June 18, 2015 - Hello, Again / School's Out Part 1

Oh My!  It would appear that I have abandoned my new year's resolution to blog more often.  Ugh.  I'm so sorry.  I actually really love writing blogs, but the past few months have been tough over here and it's no fun to just write what I feel are constant complaints.  Kristoffer has travelled a lot this year,  and every time he travels the children (all of them) get sick!  When he traveled in May I think I was at the clinic 7 out of 8 days in a row at one point.  And it is peak malaria season so we're a little bit over-sensitive to fevers and headaches, I would say.  In addition to the travel and the sickness, Aya is still pretty miserable at night.  Although last night she slept for 10 hours straight and one time a couple of weeks ago she did 9 hours.  That is a big deal in this house!  And throughout much of this there was a poisonous snake infestation on our compound, and there were broken air conditioners and cars and water pumps. So in summary, I've been exhausted and when I'm really exhausted it also makes me more homesick for America and my family and access to all of the modern/developed-world conveniences that I miss.  We are not roughing it over here, by any means, but I get a little down-in-the-dumps about East Africa when there is a run of things not going well.  So I'm sorry for my absence and would like to say HELLO, again.

These days we are already on summer holiday.  The kids finished up last week.  First, it was Grace's turn.  She had a fantastic class party, which was also a little sad because it was a very "together" group of kindergartners who had a great year under a truly phenomenal teaching team.  We will miss Miss Amanda and Miss Nsia so much next year.  The day after the class party was her last day of school.  So hard to believe our 6-year-old will be in "Grade 1" next year!  

Grace's class "Got Talent" show...she got an award for best smile!

 Our carpool crew!

Party Picnic!

 Hey...this one looks a wee bit young for KG!

Last Day:

Years down the line, when I think of Grace at age 6 having had this wonderful first year of formal school at IST in Dar es Salaam, this is the picture I will always remember. 

LMW

January 13, 2013 - The Big K

In August, Grace will start Kindergarten.  This blows my mind.  The pretty formal (and expensive) kindergarten application I submitted to the International School of Tanganyika one week ago also blew my mind.  And then when I got there and actually walked around the campus to see the pool, the gym, the classroom buildings...well, I was done for.  Admissions permitting, she will be in a school with an actual campus that looks more like a mini-university than any kindergarten I've seen at home.  It seems so surreal.  Our girl, who is more or less a big fish in the Nordic School pond she attends now, will be a very small fish in what might as well be an ocean!  

The kindergarten has a good reputation, and is a more American-system of education; she will also be with or near many other children she knows from pre-school in a very diverse environment.  Our drop-offs and pick-ups will now be at two different schools in different parts of town (newborn in tow, I suspect...but then again, we have Rose!) so logistically life will be more complicated.  But she is sooooo ready for it.  She talks about going to the "Little IST" (since Mama works at the "Big IST" - secondary campus) pretty often, even though I don't think she has ANY idea what it will be like.  I think we'll take her for a visit soon actually.

Even though we're not "in" yet (fingers crossed!  It is competitive, but my employment at the school and our diplomatic status should have us at the top of the list...) I have to start processing/writing about it now because I think when the time comes it will be a hugely emotional transition for all of us (or maybe just me?) and I have to get ready for it!

LMW