Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!

Dan came home from Kiev Friday night, and we spent a quiet weekend around Berlin. Farmers' market Saturday morning and flea market Sunday morning. Kids can be talked into anything that involves a playground, but they'll still complain until it's actually playground time. Sunday was a rare open shopping day in Berlin--you generally can't even buy milk on Sundays. You get that snowed-in feeling of a blizzard every week! We went to the Kaufhof and it was packed.


Monday was the big excitement. Yes, bigger than being able to buy over-priced backpacks on a Sunday. Emery started his first day at die Nelson Mandela Shule! We found his classroom & 3 teachers in total chaos as the cleaners who did a deep clean during the 2 week holiday left everything everywhere. Not a great start. Greta & I trekked to school and back 3 times for drop off, pick up, and a noon meeting with the English teacher. It's a 40 minute commute, so we spent about 4 & 1/2 hours walking and sitting on the train. Needless to say, everyone was tired at the end of the day, but we had to stop at the Woolworths (the Target stand-in of Berlin) to buy the lengthly list of supplies on our way home. Emery was extremely offended by the requirement to purchase "house shoes"--slightly tougher slippers. He came around once we found some with camoflage . Yes, this school requires outdoor shoes, indoor shoes & gym shoes. I wish I had taken a picture of his face when I told him he has to change his clothes for gym class. Foreign concept in the second grade. First gym class is tomorrow. I'm told the teacher is British and very strict. And it lasts for 2 hours. We're planning ahead for beligerent exhaustion.