Getting there slowly

The last couple of days have been pretty hectic with things and people arriving to get the apartment ship shape. The new (much smaller) chairs and sofas turned up so we can sit comfortably. They look lovely though we now need some tables to put drinks on as they look a bit marooned in the middle of the room. I would say it looks like a furniture show room but round here it's hard to see the furniture in the shops as it is all weighted down with bowls, fake flowers and all manner of coverings!
The dining table and chairs also came yesterday so we could probably host a dinner party.
Our air freight arrived from Manchester which was fabulous, having some things from home. The only casualty were three wine goblets which looked as though they'd had a good kicking and were reduced to glass splinters. However, I am really impressed with Crown Relocations as it only took about 18 days to get the stuff to us and everything else is in good shape. We have our wedding presents, some books and other bits and pieces and our wedding album and digital frame. Most impressive is the Bose iPod dock that we bought with our John Lewis vouchers, the sound is amazing and it saved having to bring loads of CDs with us.
All of the DVDs arrived safely with nothing impounded - though it looked as though 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' had received a good check over and had lost its cover. Milan Kundera was seen as subversive in Soviet times but I'm surprised it would be viewed that way now. Perhaps it was just the one they chose to check out!
The only thing that was due to turn up yesterday which didn't was the washing machine. Apparently when they said Tuesday they meant between 7 and 9pm rather than during the day - an easy mistake to make coming from a country where Tuesday would have meant 9am to 5pm! Anyway by the time it was due to arrive I was going out with John to have dinner with the MIT people so it's been rearranged for delivery on Thursday instead. So it's back to the laundry for now!
We had a very convivial dinner with the three visitors from MIT who were charming and are clearly impressed with what John is doing so far. The Senior Admin Head was also very empathetic about the situation of Faculty wives, at home on their own in a foreign country. Once Ramadan is over I might see if I can't take on some pastoral duties as the Provost's wife and arrange a lunch or coffee for the wives to see how we can support each other more.
The isolation is certainly the hardest thing, especially when you're used to rushing to work every day and spending time with colleagues and clients. Suddenly being alone all day with just a computer and delivery men for company can be a little trying. Hopefully I'll soon have more of a network and people to talk to about work, or just the triumphs and trials of setting up home and building a new life a long way from home. John has a demanding schedule with endless meetings, long hours and quite a lot of dinners and when he does get home he is naturally keen to relax. I hope to be more supportive and less demanding as I get used to things. Tomorrow I plan to visit a couple of gyms and to make contact with a dance studio and running club so that should provide some human interaction.
Anyway enough moaning! On the whole it's an exciting new adventure and no doubt I'll have more than just the furniture to talk to soon.