More Like It

We had a good weekend, filled with shopping and rarely getting lost.  Labor Day is an embassy holiday but not a school holiday, so we did more shopping as well as some business yesterday.  We made great strides toward a location for music classes, which I need to begin within a few weeks.  And we found a preschool for Annika - a lovely, play focused little preschool within walking distance of our new house.  If all goes well, she will begin at the beginning of October.

With a bunch of successes over the weekend, I looked ahead at a full calendar for the week.  A bunch of coffees were scheduled; one for meeting the second grade teachers and one for meeting the fourth grade teachers;  one for meeting a friend from Virginia and today for meeting the other spouses.  Today's brunch was at the Ambassador's residence, hosted by his wife.  The spouses of new employees were invited to share some treats and share our hidden talents - it was a lovely forum to spread the word about my music classes, and to learn which people go hiking during the week or want to volunteer.  I wore my new linen pants and my strappy heels, and felt well pulled together.  Then I chatted the room until I was one of the last to go, leaving with a whole slew of new numbers in my phone.

The wonderful thing about moving is this new discovery phase, where you meet amazing people who want new friends, and you find incredible new places to hike and to shop and to learn.  Jakarta is a tremendously large city with a long history and an enormous expatriate community.  The opportunities here seem never ending.  I've already registered for a Southeast Asian cooking class and am eyeing the first few events of the Indonesian Cultural Society.  I'm trying to find my place at the school, and may be talked into leading the 4th grade girl scout troop.  The pace has quickened, and I like it.

This first month was a tidal wave of new-ness, and everything felt overwhelming.  But now that I've got August behind me, my September calendar is quickly filling up.  In August, I felt like a crazy mess most of the time, often exhausted and wanting to curl up with a book.  September has me feeling much more in control, more put together.  Sharper.  And it promises to be full of success.