did i ever tell you about...

...my typical week living overseas?

(Be ready, it's a long one!)

I was going to write about my typical day, but each day during the week is almost totally different so I'm going to do a little week overview.  I have kind of a weekly schedule, mostly because I have certain things that have to be worked around...like tutoring and now adding in school for Kirby--which by the way I heard someone call home educating instead of home schooling and I must say, I like that so much better.  It has much less of a denim jumper, birkenstock and awkward children sound to it.  Anyway, back to my week.  Here's a basic schedule of what I do as of now...

Monday:

 In the morning I take my weekly trip to the market, a 5-8 minute bus ride or 20 minute walk away, to buy fresh meat, fruit and vegetables.  When I get back all fruits and vegetables must be specially washed (there is no regulation on the kinds of pesticides used and if they aren't used we usually have to wash away pests).  Also the meat usually has to be rinsed.  The small market I normally use only sells chicken (no I don't buy them live, although that is an option) and pork.  My helper helps with this because the shopping, washing and then prepping (we do a little then to make meals go quicker later on) could take about 4-5 hours total.  With her help it takes more like 2 and a half.  I also usually cook my chicken at this point since I do it in the pressure cooker.  I'll put in on, let it cook and then it's ready to be dealt with later.

Usually this all takes until lunch time.  I use the afternoon to catch up on kitchen tasks such as making baby food, granola, apple sauce, etc.  This keeps me pretty busy all day.  It's rare that there isn't anything that needs to be made.

I wash the bed and bathroom linens.

Bible study with some ladies after the boys go to bed.

Tuesday:

  In the morning I make my weekly trip to Walmart.  This is where I can buy all paper products, dry goods, toiletries and such.  If I need ground beef I can usually get it here, otherwise I have to go to the large market.  Side note: The large market is also where the small import store is, where we can buy cream cheese, whipping cream, mozzarella and a few other random things--I usually only try to go there once a month. Walmart takes most of the morning.

Stan and I now share a tutor and we both tutor on Tusday afternoons.  He from 1-3 and me from 3-5.  I plan to take my two hours of the boys napping and Stan tutoring for a little me time. :)

Wednesday:


Wednesday has no set schedule but this is the day Stan usually leaves to go out traveling and I also use it to run errands.  I'm hoping to start meeting and studying the Bible with a local friend in the afternoons.

I wash the boys clothes (usually 3 loads).

Thursday and Friday:


Each of these days I only have tutoring in the afternoons.
I wash my and Stan's clothes and any extras from the boys (usually 2 loads each day).


So you can see that my Monday and Tuesday are when I try to get most of the time intensive shopping done.  This is mostly because with Stan leaving on Wednesdays most weeks I like to have everything I need for meals already set.  It makes it so much easier on me when I'm on my own.  Well I'm not completely on my own since I do have a helper.  She does most of the household cleaning and helps me with meals.  And she helps with the boys a lot.  They love for her to sit outside with them while they play.  Even though we have a courtyard that is locked and they could not get out of on their own, I do feel much better with her out there making sure they aren't playing chicken on their bikes and stuff.  I really don't know what I would do with out her.  The shopping and cooking process takes so long that it's great to have a hand in that and it's nice to have help in cleaning.  I know if I was to try to do it all on my own there would be no time to spend with the boys, study language or get out to meet people. (I've seen this with other mothers here.)

So soon I will need to work into the week at least three days of school for Kirby (in September we will start 5 days a week).  Also, my quiet time and any exercise I want to get in must be done before 8 am, when the boys wake up.  Plus there are a few things that are done as needed, ordering/picking up milk at the milk store and baking bread (I have a bread machine so it's not much work on my part) just to give examples.

It's important to me to have at least twice a week where I steal a couple of hours for myself.  Also, I try to get out beyond my usual shopping places to just interact with people for language practice.  So there you go.  A lot of what I do isn't much different from if I were living in America.  The shopping process is different and longer and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be learning a new language but other than that things are pretty much the same.