So what has been happening in our little part of the world lately? Well, nothing too earth shattering... unless my birthday counts, which was yesterday (24th May)

Our friend Lynn and Joanna (another fellow South African) came to fetch the kids and I and we went to the beach - which was a bit of a dissappointment (sp?) as the electricity was off so therefore there were no fountains and no water in the pools - so the kids were very miserable - I on the other hand enjoyed the day out and some adult company for a change... They even bought me a lovely birthday cake!

Rory has been with us now for a few weeks, he has written one exam which he is quite positive about, and he is getting about on my scooter (pink helmut and all...) LOL

We had our little princess dedicated on Sunday at church - there are photo's in the photo album section - and I think we also have a video, but I will have to figure out how to upload that - never done that before ...

Jason is going to Ilan/Yilan late this evening by bus. He has an interview there on Sunday. Ilan (various spellings of this little place), is in the north on the east coast, about an hour from Taipei.

When we were first looking into moving to Taiwan, Ilan was the place we were very keen on as it is considered the "Florida of Taiwan", and there are very few jobs that become available, as it is a sought after place for the foreign teachers. Anyway, so there is an opening at a public elementary school, which Jason's "teaching agent" put in his CV for and now he has an interview on Sunday.

I am in two minds about moving to Ilan for various reasons, the first being that I am not one for change (you wouldn't say so considering I packed up my family and moved accross the world!), but really, I do not like "change" too much. Then of course there is the logistical nightmare of moving from one end of the island to the other!!! Do we sell everything that we have here in the south and rebuy once we are in the north, or do we hire movers to move everything accross the island and is the cost of moving everything going to cost more than our belongings are actually worth??? (Incase you don't know this about me - I am a terrible decision maker - can you tell???). Oh, and I have also heard that there is a LOT more rain there than in the south (which is why they have lots of beautiful greenery and lots of nature). And do I also need to add that the east is where MOST of the earthquakes take place......

Therefore we will have to live in a house - no high rises for me in earthquake central, and also if there is lots of rain, I would prefer a bigger space to be cooped up in!!!

Then on the other hand (these are points that Jason has pointed out to me) - it is less polluted there - it is more in the country - it will be good for the kids - lots of wildlife (and in case you don't know THIS about me - I am not too into wildlife - so these are not motivating factors for ME - but when I think of the kiddos - I can see dh (Jason) point of view).

There are also lots of scenic places around the north to visit,There are also plenty of places for hiking and nature trails (again, not a motivating factor for me), but we will also be an hour away from Taipei (now there is a motivating factor for me...), which of course also has its good points and bad - the bad is that food, and general cost of living will probably cost a bit more, but on the other hand dh will be earning a bigger salary and not teaching in a cram school, but in a government school (which will look good on his cv when we come back to South Africa), and as dh also pointed out - do we really want to spend our entire time of living in Taiwan in a little town called Donggang - or should we try and experience the island a little....he does have a point....

So please say a little pray for us, that we make the right decision for our family - if this job in Ilan doesn't come through, then he has another job lined up here already in Donggang with a cram school not too far from us.

Ok, well that is about it for now, I will write more later, have to go and get dinner ready for the the family...

~* Peace and Love *~