Expat-ed out

Trying and testing times. That's what I'd call these past few weeks. But seriously what should I expect considering the circumstances?

Some people look at me with dumbfound astonishment when I explain to them our 'situation'. I think that some are jealous (some) but most must think; 'You crazy stupid woman, Why would you do that to yourself?'

And why do I? I don't know.

We are currently somewhere in between Vegas and Los Angeles on a 17 day road trip. We are visiting 9 cities, crossing three states and will clock up more than 2500 miles. Our kids are spending on average 4 hours a day in the car and being subjected to restaurant food, extremely cold weather, make- shift beds and small hotel rooms with limited toys. And yet sometimes it still puzzles me why they seem different and less enthusiastic about most things. Is this not what kids love?

I love being an expat. I love traveling. Driving through the Nevada country side yesterday in the barren dry land, bar the odd weird looking barn which I swear is where most horror movies are filmed, I love taking photographs of this beautiful country. It is so diverse and in some ways reminds me a lot of South Africa. One minute you're in 18 inches of snow with pine cones littering the streets, icicles dangling off roof tops and the next you're in dry land, towns with tumbleweed, strip malls and casinos's everywhere you look.

We are currently staying in a beautiful place in north California called Mammoth Lakes. Yesterday involved taking William to the local hospital to get checked out as he hasn't eaten anything since leaving New York on Thursday, has hardly said a word and has been sleeping for about 17 hours a day. In some circumstances I would have thought this a pretty good thing but on holiday it's proving quite, well, inconvenient.
Turns out he's ok but whilst filling out forms at the surgery and talking to the DR I find explaining our 'situation' rather complicated.

We're traveling from New York, no we live in New Jersey -oh yes Hoboken, yes, we got flooded in the hurricane, no everyone's fine thankfully, the accent? no, not american, South African actually but my husband is from Northern Ireland. Kids not used to the cold, born in Singapore, yes only moved here 10 months ago, do you like it here? yes love it. Sadly leaving, Moving to London in 3 weeks. Where we going next? Vegas. With two kids? Um, yes unless you can recommend anywhere we can leave them for 3 days. (Luckily she didn't think I was serious)

As much as I like being an expat, I'm tired of explaining myself and maybe I'm starting to like the idea of not being 'not from here'.
We fly home next weekend and have eight days before the movers arrive to up sticks our stuff to London. Address still currently undecided.
I'm going to be closer to my family, the kids might finally have a home, find friends they'll keep longer for three years and we can get a cat they ask for every time we see one. I also realise that as beautiful as Hoboken and New York is, maybe I was in this post Singapore bubble that made me think that nowhere else in the world would compare. I thought that until I got here. San Francisco is beautiful and the west country is, if not, even more spectacular.
Maybe I'll find more beauty in places I'm not expecting.
And maybe at least my kids might settle, calm down and not expect to go to hotels and on holiday every second week.

I can finally admit, I'm looking forward to London.

Of course that might all change after tomorrow when I win millions in Vegas and am able to buy my way into this country.......check back in tomorrow!