Although I hated to leave Perth (and want to go back there as soon as possible... hahaha) Damascus has a lot to offer too.
With an expatriate community of a little over 100 families the school is quite small, but personal. Adriaan remains in the English stream this schoolyear (just started in group 5) and Doortje is going to the Dutch stream (just started group 4). We made the decision for Doortje to go to the Dutch stream so Adriaan and her wouldn't be in the same combination class again (definitely a down side of a small school!). Doortje sees this as a challenge and according to her teacher she's not behind in reading/spelling and math's in Dutch at all.
Juliette goes to 'de Paddestoel', a playschool for 2-4 year olds, 3 mornings a week.
Boris and Bea, our cats, didn't have to go in quarantine and settled in well. They have become much more domesticated and don't venture out much.
In our garden (we have a bottom floor appartment) we have tortoises. We didn't put them there... they just live 'in the wild' here.
And we have inherited CAAF, a guinea pig, from one of Doortjes friends who left for Holland a few weeks ago.
Socially this is quite a nice place to be as there are so 'few' expat families a lot of things get organised to keep everyone happy. There are sports tournements (for adults and kids), there's "happy hour" every Thursday (last working day of the week over here) on the roof of the Shell Club, there are organised sight seeing trips with the 'wives' etc. etc. etc.
Above is a picture at Happy Hour on the roof of the Shell club, when the school had their 'end of year' performance.
Highlight sofar is the Suq. A very large ancient (over 2000 years old) shopping mall. Roman pillars are still in place to make it more authentic!
We won't be bored I think.
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