nyc: one month as a local

we arrived in nyc on july 1st to live here for the month.  this is our month-long cross-cultural training before we head overseas.  we have a sub-leased apartment in astoria (queens) and are here to be a local for a month - submersed in the culture(s) around us, serving local churches, studying language acquisition skills, etc.  we have been unbelievably busy, but i'll blog a couple of entries to catch you up and then try to blog more regularly while we're here.

a stroller, toddler and all the gear that comes with a toddler were quite the challenge as we learned to navigate our community, the subway, buses and manhattan in general.  while accustomed to urban life in boston, it is radically different here.  in boston, we drive our car to the city.  while used to the commuter rail and the T in boston - it is never with a stroller laden with gear to make it through the whole day.  but now...we feel like pros :)  we have a well-oiled system and function rather smoothly (considering one of us doing the lifting is pregnant)!

unfortunately, jude would often rather walk and push his own stroller than be pushed in it.  this would work out well if i could fit in his stroller, because being 5-months pregnant in this heat, i would love to be pushed around the city in a stroller. :)

jude is adjusting - he's been sleeping in a pack-n-play since we left boston at the end of may.  this is our 6th house to live in since we left.  with all the traveling, flights, new places, new people, new sounds, etc. he has been such a trooper.  but he's had some difficulty with naps, night terrors, and throwing some tantrums. but overall, i'm really proud on him - i know it's a hard season on him too.  but it's fun seeing him make little friends here with other families' kids as he is in childcare with them every day.

more to come!