Move done, job begun....

Well the move to Palmy went smoothly.  I've started my new job, which I love.  Everyone is very friendly there.  It is a lot of work though and I am putting in hours of planning both in the evenings and on weekends to be sure I do a good job.  That being said it'll feel good when I understand how everything works.

Our apartment is much warmer than what we had, though I'm too spoiled from Sweden.  It simply isn't the kind of warmth I am used to.  For me the move has been much tougher than I thought.  I do miss Sweden, my apartment and the warmth.  We have been talking a lot and kind of come to the decision that we will put in our time here since I've been given a leave of absence from my job in Sweden and we will put in the time to earn permanent residency here after all the trouble, money and effort we put into moving here, but we will move back to Sweden.  I think John would be happy doing whatever, but we know the job security in Sweden is safe.  We didn't realise the job market here for teachers would be a battle with over 150 applicants applying for the same jobs I want.  Of all the applications I sent out and with my experience I only ended up with 2 interviews.  That being said, I did get one of those jobs and it was within three months of moving here and I love the job I got so maybe there was a meaning it would work out this way.  That being said it's just too risky and we don't want that risk.

Someone else at my new job is leaving and his position will open up so I'm going to wait and see if I get asked to apply for a permanent position even if I am new at the job.  It just would make it cozy and safe right up until we leave.  We must stay until July 5, 2014 to be sure we can apply for permanent residency and have our travel conditions removed from our passports so that is why we're staying until then.

In the meantime I've given notice to the guy living in our apartment in Stockholm so he knows.  I just did that today actually.  I know it might seem a bit early to be thinking as a lot can happen in a year, but it was a very stressful move and my fingertips are almost constantly white since I think my body thinks it's cold. It actually has been beautiful weather for the most part, but it's just different here.

Our neighbours cat who is the cutest thing (and I'm not terribly fond of cats) visits us daily for some food (which we've now treated her to a cheap bag of cat food which she doesn't want as she wants our real food) and a cuddle.  As I speak she's lying on John's lap passed out asleep.  We did try to let her in one night, but that didn't go so well as she got sick.  So we haven't tried since then and won't just in case.  She pops in whenever she likes and knows to run to the kitchen where we keep her water and a little dish with food.

I will love getting the work experience here and all the ideas.  It will definitely be something I'll use and keep with me when I go back to Sweden.  John would probably be happier if I enjoyed it here because I think he easily could consider staying, but I think he's also a little hesitant, just not as much as I am.  It's probably one of those things where we should have visited first and been aware what the living conditions were like before deciding.  That being said, being on a holiday somewhere is not the same as living there.

In my head now I'll be happy knowing we can visit John's family for Christmas' again once we do get back.  I do love his family and I love how caring they are to him.  John has amazing friends as well and I loved visiting them this past summer when we were there.  I also love the time I get to spend with my own friends and their little girls since I do miss them.  Missing people is not the reason though for me not wanting to live here.  It simply has to do with the job security and warmth which I miss most of all.

Well now we're off to watch a movie, get into bed and go to sleep!

Palmy! Here we come....

Well I've handed in my notice at the daycare, if I didn't mention that last time.  We got the approval for an apartment this afternoon, which we'd been waiting on all day for.  We drove this past weekend to Palmy so I could have a look at both apartments we had narrowed it down to or two that really matched what we were looking for with room for our belongings.  I only got to see them from the outside as it was John who went to the viewings.  I actually quite liked the one we picked even if it'll mean noisy neighbours.  That's ok, at least we'll have company.  It's a 2 bedroom complex with an upstairs and downstairs.  John says our two new dressers will not fit upstairs so that's going to be a real pain.  However, I'm absolutely thrilled to be moving!  I wish I had more time off from work with the move to "relax," but I can't have everything. 

We have a mover guy coming on Friday so John & him will move while I'm at work.  After work I'll drive to Palmy for the weekend and come back here Sunday evening to stay with our kind neighbours until Tuesday since Tuesday is my last day.  Wednesday I'm off to the new job and it's a while for holidays for me then.

So now, I'm really hoping something changes and I love the new job and find this is where we want to live.  Then I have to hope a permanent teaching job opens up for me.  It would be great if this school decides they want me to stay, just because it is only an hour from Palmy and I'll have just gotten settled when my contract will be up.  I also hope our new apartment can be kept warm because I definitely don't want to continue living with the cold that I've been living with so far. 

So internet, phone, electricity company have all been notified and changes made.  Change of address is done.  Now it's just to get through the next week of daycare.  Let's just say that my mind is elsewhere and not there, even if I am still doing my job.  I've been studying the new curriculum and all the books I got from the new school to prepare myself as best I can.  I've prepared a class blog and some online games for the children with special needs that might need that extra help.  So I'm pretty excited what I've done. 

Now I'm off to relax and read a bit before I fall asleep.