Just another manic Wednesday

 

Directionless. No inner compass. I've know this about myself since I was ... well, born. Back in 1991, though, on a waaaay back road of RURAL Colorado, I was looking for a reservoir some locals said I could swim in. Of course I got lost. I rolled down the window and asked a nice man on the tractor for directions and he said, "don't matter if you get lost if you got money and a car."  Wise words I live by. Now I look at getting lost as an opportunity because I look more closely at details and signs and try to remember landmarks - like the cool computer science building. 

 

After dropping Viv off, I excitedly looked at the directions I noted and scampered off to find the sports store. Yay! Tra-la-la! Oh, wait. Chlorine Gardens? Google maps has no wifi. Well, I'll go to the corner of Malone and Stranmillis and hang a right because I remember Ulster Museum from Sunday with Chris. 

The sports shop is closed. 

But a coffee shop is open!

Win!

I wouldn't have stopped for coffee if the sports store was open. 

I've never heard of a Bap, so that's what I'm having. Ready for first bite? Here goes...

Mmmmmmmm.  A soft roll with bacon. 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. 

And an Americano coffee. 

 

Is this Heaven? No, it's Belfast. (Shout out to Field of Dreams)

I'll wait for the sports store to open and sit here in paradise. 

P4 vs. 2nd Grade

This morning it was hard for Vivian to wake up, which is understandable. Her body clock hasn't completely adjusted and she's been in a heightened state of excitement for about a week.

We did homework last night and I noticed some similarities and differences between P4 at Victoria and 2nd Grade at Mahoning.

Similarities:
~Students have a week to get through homework. This is wonderful because about a month ago, Vivian made a huge leap of understanding and it would have proven detrimental to learning to keep moving forward. Instead, we needed to cement her learning in that moment to ensure retention.

Differences:
~Students in her class are on their 4 times tables. Viv has a week to get up to speed. Eep!
~Swimming!

It was raining the whole walk to school, but there wasn't wind so it was fine -- not cold and bitter and like little teeny needles jabbing into my face (I'm looking at you, Pennsylvania). When it's rainy, the girls wait in what looks to be their gym rather than on the playground. Right away, Vivi was swarmed by P4 girls and they started telling us when their birthdays are and how old they are and how old their mums are. (hee!)

From the school drop-off, I went back to the apartment and did a bit of reading for my inquiry project, then Fulbright Friend Lauren and her Awesome Mom Diane (that's Diane's full name) picked me up for a jaunt to a charity shop and IKEA. I've got to say: the people here are fantastic, but somehow Fulbright matched me with exactly the right person; Lauren and Diane are people who make one feel instantly comfortable and like family and they're funny and easy going and spontaneous and positive and supportive. They don't know it yet, but we'll be spending loads more time together. 😀

At the charity shop I scored big time on throw pillows and my gosh, what a difference. These couches are like new pieces of furniture. And the pillows are the squishy-feel-good-soft-I-want-to-nap-on-them kind of pillows and I love them and Viv bounced around, happy to have something soft on these hard, hard slabs of furniture.

Lauren found sweet teddy bears and we three debated which to get, so I got both. Rationale: Viv left pretty much all her toys at home and I told her we'd get some here that we'd then give to a chartity shop.

Then...IKEA. For so little money, so much can change in apartment. It really does feel like home now. Some throw blankets for snuggling (already used), some kitcheny things, like a colander. A colander! It changes everything! You want spaghetti, Vivi? Can do!

Lauren and I feel like this is a metaphor. Discuss. 

 

Diane and Lauren drove us back to the apartment and let me pause for a moment for you to realize that they are magnificent. They spoil me rotten. They drive me hither and yon, push IKEA carts around despite the fact that those carts sometimes go sideways and frontways and always at once, and carry bags to the sliding glass door. For real: those girls are the ultimate.

 

Then off to pick up Viv at school and I tried to figure out my wifi hotspot app, to no avail because I HAD NO WIFI WITH WHICH TO DO IT. Plus, who cares about anything else when Vivi the Kid comes running out of school, all smiles, having had a great day?

She needs a swim cap and goggles so I did what any normal person does (sarcasm - students: that's verbal irony) and stopped random girls wearing Victoria uniforms. So nice! They told me there's a place on Stranmillis so after I drop off Viv tomorrow, that'll be one of my stops.

We came back to the apartment and Viv was overjoyed about the stuffed animals. But then she really was over the moon when the neighbor boy, who is five, came over and played for a while. It was fantastic! They played, I listened to music and danced and put things away, then the boy's mom and dad found a frog outside and we all invenstigated, then the kids played more and I put more things away, then I looked at the time and OH NO, WE HAVE HOMEWORK. I mean, Viv has homework. Viv! Not Cristi! (but it feels like I have it) Since they are learing 4 times tables, I figure we'll hold off on the math until Viv has more sleep under her belt and is a bit better adjusted. There's not sense throwing new concepts at her just yet. Her language homework is really fun and I love how it's set up like a book. If you want to see it, let me know and I'll take pictures.

Homework. Laundry. Bath. Hang laundry. Bed. How does the day go so quickly??

I got the automated call that Lehighton had an early dismissal; hopefully everyone got home safely.

Give me some suggestions of what you'd like to know/see/hear/do via the blog! There's got to be a good reason to figure out the Wifi hotspots, right? Send me on some iPhone missions!

Now...goodnight!

First day of school Part II

 

 

When I picked up Vivian from school, she came out of the doors smiling and waving -- what could be better? My heart soared, seeing her talking and laughing with new friends, clearly comfortable in her new surroundings.

Skipping along the sidewalk of Cranmore Park North, she told me she was nervous this morning, but as soon as she sat down at the table with the other kids, she felt fine and wasn't nervous at all.

We celebrated by going to a Spar (sort of a mini-mart) where I finally found a hair brush, then a coffee shop where Little Miss had a hot chocolate and a gingerbread man named Gino (he came with the name).

 
 

Vivian said she wanted to do a video for the blog so I told her she should tell me the questions to ask her at the start of each clip. I did not suggest questions, suggest answers, or in any way sway her. The answers surprise me more than you, I guarantee.

"What would you like the first question to be?"

"Ask me my name."

So be it.

"Make sure you speak the questions clearly, Mommy."

"Noted."

"Ask me what I think of my family."

Shudder. "Okay."

Awwwww. She wants to talk about her friends.

"Maybe people don't know what it's like to travel."

"You stopped too soon, didn't you?"

"yes."

Takeoff and landing are my favorites, too.

"They'll want to know what it's like here."

Young woman??? You're SEVEN.

Aww. Poppy is really nice.

small differences in schools

What's that noise!

Get back to business, mom.

Double decker! Like the Night Bus in Harry Potter!

Winterfell

Miss Waugh is really nice!

This kid really does talk to a lot of people. In the coffee shop today, she walked right up to a girl wearing a uniform and struck up a conversation about their schools. At the Spar store, she walked up to a younger child and made her laugh by doing silly walks.