Complications

One would think that moving to the Bahamas would be somewhat simpler than moving to Ukraine. No language barrier, a general similarity of cultures, etc. It turns out that this logic would be incorrect. It’s becoming clear that it is infinitely more difficult to move our little family to Nassau than we had anticipated.

I guess I do need to point out that we did not have to move Laika (who is the most lovable bane of our existence ever) to Kyiv, and that makes all the difference. Because commercial airlines will not fly pets when the temperature rises above 85 degrees (F). And one of the reasons we wanted to go to Nassau is – you guessed it – it’s over 85 degrees for most of the year. Shawn has spoken to several people at the Embassy in Nassau, who have all been wonderfully helpful and the only reason that I’m holding it together at all. It turns out that we’re going to have to charter a flight from Florida to Nassau. That’s right – charter a flight. Yes, I realize how completely ridiculous that sounds. No, this is not anything I ever imagined we would do. (I also realize that this is going to further the notion that some people may have that we are elitist snobs. But seriously, people, it’s this or leave our dog behind and homeless.)

I also want to point out that as exciting as it sounds to charter our own flight, we also have to get ourselves to Florida for said flight. Which means 16 hours of driving with a dog that howls, whines, scratches, and makes sounds (and sometimes smells) that should never come out of a living creature. So what could have been as simple as a nonstop flight to our next post will now be turned into a 2-day ordeal. And don’t even get me started on the fact that we’re arriving in the middle of hurricane season…