Dear ones,
It’s Christmas morning, and as I sit here in our garden, under the warm Abuja sun, my thoughts are with all our loved ones far away. And as I think of the year gone by and summon up memories to share, I am smiling because all in all, it has been a good year.
The first half of the year was quite eventful and stressful. Gerard was in Nigeria, while we were in Rome. We also had all the trauma that comes with high school finals (we constantly asked ourselves if it was necessary for 17 year olds to have so much stress- was the IB worth it?). Then there was the stress of university applications and interviews and finally the excitement of receiving acceptances. Arhantika got accepted into both her top choices and went with her first choice, University of South Wales in Cardiff to study Photojournalism.
The months flew by and before we knew it, it was time to start packing for the move to Abuja. The last few weeks in Rome were fun. We had family and friends visit and they happily maneuvered their way between boxes, and never complained about having not enough chairs to sit on. In between the packing we did manage to get some good quality time together. We did some wonderful short trips in Italy, made beautiful memories, and in this way bade farewell for the second time to the Eternal city.
After a nice summer in India, we arrived in Abuja in August, our home for the next two years at least (fingers crossed). Gerard had done a great job of finding a house and so we had the luxury of going straight to our new home from the airport. We settled right in and felt at home from the start. We came with no expectations, and were very pleasantly surprised. Abuja with its broad, excellent roads, hyper marts that cater to every expat need, good schools and the friendliest of people, made us feel very at home, very quickly. What helped immensely is the compound we live in. A little piece of paradise, with lots of greenery, amenities of every kind and awesome neighbors. We knock on each other's door, drink chai, clink glasses of wine, borrow sugar, dance, laugh a lot and watch our children bike, swim, feed goats, kick balls and thrive. Life is simple, easy, uncomplicated... fulfilling.
While we enjoy our little piece of paradise, Arhantika is settling well into life in Cardiff. She is enjoying her course and though she has bouts of homesickness, she is doing well. She has coped well with the cold and cooking for herself and has impressed us with her budgeting skills. Seems like the little girl who could never account for any expense, has really come of age.
Ryeika and Neeira, have found it a little hard transitioning to a new school and system, but are staying positive and hoping they will figure out the American High school system before long. Liraya, still very much the baby of our family is growing too too fast. We all try desperately to press pause, but time just keeps turning. She has a very hectic social life that begins about 3 ½ minutes after the school bus drops her off. Thanks to her little gang of friends our house is always resounding with chatter and giggles (and sometimes screams), and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our girls are all taller, stronger and more tanned than ever before, testimony to the glorious African sunshine and fresh air that we are privileged to breathe in every day.
The girls also have a new playmate ‘Taliya’, the cutest Lhasa Apso puppy this side of the equator:) She was Ryeika’s early Christmas present and in the few weeks she has been with us, has already stolen our hearts and brought a new kind of zing to our home.
So what started out as a tough year for us, did morph into a pretty good one and we are thankful as always to you our parents, siblings, family, and friends who are like family, who make life amazing and worth it. You are the reason we can move on from all the nastiness, the horror, the sadness and the pettiness that seems to have gripped so much of our world this year. You help us find the good that’s out there and you turn our ordinary mundane life into something glorious and beautiful. You remind us to be proud of the little things we achieve, for indeed not everything we do has to be life changing. No matter, whether you pushed us, or pulled us, drained us or fuelled us, you are part of our growth and for this, we thank you.
This Christmas we wish you all love and peace. We hope you stand strong, face any adversity with grit and find happiness and laughter all the year through. May the spirit of Christmas shine through us all much after Christmas has passed. And in the New Year, let us all shake the dust of our souls, choose with no regrets, see beyond the imperfections and grab opportunities. Let us also not close our eyes to intolerance and indifference. Let us all just try to live a simple uncomplicated life.
And as for us, we are not sure if the happier we are the more we dance, or the more we dance the happier we are. Either way, considering the many parties here in Abuja and Cardiff, looks like no matter what, we will be dancing in 2018.
Keep in touch. Come visit.
Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year
Gerard, Sanchita, Arhantika, Ryeika, Neeira and Liraya
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