It's beginning to FEEL a lot like Christmas...

It certainly doesn't look like Christmas here in Indonesia. Between the shorts, flip flops, humid-laced rainstorms, and lack of houses clad in twinkle lights it doesn't really look like jolly ole Saint Nick is on his way. But for a few random moments sprinkled throughout the month of December it begins to at least feel a little more like Christmas.

 

Christmas started early this year. In mid-November, when I returned to Indonesia from a whirl-wind trip to California to boost the spirits of my sick Nama, the crew of house D-2 taunted me to stay awake through jetlag by decorating. Instead of sleeping the day away, Rob turned up the Bing Crosby and lit cinnamon-scented candles as the kids outfitted our Kuwaiti pine with years of memories and stories (in ornament form). By 8pm, our Indonesian abode looked a lot more like Christmas and we were ready for the some hot apple cider and mulled wine .

On Thanksgiving evening, Bomma arrived from Belgium with an extra suitcase filled to the brim with cold weather clothing. Rob and Anouk greeted her at the airport with loads of hugs and kisses while Angela and Xavier made an appearance at Mr. Jones' annual  turkey feast. The mashed potatoes and tryptophan were enhanced by the multi-culturalness of the evening. Our plates were laden with the basic turkey-day fixing as well as somosas, sushi, and BBQ drumsticks. It still didn't quite feel like Christmas.

The gauge turned more to jolly as the heavens opened up and the rainy season began with a vengeance. During a lunch break in the staff room, Catherine, a new teacher, stopped her story mid-stride and gaped wide-mouth at the intense rainstorm that saturated our surroundings.

But it began to feel a little more like Christmas when our children dressed up in their patterened batik and took to the stage in their annual holiday concert. Anouk presented and sang a song about Japan while Xavier and his classmates played their recorders accompanied by Beethoven's Fuer Elise. At the end of both concerts, the kids stood up and sang two rousing renditions of We Wish You A Merry Christmas and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Then came baking day and the mood certainly felt a lot more like Christmas. Channeling the Betty Crocker-like baking skills of my Nama, the grade 2 and grade 4 teaching teams collaborated to bake our various family's classic holiday treats. From cereal wreaths to fudge, thumbprints to shortbread, we were baking mavens and the house was full of Christmas cheer.

 

Now, we look ahead to an amazing week of Christmas carols at the Koi pond, reflective learning engagements that challenge our student's wants for Christmas vs. their needs for Christmas, holiday assesmblies, and Christmas parties. By Friday afternoon, we'll be looking forward to our journey to Japan where we will spend Christmas with Cathy, David, Amy, and Randy (some of our dearest friends from our ancient life in Kenya). It is certainly beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.

 

Now, we look ahead to an amazing week of Christmas carols at the Koi pond, reflective learning engagements that challenge our student's wants for Christmas vs. their needs for Christmas, holiday assesmblies, and Christmas parties. By Friday afternoon, we'll be looking forward to our journey to Japan where we will spend Christmas with Cathy, David, Amy, and Randy (some of our dearest friends from our ancient life in Kenya). It is certainly beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas 2012

Christmas 2012, a set on Flickr.

Here are some photos of how we are preparing for Christmas.

Learning Rocks!

My kids love to show off what they learn. Today's session is very reminiscent of the Dr. X days. Check out the fun Anouk and Rob had creating a video for her class. Her video answers her independent inquiry project: How do plants survive in the desert?

And if you're in the need of a Dr. X fix...

Here's to a great week of learning ahead!

A Haunted Halloween

As our last year in Indonesia unfolds before us, we are all taking time to savor each event with the friends and colleagues we've made here. This year's Halloween celebration was just that. From creating creative (and sometimes reused) Halloween costumes to carving pumpkins and trick-or-treating with our school friends and teacher kids, we had a great, though slightly ghoulish Halloween.

This year, the girls of the Langlands family garnered creativity for their costumes in great elementary literature. Mama dressed up as Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus series while Anouk was Thing #1 from a variety of Dr. Seuss books. The boys opted for a tougher/rougher edge and clad themselves as rockers with dark nail polish, fake tattoos, and heavy metal t-shirts--they had a rockin' good time!

The tradition at SIS is that during our morning homeroom period, the elementary students parade through the school halls and show off their costumes while Halloween music is pumped through the PA airwaves. The bigger students (and parents) cheer, take pictures, and support the wee ones as they march through the halls all clad as superheros, princesses, and cowboys.

After the parade, students enjoy small classroom parties and a day of Halloween-themed learning activities. Since Halloween is not really a holiday in Indonesia, teachers at SIS have had to organize a trick-or-treating activity for the kids. So... after school, the assistants guide students on a walk to teacher housing where teachers pass out candy during a guided trick-or-treating activity. This year's stash of candy included lollipops, full-sized snickers, seaweed, and Capri-Sun. It was remarkable to see how excited the kids were about, of all things, THE SEAWEED! We are certainly living in Asia.

Any chocolates poured out from the treat bag were immediately stuffed into the fridge in an attempt to retain their shape (damn heat). The kids asked for squid ink pasta and orange pasta sauce for dinner (in keeping with a ghoulish theme) and the teacher housing street was lit up by 6:30 pm with teacher kids roaming door-to-door on a quest for a few homemade treats (my neighbors are GREAT bakers).

It was a great day and we teachers will probably spend the next week recovering as our students try to hide candy in their lunch boxes for a midday treat. All in all it was a great way to celebrate our last Halloween in Indonesia.

Enjoy the photos.

Halloween 2012

Halloween 2012, a set on Flickr.

Ms. Frizzle, 2 rockers, and Thing #1 enjoy their last Halloween in the Indonesian heat and humidity!

Childhood memories relived

Growing up on Greenwood Drive was super fun. With the safety of my grandparents across the street, summers were amazing. Dominic and I would wake up, mount our bikes, and join our friends for a variety of adventures up and down the street. We had two summer rules while I was growing up:

1. Don't come home until the street lights go on.
2. No one in the pool unless a grown-up is watching.

How things have changed for our kids! Since their birth, Xavier and Anouk have grown up behind gates. In Nairobi, we lived behind a gorgeous bouganvilla-clad gate guarded by Gideon and Andrew (part of the Factory Guards Security System our school employed). During our 3 year stint in California, the kids grew up in the safety of "Grandpa's Garden" where the fortress of the "manor house" kept our wee ones safe. In Kuwait, our apartment complex was behind an abnoxiously loud metallic gate that kept out little more than the wayward stray cat (it certainly did not keep out the dust and desperation). Now in Indonesia, we've spent the last 2 years in a gated residential area behind a 2nd gate which (quite unfortunately) separated us from our Indonesian neighbors.

Because of all the gates, the opportunities our kids have had to play with the type of freedom I grew up with has been extremely stunted,

But all that changed this year with our move to "teacher housing." Our new house is located amongst a dozen or so teacher-houses just 500 meters from our school. The neighborhood is full of kids and while spending 4 days unpacking, hanging up art, and moving in... we didn't see our kids from breakfast until dinner time (with the exception of a few unscheduled snack stops). It's been wonderful to see the kids return home, dirty from top to bottom.

Rob and I woke up late one Saturday morning. The kids (and dog) are watching cartoons because they weren't allowed to play outside until 8:00 am.

...As our first month back has come to an end, nothing much has changed here at "teacher housing." The kids have a menagerie of friends to play with, do homework with, and get up to no good with. It will be a great year!

Another one bites the dust!

As another summer comes to a close, I sit back doctoring a luscious cocktail and reminisce a holiday full of laughter, sorrow, and adventure! We started our trip around the world with a jaunt to Australia which I already wrote about in a blog titled, "Amazing Australia!"


When we got to America, we hit the ground running with countless parties and family get-togethers. From family BBQs to tea parties, 40th wedding anniversaries to 90th birthday parties--we spent a great deal of quality time with our immediate family. We made our first (and quite possibly our last) trip to Mesa, Arizona for my Uncle Len's memorial service. We hung out with our favorite wee one, Katya; bought a half-dozen hens and collected eggs daily; We enjoyed hours of gab as well as delectable street food with Tricia; caught up with my favorite NDers: Meri, Dian, and Teresa;  And enjoyed a week of quality time (and roller coaster-ing) at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in honor of my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. After 4 weeks, we were exhausted. No wonder we crumpled into our flat-cocoon seats on our flight to Belgium and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

In Belgium, things settled down a bit. Our visit here included a trip to the Olympics in London which shocked us immensely. From the moment we stepped off of the airplane, London-2012 was everywhere. And despite the number of Londoners who evacuated the commotion, people came out in droves to attend all the events we wanted to see--the Olympic torch on the barge arriving at tower bridge, the opening ceremonies at Hyde Park, and the England v. U.A.E. game at Wembly stadium.

We also had a great time on some short local trips. In Antwerp we enjoyed a great day out to the Saturday Immigrants market where we could stock up on great fruits, veggies, breads, and olives! We always end our Antwerp shopping day with lunch at our favorite Lebanese restaurant.

A fun first for our family was a trip to the gorgeous city of Durbuy. It is known as the smallest town on Earth but I think it should be more famous as the most beautiful town. It is the quintessential little European town and it was perfect! The only challenge for me was all the French being spoken. I DO NOT SPEAK FRENCH!!! Next year, we'll return for a weekend away where we will also include a kayaking trip down the Ourthe River in the Ardennes

Rob and I escaped Belgium for a mini-break to Holland. The peaceful train journey did not prepare us for the amazing chaos that greeted us in Amsterdam. What a crazy city and not at all what I expected. The weather was rainy and grey, the tourists were everywhere, the canals were filthy, the lines to get in to see any artwork were exhaustively long, but the architecture (and stories about the homes) was enthralling. Rob was secretly happy that he beat my dad's record of 60 minutes in the Van Gogh Museum where we learned about the hidden works of art that lie beneath some of the most brilliant paintings. Magical.

Our summer ended with a surprise visit to see the flower carpet on the Grand-Place in Brussels (something I've wanted to see for years!) They only create the carpet once every 2 years and it usually is only available for 2 days, but this year's African-inspired carpet will be on display for a record 5 days (despite the remarkable heat). It was something I've been eager to do for a long, long time and my schatje surprised me. I am happy now, especially after my Rodenbach and mussels met frites.

And as I put the finishing touches on our allotment of only 4 suitcases (at 20 kg. each), I think back on our wonderful holiday. The kids have taken care of chickens, picked plums, carrots, lettuce, and potatoes, played with a million Legos, and have ridden their bikes in every location. Rob has enjoyed his tour of home through his documentation of the beers he's drunk, and I've had a great time reconnecting with our loved ones...especially those who just announced that they are having babies! It has been fun, but it's really nice to get back to our own reality: our new house, our own things, and our little puppy!

When all is said and done, we have racked up an astonishing 53,087 mi. (88,594 km.).  And to think, the actual circumfrance of the Earth is 24,902 mi. (40,076 km.). Here is the geeky recap: Surabaya, Indonesia -- Bali, Indonesia -- Melbourne, Australia -- Sydney, Australia -- Los Angeles, California, USA -- San Francisco, California, USA -- Mesa, Arizona, USA -- Oakland, CA, USA  -- New York, New York, USA, -- Brussels, Belgium -- London, England -- Brussels, Belgium -- Amsterdam, Netherlands -- Antwerp, Belgium -- Frankfurt, Germany -- Singapore, Singapore -- Surabaya, Indonesia.

I wonder what next summer will bring... 

Now. A quick jaunt in Rob's MG before we go!