After 8 full years of living in the UAE, I have decided I want to come home. Will and I discussed it long and carefully, making our decision with as much information as we could gather, and have agreed that it is time to leave. So at the end of my contract this year, year 9 in the UAE, year 12 outside of the U.S., we will be coming back.
But back to where? Well, that is still up in the air. You see, after so long out in the world I feel the need to do something special for me. Will has achieved his M.Ed. and his MBA and has worked as an Academic Dean for 3 years, and I have been teaching for about 13 years. I have decided, with all of the involvement I have had in the Literary community and my volunteer work with the Emirates Festival of Literature in Dubai, my Writer's Group in RAK, MEFCC and the Gulf Role Playing Community in Dubai, and Talking of Books Radio program in Dubai, that I am most interested in the story telling side of myself. I haven't been good about keeping up my blog, but I have been writing regularly.
Last Spring I did a 24 hour write-a-thon for charity with my Writing Group (which I have been with for 6 years) and realized that this is what I am meant for.
So, I have pulled up my boot straps and sent off applications for MFA programs throughout the U.S. Now we play the waiting game. If I get accepted to one of the schools, we will have our destination chosen. If I don't, we will have to decide where we want to go. The world is open for us and we can go anywhere.
I am so excited.
I am so scared.
We are coming home.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Family Update
Well it has been over a year since I have been able to access this account. It makes it hard to post updates when you don't remember how to log in. A lot has happened in a year. To start with, I withdrew from the MFA program and focused on paying my loans after all. Then my car died a tragic death that had everything to do with age and nothing to do with my particularly unique style of driving. Or perhaps it was the fact that I took my eldest and his siblings out for their first drive in it... yeah I can blame it on that.
Then Will got a job doing more than acting. Did I mention the acting before? I don't recall. He has been working as a human resources officer for a company and started acting on the side. The money was ok and the work was fun so it was something that kept his mind off the fact that he wasn't really working full time or doing what he loves. So he kept looking. And then he found a teaching gig for a free trade zone university. This is the best thing that could have happened to him.
Then he got offered a promotion. He is now an academic dean and teaching MBA courses.
Not only that, he is flying to places like Kuwait and Bahrain to teach one day a month, driving to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to teach one day a week, and all in all is busier as a bee. This has radically changed our life pattern.
See, I am still over working myself, as I usually do. This semester I am on 26 hours. That might not seem like a lot, but if you work in the prep and grading hours that teachers do, you simply double the numbers and that shows you how many hours a week you work as a teacher. I do 26, so that is roughly the equivelant of a 52 hour work week. Usually I stick to 20, which is your standard 40 hour week, but I couldn't pass up the chance to teach the extra classes. Not to mention the fact that the overtime is payed in a lump sum at the end of the semester. And I am teaching 24 next semester, which is 48 hours a week. That is easier than 26. I don't really understand why but the difference between 24 and 26 hours (which is technically 4 hours if you count the prep time) is huge! Not to mention the difference between 20 and 26!
I am still doing IELTS on weekends, but I am limiting it to roughly once a month, to bring in an extra grand a month. This is slowly going to any emergency funds and to pay off the car. I mentioned the death of my car, but what I didn't mention is that we chose to buy, for the first time ever, a new car. We shopped around carefully and did comparisons, and decided on a nice little hyundai, the Santa Fe Grand. It fits all of us, comfortably enough to go to Dubai without fear of squashed kids, and it runs like a champion. Of course it is still new, but we have already driven to dubai, al ain, abu dhabi, and back enough that we are probably going to hit the end of our warantee long before the expected time.
Back to the family.
William started the IB program and had a complete burnout moment, so we have moved him into the A levels where he feels more comfortable and more confident. We are working on finding a good educational psychologist to have him properly evaluated for ADD, as his dysgraphia has had a major impact on his studies over the last few years and his focus has actually grown progressively worse. Finding a qualified expert in this country is more difficult than you might imagine, especially in our location. He is still focusing on science and math because it is easiest for him, but he is confused and feels a lack of direction for the future. I think it might be good to have him take time off after school and work on more physical activities, such as working on Grandma Diane's ranch, rather than try immediately to go into school. He might even be better served in the peace corp. I worry more about him than any of the others. They will make their way, but William is less sure of himself and needs to do more personal discovery before he can find his way.
Zebbediah on the other hand is growing more confident and cocky as he gets closer to his exams. He is expecting to ace through his IGs and fly into the IB program, which would not be a huge step for him. He has grown in popularity and is making freinds like there is no tomorrow. He tells me he wants to be an engineer, so he focuses a lot on his science and maths. He is also working up his french and I do enjoy seeing this brainy child growing into a young man.
Raedrael is brilliant, strong, and powerful. She is growing into a capable and strong willed young woman. While she of course has some difficulties with people on occasion, she is such a little powerhouse that it is hard to remember how young she is. This winter break she wanted to dye her hair, so we did. The blue and red actually looked lovely on her. Then for her birthday (belated) she got her ears peirced. It was belated because I needed to find a proper peircer. I was NOT going to have her go through the physical trauma and damage that going to the mall kiosk with the earring guns does to ears. So when I found a qualified and experienced tattoo artist who offered peircings, I made the appointment. We went to his apartment which had a proper clean room (with booties for shoes) and I watched him take out the sterilized packaged equipment, watched as he replaced the needle for the second ear, and ensured that everything was as sterile and clean as I could possibly have wanted. It was exactly the level of clean I was looking for, and he was extremely professional.
Then she had her orthadontist check up. And in the same visit she got braces (this was a week after the earrings). So for Christmas this year I gave her braces.
I took all the kids to American Eagle Outfitters for clothes they could relax in. A skirt , shirt, and cartigan for Rae, jeans and polos for William and Zeb.
Then I took the boys to a suit store in the mall for their first proper suit. Full suits, jackets, ties, dress shirts, and even dress socks.
For Zebs birthday he had asked for Boots, so I took him to the CAT store in the mall and bought him REAL boots. I figured I could buy him something sturdy that would last for a while. He hasn't really had his feet growing so much anymore, so it worked for me to get him proper boots. I am pretty sure these are the kind of workboots my dad would wear on the job, but it wouldn't matter. Zeb loves them. He has started wearing them to school regularly. The argument is that school requires black leather shoes, and the boots are in fact black and leather. As long as his pant leg hangs down properly you can't even tell that they are boots. He wears them everywhere. I got William sandels. Rae didn't want anything. I am really hoping that the CAT shoes last longer than the Hush Puppies that William wore out in 6 months, or the Birkinstock sandels that he wore for two years which finally cracked and gave him blisters.
The dog is lovely, Lady is still an excellent dog. I need to spend a lot more time working on her training, but I just can't seem to find the time. The cats are all great. Jo has a recurring infection that bothers me, but doesn't seem to bother her so I am working on not worrying about it. All of them need a vet visit, so that is on my MUST DO list.
The family and I are discussing starting a hobby size aquaponics farm in the backyard. We have the space and It is something I would like to try. Our neighbor has chickens which run free range around the neigborhood. I would really rather have ducks, but I am worried that we might have to leave sooner than we would like, so the ducks are on my Not Right Now list.
I think that is enough of updates for today. I am getting back to work. Hope your year was as interesting or better than mine.
Then Will got a job doing more than acting. Did I mention the acting before? I don't recall. He has been working as a human resources officer for a company and started acting on the side. The money was ok and the work was fun so it was something that kept his mind off the fact that he wasn't really working full time or doing what he loves. So he kept looking. And then he found a teaching gig for a free trade zone university. This is the best thing that could have happened to him.
Then he got offered a promotion. He is now an academic dean and teaching MBA courses.
Not only that, he is flying to places like Kuwait and Bahrain to teach one day a month, driving to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to teach one day a week, and all in all is busier as a bee. This has radically changed our life pattern.
See, I am still over working myself, as I usually do. This semester I am on 26 hours. That might not seem like a lot, but if you work in the prep and grading hours that teachers do, you simply double the numbers and that shows you how many hours a week you work as a teacher. I do 26, so that is roughly the equivelant of a 52 hour work week. Usually I stick to 20, which is your standard 40 hour week, but I couldn't pass up the chance to teach the extra classes. Not to mention the fact that the overtime is payed in a lump sum at the end of the semester. And I am teaching 24 next semester, which is 48 hours a week. That is easier than 26. I don't really understand why but the difference between 24 and 26 hours (which is technically 4 hours if you count the prep time) is huge! Not to mention the difference between 20 and 26!
I am still doing IELTS on weekends, but I am limiting it to roughly once a month, to bring in an extra grand a month. This is slowly going to any emergency funds and to pay off the car. I mentioned the death of my car, but what I didn't mention is that we chose to buy, for the first time ever, a new car. We shopped around carefully and did comparisons, and decided on a nice little hyundai, the Santa Fe Grand. It fits all of us, comfortably enough to go to Dubai without fear of squashed kids, and it runs like a champion. Of course it is still new, but we have already driven to dubai, al ain, abu dhabi, and back enough that we are probably going to hit the end of our warantee long before the expected time.
Back to the family.
William started the IB program and had a complete burnout moment, so we have moved him into the A levels where he feels more comfortable and more confident. We are working on finding a good educational psychologist to have him properly evaluated for ADD, as his dysgraphia has had a major impact on his studies over the last few years and his focus has actually grown progressively worse. Finding a qualified expert in this country is more difficult than you might imagine, especially in our location. He is still focusing on science and math because it is easiest for him, but he is confused and feels a lack of direction for the future. I think it might be good to have him take time off after school and work on more physical activities, such as working on Grandma Diane's ranch, rather than try immediately to go into school. He might even be better served in the peace corp. I worry more about him than any of the others. They will make their way, but William is less sure of himself and needs to do more personal discovery before he can find his way.
Zebbediah on the other hand is growing more confident and cocky as he gets closer to his exams. He is expecting to ace through his IGs and fly into the IB program, which would not be a huge step for him. He has grown in popularity and is making freinds like there is no tomorrow. He tells me he wants to be an engineer, so he focuses a lot on his science and maths. He is also working up his french and I do enjoy seeing this brainy child growing into a young man.
Raedrael is brilliant, strong, and powerful. She is growing into a capable and strong willed young woman. While she of course has some difficulties with people on occasion, she is such a little powerhouse that it is hard to remember how young she is. This winter break she wanted to dye her hair, so we did. The blue and red actually looked lovely on her. Then for her birthday (belated) she got her ears peirced. It was belated because I needed to find a proper peircer. I was NOT going to have her go through the physical trauma and damage that going to the mall kiosk with the earring guns does to ears. So when I found a qualified and experienced tattoo artist who offered peircings, I made the appointment. We went to his apartment which had a proper clean room (with booties for shoes) and I watched him take out the sterilized packaged equipment, watched as he replaced the needle for the second ear, and ensured that everything was as sterile and clean as I could possibly have wanted. It was exactly the level of clean I was looking for, and he was extremely professional.
Then she had her orthadontist check up. And in the same visit she got braces (this was a week after the earrings). So for Christmas this year I gave her braces.
I took all the kids to American Eagle Outfitters for clothes they could relax in. A skirt , shirt, and cartigan for Rae, jeans and polos for William and Zeb.
Then I took the boys to a suit store in the mall for their first proper suit. Full suits, jackets, ties, dress shirts, and even dress socks.
For Zebs birthday he had asked for Boots, so I took him to the CAT store in the mall and bought him REAL boots. I figured I could buy him something sturdy that would last for a while. He hasn't really had his feet growing so much anymore, so it worked for me to get him proper boots. I am pretty sure these are the kind of workboots my dad would wear on the job, but it wouldn't matter. Zeb loves them. He has started wearing them to school regularly. The argument is that school requires black leather shoes, and the boots are in fact black and leather. As long as his pant leg hangs down properly you can't even tell that they are boots. He wears them everywhere. I got William sandels. Rae didn't want anything. I am really hoping that the CAT shoes last longer than the Hush Puppies that William wore out in 6 months, or the Birkinstock sandels that he wore for two years which finally cracked and gave him blisters.
The dog is lovely, Lady is still an excellent dog. I need to spend a lot more time working on her training, but I just can't seem to find the time. The cats are all great. Jo has a recurring infection that bothers me, but doesn't seem to bother her so I am working on not worrying about it. All of them need a vet visit, so that is on my MUST DO list.
The family and I are discussing starting a hobby size aquaponics farm in the backyard. We have the space and It is something I would like to try. Our neighbor has chickens which run free range around the neigborhood. I would really rather have ducks, but I am worried that we might have to leave sooner than we would like, so the ducks are on my Not Right Now list.
I think that is enough of updates for today. I am getting back to work. Hope your year was as interesting or better than mine.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Taking a Hobby Job
I took on a second job that I start this weekend. I am going to work part time as an IELTS examiner on weekends and over the summer to bring in extra money for my own purposes. This is to allow me to do those things that I find fun. This would include scuba diving or going to the movies or paying for a second masters degree... anything that I might be interested in.
I also decided that I was getting too stressed at work. Not because I have too much to do (who doesn't) but because I am not doing things that are interesting or challenging to me. So I took on two new activities. The first is a third job... this is a hobby job, doing an activity that I find fun but does not interfere with anything else that I am doing. I got a job as a video game reviewer for an online magazine. Doesn't really sound like a job but it is. Or rather it sounds like a kids dream job. But I worked as a journalist in college and published numerous articles. Later I became the editor of two different major middle eastern publications. I figure why not! It seems like a natural progression. After all, I have two teenage boys and a teenage girl in the house, how would I avoid seeing and hearing about all the latest video game news? And yes, I am getting paid for this one too.
So with all this extra coming in you might think I would do something smart like pay off all my loans. But no, I am still needing a little something. So I have done something I dreamed about back in the early 90s when I started college. I am getting another degree. This time I am getting an MFA. I have wanted one for over 20 years, and I am no longer willing to want something futile. It is a waste of my efforts to dream about things I can't have or won't get, so I am changing my view. It seems to be working really well. I wanted to get this job and now I have it.
Makes Will a little cranky to see me try for a job and get it first thing, but then he is the one who always tells me I am superwoman (see previous post on that issue).
I am really looking forward to this hobby job.
I also decided that I was getting too stressed at work. Not because I have too much to do (who doesn't) but because I am not doing things that are interesting or challenging to me. So I took on two new activities. The first is a third job... this is a hobby job, doing an activity that I find fun but does not interfere with anything else that I am doing. I got a job as a video game reviewer for an online magazine. Doesn't really sound like a job but it is. Or rather it sounds like a kids dream job. But I worked as a journalist in college and published numerous articles. Later I became the editor of two different major middle eastern publications. I figure why not! It seems like a natural progression. After all, I have two teenage boys and a teenage girl in the house, how would I avoid seeing and hearing about all the latest video game news? And yes, I am getting paid for this one too.
So with all this extra coming in you might think I would do something smart like pay off all my loans. But no, I am still needing a little something. So I have done something I dreamed about back in the early 90s when I started college. I am getting another degree. This time I am getting an MFA. I have wanted one for over 20 years, and I am no longer willing to want something futile. It is a waste of my efforts to dream about things I can't have or won't get, so I am changing my view. It seems to be working really well. I wanted to get this job and now I have it.
Makes Will a little cranky to see me try for a job and get it first thing, but then he is the one who always tells me I am superwoman (see previous post on that issue).
I am really looking forward to this hobby job.
Voice of Will: Observations on Tokyo
2006-10-12 - 9:51 p.m.
some more observations on tokyo.
this place is expensive. No, I mean REALLY EXPENSIVE. Think american prices, and then add in about 20%.
We knew it would be expensive coming here, but WOW! i was not prepared for it.
food prices are about the same. We have been having a lot more veggies and fruit, and with every dinner there is either pasta, potatoes, or rice as fillers. Lots less meat (about 1/2 of what we were eating in the states). But when you think about that, it isn:t a bad thing to decrease the intake of animal flesh, so I guess it is ok, and we aren:t suffering so it works out.
Prices on veggies are similar to US prices, and so we are eating lots of broccoli, spinach, potatoes, asparagus, eggplant, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, cabbage. Now if I could only learn how to make use of the leeks and lots of this "japanese" veggies. Oh well, i am trying to learn to cook japanese sytle, so we will see how it works out.
Seafood is another issue. I know how to deal with trout, and I can bbq squid, but there are SOOOOOO many different types of fish, i:m not sure what they are, how to cook them, can I eat this raw, etc??? And the price of the seafood is close to chicken, so I have just been getting chicken, and some seafood. You:d think it would be cheaper being closer to the ocean, but not where we are.
speaking of where we are, it must be a real pricy neighborhood. within our block there are 3 mercedes, 3 BMW's, a Hummer, a ferrari, and 2 porches. There are also lots of houses that don:t have cars, so i think it would be compared to a historic district in any major US city, and you have homes worth millions, but are using coupons to live there. not sure, but I will try to figure out more as time goes on.
Christine is trying to get me ajob teaching at an english camp over the winter break, you know english through film (basically teach what I taught at SIAS for 2 years and can rattle off the top of my head) and Geology of the planets (thank you dr morgan for the ppts with the images on them, they will be invaluable)
It looks like we will be sending the kids to japanese public schools starting around december 1. I am a little worried about them, because it is a very sink or swim culture. they do not do ESL classes in schools. the kids will have to try to pick up japanese by immersion. We will also be starting japanese classes next week, to try to help this transition.
I hope they don:t hate us for draggingg them around the world, and making them undergo these challenges. I don:t think they will, but you never know. especially after china, i am very gun shy about this issue.
oh well enough for now, I have homework that I am busy ignoring that i have to go back to work on. ttfn
Will
some more observations on tokyo.
this place is expensive. No, I mean REALLY EXPENSIVE. Think american prices, and then add in about 20%.
We knew it would be expensive coming here, but WOW! i was not prepared for it.
food prices are about the same. We have been having a lot more veggies and fruit, and with every dinner there is either pasta, potatoes, or rice as fillers. Lots less meat (about 1/2 of what we were eating in the states). But when you think about that, it isn:t a bad thing to decrease the intake of animal flesh, so I guess it is ok, and we aren:t suffering so it works out.
Prices on veggies are similar to US prices, and so we are eating lots of broccoli, spinach, potatoes, asparagus, eggplant, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, cabbage. Now if I could only learn how to make use of the leeks and lots of this "japanese" veggies. Oh well, i am trying to learn to cook japanese sytle, so we will see how it works out.
Seafood is another issue. I know how to deal with trout, and I can bbq squid, but there are SOOOOOO many different types of fish, i:m not sure what they are, how to cook them, can I eat this raw, etc??? And the price of the seafood is close to chicken, so I have just been getting chicken, and some seafood. You:d think it would be cheaper being closer to the ocean, but not where we are.
speaking of where we are, it must be a real pricy neighborhood. within our block there are 3 mercedes, 3 BMW's, a Hummer, a ferrari, and 2 porches. There are also lots of houses that don:t have cars, so i think it would be compared to a historic district in any major US city, and you have homes worth millions, but are using coupons to live there. not sure, but I will try to figure out more as time goes on.
Christine is trying to get me ajob teaching at an english camp over the winter break, you know english through film (basically teach what I taught at SIAS for 2 years and can rattle off the top of my head) and Geology of the planets (thank you dr morgan for the ppts with the images on them, they will be invaluable)
It looks like we will be sending the kids to japanese public schools starting around december 1. I am a little worried about them, because it is a very sink or swim culture. they do not do ESL classes in schools. the kids will have to try to pick up japanese by immersion. We will also be starting japanese classes next week, to try to help this transition.
I hope they don:t hate us for draggingg them around the world, and making them undergo these challenges. I don:t think they will, but you never know. especially after china, i am very gun shy about this issue.
oh well enough for now, I have homework that I am busy ignoring that i have to go back to work on. ttfn
Will
To My Husband
We have known each other for 17 years, almost 18 years now.
I like that when you hold my hand I still feel that rush of blood that comes to my cheeks. I like that you are still shy around me, still hesitant, still want me to come first.
I like that when you hold my hand I still feel that rush of blood that comes to my cheeks. I like that you are still shy around me, still hesitant, still want me to come first.
They Grow up so fast
Every time I look at them I see something so much smaller and more fragile than they have become. Then one of them says something profound, deep, intelligent, and mature,and I am floored by the person that my tiny precious baby has become.
When do you come to terms with the idea that this tiny being that lived inside of you for 9-10 months is no longer the dependent needy lovely little child and has grown into an independent thinking being?
This week I had to come to terms with my eldest becoming the young man that he wants to be, not necessarily the future that I envisioned for him but one that he will seek to expand on his own. The British school system that my son is in is so very different from the American system that I grew up in.
In my high school we had required "core" classes that every student had to take, some had choices but most did not. Then every year you had a few "elective" courses that you could choose from.
In my eldest boy's school they get two core classes, Math and English. For the next two years he gets to choose all of his "elective" courses. The biggest problem for me is that they don't have the kind of electives that we had. My elective courses were things like theater, band, choir, driver's ed etc. His "elective" courses were things like History, Geography, Sciences, etc. To me these are not electives, they are core necessary classes. In addition, there are just not enough students to justify them taking all of the classes that they need.
And the children are suppose to choose these courses. Will and I had sat down with him and discussed the options available and gave our suggestions for what we thought would be a well balanced and workable schedule. And I must be honest when I say that I am worried about his liberal studies. Because William has decided what he wants to do with his life. And he is working all of his classes and all of his activities towards that goal. Which is a good thing and a bad thing. First, I remember deciding at that age what I wanted to be, and being told at several points (never by my mother though...) that I would never be able to do that. So the fact that he has set his goal and is working towards it is great to me. However, I am really worried that he will be limiting his understanding and scope of the world if he decides to do this one thing and precludes all others.
Trying to balance between being supportive, giving him his independence, and fostering his growth is really difficult. But I sat down with him and Will and we discussed all of the options and made the decisions based on his future hopes, his preferences, and our input. Taking a look at his schedule though, he is going to be a seriously tired young man for the next two years.
Not that the choices were very good, because for every class that he wanted he had to give up one that might also help his future. But here is what he has for the next two years.
His core classes are Math and English (we hope he gets English Lit but he will probably not because he just doesn't enjoy writing... but we do know he will get into advanced math because he is just that good.)
For his elective courses he has
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
DT (design Technology, which is a bit like drafting and planning projects)
Computer Science (programming, not the baser course ICT which is understanding word and power point... what a useless class that would be, so I am happy they are offering CS).
and French.
Notice what I notice? No liberal studies. Nothing. He had to give up Music to take Chemistry, Art for DT, and History to take Physics. He wants the sciences and to be honest he will do better in them than the Liberal Studies courses. So we have to augment. I will be buying history, social studies, geography and American Lit books when we are back in the states, because I just don't see how he is going to get a grasp on the greater world understanding with this load. We have already got a music tutor for all three of the kids (and they are doing fantastic actually), and we have Sister Wendy's art videos to watch, plus a planned trip to Rome. If we can't garner a little culture from Italy, then there is something wrong with us.
I don't entirely understand the British system (or if this is even the British system?!) but when he leaves this school he will have an IB and will hopefully be as ready for college as I was at least. Which isn't to say that I was all that ready, so I guess he will be ok. But it is so hard to watch my little boy grow up.
Don't get me started on the other two. They are suppose to be smaller than he is aren't they?
When do you come to terms with the idea that this tiny being that lived inside of you for 9-10 months is no longer the dependent needy lovely little child and has grown into an independent thinking being?
This week I had to come to terms with my eldest becoming the young man that he wants to be, not necessarily the future that I envisioned for him but one that he will seek to expand on his own. The British school system that my son is in is so very different from the American system that I grew up in.
In my high school we had required "core" classes that every student had to take, some had choices but most did not. Then every year you had a few "elective" courses that you could choose from.
In my eldest boy's school they get two core classes, Math and English. For the next two years he gets to choose all of his "elective" courses. The biggest problem for me is that they don't have the kind of electives that we had. My elective courses were things like theater, band, choir, driver's ed etc. His "elective" courses were things like History, Geography, Sciences, etc. To me these are not electives, they are core necessary classes. In addition, there are just not enough students to justify them taking all of the classes that they need.
And the children are suppose to choose these courses. Will and I had sat down with him and discussed the options available and gave our suggestions for what we thought would be a well balanced and workable schedule. And I must be honest when I say that I am worried about his liberal studies. Because William has decided what he wants to do with his life. And he is working all of his classes and all of his activities towards that goal. Which is a good thing and a bad thing. First, I remember deciding at that age what I wanted to be, and being told at several points (never by my mother though...) that I would never be able to do that. So the fact that he has set his goal and is working towards it is great to me. However, I am really worried that he will be limiting his understanding and scope of the world if he decides to do this one thing and precludes all others.
Trying to balance between being supportive, giving him his independence, and fostering his growth is really difficult. But I sat down with him and Will and we discussed all of the options and made the decisions based on his future hopes, his preferences, and our input. Taking a look at his schedule though, he is going to be a seriously tired young man for the next two years.
Not that the choices were very good, because for every class that he wanted he had to give up one that might also help his future. But here is what he has for the next two years.
His core classes are Math and English (we hope he gets English Lit but he will probably not because he just doesn't enjoy writing... but we do know he will get into advanced math because he is just that good.)
For his elective courses he has
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
DT (design Technology, which is a bit like drafting and planning projects)
Computer Science (programming, not the baser course ICT which is understanding word and power point... what a useless class that would be, so I am happy they are offering CS).
and French.
Notice what I notice? No liberal studies. Nothing. He had to give up Music to take Chemistry, Art for DT, and History to take Physics. He wants the sciences and to be honest he will do better in them than the Liberal Studies courses. So we have to augment. I will be buying history, social studies, geography and American Lit books when we are back in the states, because I just don't see how he is going to get a grasp on the greater world understanding with this load. We have already got a music tutor for all three of the kids (and they are doing fantastic actually), and we have Sister Wendy's art videos to watch, plus a planned trip to Rome. If we can't garner a little culture from Italy, then there is something wrong with us.
I don't entirely understand the British system (or if this is even the British system?!) but when he leaves this school he will have an IB and will hopefully be as ready for college as I was at least. Which isn't to say that I was all that ready, so I guess he will be ok. But it is so hard to watch my little boy grow up.
Don't get me started on the other two. They are suppose to be smaller than he is aren't they?
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
A moment too soon
The last time I posted about how things are finally looking up as I was closing out the year and moving into 2012. But low and behold I have my back go out completely on December 9th, leaving me completely laid up through Christmas and barely back on my feet by the New Year.
Somehow a combination of stress and a degenerative disk condition has left me with a tail bone in the shape of a J...actually it is on my right side so it would be a backwards J. As I work on changing my lifestyle and doing the prescribed exercises I find myself thinking that this year is still looking better than last year did.
I have decided to focus my time on working on my writing, so there may be more posts in that section than in this one. I have also started to look for an agent. I have a finished piece that needs some polishing but is worth shopping around. So If I can find an agent and get to writing as a career, as I always should have been, then I think I may just find where I want to be. So this year is my year for focusing on my writing.
It's about time.
Somehow a combination of stress and a degenerative disk condition has left me with a tail bone in the shape of a J...actually it is on my right side so it would be a backwards J. As I work on changing my lifestyle and doing the prescribed exercises I find myself thinking that this year is still looking better than last year did.
I have decided to focus my time on working on my writing, so there may be more posts in that section than in this one. I have also started to look for an agent. I have a finished piece that needs some polishing but is worth shopping around. So If I can find an agent and get to writing as a career, as I always should have been, then I think I may just find where I want to be. So this year is my year for focusing on my writing.
It's about time.
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