Now, this has happened to me several times in my life: I’m so focused on reaching a goal date, as happened here with moving halfway across the world that I forget to plan for what happens after. Here is how it played out for us:
A temporary place to stay
We knew we were going to stay with Pieter’s family (David and Ilse) first while looking for a place to rent, so at least we had that part covered. We didn’t have jobs lined up, no transportation, and only the clothes and other items we were able to fit in our luggage. Our half a container of stuff was still sitting in a warehouse somewhere in Cape Town. I was feeling a little bit lost and it was a very foreign feeling, to say the least.
At least we weren’t alone
We were very fortunate to have family that could take us in and guide us a bit. David and Ilse was (and continue to be) a great help in not only letting us stay with them but also in giving us some much-appreciated tips on everyday life in the USA!
First on the list was getting our own place
David saw an available rental house close by. The owner was looking for a nice family to rent it to. That’s us, right? We met with him, and even without a US credit or rent history, he took a chance on us. We signed the lease papers and felt like we were off to a good start. We had two weeks before we could move in, but since we didn’t have anything to move into the house yet, the actual move wasn’t going to be a big deal at all.
Next on the list – Social Security Cards and Driver’s Licenses
So, this was a little of a chicken-egg situation. We needed a GA driver’s license to get our social security cards, but we needed the Social Security Cards to get a driver’s license. We were able to make it work in the end, but it took some of Pieter’s creative planning to get it all done.
Speaking of driver’s licenses: I guess I should tell you that I failed my GA driver’s license exam (!!!). This, obviously, created unparalleled hours of entertainment to Pieter and the kids and continue to be brought up from time to time especially since both kids now have their driving permits.
I didn’t study or even look at the study guide while waiting in line that day (mainly because I didn’t know about the study guide and already considered myself an expert driver). That was embarrassing, to say the least. Pieter passed his exam (of course) and I went home with the study guide. We went back the next day for me to retake the test. Soon after, we took the driving part of the test and at least I passed that on the first try! Told you I was an expert driver!
We felt like we were off to a great start! Continue reading We Arrived – Now What? Part 2.
gariesgirl.com 
One thought