Refreshing Changes

I have been living in my new home Canberra for almost 3 months and I like it so far, although some people said that this city is a shit hole *pardon my language* and I have to pursue my husband to immediately move out and get another overseas posting so I don't have to be rotten here. I don't have any specific complaints so far other than this cold Winter and chill mornings, I love the blue sky, I love the fresh air, I love the no traffic jam road and I kinda get used to the quietness compare to Jakarta. It's a refreshing change for me because I fed up with Jakarta's traffic jam especially during wet season, ah it was just hell. The not so refreshing changes are the do it (domestic stuff) by yourself attitude; since I am not a good cook, my speciality is fried noodle with Indomie goreng as the main ingredients and add lots of veggies and chicken/egg, you can't get wrong with Indomie goreng and the last time I did iron was gazillion years ago, but my husband and I are a good team so I don't complaint (so far) :))

I was a bit depressed when I just arrived here because our stuff haven't arrived from Indonesia and we don't have TV, no computer, no internet, limited utensils and very limited clothes, no friends yet. Simple matters became a big deal for me, I remember one night I can't find my camera charger and I cry like someone hurt me so bad, that was the point when I decided I need to get to work otherwise I will be crazy. I am fortunate that Angela has a good connection so she signed me in to her old job in after school care. I started just 3 weeks after I arrived in this country, not bad, not bad at all.

After school care program was a perfect practice for me because it starts at 3pm till 6pm so I can do my English classes from AMEP Program in the morning. The job desk was to supervised and get involve while the children do crafting, play indoor/outdoor, helped the centre manager preparing the afternoon tea until their parents come to pick them up. I even introduced the children with Indonesian words and show them my wedding album so they get the idea about Indonesia.


One day there was this girl Niamh who comes only Tuesday and Friday and when she saw me on Wednesday at the school yard she runs and hug me tight. It was such a nice feeling, and that was the point when I think I can handle the "pressure" working with children. So I decided I will get full time work in childcare industry. When I left the after school care programs, the children gave me big farewell card with sweet notes like "I will miss you", "please come and see us sometimes", "I love you", "thank you for being so awesome", cardboard koala, some of them even draw my picture had melted my heart and I was cried in front of them :).

This week is my third week working full time in early childhood centre, the shifts are varied from 8am-5pm, 8.30am-5.30pm, 9am-6pm and they put me in toddlers room 1-3 years old children. My day usually begins with company the toddlers play, sit with them during group time (listen to story and singing), preparing them for morning tea, company them play outdoor or inside (depends on the weather), preparing them for lunch, preparing them for nap, changing nappies (3 times a day among 3 carers/teachers), preparing them for afternoon tea, company and supervise them play and sit with them during afternoon snacks. Working in childcare is not as easy as I thought, because I need to be firm with them when they are being cheeky and sometimes I have to chase them and lift them to the bathroom during nappies time. But I consider that as my exercise, lift up and put down 15 children during the busiest day to the nappy bench is surely burn some calories :).

I was amazed with the children's discipline, the youngest is 19 months old and the oldest is almost 3 years old but they can wash and dry hand by themselves, sit on the chair during morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, take off their own shoes and help to pack up the toys when we ask to. The youngest Caragh can sit on the toilet by herself and she doesn't have to wear nappy, isn't that good? I try not to compare with Indonesian children but I know some Indonesian children who can't do all of those things even though they are already 5 years old.

It can be a stressful day if the children are being cheeky and didn't listen to me but it all washed away when they cuddle me. It such a wonderful feeling eventhough they are not mine, but still.. It's nice and wonderful. I am not pursue the money because the money is not that good compare to other jobs but I got emotional satisfaction and for the time being that is enough for me. It surely is a refreshing change from a hectic life, tight deadlines and long hours in an advertising company, and I am going to enjoy this until the day I couldn't enjoy it again.

I guess not everything all about the money..