Now that we are settled into our new home, Alexis and Reid are learning what it means to live like Aussie kids. They have noticed that it is normal for kids (and adults) to walk around with no shoes on. Whether we are in the grocery shoe, the post office, the bank or a café, it seems to be totally acceptable to go barefoot. Alexis has made it her mission to get tough feet so that she too can walk around with no shoes on. Reid is not there yet, he gets very bothered when he gets a single grain of sand in his shoes.

Part of being an Aussie kid is learning to talk like an Aussie. Alexis and Reid have been picking up on new phrases and practising the accent (they have not picked up an accent as of yet!).

Other ‘Aussie kid’ activities include jumping the waves while wearing a wetsuit…at least in Torquay wetsuits are necessary due to the icy cold water. It took a few visits to the beach, but both kids are getting much more comfortable in the ocean…as long as it is only knee deep! We have also spend much time perfecting our sand castle building skills as well as writing huge letters in the sand and watching them disappear as the waves wash up on shore.

In addition to adapting to Aussie life, Alexis and Reid have been filling their days with activities like playing at the park, playing dress up, going on hikes (and avoiding the snakes with the help of Reid and his stick), going on bike rides and celebrating Shane’s birthday.

But probably the most exciting thing for them is to check the mailbox for mail from home…especially from Oma, Opa and Auntie Allison.

Our time in Ocean Grove is over and we have decided to move to a small coastal town called Torquay. It is known for its fantastic surfing beaches, the world famous Bells Beach that hosts the annual Rip Curl Pro where surfers from all over the world come to compete and it is the birthplace of the iconic brands, Rip Curl and Quiksilver. Torquay is also the beginning of the Great Ocean Road, considered one of the most beautiful coastal drives in Australia. The population of Torquay is somewhere around 10,000 but can often double or even triple in the summer months as it is a popular vacation destination. It is a big change from Toronto, but we are happy to try something new. Who knows, maybe we will even learn to surf! Along with choosing a more permanent place to live, comes the challenge of finding a rental property and furnishing it. We found a 3 bedroom house, located close to the school that Alexis will attend next year as well as walking distance to the beach. We signed a lease and quickly learned that renting a property includes having to purchase your own washer, drier and refrigerator, some major expenses we did not plan for! We shopped around for furniture and found ourselves at Ikea as well as a few garage sales and a salvation army thrift store.

We are getting settled into our new home now, getting used to a small town where traffic is never an issue, there are no line ups for anything, anywhere at anytime, everything closes by 4:30 and not a soul can seen out past 7pm! It is beautiful here, the kids love their new rooms as well as the court that we live on. It makes for a great spot to bike and throw a ball. But the best part is probably the incredible scenery as we play at the park and enjoy the outdoors.