They were both amazed at the number of breaks they have.  They have a 30 minute recess plus an hour lunch and recess.  This was after having a morning assembly.  Tony and I left that assembly too early, by the way.  Ellis's teacher gave him a "Welcome Award". He was excited he got to go to the front of the entire school to collect his award.  Hannah Grace, on the other hand, was thrilled her name was not called out!

The language taught at school is Italian.  Hannah Grace had her 30 minute lesson yesterday.  She said the teacher only spoke in Italian. She said she just sat there and thought, "HUH?" At least she laughed when telling me this and didn't cry!

They both hope they do not leave their lunch at home.  They do not serve school lunch.

The school has a no hat, no recess policy. They also have sunscreen for the children, if they did not wear it to school. They have to wear a hat even though the playground is covered with huge shades. I love it, though!

All smiles after the first day of school!

Dang Birds!

I am surprised the headline in the newspaper today doesn’t say:

“AMERICAN GIRL SUFFERS MILD HEART ATTACK AFTER BEING SPOOKED BY AUSTRALIAN BIRD”!

It was another beautiful day to stroll the streets of Bulimba.  My laces were tied, hat on, and music in my ears.  I bebopped down the street, having a wonderful day! I get about halfway from my house when the sound of a leather whip cracking interrupts my beautiful music. Startled, I look over my shoulder to see what in the world the sound was. Nothing.  I face forward to continue my walk. There the dang sound was again! I glance to the left of my shoulder only to see the shadow of a bird and it’s full wingspan flying behind me. I then watch as the shadow perches itself on a gate.  Hmmm.  I keep walking. “WHIP!” There it was again! This time I squeeze my booty cheeks, walk a little faster, and once again see the shadow of a bird flying behind me and then perching itself on the fence.  It happened AGAIN! I wanted to go into a full on sprint, but was afraid I would alarm the bird. Each time I heard the sound of the whip, I would look to my left and see the shadow.  By the fifth time, I was squealing and laughing at the same time. I was terrified that this bird was going to eat me, but cracking up at the thought of anyone watching this scene out their front window.  I swear these birds are out to get me!

Monday, August 27^th

First Day of School:

 

The children popped on their uniforms and headed out for the first day of school. We walked as a family to Bulimba State School.  School begins each day at 8:45…we were there by 8:20. The classroom doors don’t open until 8:30, so the kids were free to run around on the playground.  Ellis jumped right in. Hannah Grace wasn’t as excited. She stood over to the side with us. Oh, she was working hard to fight back those tears! We were greeted immediately by Janelle, the school family liaison.  She was so sweet and helpful! She tried to make Hannah Grace feel comfortable and gave us some great tips, as well. The bell rang and before I could get to Ellis, he was already getting settled into his new class. 

When we registered the children on Friday, we found out that the Year 7 class is on a field trip to Sydney and Canberra through Thursday.  After talking to the school deputy (assistant principal), Cheryl Kennedy, we decided it would be a good idea for Hannah Grace to start school this week. There are a handful of students that did not make the field trip, so she is with them and some Year 6 students. We are hoping that will help her to not be so overwhelmed when her class returns. Keep your fingers crossed!

At 9:00, the classes gathered for a group assembly. Parents are welcome, so we stayed behind to get an idea of what goes on at the school. Ellis was surrounded by his classmates—they were oh so curious about this new student! Hannah Grace was in the back giggling with the sweet girl next to her. Shew!  The assembly began with the Australian National Anthem (we’ll be downloading that one today), stating the Bulimba State School creed, and then a prayer. We scooted out after that in order to get Tony off to work. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the children will have smiles on their faces when I pick them up this afternoon!

This is the view from one of the classrooms.The school

is set at the top of  a hill in Bulimba.

Hannah Grace at the assembly...

with a smile on her face!

I love how the children swarmed Ellis!

Walking to school. I can't imagine what

was going through their minds! Probably,

"MOM, PUT THE CAMERA AWAY!"

Mrs. Speight helped Ellis feel very welcome!

 

Winter in Brisbane

Winter, so far, in Brisbane has been fabulous! I wake up in the morning cuddled in a blanket, walking in capris and a t-shirt by the time the sun warms up, and wrapped up in a cozy sweatshirt by the time the sun sets. Imagine the prettiest Fall/Spring day with the crispness in the air, the bluest of skies, and NO pollen! Beautiful!  For the past several days, while Tony is at work, we have spent most of our time outside at the local park.  Yesterday, I decided to take on Bulimba sans children. (Bulimba is the name of the suburb where we live)  I walked outside with a skip in my step and a smile on my face.  I was about a block away from the house when I heard those beautiful sounding birds (the ones I mentioned in an earlier post).

* Let me insert a quick story about those birds: We ran into Gabby and Julie (our friends from Texas) at the local park on Sunday. I happen to think to ask about the birds that I hear outside my window.  (Now for those of you that know my friend, Todd Latiff, Gabby is very animated like Todd.) Gabby’s eyes widened and said, “Oh, those are the magpies. You have to watch out for those. They’ll swoop down and attack your hat.” I always wear a hat. “They’ll circle around you. Lauren…” He talks as if I know Lauren, “Lauren was pecked in the side of the cheek while playing golf. You HAVE to carry a stick or umbrella when you go out.” All the while, Gabby’s arms are moving to describe the encounter and his voice very loud. He got my attention. Apparently, Magpies nest in September and October and they are very protective of these nests.

Back to my walk: I am about a block away from the house when I hear the Magpie. Before, they were beautiful sounding birds from a Disney movie. Now they sound like a horrible song from a Stephen King film. I ducked my head, hoping they would not see my hat, and tried to remember what date it was to see how far we are from September…not far.  Dang Magpies!

I made it to the center of town and stopped into HosiKozi’s to check out the children’s uniform for school. Luckily for Hannah Grace, she does not have to wear a skirt or a dress. Luckily for me, the owner has my sick sense of humor and suggested I take a picture of the dress to tell  Hannah Grace that is what she has to wear (Oh, I wish you could have seen the look on her face)!  I spent about 30 minutes there getting tips on the school and other spots around town.  I left there and headed down the street to the theater (recommended by Kane at HosiKozi). The prices were good (6.50 for adults and 4.50 for children), but nothing appropriate for the kids to see. All of the movies were recent American movies, except for one called Sapphires. I don’t know if it has made it to the states, but that is one I want to see.  Anyway, I walked through town taking in all of the local shops. I love how all of the cafes are open to the street. There is a bakery on the corner that you can smell a block away. There is a Woolworth’s grocery right in the middle of downtown. I will say, though, my favorite is Cole’s grocery, but I have to drive. That will have to be for my big shopping days. Woolworths will work for those small items (excluding eggs…they have those on a regular unrefrigerated aisle. My American self can’t get over that one).  I skipped on back to the house. I realized yesterday, that I don’t have to look at the signs to make sure I am on the correct street. My feet just move that way!

My point to this blog is to let you know that I am loving the Brisbane lifestyle! I only wish the rest of my family and friends were here to share it with me!

Day 1: Friday, August 17th

Day 1: Friday, August 17^th

            We walked through the doors of our new home and it felt a little unreal.  I had been picturing this for months and now it was really happening.  The kids bounced around the house, full of energy (Oh, how I longed for some of that energy)!  Once we chatted for a bit, I decided I needed a nap.  After all, it was only 7 A.M.  I took a quick snooze in order to keep up with my energized children.  Around 8:00, I awoke to a sound that puzzled me.  It sounded like birds from a Disney movie. The sound went away.  Perhaps I was hallucinating from lack of sleep.

            We cleaned up and it was time to explore the city.  We walked down a few blocks to the City Cat. The City Cat is a taxi on the river.  From there, Tony was able to point out places along the way.  We turned the corner and there it was, downtown Brisbane.  I think that is when it hit me: holy cow, I live in a big city.  It was clean and beautiful.  We ate lunch, walked the streets, toured the botanical gardens, and made our way back to the City Cat. Lunch, by the way, was $111. Don’t know if I will ever get used to this price!

            Once we were “home”, I knew we couldn’t stay long.  It was around 4:30 and if I sat too long, I knew it would be trouble.  It was time to hop in the car to gather some groceries.  The ride, to me, was terrifying.  It did not feel right sitting on the left side of the car without a steering wheel.  I kept having the urge to move the rear view mirror, so I could see.  Making turns made me want to hurl! In the U.S., I am a horrible back seat driver. Here, my mind was spinning!

            Thankfully, we arrived safely to the grocery store, Woolworths.  The trip to Woolworths reminded me that we actually live in a big city, in a foreign country.  Purchasing produce was a challenge.  There was no Green Leaf or Romaine lettuce.  I had to settle on Cos lettuce.  Red Bell Pepper has a different name, choosing milk was a challenge, and a small box of cereal cost $6.  This will be an adjustment for me. 

            Dreadfully, we had to get back in the car.  We made it home, but I realized I was too terrified in the car to pay attention to how we got to/from the grocery store.  That will have to be a lesson on a different day.

            Tony cooked a wonderful dinner of steak, scalloped potatoes, and salad.  The Cos lettuce was good, by the way.  After dinner, Gabby and Julie stopped by with dessert and a plant.( He works with Tony, is an LSU grad and they call Texas home.)  Gabby asked where I wanted him to put the plant and I replied, “Over by the couch.” He said, “Okay”, walked a few steps, and laughed.  We have no couch. We don’t have much of anything yet. Our furniture is still in customs. Fun.

            We all made it until 9 P.M. before crashing.  It was a fabulous night’s sleep until around 5:30 A.M.  Apparently, I wasn’t hallucinating.  A group of birds from Disney live outside my window and sing songs in the morning.  Wonder if they can make me a dress like the one they made for Cinderella?

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

On Saturday, we ventured out to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. It is about a 30 minute ride from our house…in a car…Tony driving…opposite side of the road.  The sanctuary is a miniature zoo. They have birds, sheep, dingoes, crocodiles, Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, and (of course) koalas. Never mind the random wild turkeys walking by.  All along the fences, signs were posted “Don’t touch. I may bite.” You don’t have to worry about me even trying to touch.  We meandered through, making our way to the area where you can hold the koala.  We watched as one koala wouldn’t look at the camera…she was taken away.  We watched as one nibbled at a girl’s shoulder…she was taken away (shew!). Finally, it was the kid’s turn.  Everyone smiled pretty and then the koala proceeded to poop on Hannah Grace. Lovely.  If you are reading this, you know what a germ freak I am! I wanted to bathe Hannah Grace with disinfectant wipes! Once she was wiped down (it wasn’t really a lot of poop…most landed on the ground), we headed to the Kangaroo Reserve. The Reserve is a huge field with many kangaroos roaming freely throughout. The children loved it there! They did not hesitate to jump right in and feed and pet the kangaroos. I took their word for how soft the kangaroo’s fur felt. I couldn’t get past the huge claws attached to the soft, cuddly fur.!

The sanctuary was a fun filled day for the children! They can’t wait to go back! I’ll need a little while to get over the drive and the germs. 

Plane ride from Dallas to Brisbane

Plane ride from Dallas to Brisbane:

We boarded the plane in Dallas around 11 A.M. on Thursday, the 16^th (10 P.M./Wednesday in the U.S.). It was there that I met my first Australian friend. His name was Jerry, he was pushing 70, and he was our flight attendant. He chatted with the kids, asked about our trip, and was thrilled about our move. We exchanged titles of Australian books we were reading. A few moments later, he returned with his book and said, “Just read a few pages and see if you like it.” It was a very thick, completely boring book (at least the few pages I read). When he came back, I smiled, thanked him and told him I loved it. I didn’t want to hurt my new friend’s feelings. The rest of the flight was quite uneventful. The kids were able to sleep 10 hours. I was thrilled. The only problem was that they woke up at 1 A.M. Brisbane time. Just before landing, Jerry brought me a bottle of wine and said, “Cheers mate! Best to you!” I guess it is true, Australians are really nice.

We headed off the plane with our six carry-ons, on our way to baggage claims to retrieve our 7 heavy suitcases. All I could think was, “This ought to be fun!” Fun? No. FUNNY to many, I am sure. We staked out a spot by the carousel and waited with 3 carts. The first bag came and Hannah Grace and I couldn’t manage to get it off the carousel. I said, “Never mind, we’ll get it next time around.” We needed to be better prepared. I saw another one coming. “Okay, Hannah Grace, get ready!” This bag was a monster, but we managed this go round. I wheeled it over to the cart while HG waited on the next bag. 7 bags later and it was time to situate them on our 3 carts. Again, “This ought to be fun!” I tried to put the first bag on and the cart went flying. I needed a new plan. Finally, all 7 bags plus 3 of the carry-ons were loaded onto the carts. While HG and Ellis were discussing who helped me the most, it happened. One of the carts wasn’t balanced and tipped over into the second cart. The bags landed on my foot, I was trying to keep them from knocking over the second cart, and I was sweating profusely. Luckily, the kids saved their conversation for later and came to my rescue. We pushed our way through customs and out the door to a smiling husband/daddy.