Why?
Well, there are many reasons for our decision to leave, but ultimately it is for us. We want to travel to as many countries as possible, to see and experience everything we can, that isn't possible if you stay in one place! Jason has a promotion in the next school and I also have a job, leading to more money which will help tremendously.
So where to?
Qatar. Here there will be a lot more freedom, I can drive there, no abaya, the odd glass of wine - all selling points in our decision! The school we are going to looks great - for Jason from a career point of view but also for the kids. They are far more equipped, with extra curricular activities, school trips etc etc. These are the things I have missed most about where we are right now. I want our children to have the best possible opportunities we can give them, and yes traveling the world is giving them an amazing insight into life, but there are other things they need. Things that they would get if we were to be in the UK. And I am hoping this next place will give them that.
So how??
With military precision!!!! We took the job offer back in February. That now seems like a million miles away from where we are now. In between it all we have had a lot of setbacks!
Firstly the car - we took the car out on a lease-hire, with the understanding we could return the car at any point. And now this may bare some truth, it is not the whole truth! We CAN return the car, but with a penalty of 50,000 SAR (approx 8000 gbp!) That is on top of all the payments already made! Bearing in mind we have only had the car just under a year, that is one heck of a hire price by any means! So after many arguments with the bank, to no avail, we have been rescued. We are now able to buy the car outright and export it to Qatar. So another job!!
Buying the car - hats a lot of paperwork and takes about 2 weeks of changing the ownership etc. But with that all now done it is just the export papers which we shall collect the day before we export as once the plates have been changed you only have 72 hours to get it out of the country!
So getting the car out of the country. Well some people do ship their cars, but we have decided to drive, that way we can pack most of our things into the car and take it all at the same time. So Wednesday morning me and Jason are to embark on our 14 hour drive across the border to Qatar. We will get to see the school we are going to as well as the new country and perhaps even have a beer!!!!!
The logistics of packing is somewhat hectic! I have had to pack the things we are taking to Qatar, the things we are taking to the UK in the summer, as well as organise the things we are selling and the things that are staying! My head is a constant mash of lists at the moment! But by Saturday most of those lists can be diminished as a huge portion of this stuff will be done - just got to survive that long!
Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork!!!! Everything is about paperwork! Jason's end of contract - which includes signatures from all hospital departments, sorting out his final pay - which is easier said than done and has taken some serious persuasion! Exit visas for our trip and then final exit visas to leave. Juggling money, to make sure we have enough for the summer and enough to take to Qatar, to make sure we have enough for bills over the summer and enough to pay bills here before we leave.
More lists are appearing in my battered brain by the second!
The key is to keep calm! HA! I'm not so good at that, but this is a lesson, this is teaching me that I can't hurry things and that things will inevitably work out as long as we follow the path and in 5 weeks we will be sat in my Dad's garden drinking beer and eating a bacon sandwich! And by that point all my lists will have disappeared, they would have been checked and crossed off and all this little time consuming jobs will be done and what will be will be!
However before all that we have a party to have! The customary Ma'salama party. Only ours with a slight twist, a street party, a Mardi Gras! A culmination of many cultures all rolled into one! Middle Eastern, Mexican, South African, British!
It is hard work, but there is fun to be had in between, and all the hard work is worth it, just look at what we are doing. Look at what we are seeing and experiencing! We would have the same level of stress in the UK, just for different reasons and only grey clouds and rain to look at outside. Here are stresses have a purpose, they take us somewhere and the sun is always shining!
Qatar - brace yourselves - The Lloyd Family are on their way!
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