I now live in a house for the first time since I turned 18!
Day 27-28 (Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th December)
13.12.2008
Yes I am brave enough to tell the news now… Matt and I found a place to live last week, and we moved in on Friday night (12th). I like to call it the Barbie Dream House. Apparently it used to be an inoffensive pale colour, but a couple of weeks ago the owners (our neighbours) overheard Brie and Kitu (the couple who we are sharing with) talking about the shabby point job, and then they came home a couple of days later to an unmistakeably pink house. Since it has a green roof… and bright pink and green curtains… you can imagine the effect. The place is redeemed (in my eyes) because (a) it is cute (b) I have no inner house designer, I kind of like eccentric things and pink, and (c) it has gorgeous tiles, of the kind which are seen in many houses here, which I had hoped we would get in a house.
The place has two bedrooms, a loungeroom, kitchen and dining area, two bak mandis (Indonesian style bathroom), and best of all, a lovely verandah and vegie garden and a DOG! Oh and Brie and Kitu are pretty nice too. 
The dog is called Brit, or Britney Spears – apparently the only Western name the neighbour’s kids could handle. She is black with tan accents (paws, eyebrows ha, stripe on forehead) and looks a bit like my old blue heeler, Belle, except for the colour. She has a similarly sooky temperament too.
No airconditioner – but that will soon be remedied – and no backup generator (d’oh!) but it’s lovely… and we can afford it! So hurrah. After four years in college and 5 years in apartments, it’s nice to live in a house again.
In other adventurous news
Matt and I bought bikes this week. (Did you hear that? That was the sound of my parents guffawing all the way from Lismore.) Ohhh dear. I am a bit wobbly but I will get used to it. The problem is, I’ve never ridden in traffic before – like, ever. So I am rather concerned about cars, motorbikes, UN four wheel drives etc. And Timor traffic, well there aren’t really traffic lights, roundabouts, or street directions in any abundance. The traffic just kind of flows like water. And everyone seems to understand where it is going, except wobbly little me. I suppose if I had a bike that was the right size, it would be easier, but I figured I would have to get used to riding anyway, and a bike in the right size was unlikely (as with everything, the range of choice in bikes is small here).
Also, Matt cut my hair today and it looks marvellous. No really. I suppose when we’re back in Australia he might gracefully retire and I might go back to $85 haircuts. But I am happy with it (and still love having short hair).
OK that's enough for now. Off to enjoy living in a house and not out of a suitcase, as have been for the last six weeks. :D
Posted by timortimes 22:32
It must be nice to suddenly feel so settled, especially with the dog! I imagine that you are dealing with squat toilets - I never got the hang of them when I was overseas and always ended up in a bit of a state, but I imagine once you have the knack they are all good. So, what do you miss from here? Common things seem to be lime cordial, twisties, cadbury chocolate.... and your hair is short.... how short is short? that is exciting must be heaps cooler. Good luck with the bike riding - maybe you might progress onto a motor bike in due course
by little h