We Made It!

Well we've made it.  Josh, Mara, myself and even Buddy survived the two full days of travel.  Looking back on it, the flights actually weren't that bad.  Do I want to do that trip anytime again soon?  Not so much...

Thankfully upon our arrival we were taken straight to our home.  Apparently this is really unusual for this post.  Usually embassy personnel spend up to three months in temporary housing while their house is readied.  During this time they basically only have what they brought in their bags.  We were so blessed to not have to deal with that.  Not only did we move in immediately but the very next day our unaccompanied baggage shipment arrived!  We were super excited to receive some of the necessities from home including more cat food, Mara's toys and more clothes for all!

Our home is beautiful.  We are on the top floor of an apartment complex although our place in no way feels like an apartment.  We have two floors with the bedrooms upstairs and the main living areas down.  Our favorite part thus far has to be the many balconies.  We weren't sure if we would get any outdoor space but have three spacious terraces that outlook the most amazing view.  Read city skyline to the east and picturesque mountains to the west.  A little icing on the cake is the cutest playground right in the compound that we have already visited twice since being here.  Mara is in heaven.

Right now our struggles are what every family moving half-way around the world experience lol.  We're still adjusting to the time zone, sleeping too late and waking at weird hours of the night.  We're trying to unpack.  We literally have clothes everywhere.  We're trying to get the necessities in the house.  You know food and water.  No biggie :)  We're trying to bridge the language gap.  We knew they didn't speak a lot of English here but yeah they really don't speak English here.

Today is Josh's first day of work so to speak.  He'll spend the next week or so in processing at the embassy.  Hopefully this goes smoothly as this is the first step in getting the rest of our things and really getting into the grove of life here.  We are still car-less and will be till mid-September.  It's weird being somewhat stranded.  There are still taxis but I think both of us are a little gun shy on the language barrier thing.  We have also met a few neighbors and other embassy staff.  All are so kind and I think will make this transition even easier.

It all takes time.  We'll get settled again and find that new normal.  Tbilisi will soon become home!