3 weeks later I have written again

Well it has been exactly 3 weeks since my last post... I will try not to be long winded on this one! 
After Sofia agreed to try school we made our appointment for her test and our appt with the director of the school and paid all of the fees and purchased her uniforms and verdict is SHE LOVES SCHOOL, again. YEAH!! She went 1 week and has been off this week for holiday. She also started horse back riding lessons and she is doing great. She is currently learning to tell the horse to stop, go, turn left, and right. She is also learning to TRUST the horse by doing things like walking under the horse, riding backwards, and with out hands. At the end of her lessons her teacher, Maureen lets Joaquin ride with her for a few minutes. I think I see a horse in Sofia's future ;) 

We also took another day trip to Santiago so that I could get my haircut and colored (this went very well) and to also go to a park festival. The festival was to honor Tuesday Sept. 18th as the first day that the government met. I would say that if one wanted to see history and tipical Chilean food,dress,rodeo, music and dance along with and few children's rides and great people watching this was a great place to go. 

On Sunday the 16th I ran my first 15k. It felt great to complete it but I had knee pain starting at mile 4 and by then end could hardly walk... I am feeling much better now and look forward to start running on a regular basis soon.

On the housing front WE HAVE A HOUSE check out pictures at www.oliartsinchilephotos.shutterfly.com
Although we wont have our goods until late Nov. we are moving in next week. With the help of our new friends loaning us a few kitchen gadgets, bedding and the purchase of 2 mattresses, major appliances, a folding table and chairs we will be set for the next couple of months. It is amazing what one can get used to NOT having. 

We also took a vacation to Pucon, Chile which is in the south, check out my upcoming blog for a few hilarious stories!  

If last week was about transitions then this week is about scheduling. Karim left on Sunday afternoon for a week long business trip to Columbia. This meant I was on my own with the truck and the kids in a hotel. So I bet you are wondering how we faired. Well let me tell you VERY well. Because last week was so big for the kids we were very relaxed about letting the kids play games on the IPAD, watch cartoons and movies about every night. This week however, we got back on track so to speak. We settled on a daily routine of, waking by 8 breakfast in the dining room by 9, cartoons and indoor playtime until about 11:30 then it was quiet time, lunch usually around 1:30 or so, playtime outside until whenever, baths at 6:30, ordered dinner at 7:30 and bed at about 9. Bedtime I left a bit flexible so that the kids could Skype with Karim in the evening before bed. His schedule with traveling was pretty hectic so we usually chatted later in the evenings.

We didn’t go anywhere however which I am not sure how I feel about. I offered and suggested several times to take the kids to the mall or to drive around and neither wanted too. Instead they preferred to climb trees, play tag, wrestle, and use their imaginations outside. This is really just fine with me!!

This week Sofia has asked me how to say certain phrases in Spanish, such as please come and light the fire in the fireplace, thank you, and what is your name. It makes me so happy that she is starting to adjust. She even agreed try school!! While I have been doing my best at teaching her Spanish it has been making me more comfortable to speak in MY broken Spanish.

On the housing front we are FINALLY going to look at a house… cross your fingers!! We hope that it is as nice as the pictures. If so then we can move in soon and be out of the hotel. Although it will still be about 12 weeks before we get our household goods at least we can be in a furnished house until the goods arrive at which time the owners will remove their furniture and ours will be delivered.

The funny side of things… The hotel is getting ready for a party this week. The gardener has been busy getting the grounds cleaned up, the inside of the tent done up… the electricians came and put a flood right light directly outside our room and it shines directly into one of our windows… I have been told by the maid that they are expecting about 100 people and it is for a birthday party, I suggested to Karim that we crash it, hehehe. Sofia is convinced that the party is for my birthday, got to LOVE that girl and her style!! Joaquin LOVES the light show inside the tent. This week a company also held some type of conference here at the hotel. We were lucky enough to not only have somebody eating right outside our window! I should have opened the blinds and let Joaquin hang out in the window. I am also happy to say that at least a dozen people got to watch us take a nap.

Well here is to another successful week in Rancagua, Chile! I know that schedules change, kids adjust, and transitioning takes A LOT of time. But I also know that as a family we will get through it and love our new home.

A few pictures

Sofia posing with the crooked pine tree



The back of the hotel...



Mainting the fire has become "my thing" without fire we have no heat



Joaquin lounging in the bay window

The first week... Transistions

Here we are in hotel number 2 after arriving in Rancagua, Chile late last Saturday night. You might be wonderingwhy we are in our 2nd hotel, in short the first one had 3 twin beds and only a parking lot for the kids to run in~need I say more?? So far I think that the time is going way to fast... And because we are in a hotel with 2 toddlers I am so glad for this!! I am sure that you are all wondering how we have been spending our time and how the kids are adjusting. Here is a recap on the last 5 days.
After some much needed sleep on Sunday we woke up to clouds and soon found ourselves a rainy day. But stay inside we did not! Karim and I bundled the kids up and put them in the stroller and off we went for a 1.5 mile walk. We passed by a potential school for Sofia but other then that it was just a time to check out our surroundings which would include the mountains that we are surrounded by. Later on we went to Monticello which is a casino/ arcade with shops and restaurants all connected to a hotel. The kids LOVED this!!
Monday my first day without Karim but with the kids of course.... We didn't do much just hung out at the hotel. It was a beautiful sunny day so we did go outside and play for a while. In the evening ( like allmost 8!) we took the kids on their first playdate. Fun was had by all and we look forward to more dates in the future! Of course it was another late night.
On Tues Karim picked us up at lunchtime and we drove over to Colegio La Cruz. We thought S would love it but shedid not. I think that she is having a very hard time with our move.. new language, new surroundings and I know she misses alll of her friends so much. After the school visit it iwas off for a late lunch and then around 8pm we went on a night tour of the Country Club, Los Lirios. This is my forst choice for places to live so it was great to see at night. Of course we got turned around and a little lost but it was great to just drive around.
On Wednesday we had another playdate/lunchdate. This time the kids were older and in school so S and J mostly played by themselves and wa tched movies. I think they had a great time because they were out of the hotel from 1-8pm. We also changed hotels on this day. We are now at IL Girdinio. It is beautiful. It is camping in luxary. I say camping because our room is heated by a wood burning fireplace. It is my job diring the day to keep said fire burning or be cold.
This brings us to Thursday. Again today we did not do much at all. The highlight of our day will be when I drive us to th grocery store to pick up a few things.

I hope that this blog will not bore you but merely keep you updated on what we are doing here in Chile.

All Our Best

Family Oliart