New people, old attitudes

Something happened last week that shouldn’t have bothered me, but it played on my mind for a few days. Perhaps it’s because I was hormonal, perhaps it was being on the brink of becoming another year older or perhaps on reflection I was overly sensitive. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason, something gets to you and that’s that.

As the great summer escape comes to an end, I’m finally getting back into socialising with my fellow desert gals. Now the kids are still on summer break, so my mummy friends are still in trying to find a balance of having a good gossip with the ladies after 10 weeks and entertaining the little people. So happily I’ve gone along to parent friendly events, just to get back into the swing of desert life. This was going swimmingly with my close friends but then I hit a brick wall. I tagged along to another day out, where the kids would enjoy an adventure playground and us girls would coffee and natter for the duration. When I accepted the invitation I had no idea this was a mass outing, so was surprised but at the same time delighted, that there was a group of women, all looking forward to a good old-fashioned expat ladies Starbucks session.

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Why?…Why not

It occurs to me that some people may think my life a bit strange, odd and the last thing on earth they would ever want to experience. Expat life isn’t for everyone granted and whilst I never imagined this life for myself, I love it. The younger me would have been scared stiff of venturing anywhere past St Ouens and didn’t have a spontaneous, adventurous bone in her body. So I asked myself what happened to that shy, reserved little island girl?  Well, she fell in love with a nomad and an adventure didn’t seem so scary, when there is someone to quite literally hold your hand. So when people ask me why I choose to live abroad, I simply answer why not!?

The heat is on

You will be glad to hear that I have fully recovered from my travel zombieness and am back into the swing of desert life. I am glad to say that it felt a lot easier coming back this time, than in January, possibly because I know there is a shorter gap between returning to my little isle, but I was actually missing my life here. There is a lot to be said about getting a change of scenery that makes you appreciate all you have, as they say absence makes the heart grow fonder and I am truly quite fond of our Arabian adventure. So yes its good to be back, but when I was walking back from my morning yoga class, my zen like mood quickly dissipated, as all i could think was it’s too bloody hot!

As you may recall in my post The great escape  one of the main factors, both expats and Kuwaitis indulge in a mass exodus from the country is the heat. I was lucky enough to have escaped the ridiculous extremes of July which are beyond comprehension. Whilst I was sat in Jersey, enjoying a balmy 26 degrees and listening to everyone, including my mum say it was too hot, my attention was drawn back to the ITV News, when I heard Kuwait mentioned. It turns out that the previous day the country had  reached a staggering 54 degrees (129 if you prefer), making it on that day officially

Rhyme flies when your having fun

In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger “I’ll be back”…well actually I am back but I only realised that quote didn’t quite work after I’d typed it! Yes after a rather gruelling journey home, made worse by the fact that I thought my flight left London an hour earlier than it did, I was finally on my way home to desert life. Yesterday I was literally a cast member from the Walking Dead, after only sleeping for an hour on the plane, it was only the adrenalin of seeing Hubby that made me even function, upon landing Kuwait side at 6.30am.

The home straight

I don’t know how this has happened, but I’m entering my final week in Jersey. The six weeks seemed like an optimum time to get some quality time with the family and catch up with friends, but now I’m in panic mode as I quickly do a mental note to see if there is anyone I’ve missed (at this point I’m really hoping I haven’t and they aren’t reading this thinking, Oi what about me!?).

I have had a wonderful time during this trip and feel like this has been a good session of mixing some chill time with lots of eating, drinking and catch ups. Seeing the family has been so special, as the last time we were together was an emotional and tragic time, so for us to be all together all eagerly anticipating the new arrival to our brood has been everything. I have been keeping up to date, via every social media outlet, with my fellow desert gals and they too seem to be having a great time, if not busy, touring round their home countries and reconnecting.