Settling down in cold Kiel, Germany

June 2021:

We were thankful that it was approaching summer when we first arrived in Kiel. Having said that, as Kiel is in the northern tip of Germany, its temperature is much more similar to that of the Scandinavian countries as compared to the other southern parts of Germany, like Munich. It felt like going around in air-conditioned places and that was really comfortable for us. It took us awhile to get used to the cold and Emma was well prepared for the cold.

P.s. Thank god for Primark so we could stock up on jackets, sleeved tops and pants!

Soon, it became warmer and this girl could finally wear her summer-Singapore clothes - onesies, sleeveless tops, and shorts! Don't we all love this girl's thighs hahahahahhaa

Settling down was more than just getting used to the temperature and erratic weather here - sunny one moment, and pouring in another. We only had a few luggage worth of items to get by for a month before our shipment arrived. It definitely didn't help that Emma was going through a leap during this period. Not only was she getting separation anxiety, she was extremely clingy and it was really tough going about our daily lives. She needed to be close to us every single moment, couldn't sit on her stroller (as if there were spikes on the seat!!) and she couldn't nap well too (transiting her from 3 to 2 naps a day). Moreover, we did not have a floor mat and she was getting ready to crawl. It was hard seeing her crawling, and falling on the hard floor :(

We were really really thankful to be living in this apartment building because there were other Singaporean families here and they were so quick to help! Without them, I have no idea how I would have survived with the minimal amount of things I had. Their help also allowed me to learn how to live the German life a lot quicker - what shops to go to, what apps to download, where to find xxx and xxx! I am really grateful to a wife who cooked me meals, passed me a floor mat and MANY MANY toys for me to entertain Emma with. With these items, Emma could crawl properly, play on her own (for a while, and that's sufficient for a breather) and give me the time to cook, or just relax!

When our shipment came after a month of painful wait, we could finally set up our house! I was surprised that we could unpack, and pack (into the specific places at home) so quickly - in a day - and neatly! I guess, having a kid around meant working efficiently and speedily while she naps.

When everything was in place, it started to feel a lot more like home :") Did I also mention that this little girl has the luxury of her own queen bed, while the parents have to squeeze on another queen bed?! We decided to not get bed frames because (1) Emma might fall off the bed, and (2) we would want her to sleep close to us, so sleeping on the floor would have been the best option we have! Not to forget that we could save some money by not buying the bed frames!

As a result of sleeping beside Emma all the time, we love taking pictures of her sleeping! She looks super blissful!

Now that we are here for almost 6 months, this pretty much feels like home (it better, right?!) and I am really thankful for this rare opportunity to be able to live abroad with this girl, experiencing the 4 seasons, which Singapore doesn't offer, living the German life and most importantly, watching her grow up every single day and be there for her :")