mosi nets, power cuts, loose grasp on the local language - anyone else live off the beaten track??

[liger]

...but with access to Mumsnet obviously, so maybe not that unbeaten a track but...
what do you enjoy, what do you find difficult?

I am a SAHM living in Indonesia, there are good things and bad things about being here with a 2 year old and it would be great to share them, anyone else?

I think this is a long-shot, but I think a while back I saw a Mumsnetter in Nigeria, and one who had lived in Cameroon would love to hear from you?

CM, it sounds the best thing for you to delay until Thursday if it isn't essential you go right now. Horrible to be all packed and ready to go, though; we were in that situation two years ago, ready to go to Lagos on 16th Jan but didn't leave until 26th. I had to keep going out to buy pints of milk and loaves of bread!

PAL, I agree with CB about 'that' thread. Imo, it seemed to be people squabbling among themselves rather than having a pop at you.

I'm still in bonny Scotland with no date to return to Nigeria yet. Our passports etc have gone to The Hague and Poland(!) for visas so we can't do anything until they come back. Dh wants to go Friday but I simply don't see me being able to go that soon. I have to arrange a shipment and can't do it in four days! We're not taking furniture as we already have the apartment in Lagos but I want to get things to make it more 'home-y' like mattress toppers, bed linen, decent saucepans (even if there's nothing to cook in them!) more of dd's stuff and so on. I'm also going to put some food things in, probably bad-for-you things like sweets and Irn Bru.

Thanks for the logical level-headed thoughts CB! The reality is that it does boil down to going back if we want another baby or staying here and not having one. And we know what we would like. Nothing to say I couldn't go back and work in a temporary job for a few months and make sure my contributions are up to date. It is all possible and we're feeling quite optimistic about it by now.

Sounds like you have a busy time at the mo, suedonim. Funny about the passports going to Poland to get your visas for Nigeria .

hello all,

we are back in Banda, still tired from all the travel and the break of dawn start.

Thanks for all your thoughts and good wishes, we didn't get the reassurance we had hoped for from the scan and are waiting to talk through next steps with people who know about these things.
Just over a year ago I lost a baby at 24 weeks, a beautiful little girl, and I am still grieving her loss. The scan we had in Singapore a month ago picked up that this baby might have the same condition. The emphasis is on could, all the other signs are good. We had hoped that this trip would remove all doubt as the baby would be bigger and the sonographer would see more, but the doubt is still there. Obviously I am very worried, and packing is the last thing I want to do.

We leave this house on Saturday, and are booked in for a week at the place where we spent Christmas, after that we were planning on traveling for a bit, but now might just head home.

oh liger that's such sad news I am so very sorry that you are having such a difficult time, I can't imagine what emotions you must be going through but I am shedding a tear here for you. Try to take it easy between the packing and not wear yourself out too much. My thoughts are with you.

Thanks for your thoughts CM, I'm probably making it sound very bleak but thats how I feel today. There is still a good chance that the baby will be fine, but with my experience it is hard not to jump to the worst conclusion.

Hopefully packing will keep me occupied !

Liger, its understandable to feel bleak after what happened to you and your dd, if its any consolation we also had some uncertainty (though not to the same extent as yours) during this last pregnancy, I didn't want to do an amnio to find out but its hard not to think about worst case scenarios. Happily for us ds2 is fine and the most easy going baby you could imagine. I am keeping fingers and toes crossed for you and your family.

Packing? Dont even mention packing to me...

Where is home by the way?

CM, I'm in a similar predicament, I had really wanted to avoid an amnio this time because the answers could be as traumatic as they could be relieving. But I also desperately want to be told this baby is ok.

Home is London, we were hoping to delay the grey skies for as long as possible by hanging out on nice beaches before heading home, but now feel we might need the comfort and support of home. Then again feeling bleak with the sun shining is a big comfort when compared to London in Feb.

I hope you are coping okay with the limbo, I can imagine how frustrating it is to have everything packed and life on hold!

I'm off to bed now, will post again over the next few days when I've had enough of wrapping.

at your worries, Liger, and am so sorry for the loss of your wee girl. I hope this pg all pans out ok for you eventually.

PSL, ikwym about Poland. Even more bizarrely, the address was 'Kracow Business Park' which sounds so wrong!! Don't they have Polish words for 'business' and 'park'? Someone we knew in Lagos was delayed a week in getting their visas processed because the Nigerian embassy in Holland had run out of the stickers they put in the passports! and lol.

thinking of you, liger

LOL suedonim! Actually we have a 'Biznis Centar' here in town and even my favourite: '24 hour DragStor'!!

The mind boggles as to what is sold in a 24hr DragStor!!!

at the thought!

sadly no feather boas or glittery eyeshadow, just groceries... and it opens 7-10

great name though!

what a great thread
hate being identified in rl though so too scared to join!

oh gosh i've done it again
read the first page and thought how lovely and just realised there is more troubling stuff later
sorry all
it just seemed a really fresh idea
xxxxx

Don't apologise bare trees, you are more than welcome to join us, both for the good stuff and the bad stuff

Where are you living?

please don't apologise baretrees, do join us if you can find a way to keep anonymous!

I'm mumsnetting instead of packing, I really should be packing. I'm quietly fuming about how inept the organisation we are here with are at the basics of moving. Is it normal that I should have to do the planning, organising and general chasing about?? And that questions about insuring against damage and loss get met with blank looks??

aaagggghhhhh!!

must pack, must pack!

Am feeling less bleak, am trying to trust my gut instinct, and for some reason my gut instinct is calm, its my head that has been spinning with worry.

Come and join us baretrees

I've also had moments of worry about being recognised and know what you mean. Too late for me though! I know my sister lurks on MN, and have a feeling my MIL does too but she is too polite to mention it so I namechange to talk about anything I wouldn't like her knowing about me and DH!!

You don't have to give away anything you don't want to. You could just lurk and say hi sometimes if you prefer!

Pack, Liger, Pack! But with frequent coffee and MN breaks, obviously. Bet you dream about suitcases and boxes and insurance at the mo, don't you!

I'm translating for Sabaidii as she can't speak English very well. She is from Laos. i am currently in Laos as well.

Do any of you know of anyone with sn kids where you are? What's it like for them? Most of Sabaidii's kids have sn and its really tough in Laos. I've been in many countries, so I've seen many things. People living in developed countries don't know what they have....

Sabaidii would like to move to England in the future.

Hi, have lived in Asia, now live in Belgium. Guess which I prefer! But here much better than UK I feel. Children primary age at an international school. You are all in such exciting places..

Hi sabaidii (and friend). I saw you on the other thread about christmas boxes. I don't know any families personally that have SN needs kids here, although, with it being a small town, I do know people by sight that have kids with sn in their families. The town is lucky enough to have a centre for SN children and teenagers, which despite being a bit lacking in new resources (like many other such places all around the world, including the UK I suspect), is run by some very lovely people. The kids coming out of there (it is right next to my DS' nursery) always look happy and cared for. Not a very useful or informed answer, I know , but that is what we have here!

Hi sweetnessandlight! Lovely name!

Welcome Sabaidii and Sweetnessandlight

I am just dashing in to say GOODBYE until such time as I get my new internet connection. We are leaving tonight, come hell or highwater, the bags are packed and bulging and we are all excited. So farewell from windy rainy old Somerset and the next time I post it will be in sunny lovely Nairobi, with (fingers crossed) a slightly less tense political situation.

Liger I just want to wish you happy packing and safe onward trip home, do make sure you get some rest in amongst all the chaos. I am keeping you and your baby in my thoughts

Bon voyage!!

ooh, safe travels to Nairobi! I'm glad its finally happening for you

I'm just popping in on a breather from packing, we are nearly there, last few boxes being filled and we are glancing at all the leftovers and hoping we can fit it in our carry on!

I will silent for a while too, no internet for at least 10 days, and then more hospital visits.

I will be thinking of you all, and especially your settling in phase CM

bye all for now, and bye bye Banda Aceh!

bon voyage and positive vibes liger

Safe journeys to all who are moving and the best of luck!

Hello to Sabaidii, Sweetnessandlight and Baretrees, it's good to see you here.

Re SN, in Nigeria there's zilch provision unless you can pay for it. I know of one ex-pat child with SN who afaik goes to a mainstream international school. Other international schools won't accept children with SN. In Indonesia the Int schools wouldn't take anyone with SN, either. We knew an expat family whose child went to an Indonesian school, despite that being against the rules at the time, because nowhere else would take him.

We're still in Scotland awaiting passports and visas. I'm making some progress with putting together a shipment. JLP are v useful as you can choose your stuff and they do all the rest, including claiming tax back for you! I've done well with things in the sale such as linens and saucepans etc so am pleased about that. I want to do a grocery shop next, so I can have things that are unavailable in Nigeria. Also a trip to Waterstone's for books.