Reality Check

Yesterday was the most frustrating day I've had in Thailand so far. I'm sure that some of it stems from sleep deprivation but also facing the facts that we aren't going to get everything we want in a house. We really, really wanted a pool I don't think that is going to happen. At this stage of the game, for our family, so much of what we do is dictated by these boys and their needs. We are really trying to be cognizant of them and all the transitions they will be facing. The first order of business yesterday was to really commit to which school we would be attending. We have decided on the American International School after meeting with faculty from both schools. I remember asking my contact person from the ISE-American school months ago why they chose it over the much more aesthetically impressive British School. She commented that she liked the 'warmth' of the American school. I would agree with her but we were impressed with the academic challenges the Regent's school seems to offer. All my homeschool friends will appreciate this-while meeting with the Secondary Principal of the British school,(who we had not told him of our school background yet.)When we asked him what he saw as the differences he said, "I think the American school has more of a 'family' learning atmosphere!!!" Okay, pack up our bags, that decides it for us!!!! Mark verbalised it aptly-the British school seems to be a place of learning for boarders-which it is, and the American school appears much more nurturing and family focused. Our relocation liaison commented on the difference between the boys in the meetings, In the American conference the boys were active participants, asking lots of questions and commenting on issues, during the British interview they did not say one word! When we got in the car Dustin said, "That guy scared me." He did say some scary things for a 13 year old-"This is your work. Those who don't make it are asked to jump before they are pushed..." Both schools are International Baccalaureate programs, which that seemed to be big selling point for the British school that they are more academically stringent, but they both have that IB program, that is rare and seems to carry a lot of respect? Man, these are hard decisions. Some other things that drove the decision were the fact that we are familiar with the American system and most likely will be returning to the American system. We're Americans-no excuses!! Even though the abrasive British headmaster made us feel somewhat awkward about that point, he noted that they didn't have one American faculty member and then laughingly noted, "They couldn't make the cut!!!" This guy had us rolling in the floor!! Yea right!!

So school decision behind us, next order of business for the day was to find a house. House hunting exhausts me, doing it with three boys stuffed in the back of a small station wagon really exhausts me. Remember, we have a driver who speaks practically no English with us as well. It's amazing how sweetly and nondescript I can say, "Boys, I said settle down." I wonder if the driver can even sense that I'm upset? The driver really added to my frustration yesterday. We've seen right away that the Thai people want to be so helpful and shake their head and say, "Yes" when they have no idea what you just said. Around 6 pm when I'm at my wits end we are leaving the last house and the realtor, who is from Wisconsin, said let's stop and have a refreshing juice drink, (I'll have to devote an entire blog spot to that-the fruit is just wonderful.) on the way back to the hotel. About 10 minutes into the trip our driver speedily jets around the realtor and his driver and is booking it! I'm 'politely' asking Mark should we ask him to slow down and why did we just pass Clayton? Mark says, "He's okay." We have no idea where he is taking us, none of the territory looks close to our hotel. I hear my Mom's voice whispering in my ear, "He's kidnapping you all for ransom." We finally arrive at a very Thai market-I'm talking fresh stingray for sale, lots of raw, unidentifiable things not an English speaker in sight. He stops and is like 'da-duh we're here.!' Here where? Anyway, we get out and lumber around with all these Thai people staring at the farangs, it felt weird. What are we supposed to do here? Our realtor is no where to be seen, so we walked around for about 10 minutes, found our driver and said, "hotel". I think he understands that? When we finally return to the hotel the realtor is waiting there and says, "What happened?" We really weren't sure and there was no refreshing fruit drink to be found.

Okay, the house thing. I'll have to admit I had visions of us getting a nice Thai house with a large pool and covered porch overlooking the pool and tropical gardens. We did see a few houses like that, one was in the middle of no where, among the pineapple fields, the coconut trees and the cattle roaming around scrounging for food with a huge fence around it. One of the main 'must-haves' for Mark is safety so that was not a contender. The other ones that fit that fantasy profile were in a military type compound with houses almost stacked on each other-I noted to Clayton how 'mooshy' they were and then had to clarify 'mooshy'. You guys know what I mean when I say 'mooshy' right? Most houses are about 20-30 minutes from the school that would be a 45-60 minute bus ride for the boys. So really our only option is the golf course where the school is. The golf-course has amazing views and wide-open spaces for these West Texas people!! The only problem is that it is very popular and there are very few houses available and not one of them have a pool because you have full access to the club pool. We're just not club pool kind of people, have you seen me in a bathing suit-let's don't go there. They do have a gorgeous golf course and nice tennis courts. We looked at 3 housed there. The first one was old, it had a small refrigerator and a mini one on the kitchen counter! It was right across from the golf course condos, it felt a little mooshy on that street. The 2nd one was a possibility-it just needs fresh paint, floors polished and some badly needed landscaping. It has to have paint, obviously the previous tenants were not strict disciplinarians, in the living room there is a lot of marker art at about the 2-3 foot range. This house also had 3 teenager girls that came out to meet us from next door! (We're already missing Chris.) The third house was just the most incredible setting and had a great pond in the back yard and looked down onto the golf course but the tenant said she wasn't moving until next August even though the landlord said it would be available in 30 days, seems like some miscommunication going on there if you ask me. It also had a most depressing kitchen, very small and closed off. What is that saying, "If the mamma ain't happy...." So really it seems like only one choice, it's just not fitting our visions at all and we are having to adjust some. I met Denise next door from Brazil and she seemed so nice. I was praying as we were zooming to the market not only for our safety but also that God would continue to lead us, shut the doors to this house if this isn't where he wants us to live, maybe God wants me to live beside Denise...conform me to what He wants and not what I want or thought I was getting. Our relocation liaison-Mary is concerned that it is way tooisolated for me. I assured her that I'll be okay, lots of families live in the golf-course area and she doesn't know my background it doesn't feel too isolated to me, it is 20 minutes from Pattaya which is where I would do most of my shopping but also 20 minutes from some of the things I don't want the boys continually bombarded with. It's bike riding distance from the school though. More to come.