First Week at School

After moving in and an IKEA delivery or two (see our children put to work below), last Monday brought our "orientation day" at school. All new children and their parents are invited to meet their teacher and spend an hour or so, finding out anything and everthing about the school and their class and it is an opportunity to ask questions. They also get to meet each other and Adam met one new girl and two new boys in his class and Hannah met the two new girls, one of whom she already seems to be becoming good friends with. For the parents, it is an opportunity to meet and swap names and phone numbers too.

On Tuesday it was the first day of term. With Adam and Hannah dressed in their new school uniform, we headed out to the front of our condo to meet the school bus. It arrives around 7.55 - ugh! 5 to 8 sounds so much more civilised. I had originally arranged to go on the school bus with them for the first morning, but when Hannah realised I would be the only mother, she said I was just to wave. We expected a last minute about turn on this decision, but the bus pulled up and they leapt on and waved to us as the bus "auntie" ensured they were strapped in and the bus departed. This was an unexpectedly brave move and we were so impressed!

Yes, those are white shorts that Adam is wearing. I can only assume that whoever thought white shorts was a good idea for infant and junior boys had an army of maids to clean them.

There are 5 other children from this condo of various ages going on the same bus.

At 3.20 (more or less) the bus returns and drops them all off and they arrived back with beaming faces having had a lovely day. They have continued to have a great time all week and, as we don't go to the school and have any opportunity to meet the teachers to ask any little questions etc, every day the children bring home an "communication" book. In this, we can write comments or questions and the teachers write back. Hannah's teacher has given daily feedback this week and thinks that she has made a good and confident start. Adam seems to be doing fine too, and has a teacher who has an excellent reputation amongst the parents. So far, so good.

Hannah has already been invited to two birthday parties, the first of which was after school yesterday (Friday). She had a marvellous time and when I dropped her off, she rushed off with one of her new friends without as much as a glance back at me.

Because of the school buses, we don't get to meet the other parents at the school gate, but there seems to be an active "class mum" for each class who produces a contact list of all parents to help with parties and play dates etc and also organises a few social get togethers so we can all meet up. I met about 4 of the mums from Hannah's class at the party collection time and they all seemed very friendly, plus, I have two coffee mornings to attend next week - it's a tough life!

Well, both children have had their first Mandarin lessons and Hannah, in particular, was excited about hers and told me 3 words that she could remember (1, 2 and dog - an interesting combination, but I'm sure it made more sense in the context of the class!).

Hannah has her first school swimming lesson next week and can't wait, as her swimming has come on beyond belief since arriving here. From a girl who needed armbands and would dip her face in the water but had limited confidence, she can now swim without armbands. She can do a few metres on her back and front, jump in, float and swim underwater. Last Thursday she mastered diving down and doing a handstand on the bottom!

As for us, well, on Wednesday morning after dropping them off at the school bus, we booked a tennis court for an hour. The court nearest our block is in the shade until around 8.55 which is pretty much prefect, but even so early and in the shade, it was surprisingly hot . By the time we finished, I believe I was a fairly unattractive shade of purple. Meanwhile, David had a shower and changed and then headed off to the office and still arrived around 9.40. It seems so expat, tennis before work - but if we have to get up so early for school, we may as well make the most of it!