With the rush and busyness of the first few days, which roll into weeks, it’s easy to lose sight of yourself and your needs. This can be compounded if you are also settling in your family to a new location, home and school.
In my book I highlight small changes you can make to ensure you are more comfortable in the first few weeks of the move.
“If you have a fully-furnished apartment [or house], add your own touches, even if it is just with small decorative items…contact your buddy or support groups to find out the best places to purchase household items. Many schools set this up as part of their induction programme.
A great option is to find second-hand items through classifieds placed on Google+ groups, Facebook groups, or via staff who are selling their belongings. Make your apartment feel at home as quickly as you can.” (Gosling, 2021, p.97).
August 2024 update: So what did I do? I indeed personalised my home! I bought in a floor mat for resting on, beanbag for the same reason. Being a huge fan of coffee, I bought my own machine. I investigated the local area and found a great second-hand book shop and am slowly building my collection up again. I also invested in a yoga mat and knee pads to continue with yoga and pilates. I hadn’t brought may items to personalise the property yet, but I will in time. I want to make sure I am secure here before bringing all my nik-naks across with me. My daughter brought with her all her familiar squishees and stationary and her room looks very personalised to her.
Early on I visited a thrift store to pick up some basics at cheap cut prices. I asked around where others had bought their electric items.
What did you do to make your ‘home’?
New to International Teaching with Jess Gosling 