2 years and 4 days since

We left Canada on Valentines day 2003. We arrived in Nadi on the 16th. Blurry, bleary, and sweaty, 2 year old in tow and a newborn attached to my flesh, only because he was so sticky hot! Our ride was not there. We had a delay in Honolulu of 3 hours. Sitting in the plane for 3 extra hours. On the tarmac. I felt like a refugee, illegal alien, unlawfully in Hawaii and unable to get out of the box I was in. Finally, they fixed the tin we were in and we were off. We flew in a 737 across the ocean. We spent 14+ hours in a 737. I was used to flying YZF toYEG in those pieces of tin. Not across the ocean. Not 14 hours. At last we arrived in Nadi to find our ride decided we must have changed our minds about coming and neglected to come back for when the flight actually arrived. After about 2 hours of sorting that out and figuring out where we were going. Elias had enough and pooped right through his nappie. Remember newborn poops? As we are waiting for our lift to arrive, a bright and bubbly lady comes up to me and slides Eli out of my arms and lifts him up and starts sniffing and kissing and snugging my baby. She says she's going to take him into her office to show the girls. Yes, I am somewhat alarmed. She's also unaware that he's 'poo-through' so I mentally figure, 'she'll be back'. Gerry looks at me, I look at Gerry, we shrug our shoulders, momentary frowns, questioning Elias' safety until our gaze follows her into her AIRCONDITIONED office. We now know above all else Eli is the happiest of us all. Gerry takes Alec in to the office for a cool down and I try to hide the 'poo-through' on my shirt as I look out for our ride. Elias has never known anything different than strange ladies and men scooping him up and sniffing and kissing him and walking around to show him off. Alec has always been left out of the baby sniffing thing, which I'm sure suits him just fine as he is most independant. I always remind the strangers that the baby has a wonderful older brother who has the greenest eyes they've ever seen.

We arrive at out hotel. Is this really Fiji? What's up with all the garbage on the roads and the smoke in the air? Where is the beach? the "tropics" ? Why is it so noisy here? I'll get a coffee to settle my nerves. HELLO. Instant coffee. What is wrong with this country? That was the first few hours. I'll feel better after a sleep. kids won't sleep. Maybe tomorrow. We go to the pool but my fear of losing a child to water takes over and I freak. a little.

We are finally moved into our place after being made to stay in the hotel an extra few days while the place was 'sorted' cleaned, arranged etc. We pile out of the van, babies and bags stacked up and open the door so the cleaning ladies can bring in the towels and arrange things and well, clean. What a dump, they hadn't done anything but incur us more expenses by making us stay at a hotel while they completely did not do their job. (we were in a surprise as this is how most things are done here as a rule, not an exception) Pig sty. Emotional pig sty in my mental state as well. A few days of loose screws for me, an alarmed husband from watching his crackpot wife, crack up. and 2 baby boys. trying to be happy. We spent 2 whole days in the one aircon room and finally braved the heat and humidity to walk to the pool. avoiding the mozzies as we go. (small ones that bite really hard) It's going to be ok. really it is. A few weeks pass and I meet a girl with 2 boys. Almost same age as mine and she's an Aussie lass with alot of really funny sayings. She takes me to her house and turns on the fans and makes me a coffee. a real coffee. It will be ok, it really will be! Meanwhile, my husband just loves his job, I mean, he's flying barefoot!

As time passes, we find our place in the Nadi, Fiji world and are shocked when someone honks their horn on their car and waves at us as they drive past. Somebody knows us!!! I still craved for a place that felt like home. Wondering all the while why we ever left the only place that ever felt like home just a few months before that.

More time passes with many learning expereinces that has made us all who we are and more importantly, who we are not. You can't even begin to imagine the frustratiopn levels when asking for something in a shop...oh for a Walmart associate!

We have finally got the house that feels like a home. Had to buy it to make it more like a home but a home it is. I have a beautiful garden, loads of roses all around the compound. And many different species of hybrid plants that change colours in the sun. We have a dog. maybe get some fish. Never get out for a walk because it's too stinking hot and humid all the time. Rarely make it to the beach as it's an hour away. but life is getting easier and more normal. Still can't take the instant coffee but when push comes to shove, it doesn't really matter either. We are a family of 4 living in Fiji and I think we are mostly happy.