I had someone send me a message via facebook asking me to talk a bit about the transition for the kids in regards to school. I had been meaning to do that because the last time I posted about school was on their first day. A lot has happened since then.
I had to chuckle at myself a few weeks ago because I had a similar experience here in Canada as I did in Bolivia. I remember countless times receiving a notice in Spanish and wondering if I was reading it right, or what I was missing in translation. I was so thankful for friends whom were more linguistically capable than I.
Well, I got a notice in the kids' agendas a few weeks ago and even though the note was in English, I obviously missed the whole meaning. The note was to remind kids to bring a penny on Monday, a nickel on Tuesday, a dime on Wednesday etc. etc. for a fundraiser. So I sent the kids one penny on Monday, one nickel on Tuesday....all the way up to one loonie on Friday. Then the next week the kids informed me that it was to bring pennies on Monday, nickels on Tuesday and so on. Well, if they wanted more than one, why would they print a penny. They should have asked for pennies, plural! And then to assume that everyone knows what a loonie is. So I stopped for a second and wondered what some poor EAL parent did.
It's been 2 months since the school year has started and the kids are in the swing of things. Both kids are reading a lot every day after school (they don't bring home homework assignments, just studying and reading). They are really enjoying that. Joel has also come home with inappropriate 8 year old kid versions of Happy Birthday and stories about his buddies that he's chumming with at recess. It seems to us that he is asserting himself into the school life here. He did have a rough week a few weeks ago and when we talked more, he told me that he missed his classmates, especially Cristian, very much. He had a good cry and then it seemed that he was able to face school again.
Kezia is naturally more quiet and doesn't talk as much about school. She hasn't brought home goofy rhymes from her classmates or stories at recess. She talks a lot about what her teacher says and not much more. So a little while ago it was confirmed what we had been wondering about. Kezia is definitely feeling the culture shock. She misses being known and understood. She misses being the centre of things; the brown kid who was assumed to be Brazilian, spoke perfect Spanish AND English. She misses her close relationships and the kisses and hugs she got whenever she greeted her teachers or friends (Joel mentioned this too that he misses all the huggin' and kissin'). She even said that life here could be a bit easier if she just looked like all her classmates; then she wouldn't be seen as different. Oh, poor thing!
We've had good conversations over the last few weeks about the hardship of being new. That people don't know you and sometimes it takes a big effort to share yourself with others. I've told her that it's not that people dislike you, it's that they don't know who you are. And even as adults we know that often it's much more comfortable to stay with your established friends than to venture out to new relationships. I reminded her that she's very special and unique and that we need to give it time as well as energy to make friends. So we are brainstorming ideas on how to make that a reality for her in school.
It's interesting because school here is so different. I feel that as a parent. Maybe because I send them on a bus and don't actually get to see them being greeted by their teacher. Maybe because they are gone all day. Maybe because I see a few spelling tests, but other than that I don't see their daily assignments. Maybe because even the notices in English can be confusing! I'm getting used to all this newness and I'm not even attending. I miss De la Sierra and the culture at that amazing little yellow school. I can only imagine that it is even more for Joel and Kezia.
Well, we're in this all together, that's at least comforting.
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