School Days.....

6 weeks here and time has not stayed still! 

After staying 10 days in a hotel, looking at 13 apartments and 1 house we finally moved into our new apartment in Bahan Township. It has 3 bedrooms with AC in each room (a must) and AC and ceiling fans in the living area. Our landlord threw in some furniture and a 2-burner gas cooker and fridge. Stoves as we know them aren’t common in the standard houses. So we only needed to supplement furniture – like Sarah’s bed and some wardrobes and study desks. We consider ourselves fortunate, however it is not Australia and so problems with water and electricity are to be expected and dealt with!

 

Leaving Home

The girls have started school (8 August) – Myanmar International School and surprised us by doing the admission test spontaneously when we went to visit the school for the first time. “Why not” said Lucy, “after all we are already here!” So Lucy is in grade 7 (equivalent to year 6 Aus) and Sarah grade 4 (year 3). There have been some ups and downs in these first days and weeks but that is to be expected. A difference noted was when they took ‘bread’ for lunch rather than rice or noodles. Thankfully they have made some friends. Sarah has a friend Maria who is Russian but born in Myanmar and Lucy has Wendy and  Maureen, both Burmese

   So a typical day for the girls is:

   Wake up 6.30-7am (depends on pigeons and noise outside)

   Walk to school 8.10 (rock hopping, car dodging)

   Lucy starts at 8.30 then Sarah at 8.45am and they finish at 3.30 and 3.15 respectively.

Sarah has just started out of school activities – Glee Club and Lucy has chosen waltzing!!!!! (30^oC with 90% humidity is just too hot to do yet more sport in their opinion)

Last week the High School had class elections and guess what… Lucy was voted class rep! 

'rock hopping'

She has been to school council already and loved it so much that she has signed up for a mock UN council school elective – looking at global issues.

Nigel did pick them up and walk them home but, we now have a nanny, Esther, who looks after the girls in our stead until we get home around 5.30 – 6.00pm. (She is a national, speaks english and has a heart of love. A good fit for our family). The girls do their homework – and  then relax.

While all this happens Rose and Nigel work – more of that later……..