An End...

So my Bermuda blog has come to an end. We are moving back to the USA on December 21st. We have sold most of our things. We are moving back important items, clothing, kitchen items, and some things I can't live without (my Dyson Vacuum). Overall, we are able to sell most items for what we bought them for, or in some cases for more. I sold an outdoor table for $900 when we bought it for $700 two years ago. We will start over when we move back. It is exciting, but daunting to think that we have to buy all new furniture for our new home.

I have enjoyed sharing my story with all of you. I am not sure who has followed our journey from beginning to end, but if you have, thanks for reading. It was an amazing part of our lives that I will remember forever.

I have been encouraged by a few people to keep writing. I enjoy it, but sometimes lose track of time and don't write for months at a time. I am going to try and find time to keep up with it. Since our Bermuda journey is over, I have started a new blog titled, "Falling into Motherhood." You may start following my journey as a mother by clicking this link. It may not be as interesting as our Bermuda story, but it is the new chapter in my life.

This is my last Bermuda post, so I will not sign it, "Until next time..." I will just leave you with...

THANKS FOR READING!

So much to be said

I just got done reading some blog posts from an old friend and decided to revisit my blog. The last time I wrote, my mom and I were waiting out hurricane Igor. As the hurricane approached, my mom and I got more and more terrified of the unknown. The news was predicting a direct hit and the storm was going to be a category 3. The thought of waiting out the storm sent us packing. We booked a flight out to Philadelphia and spent a few nights with some good friends who took us in. We were glad to have done so as most people lost power and air conditioning for at least 48 hours. I heard that the most miserable part was the heat. It was so hot, but terrible to open the windows since the storm was so loud. The island had very little damage and no fatalities.

I may have missed my only opportunity to live through a hurricane as Ryan and I will not be living on a tropical island for much longer. Our move back to the USA (specifically Erie, PA) is scheduled for December 20th. By the time we leave, we will have spent almost two years here. While it is earlier than expected, we are glad to get back to the USA. Ryan took a job at Erie Insurance again. This time it is a Supervisory position. He is excited about the new challenges in this role. We were ready to leave Bermuda, but this job offer did come as a surprise and he was not actively looking for a new job. With Collin, we are excited to get back to the conveineces of America and we are excited to be closer to family.

Bermuda has beat us down in some ways. We get tired of the high prices for meals out, terrible wilted produce at the grocery store, rude people, 47 steps up to my car from my front door, our car with only a cassette deck, a small pumpkin costing $17, paying duty for every item we bring into Bermuda, stores closing at 5:00 pm in town, gas costing $8 a gallon, and the list goes on and on. Really, I shouldn't complain and I realize we are in the midst of an amazing journey that I will remember forever, but Bermuda has not been all it was crack up to be (well maybe what we imagined in our head). We only have 2 months left here and I am trying my best to take it all in. We are leaving a tropical paradise for Erie, PA (maybe one of the most non-glamorous places, we could chose). I am thrilled about moving back to Erie, but I am looking longer at the blue waters, rolling down my windows in my car to get some sun on my arms, eating freshly caught fish, putting my feet in the pink sand...as I know I will soon not be able to do those things.

We have said that we will love to come back to Bermuda to visit. We know we will in the future and can't wait to bring an older Collin back to the place of his birth. It is a wonderful island, but for us our home is America.

Until next time...

Shark Oil

Ryan has vacated the island and not because a Category 2 Hurricane is headed this way. He is in State College spending some time with good friends. He left on Thursday as we thought, "Oh just another hurricane scare, it won't hit." Well, this time it may hit. Thank goodness I have my ever so helpful mother here to help with the preparation. Joyce came for a low key visit to see Collin and I think she is in for more then she bargained for.

The Bermuda Government sent out a warning yesterday to start preparing for the hit of Igor. When the government sends out notices, Bermudians start to take it seriously. I always watch what Bermudians are doing to see how I should prepare. This time the grocery stores, hardware stores, and gas stations are busy. We were in town today and most people were getting off early to start to prepare. We have 5 gallons of water, ice, candles, extra diapers, twine, tape, etc... We have moved everything inside, we have taped the windows (in case the glass brakes, the tape prevents shattering), filled the car up with gas, and started making our nest in the office. The newspaper today is comparing this hurricane to the 2003 Category 3 Fabian. I have heard from multiple people that Fabian caused power outages for up to 16 days! We will fill up our bathtub to use for flushing the toilet and possible showers (well maybe a sponge bath). We still have a few days to wait for Igor's arrival and hopefully it will weaken and veer off to the east before its anticipated arrival on Monday morning.

While meteorologists are predicting the arrival and path of Igor, some Bermudians have their own way of predicting the storm. Shark Oil Barometers are natures way of predicting a hurricane. The shark liver oil (normally clear) turns white and forms peaks as the storm approaches within 200 miles of the oil. It has been theorized by Jacques Cousteau's son Philippe (according to the Bermuda Sun Newspaper) that during stormy weather sharks get sick to their stomach and descend to the sea bed. I am not sure how the shark oil outside of a living shark can change, but a Bermudian with a shark oil barometer will say it is always accurate. Now if Joyce and I can just get our hands on some shark oil!

We are taking precautions and will be safe, but without power I will not be able to post on my blog. Stay tuned as we battle through the storm.

Until next time...

Finally a post...

I am not sure if I even have any followers left out there. I have neglected the blog for months now with really no good reason. We have lived in Bermuda for 18 months now and I no longer find Bermuda exciting. In some ways it is dull here. While we enjoyed our summer to its fullest last year, this summer has been drastically different. I think I have only been in the water 3 times all summer. I have found this summer to be so hot that I don't even like to venture out for an evening walk with Limerick. I feel saddened by this and still like to take in the beauty of Bermuda as much as possible. This summer we did take a much needed 3 week vacation away from the island. It had been 5 1/2 months since I had left and was desperate to get off island. August is brutally hot here and I enjoyed the cooler temps of the US. Not that it was that much cooler, but there is something different about the humidity and blazing sun in the Atlantic. At its coolest at night it has only been in the 70's, which is not conducive to leaving the windows open. I wish we could so that I could be lulled to sleep by the whistling tree frogs.

What inspired me to write today was a book that was discussed at a dinner with friends last night. Tea with Tracey is a woman's survival guide to Bermuda. Tracey is from Canada and married a Bermudian which led to her move to Bermuda. She wrote a book to describe the challenges of life in Bermuda. This book is recommended to all ex-pats that move to Bermuda. For some reason I was never recommended this book and figured out things for myself. In some ways my blog was a way to post information as I discovered so many differences about our new home. Most of my information in my blog has been upbeat and happy. Maybe a post here or there (such as the laundry room from hell) was a way to get out frustrations, but for the most part I found the positives of Bermuda to share.

We have enjoyed our life in Bermuda, but I think I can enjoy my life wherever I live. I have so much to be thankful for: a wonderful son and husband (dog too), supportive family, solid careers, and opportunities that I never imagined. We also have some great friends here that provide a listening ear when we need to vent about something related to Bermuda. While the remainder of our time here is to be determined, I know that I will continue to look at the positives in this tropical paradise as I know I will never have the opportunity again.

Until next time....(hopefully next time is sooner than last time!)

A differernt kind of summer....

It has been almost a month since my last post and time has just flown by. No one ever told me how exhausting, demanding, but incredibly rewarding motherhood would be. Well...maybe they did, but you can't know until you are immersed in it. Collin is 6 weeks old and is growing like a weed. I retired his newborn onesies today for the 0-3 month clothing. He is smiling and interacting with Ryan and me and it is so fun to see him growing and changing.

I have spent the last weeks mainly inside the house. I went out a couple of weeks ago to find that Bermuda had fully changed over to the tropical tourist paradise that we love. I had forgotten how hot, humid, but incredibly beautiful Bermuda can be in the summer. We are trying our best to get out of the house and I have been getting out, but it seems to be that one of us stays home while the other gets some time with friends, golfing, scuba diving, or playing volleyball. I got the okay to start exercising since it has been 6 weeks since my c-section. I have even been out on my scooter again.

My life has quickly changed over from housewife attending the International Women's Club meetings to a mother attending La Leche League and Meet a Mum meetings and events. Meet a Mum is an organization that gets mothers across Bermuda together for play groups and other child related events. I went to a 0-12 month old play group this week. While Collin slept in his carrier, I met other moms from Canada, the US, and the UK that are also stay at home mothers. While I will start my job in September, I will still have time to get out and meet other mothers. The support is wonderful since most of us are living in Bermuda without family members close by.

Collin is on his way to USA citizenship. We went to the US Consulate last week to apply for the US birth certificate, his passport, and his social security card. I had the task of taking a baby photo of Collin for his passport. He will have this passport until he is 5 years old. I think he will greatly change from 5 weeks to 5 years! We should have his passport by the end of the month and have a trip planned to the US in August.

So far our Bermuda journey is moving along as planned, but our summer is greatly different this year. We can't wait to get Collin out to the beach to swim and play. I think we may have awhile to wait for that. He has been to the beach twice, but has tiredly slept in a Baby Bjorn or his carrier. He doesn't even know yet how beautiful Bermuda is.

Until next time...

Life Gets Busy....

I have been neglecting my blog for a good reason, but finally Sunday morning Daddy, Collin, and Limerick are all sleeping! It is time to catch up.

As you all know we were blessed with a healthy happy baby born on May 6th (already 17 days old!). He is such a good baby. He is happy, eats A LOT, is gaining weight, and has beautiful chubby cheeks! He usually lets us sleep for about 4 hours straight when we go to bed, so we have been happy with that, but don't get me wrong, I am sleep deprived and need a nap every day.

Our experience with child birth, the hospital stay, and overall medical care in Bermuda has been a positive one. I had a scheduled c-section due to Collin being breech. Due to the surgery, it was recommended that I stay in the hospital for 4 nights. Those were the longest four nights of my life. The maternity ward policy is that no visitors (including dads) are allowed in the ward from 8pm-8am. Ryan was kicked out (literally, a security guard came and checked my room every night) at 8pm sharp. Luckily, they just changed the policy in March of 2010. Previously, dads were not allowed back in until 11am. I watched the clock closely every morning waiting for Ryan to show up. It was difficult, and by night two Collin was by my bedside all night. The midwives were not even checking in on me. I was to take care of a one day old all night by myself only 24 hours after a c-section. This policy is due to small rooms at the hospital. The rooms are doubles and if I would have had a roommate, there would have been no room for another person all night. The maternity ward was quiet when I was there, so I had my own room every night. I am not sure I could have managed if there was another woman and her crying baby right next to me! Overall, the midwives at the hospital were very good. They gave me good tips and helped tremendously with nursing. Everyone was friendly, but I was very excited to bring my baby home after four nights away.

Everyone has been adjusting to our new life in Bermuda. We have ventured out to lunch, dinner, the botanical gardens, and even the golf course with our little one. I was able to push Collin around the golf course while Ryan and some friends played a quick round. I am gaining strength, but still need to take it easy. Overall, I have been very pleased with the c-section recovery. While a c-section was not ideal and I had never planned my labor to go in this way, it worked out well. All that matters is that Collin is here and is healthy.

Check out some more photos of Collin by clicking this link!

Until next time...

Introducing...

Collin Isaiah Crawford
Born Thursday, May 6th at 1:56pm.

8 pounds and 19 1/2 inches long

More pictures and stories to come soon!

Until next time...

Tomorrow, May 6th

We are having baby Crawford tomorrow afternoon! We are scheduled for a c-section in the afternoon of Thursday, May 6th. Unfortunately, the baby did not flip and from the movements I felt really didn't make a huge effort at flipping either! He has been very active, but no giant flipping movements. He is happily wedged head up under my ribcage.

I have had a really great pregnancy and relate that to not working and being able to put my feet up or take a quick cat nap as needed. We feel really blessed to have had this first pregnancy and baby in Bermuda as I have done so well and Ryan is given 4 weeks of paternity here. That would not have happened if we were living in the USA! Ryan will take the first week off to spend with me and the baby and then may go back to work some as my mom and dad visit on the 14th-22nd. He will then take some days off here and there to help out when we do not have family in town. I feel so lucky to have his help as I know the c-section recovery period will take a few weeks.

We will post the babies stats, name, and time of delivery when we can. Hopefully pictures will be posted soon as well. Stay tuned...

Until next time....(next time I will be a mom!)

SURPRISE!

Saturday afternoon I had a lovely surprise baby shower in Bermuda. My two friends here had asked if they could take me to get a pedicure and I graciously accepted (I can't really reach my toes anymore and I can't ask Ryan to paint them for me!). After a small detour, I ended up arriving at a party with 17 of my friends, volunteering buddies, and colleagues! It was a wonderful surprise.

We were given some wonderful baby gifts and even some treats for me. I now have a 3 hour massage, pedicure, and facial waiting for me. I think I will indulge myself after the baby is born. Ryan can babysit as I go and pamper myself.

According to my diagnosis, Baby Crawford is still breech. We have an ultrasound to confirm that tomorrow and then we were schedule the c-section. This pregnancy is coming to an end as we could have our bundle of joy any day now! I will keep you posted on the chosen date.

I have also posted some pictures in my album from the baby shower...enjoy!

Until next time...

Baby Crawford

I know this is a Bermuda blog and my goal was to always write about Bermuda, but after living on a 22 square mile island for over a year, the creative juices and originality are not always flowing. I think about my blog often and wish that I had more material, but the bottom line is that I sometimes live a boring life. Lately the anticipation and planning for Baby Crawford has over taken my thoughts and while I try to still volunteer and get out of the house, I find that I am nesting more and have become a home body. I have also become increasingly interested in baking sweets. That may have something to do with continued pregnancy cravings! Thank goodness this new found hobby has come at the end of my pregnancy and I have only gained the recommended 25 pounds in total.

As an update for those that have not heard, Baby Crawford is breech. He is a stubborn Taurus (just like his mother) and at 36 weeks and 2 days has nestled himself nicely head up in my ribcage. While he is still quite active and I have hope that he will flip, the doctor and I guess myself are not too optimistic. We have another ultrasound in a week to be sure that he is still breech and if so a c-section will be scheduled. While a c-section was not in my birth plan at all, I have to be thankful that this c-section will be scheduled. I imagine that an emergency c-section after hours of labor if quite frightening. We hope to go into the hospital before labor begins and have our baby that morning. If everything continues normally I will be scheduled for May 10th which is between Mother's Day (May 9th) and my Birthday (May 11th)! This date will be 6 days before my original due date. Ryan is overwhelmed with the pressure of showering me with gifts for Mother's Day, my Birthday, and the birth of our first child. I say that our baby is a gift enough, but we all know I could use some nice presents while hanging out in the hospital for 3-4 days.

Baby Crawford is also big and that may be contributing for his breech status. I knew he would be large as Ryan was 9 pounds 1/2 ounce and I was 8 pounds 4 ounces at birth. According to an ultrasound a week ago, Baby Crawford was fluctuating somewhere between 6-7 pounds. They estimated 6 pounds 13 ounces at week 36. This means he could still gain another pound or two before birth. My in-laws also forgot to mention that Gary (Ryan's dad) won the Beaver County, Pennsylvania fattest baby award. I would have liked someone to have mentioned that the Crawford's grow them big before I started this process. Ha just kidding, it wouldn't have changed my mind one bit! We will happily welcome a large, roly-poly baby.

Until next time...

My Work Permit

Today I received the great news that my work permit was approved. I actually have the official paperwork in my hand! I cannot believe it due to the stories I have heard from others about the slow process of immigration. It took three weeks for approval which is amazing considering I have heard some people wait 3-4 months for approval of their work permit. Another piece of great news is that it is approved for two years and will expire on the same date as Ryan's work permit. I believe they tied my work permit to his as you cannot survive in Bermuda without full time work. My job will be under 15 hours a week which is perfect for me as I will also want to concentrate on being a new mom! The two year approval is amazing as that means they will not have to re-advertise for my job next year. Many people get one year permits and then their company must re-advertise for their job a year later. That puts your position in jeopardy as a qualified Bermudian could come along. As I have said many times before, Bermudians get first preference to jobs. I believe that I got offered my job due to my knowledge and experience with the Student Assistance Program (SAP), which is currently in Pennsylvania schools but is just arriving in Bermuda as a pilot program. I was the only applicant with SAP training and experience on my resume.

That leads me into what my job is. I will be working for P.R.I.D.E. Bermuda which is a well established charity in Bermuda. They mainly deal with drug and substance abuse issues and have been working with local organizations, the schools, and the community to promote a substance free lifestyle. Many of P.R.I.D.E.'s programs are targeted at youth to promote a healthy Bermuda for the future. P.R.I.D.E. has hired myself and 3 others as Program Facilitators. I will be going into the schools to present life-skills training to all ages of students. The life-skills curriculum not only focuses on making positive choices in relation to drug and alcohol abuse, but it also focuses on positive self-esteem, good communication skills, and relationship building. It is a comprehensive program which starts at the primary level. I will also be running group counseling sessions in the schools focusing on topics such as anger management, children of addicts, and substance abusers. The last component is the establishment of the Student Assistance Program (SAP) in Bermuda schools. A well executed SAP program brings teachers, principals, school administrators, and school counselors together to discuss troubled students. A SAP team will receive referrals about students and will discuss a treatment plan for each student. Students are referred to the SAP team for a variety of issues such as issues at home, substance abuse, trouble with their classes, poor relationship skills, etc... No school in Bermuda currently has a SAP program, so it will be my job to help schools start their own programs. I am most excited about this component of my job. It will best use my counseling skills and knowledge from previous work experiences. I am not only excited that I have obtained work in Bermuda, but I am also thrilled that I will finally be able to put my master's degree to work. I graduated with my master's degree only three months before our arrival in Bermuda.

Like people always say, "Good things come to those who wait." Well I waited alright. I waited a whole year to get a job offer and a work permit. Plus throw in the pregnancy too. It will be the perfect job with flexibility to raise a baby while still getting me out of the house once in awhile. I cant wait to start my job and I CANNOT wait for the arrival of Baby Crawford. 37 days to go!

Until next time...

Happy Easter

Easter came really early this year. We celebrated the traditional Easter festivities with some kite flying and beach time on Good Friday. The weather has been decent with temperatures staying in the high 60's to low 70's. We have not even come close to reaching 80 degrees like the USA is seeing. It was still a beautiful weekend so far with the sun shining, the long tails back in flight, and the waters as blue as ever. We are glad summer is upon us!

I have posted some Easter weekend pictures in my photo album, so check them out.

Until next time...

Random Thoughts

I know I haven't blogged in a long time as we have been off island and busy in the month of March. As I was thinking about my blog, I had many random thoughts to share.

We are gearing up for baby Crawford, 53 days until his due date! I like to put it in days and weeks because it seems to make it closer. Two months still sounds like a long time to wait. We just visited Pennsylvania and had a wonderful baby shower. We somehow managed to get back 4 suitcases, 2 carry-on bags, and two boxes. One of the boxes had a Pack N Play which will be baby Crawford's bed for as long as it works. We don't have room for a crib right now. Our house is small, so we are making due the best we can. We wanted to keep the futon in the guest bedroom/baby room for Grandparent visits and anyone else who should be visiting us in beautiful Bermuda. The most frustrating part of this process is paying duty and getting through the airport with your items. During this last trip in we paid $300 in duty, this included paying on all gifts that we received! While we don't have to pay taxes in Bermuda on income, duty always gets you. The government feels that you should be buying your items here to support the economy, and if you don't, then you are stuck paying 20% duty on all items that you bring in or are mailed to you. For being a resident of Bermuda we get $100 free each time we enter. While that is nice, it isn't exactly generous as I think you can bring in almost $800 of items duty free into the USA each visit. I was also looking at car seats at a store in Bermuda this week. The car seat I wanted cost $200 in the USA at Babies R Us and $350 in Bermuda. It is still worth bringing in items and paying duty.

We are taking birthing classes at the hospital and were able to tour the maternity ward yesterday. I feel better after seeing the ward, but let me tell you it is no 4 seasons! Most insurance coverage in Bermuda covers a semi-private room for your after delivery stay. A semi-private room is TINY and has two beds separated by a curtain. You also share the bathroom and shower. There are 4 semi-private rooms, so there would have to be 5+ women staying in order for you to have to share. We were told that it is likely you will get your own room even if it is semi-private since there are not that many births per week. There are two private rooms which you can upgrade to, but the cost is around $250 a night. We were also told that the babies stay with the mother at all times. The babies will be in the room all day and night for easy feedings. I like this concept as there is no need for a nursery stay unless the baby is sick or needs special attention. The mother and baby will stay for 3 nights or 4 nights for a C-section. While we are excited about the arrival of our little one, the birth process does seems a little daunting. I am sure we will pull through with no problems. The midwives in the hospital seem excellent, and I have heard the care is great.

My work permit has officially been submitted to immigration. I was told it would take around 6 weeks to hear back. I am not holding my breath on a six week turn around. When a non-profit submits a work permit application they are exempt from paying the $500 application fee. While this is great, I was told that this moves your application to the bottom of the pile. They like to process their paying customers first. I will not officially start my job until September, so I will have over 3 months with the baby before starting up. The job will also be under 15 hours per week, so it will not be too time consuming.

Monday was World Water Day and I heard a lot of good things about conserving water on Monday. Of course Bermuda does not need to push water conservation as much as the USA as we know if we don't conserve then we just run out! Since family and friends started visiting, two people have taken water conservation to heart. A shout out goes out to Chuck Wissner and Christian Beyer as they do not flush the toilet every time. Since visiting Bermuda, they have seen the benefit of the saying, "If it is yellow let it mellow..." The average toilet uses 1.6 gallons of water each flush. Think how many gallons you can save per year buy not flushing every time. Okay it is kind of gross, but a valid point!

We have now lived in Bermuda for over a year. I arrived in Bermuda on March 8th, 2009. A year ago today on March 24th, 2009 I wrote in a blog that Bermuda finally feels like home. We just finished unpacking our crate of furniture a year ago. It is amazing how time passes by so quickly. We are gearing up for another fun summer. A different summer with a baby in tow, but as the weather is getting warmer and sunnier, I cant wait to get out to the beach and play some volleyball. For those of you who are still considering visiting, summer is the best time. Anytime from June-October is absolutely beautiful! You are always welcome as long as you don't mind sharing a room with a baby!

Until next time...

Soup Winner!

I decided a few weeks ago to enter a soup competition. The event was called Soup-A-Bowl and it was a charity function to raise money for the needy and hungry in Bermuda. The charity putting on this event is called The Eliza Dolittle Society of Bermuda. I wanted to attend the event because the proceeds went to a good cause but also because you were able to eat soup all night and at the end of the event you took home a hand painted bowl from The Island Shop. The Island Shop is one of my favorite stores in Bermuda. The artist for the shop designs island inspired dishware, plaques, ornaments, and other beautiful pieces. All of the ceramic items are hand painted in Italy. They are expensive, so before this event I only had a small hand painted plaque.

Anyways, I entered the soup competition in order to hopefully receive a free ticket to the Soup-A-Bowl event. If your soup recipe was listed in the top 3 then you were given a free $75 ticket for the event. I found out a few days before the event that my wild rice soup recipe was chosen in the top 3 out of the 30+ entries! All I had to do was submit my recipe and the chefs at the Fairmont Hotels would prepare the recipe on the night of the event. At the event there were over 30 soups to try that were prepared by local restaurants. Then there were the 3 soup winners of the competition. I was up against an Italian Wedding Soup and a Banana Curry Soup. Everyone enjoyed my wild rice soup and in the end I was announced the winner of the competition! I was given 8 bowls, a platter, and a soup tureen with a ladle! It was an amazing gift that is valued at over $1,000! Ryan is the most excited about my winning! Ha...he said that if I won I would have to get rid of something else in the house to make room. That is not going to happen, I will be happily displaying my soup tureen where ever I can find the room!

For my soup recipe, click on this link and it will take you to the Eliza Dolittle page where it was announced that I was the winner.

Until next time...

International Women's Club

When arriving in Bermuda as a wife of a work permit holder, I felt different. Mainly because I so desperately wanted to work and create my own identity in Bermuda. As you know from previous postings, since I am not in the insurance, finance, or hospitality industry, obtaining work has been very difficult. So in order to create some sort of identity, keep myself busy, and meet other people I have volunteered. While I have always liked to give back whether it be with time or monetary gifts, I have never considered myself a philanthropist. I guess I still don't consider myself a philanthropist, but I have done some meaningful work in Bermuda and along the way I have met some great people on this little island.

Through volunteering I met a woman that drug me along to an International Women's Club of Bermuda (IWC) luncheon. She said it would be a great way to meet other women. I decided to go as I knew if I became a member I would have the opportunity participate in activities such as book clubs, badminton, golf clinics, mahjong, and other exciting opportunities (some sarcasm inserted). I am 27 years old not 60, but I attended with an open mind. According to the clubs President, "The IWC’s goals are to promote intellectual growth, to encourage social fellowship, to provide service to community and to assist in the integration of newcomers to Bermuda. The IWC is over two hundred members strong." Since joining I have attended 3 monthly luncheons. They are at different restaurants and have different activities and speakers each month. I myself enjoy eating at different places across the island, but the speakers have also been interesting and fitting for a woman's needs. This month being heart health month, we listened to a speaker on heart health in woman. When I look around the room at these luncheons, I somethings wonder how I fit in. The woman who are all very nice and pleasant sometimes remind me of the woman from either the Golden Girls or The Real Housewives for Orange County. I must fall somewhere in between there. For the time being I will continue to attend these meeting while I don't have a little one to look after. I have enjoyed the Philanthropy aspect of this club and some of the connections I have made to other woman trying to find an identity for themselves in Bermuda too.

As an update, to my last blog. Our landlord has unlocked the coin operation piece of the dryer and washer. We will now keep track of our laundry usage and pay the electric company monthly. No more trips to the bank for rolls of quarters...thank goodness!

*Golden Girl image thanks to BuddyTV.

The Laundry Room from Hell

I am usually so happy, upbeat, and positive when I blog, but today I need an outlet to vent. Most people have heard this story or pieces too many times to care anymore, so I decided to write it all out as a way to vent some frustration.

Most of you know that we pay astronomical rent rates in Bermuda. The average rent for a one bedroom is around $2000 a month, a two bedroom $4000, and 3+ bedrooms can run anywhere from $5000-$25,000 a month depending on location and quality. Thanks to good housing allowances, we can afford to pay the rates, but usually it comes with some cost. It is difficult to go from owning your own house to renting from landlords that don't always have your shared priorities. Okay that is the build up to the story of, "The Laundry Room from Hell."

When Ryan first looked at our place it was nice, close to town, and had most everything we wanted. It had laundry in the front of the house below the front apartment. You have to go outside to get to it, and it is shared by the renter in the front, but it was on site and usable. After moving in we discovered that it was coin operated ($1.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry). While I was frustrated by the fact that the laundry was essentially in our house and we had to pay for it, I found out that the landlords pay the electricity that goes to the laundry room. So they were using the quarters to pay these bills.

After living here a month, the cold water stopped running to the washer. It only came out scalding hot! After waiting 2-3 weeks to have someone fix it, we decided to start carrying buckets of water from our back faucet to the washer. That got old quickly! I also discovered that since the room is a basement and is damp and cool, cockroaches, spiders, ants, and even the occasional rat like to inhabit our laundry room. I refused to go down there after dark!

A few months after the cold water was fixed, the dryer coin operation piece was jammed. The tenent in the front had jammed a Canadian quarter in the slot. While the machine accepted USA and Bermudian quarters, it did not take Canadian quarters. They had to order a whole new coin piece. Once that was installed it jammed again the next week. Once again a Canadian quarter. After that, 2 times in December and 4 times in January the dryer just didn't work. You would wash your clothes, put the money in the dryer and it wouldn't turn on! We started keeping a tally on how many times the dryer didn't work. I was forced to bring laundry to friends houses or hang it in our house or on a line outside. Many times after hanging it outside, it would start to rain. The wet laundry in the house would take forever to dry as humidity levels were extremely high. We had had it!

After a heated email in January, the landlords decided to buy a brand new washer and dryer. We were excited to have new units. After they were installed this week, I discovered that that washer and dryer are once again coin operated! We were hoping this wouldn't be the case. While I don't mind paying some money for the cost of electricity, it is ridiculous to have to go to the bank monthly to get quarters! The thing that set me off today was that I found out they upped the cost to $2.50 to wash and $2.50 to dry. That is 20 quarters for one load of laundry. With a baby on the way, I can't imagine how many quarters I am going to need to keep up with all of the future laundry. Also in the summer it is so humid that if you leave anything wet in your laundry hamper it will mildew! I had moldy towels and shorts this summer. Mold does not come out of clothing!

Here is the real kicker. I could not get the washer to work last night even after putting in the appropriate amount of money. I soon discovered that the coin operation pieces only take USA quarters. When you buy rolls of coins at the bank, they bundle them with Bermudian and USA quarters mixed. Since money is one for one, it does not matter which currency you pay in. All soda machines, parking meters, and other machines in Bermuda accept a mix of Bermudian and USA quarters. The quarters essential are the same size and shape. They must not be exact as my machines now only take USA quarters. I could see if it only took Bermudian quarters as we live in Bermuda! I sorted out all of my quarters today into one bag of USA and one bag of Bermudian quarters. I have since emailed the landlord to express that this is not acceptable, but I will have to keep you updated. For now I am headed back down to the dungeon to retrieve my dried clothes! At least there wasn't a rat down there today!

Until next time...

Winter Vacations

I was in Minnesota bearing the cold weather this past week. I actually enjoyed the snow and the cold wasn't too bad. I didn't miss wearing winter jackets (especially since mine is a little tight fitting in the middle) and trudging through the slush in boots. I decided that I miss these few things about the USA:
1. Family. It was great shopping with my mom and sister, eating dinner with the family, and seeing my extended family over the weekend.
2. Mexican. Yes, Mexican food is a must for me. There is no good authentic Mexican in Bermuda. At this point I would even settle for Taco Bell every once in awhile!
3. American interstates, large parking spots, and appropriate size roads! I did well switching back to driving on the right hand side of the road. I didn't however have my normal winter driving skills built up. Some ice and snow on the road made driving for me tense!
4. Pure Convenience. I would have said Target, shopping malls, large grocery stores, etc..., but it all leads back to convenience. Things are open late, there are stores where you can buy everything you need (Super Target was my dream come true!), and things are just plain affordable!

While I had a wonderful time back in the USA and even managed to bring back two extremely full suitcases and a new piece of IKEA furniture, I was excited to get back to my home. Bermuda has become our home for now and flying in over the beautiful blue waters and sandy shores of the island had me excited to get back. The weather has been getting better. There is still a rain shower almost every day and unexpected winds, but the sun is out and the temperatures are staying steady in the low 60's. We are also excited to leave in a few weeks for Cabo San Lucas. While we are leaving one tropical paradise for another, we are excited for some time away together. We will be enjoying a week vacation/baby moon with another pregnant couple. It should be a great time.

Until next time...

Bermuda Winters

I have been depriving my blog lately and that might be because Bermuda is boring in the winter months. The weather has been windy and rainy plus darkness by 5 pm doesn't encourage the general public to venture out after work. I don't mind the rain as our water tank is full and we have a car to drive around in, but it does deter beach walks with Limerick, weekend exploration of Bermuda, and just getting out in general. We have planned a vacation or "baby moon" for February and we are going to Cabo San Lucas with some friends to get out of rainy Bermuda. We know we need a trip away when the highlight of our week nights is watching, "Wheel of Fortune" at 8pm!

We have been enjoying Bermuda and have gotten back into the swing of things since after the holiday. I even landed myself a job. Yes, it only took 10 months of searching and getting myself "knocked up" for someone to think my job skills were beneficial enough to apply for a work permit. I am really excited about this opportunity. It is part time, summers off, and in the school counseling field. It was truly a perfect fit for my skills and interests. I haven't formally accepted the job (just received the offer on Friday) and of course the work permit hasn't even been submitted, so I will divulge more information later.

I can tell you that childcare is not easy to obtain here. We are only in the very early stages of research, but have found some key issues or challenges.
1. Most daycare facilities/nurseries only accept children 2 years and up. Some start at 18 months, but very few take younger infants.
2. In-home daycare is an option and there is an approved list of providers registered with the government, but in-home providers are only allowed to take 3 children at one time. Most don't consider part time children as they need the money from 3 full time children.
3. Babysitters are hard to find and you can only legally pay a babysitter if they are Bermudian. You cannot employ or pay an expatriate without formally advertising and submitting a work permit. Unfortunately, we really know a lot of expatriate's like ourselves here and very few Bermudians.
4. Nannies! Many people employ a nanny to watch their children. It is very common for dual working couples. Most nannies are from other countries and nannies from the Philippines are very common in Bermuda. Nannies can make a lot of money in Bermuda and tend to leave their families in the Philippines while they come to Bermuda to make a living. Many nannies are live-in and are expected to care for the children and pets, make the meals and grocery shop, clean the house, and wash all of the clothes. It is truly a full time job and they get compensated any where from $45,000-$60,000 a year plus trips back to the Philippines to see their families. Sometimes nanny shares are available and you could employ a nanny for 15-20 hours a week. They would only come to your house to watch your children and then go back to the other house to work and live. While it seems appealing and most nannies are very reliable, the cost is extremely high.

I just thought I would give you an outline of child care in Bermuda. While I know that child care in the USA can also be challenging and expensive, it is more difficult here as you have to be careful to only employ a Bermudian or seek a work permit for child care from a non-Bermudian. Hmmm so much to think about.

Until next time...