Well, once again to pick up from last blog, the sickness has continued. Lucas didn't go back to school on the Monday as he had diarrhea and vomitting all that week-end. He finally started on the Wednesday. It was then my turn to have the diarrhea, then a week later Rich started. Just after that, Emily also started with Rich's cold, but woke up one night struggling to breath. The families in our apartment building pay for an ambulance service, which we've come to realize means an on-call doctor, not 'get me to the hospital in the next 10 minutes' service. We hadn't used in before as our idea of an ambulance is a life or death situation, but have now used it for all of our family except for me. We were especially thankful for this service when Emily couldn't breathe. She recovered quickly, but was put on prednisone for a couple of days and more antibiotics for her throat. Rich is very slowly getting over his cold. Seems to be something going around with a cough that lasts about 3 weeks. Not fun. Anyway, enough of all that ill health stuff.
School...it's a whole new level of culture shock. Normally the parents have to wait at the doors and they call the kids to come to get picked up, but because we've had to talk to the teacher so many times about different things, I show up and they expect me to go in, not wait. Lucas seems to be enjoying it and his Spanish is already improving. He's struggled greatly with going to the bathroom at school and has resulted in many changes of clothes. At the moment, I try to go mid-morning to take him so he gets used to going at that time. The other day, he asked if one of the men working at the church office could take him, so maybe he doesn't like going with the female teachers. Who knows?? He went on a class trip last week and got to go on a big bus to an animal shelter. He was very excited about that. The downside to school is the amount of homework, not just for Lucas but for me as well. On Friday he came home with a note saying he had to do a presentation about day and night on Friday which has to include a poster, music and video are optional, but has to have a 'souvenir' to give to the other kids in relation to the topic. I was a bit blown away when I read that. He can barely talk Spanish. But after talking to one of the other mums, it doesn't seem too bad. He only has to say 'Day, sun, play; night, moon, sleep'. They like to get them used to public speaking very early here! Will try and get a picture and let you know how it goes.
This week-end is the ladies retreat. There are about 100 signed up so should be a good time. I'm helping with a spa evening and possibly a workshop on massage, not that I have any idea what I'd do for that! Also have to do some baking this week to take for snacks.
Will let you know how the retreat goes. Until next time...
School...it's a whole new level of culture shock. Normally the parents have to wait at the doors and they call the kids to come to get picked up, but because we've had to talk to the teacher so many times about different things, I show up and they expect me to go in, not wait. Lucas seems to be enjoying it and his Spanish is already improving. He's struggled greatly with going to the bathroom at school and has resulted in many changes of clothes. At the moment, I try to go mid-morning to take him so he gets used to going at that time. The other day, he asked if one of the men working at the church office could take him, so maybe he doesn't like going with the female teachers. Who knows?? He went on a class trip last week and got to go on a big bus to an animal shelter. He was very excited about that. The downside to school is the amount of homework, not just for Lucas but for me as well. On Friday he came home with a note saying he had to do a presentation about day and night on Friday which has to include a poster, music and video are optional, but has to have a 'souvenir' to give to the other kids in relation to the topic. I was a bit blown away when I read that. He can barely talk Spanish. But after talking to one of the other mums, it doesn't seem too bad. He only has to say 'Day, sun, play; night, moon, sleep'. They like to get them used to public speaking very early here! Will try and get a picture and let you know how it goes.
This week-end is the ladies retreat. There are about 100 signed up so should be a good time. I'm helping with a spa evening and possibly a workshop on massage, not that I have any idea what I'd do for that! Also have to do some baking this week to take for snacks.
Will let you know how the retreat goes. Until next time...