Monday 25 March 2013

What a difference a year makes

A year ago today, my little family landed at Heathrow for a look into our new lives. A busy week of looking into locations, houses and schools. Time to decide where we would set up home and establish a new life in a foreign country. It looked pretty bright...we were greeted by sunshine and daffodils.

25 March 2012

A year later, the daffodils are struggling to push through the cold earth. Some brave, bright faces are taking on the snow, though some of the winter berries hold on, tough and proud, not yet ready to change seasons. We are a bit of both, those first daffodils, taking on a challenging environment and coming up smiling. The winter berries, boldly embracing the changes thrown at us.

25 March 2013

We shook off our jetlag and wandered around some of the villages that we had researched. Excited at the new beginnings. Gorgeous buildings, fresh air, quiet roads...vastly different to our life in China.

25 March 2012

Those same villages and roads are no longer the unknown, they are our villages. Maps no longer required. What was different and new is now our familiar surroundings. We have become established in the school and village communities. We have weathered the seasons and come through with flying colours.

25 March 2013

We went hunting for a house, a place that we could call home, welcome new friends, start our new life. We looked at so many places, none of which felt like 'home'.

25 March 2012

The last house we looked at was 'the one' the icing on the cake of our 'look see' trip. We signed the lease...we had an address, visas and schools could be applied for. Plans could be confirmed. A year later,we are established in our new home, in our village, our school and our new life. Settled!

25 March 2013

A year ago the skies were bright and blue, new growth was beginning to show.

25 March 2012

The sky is still bright, just a little different than we expected. A year ago today we started preparing for our new life in a new country. We have been through so much in that year, moving countries and cultures, farewells and welcomes, laughter and tears.

25 March 2013

 Oh what a difference a year makes!





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