Unexpected

For the most part, we have had a great time over here. For me, the transition has not been a big deal. There are some minor annoyances like the lack of basic supplies (brown sugar and corn syrup to name a few) and amenities (like public bathrooms at stores/parks), but for the most part these annoyances are superficial. I am learning to respect differences in culture and refining my skills of open mindedness and flexibility. 

The stresses of moving and living in a different culture have not been so easy for Van. He has had a really hard time adjusting, and has begun to show more outward signs of his stress. Instead of looking at all the cool things that we get to do here he tends to focus on what he misses in the U.S. Seeing the differences is easier for him than seeing the similarities. Not a day goes by that he doesn't talk about Maka and how much he misses him. After much deliberation on different ways that Jared and I could help him deal and work through the things that challenge him, we decided to get him a puppy. Studies show that pets, particularly dogs, help reduce anxiety and build self esteem.

"Unlike people, with whom our interactions may be quite complex and unpredictable, animals provide a constant source of comfort and focus for attention. Animals bring out our nurturing instinct. They also make us feel safe and unconditionally accepted. We can just be ourselves around our pets."
According to wikipedia:

A 2007 meta-analysis found that animal-assisted therapy is associated with moderate effect sizes in improving outcomes in medical difficulties, behavioral problems, and emotional well-being.

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  Increase verbal interactions among group members.
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  Increase attention skills (i.e., paying attention, staying on task).
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  Develop leisure/recreation skills.
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  Increase self-esteem.
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  Reduce anxiety.
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  Reduce loneliness.

We have been hesitant to get a dog here because we already have a dog we had to leave in the US. Maka is an integral part of our family. A couple of years ago, Maka was attacked by a Pit Bull and almost died. Since then, he is very selective about which dogs he gets along with, and we didn't want to surprise him with another dog upon arrival home in 2 years. When we return home he will be almost 9 years old, and we were not sure how he would handle to addition to our family. We knew that a big dog was out of the question. So even though I have an intrinsic dislike of small dogs, we knew it was our only hope.

We took Van and Ava to the Vernasage Market to play with the puppies. Seeing the absolute joy on their faces was a nail in the coffin for our decision. We knew we would be getting a puppy. Of the dogs there, there were 3 breeds that we were interested in, so we came home to do some internet research on which one would be the best suited for our family. We decided to get the cute little snowball puppy, the Bichon Frise. We also decided that the Shih Tzu would be our second choice. (There were not a whole lot to choose from.) We went back to Vernasage the next day with our good friend Nune. With her there to translate and barter for us we new we would get a much better deal. We were all so excited until we got there and discovered both puppies we were interested in had been sold!! There was however a tiny little black miniature poodle. I'll be honest. I've never liked poodles, and Jared swore up and down he would never own one. But Nune has 2 poodles and told us all about how great they are. They are in the top 3 smartest dogs. They are completely hypo-allergenic because they don't shed at all. They are easy to house train (unlike the Bishon Frise, which was our only hesitation with wanting one) and are very loyal. Add to that, the kids were completely in love with him. Needless to say, we are now the proud owners of a 5 week old male poodle named "Pepper."

Van and his puppy! Don't ask why they sold us a male dog with a bow in his hair!

Pepper, sitting in a Frisbee!