An Update

I thought I would give you an update on our lives.

The kids started school a few weeks ago.  They are in preschool at The Olifant School (or The Elephant School as we call it!).  The school is mostly in Indonesian, but the teachers speak English quite well.  We are hoping that the kids will learn Indonesian quickly being so immersed in it.  They go three days a week, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, for a couple of hours.  Paisley has adjusted very well, this being her first school experience.  She talks excitedly about going to school and walks in cheerfully.  Her teachers say she does not yet participate much in group activities, but is slowly starting to feel comfortable with new friends in the class.  She has been singing "Make a small circle, make a big circle" constantly for the past week.  Today, she grabbed Michael's and my hands and made us make a big circle and small circle together.  So, even if she isn't participating, she's paying attention.  Each day, they have a snack that the school provides, usually an Indonesian treat.  Paisley gladly eats it, sometimes asking for more.  She’ll eat most anything.  Truett, on the other hand, is having a hard time adjusting to the new school.  He doesn’t want to go each morning and sometimes cries and clings to me when it’s time to go in.  Most days, he cries at least once during the school day, asking for Mommy.  At snack time, he refuses to eat what he is given, so I pack him an apple.  I am not too worried about him, most days he had a hard time going in to preschool back in Dallas.  And, each time I pick him up, he tells me that he had a good day.  But, it still hurts this momma’s heart to hear him cry going in to class or to hear that he had a rough day.  I hope we may start turning a corner soon.  We have met up with one of his friends outside of school a couple of times.  They really enjoy each other!  We also had a playdate with one of Paisley’s friends the other day.  So, hopefully, they’re starting to make friends which will help them open up in class and participate more.

The kids have also started going to an English Sunday school.  Another American family here has started it for their kids and have invited us to be a part of it.  It’s only been going for three weeks, but the kids like to go and are excited about seeing their friends.  They’ve also learned some memory verses, which has been neat to see.  We have family Bible verse times.  Pretty cool!

Michael has started his second semester of classes.  His schedule last semester was great, only having classes on Monday and Tuesday, with a seminar on Wednesdays.  This semester, though, he’s a bit busier, with classes spread out over the entire week.  It will be nice to have his classes spread out.  He enjoys the people he is in class with and the topics he’s studying.  In fact, as I type this on Saturday night, he is on an overnight field trip, which ends at his professors second home down on the beach.  He sent a picture and it’s quite beautiful!

I have just started teaching International English (pretty much ESL) to grades 4 and 5 at the kids’ school.  I have absolutely no idea how to teach English, but at least I speak English, which is more than the people who actually applied for the job!  Apparently, the teacher who was teaching got sick and wanted to return to Australia.  We had just registered the kids for school when they called to ask if I would volunteer to help out.  I’ve taught for one week and have actually enjoyed it.  I teach 3 mornings each week, Tuesdays and Thursdays while the kids are in school, and Wednesdays when Michael is home.  The kids have to go to a little afterschool care for an hour while I finish up on Tuesdays.

Life has been a little lonely for me without any close friends.  However, along with the kids making friends at school, I have made friends with a couple of the moms.  One, I particularly like.  Her son is the one in Truett’s class who we’ve been hanging out with some.  The mom is Indonesian and the dad is American.  He’s from Texas, in fact! 

So, this is our life.  Please let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to know.  I’d be happy to answer your questions letting you know a little bit what our life it like here.  Today has been a bit of a homesick day.  Know that we love and miss you all!