A Month In... And Happy Easter!

Firstly, HAPPY EASTER to anyone who may be reading this! Unfortunately, Easter isn't a huge thing here (like it is in Australia). There aren't even public holidays for it. We've celebrated it, nonetheless, with a visit from the bunny, plenty of chocolate and hot cross buns (which were surprisingly difficult to find).

Well, we have been here for just over a month. And homesickness is beginning to weasel its way in. It started to sink in this week that we're not here for a mere holiday; we're not going back to Australia (at least any time in the near future), and it's taken a month for me to realise that. Haha. It seems like only yesterday that Robert and I were hypothetically talking about it while we were on a walk with the toddler around Greenwich where we'd lived for a good eight years or so. The topic sort of just came up when we were throwing around options for the future, and so I can't believe that now here we sit in the US...! Time is flying and I can't keep up! Our talks started... hmm... last year sometime...? Anyway, I found myself missing a few certain things this week: my family, a few close friends, driving on the left, ABC for Kids, Sydney Harbour, Balmoral Beach, good coffee... I'm grateful for Skype and modern technology in the very least.

Things also went a little pear shaped during the week when I began researching schools for Mr toddler. We'd been advised to start early by a couple of other Aussie families we've met here (their kids are a bit older: one is four, the other is two). So I thought I'd really start looking into things. I'd assumed (stupidly) that the school system/s here were similar to how they are in Sydney: if you're opting for the public system, you go to the school that's in your neighbourhood, and if you opt for private, you apply and pay lots of money. And for pre-schools, you just enrol, right? Not quite... The school system here is similar, but rigorous and even more competitive. Plus, if you want the public system, it's not about where you live: in San Francisco, you put down a list of preferences for schools and you get handed whatever's available, regardless of your place of residence. What's more is that there's huge competition for pre-school here. Pre-schools are expensive. They're also seen as being really important, because the primary (or elementary) school you attend can be determined by what pre-school you attend as certain pre-schools feed into certain primary schools (and then high schools and so on). So people tend to get very anal about applying etc. Back in Sydney, I'd had things pretty well planned out: I knew what school/s I wanted our child to attend and I knew the system really well having attended it my whole childhood, lived in the same area and taught in it for a little while. Now I'm a fish out of water in competitive rapids. We all want the best for our children, and it seems parents are pretty willing to do whatever it takes (and pay whatever price) for their kids to have that here. It's a bit crazy and I almost broke down and cried about it the other evening, particularly when we'll need to pay upfront if I am to finish my own education here. This city is expensive, and for a few moments this week I really wondered whether we'd made the right choice in coming here. Fortunately, I'm married to someone who doesn't stress easily, and he thinks we'll be OK. So with his support and reassurance and some chocolate, I was alright in the end. For now.

Our car that we've only had for a week also got scratched yesterday. Two of the side panels will need replacing. After our car drama in Australia (went for three years!), I thought we'd be spared more car-related dramas. Apparently not. I'm tempted to simply not have a car...

In happier news, we did go to an event yesterday at the Ghirardelli Square yesterday for Easter where they had small things happening for kids. As a big chocolate lover, this place has been one of my favourites since we were here in December! Haha. My child enjoyed meeting the Easter bunny. I enjoyed consuming chocolate.

And as per usual, I know I had a lot of other things to write here, but I've totally forgotten. Think I'll go eat some more chocolate...!

xoxo