Its hard for me to acknowledge that we've actually been here 16 weeks (and a day) and we only have either 7 weeks plus a couple days or 9 weeks left here! I can really appreciate how long 6 months is (or isn't) now. It really has flown by and I know the last ones will as well. I feel kind of anxious in saying that 'cause there is still so much more we gotta do!!
I will be honest and tell you that our "sabbatical" isn't 100% what we had envisioned it to be ... its still great don't get me wrong, but its just different. We love the school we chose for the kids but it has taken up way more time, energy and stress than we had anticipated! So if we decide to embark on this adventure again next year I am thinking of putting them in a different school. If we were to live here full time and this was our home and education system we soley relied on, Colegio Ingles would be our choice. But, being here 6 out of the 10 school months, and wanting to experience more than just good education, our kids have a lot of expectations put on them ... which ultimately it puts on us as well. Let me give you a couple of examples.
The first day back after our trip to Canada, we were told Hunter had to do an oral report on any topic he wanted. He had to create a board describing his topic with words, pictures and whatever he wanted and then had to write a 5 line "speach" on his topic. So, we went and bought some bristle board, he decided on HOCKEY and Jay who was still in Regina brought back Hunter's recent hockey medal and some printed pictures of Sydney Crosby, hockey rinks and skates. Hunter wrote a speach ... thank goodness we missed the Spanish oral report making this English one a cinch! The board looked awesome and he was so excited to share it with his classmates! He was confident and prepared ~ and pulled off a 9.8/10!!
The next week we were informed there was a school wide expo (similar to our science fair/Mosaic back home) and Hunter's class - which is taught by a Spanish only speaking teacher - chose "technology in the past and in the future". He was assigned the "first computer" and had to find out who invented it and when, build a replica out of recyclable products and memorize 4 or 5 lines (in Spanish) telling about this computer.
We whipped up a computer out of old boxes and studied his lines for 3 nights straight. He read it aloud to his Papa nightly and to my surprise and sense of pride he had it memorized!! We were under the impression he would have to recite it to his classmates however when we got to the school that Friday morning we soon found out it was in front of alot more people than that. When it was their turn, there were about 50 parents standing in front of their exhibit and each child took a turn to talk about their creation.
Hunter was third and I will never forget the look on his face. He was sweating (their class was on the stage in the palapa and it was HOT! Plus he had to wear black dress pants, a white tshirt, white lab coat and swimming goggles!), he was trying his best not to let tears fall down his flushed cheeks and he was biting his lip ~ all while not taking his eyes off of me. I kept repeating that he could do it, he had done it that morning and that is was all ok. I could have have died for him. After what felt like hours of him standing there not speaking a word his teacher encouraged the next kid to go. He stood their so brave but as soon as the attention was onto the other side of the exhibit he ran into my arms and started to bawl. He told me he failed cause he couldn't do it and he felt so dumb. After a few minutes he calmed down and agreed to recite it to me. He did awesome. After the class was done he reluctantly recited it to his teacher ... she smiled and gave him a big hug. I let him leave after that!!
So that was the last week of January. Yesterday we were informed that a note had been past out while we were away that each kid had to chose a poem and memorize it for Friday! Hunter's eyes got huge and his mouth hung open ... the teachers laughed and all I could think was "are you kidding me?!!?". So, they agreed that he could do it in English rather than Spanish and that it had to be 16 lines long. We are talking about grade two!!!
So, I searched the internet but couldn't find one that stood out so I made one up on my own. He wasn't thrilled about the poem, but I think he wasn't thrilled about the whole thing period. He and Jay went over it last night a few times and we'll have to work on it tonight til he gets it. Seriously, I dread opening up his homework book Mondays through Thursdays! And to be honest, we don't usually do a lot of the Spanish homework cause by the time its brought home he doesn't know what he's to do and I of course have no clue either! We do attempt the math ... usually its problem solving (written in Spanish) and multiplication, addition and subtraction. In grade two they are doing 546+892, 1837-859 and 349x96! He can handle the addition and subtraction with carrying/borrowing but hadn't even learned the basic multiplication yet! I should see if I can quickly get my BEd while here.
Emy has had homework every night as well but at least her's is basic and not too time consuming! Every other day its Spanish which I just translate online and do the best we can do! She doesn't seem too worried. In fact, she often tells me she can do the translation for me. Yeah right!
As our time dwindles down here I am becoming less and less concerned as far as the education goes. I know Hunter is doing well beyond what they are doing in grade two at home and as far as I'm concerned, for him to be excited to attend school - Spanish and English - and attempt to do the homework and learning and memorizing he is far ahead of the game. Even though he won't be anywhere near fluent he has absorbed some and has learned life skills, has gained significant confidence and acquired ungradeable experiences. To me that is what this adventure is all about. Does take up a lot of time though!!
We have decided that the kids' last day of school will be March 31. They initially were to be finished April 15 for the 2 week Easter break but we are likely heading home 2 weeks earlier so we are giving them time to just "vacation" before we head back.
Our day to day routines haven't changed a whole big bunch but we feel more relaxed and confident in our schedule. The kids are always ready to go at 7am, we have the uniform days figured out and we have befriended a skinny, friendly, ear-sticky-outie paper boy on the corner we turn to the school and either give him fruit or pesos every day. Jay is now working strictly from home but goes to the resort when needed so it's nice to hang with him.
We went to Isla Mujeres last weekend to hang with our dear friends from home for 2 days and a night. It is absolutely beautiful there and definitely has a different feel than Playa. We had a blast just hanging on the beach catching up and watching our kids play with their buddies! The last several days there has also been a large large crew from Bethune staying here for a friends 40th. We have really gotten to know this amazing group and hope to spend lots and lots of time with them back home come May! Then, Probes come from Isla on Saturday to stay with us until Wednesday, my parents come on the 9th for a week, a friend from Texas on the 10th, staff all throughout March and we are going to Guadelejara on April 9th for a national soccer match!
With friends and family here and lots of activities planned, our remaining time will slip away quickly. We are not sure if we will continue this adventure next November or just return for holidays like years past. We will play it by ear and whatever choice we make will be just fine with me. There are pros and cons to both ... but either way, I know we will never forget these past several months. We have grown, we have cried, screamed, hugged, learned, loved, explored, watched, adjusted, wondered, laughed, toured, entertained, dreamed and lived. Home sick or not, these make it all worth it - what we have gained is priceless and I remind myself daily that my friends and family back home will always be there .... but I am so excited to spend spring/summer and fall with them!!! xoxox
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