Been Awhile

Sure, you might say, "How are you not updating this blog more often now that your largest daily commitment is finished?".  I've got no good answers.  Too many playdates?  Too much time at Emery's school?  Anyway, just sent an email to Bridget that says most of it, but it won't let me just copy and paste it in.  Come on!  I'm feeling lazy!

No kidding, retyped:

I'm in my first week without German classes, and it's great.  I've been spending 1-2 hours  a day in Emery's class working with English reading.  The school is set up so crazy.  All of the 1st graders in his combo class who are supposed to be English native speakers (as opposed to German) are actually ESL students.  One of Emery's friends is a native Arabic speaker here with the Jordanian embassy.  On the first day of school he spoke no English, no German, can't yet read or write Arabic, and has residual French from their last posting in Belgium.  Poor kid is now trying to learn English & German at the same time as learning to read & write all without any ESL or GSL assistance!  What a nightmare.  I know American schools are nuts too, but I'd like to think a kid like him would get some regular ESL extra tutoring.  Guess it all depends on where you live.  This may be the nation's capital, but it's the poorest major city in the country.

Greta & I got a library card yesterday (required ONLY my passport, my police registration, and 10 euro).  I had to find the baby books as the kid books were too hard!  She was happy for the rest of the afternoon "reading" on her bed.  Need to clean the house this morning--Greta's got here first playdate coming over with mother this afternoon.  This one is here with Kyrgyz embassy and speaks only Russian & German.  Every playdate is a fun opportunity for me to make some cultural offense.  In the Jordanian household, I'm pretty sure I was NOT supposed to take off my shoes (but did); having the Germans over, I failed to provide guest house shoes (are the floors really that cold--I'm even barefoot at the moment!).  Don't have the slightest clue how I'll offend the Kyrgyzies.  Crap, haven't baked a cake yet!  It is the city of coffee and cake...