Starting School

We have been here just a little less than 3 weeks. Hard to believe. We really have settled in quite well, and more quickly than I expected. But some things are harder than I expected, well that's culture shock, and I am getting ahead of myself.

First school. Marissa and Lindsay (aka *the big girls*) started school today. This is great in so many ways -- they will be able to settle into a routine, their Chinese language will certainly improve, and already at the lunch table I saw that they were integrating more fully with the other kids their age in our house. Great! Did I mention that they leave for school at 7:15? Did I mention that the kids take a taxi in the morning and since they can't all fit in one, I get to chaperone my girls to school? At 7:15? Did I mention that that is what time they caught the bus in Florida? Did I mention that I hate getting up??? lol Add to it that it is dark AND cold (unlike Florida) and it isn't my favorite time of day. So this morning I was wondering about the real wisdom of sending them to school. Not so when they arrived home for lunch, flush with the success of a great first morning behind them.
Both Marissa and Lindsay are minor celebrities in their classrooms and were treated very well, for which I am thankful. Marissa got separated somehow from Hong Wei, her classroom guide (and one of the boys in our house) and ended up in the teacher's lounge for an hour. Kind of confusing, and she missed English class, which was too bad. But she really didn't seem to mind and had a great afternoon as well. She received four kumquats and a card as welcome gifts.
Lindsay also had a wonderful day. She received cards from her classmates, and everyone was very friendly. She said one teacher seemed mean (in general, not to her), but the rest were nice. She had music class, and her music teacher spoke a little English. I really couldn't ask for a better first day.
Here's the kind of funny part...although we had two meetings at the school, with the vice-principal and then with the principal, prior to them starting, we were never asked for birth certificates, health records, immunizations, etc. Just show up and jump in. I am not complaining, it definitely made things easier, but also very different.
Even different from Kristen's school which requires a health exam before she can start. So our adventure for today, after visiting the kindergarten, was going to the hospital for a health exam. I was told the exam would not be costly, but when we entered the hospital, explained the reason we were here (well, not me...our driver and my new translator - another story - handled the explanations) and I was asked for yi quai (one yuan or about 15 cents) I thought that was quite a good deal. We received a receipt...and then went to the cashier window where we were asked for the actual fee, 35 yuan ($5 - still a deal). Not sure what the first charge was for, and likely never will. We went to the 4th floor where Kristen was weighed and measured (sitting and standing height, head, arm and chest) and her heart and lungs were listened to. There was no waiting...hard to believe this was actually a real hospital, no waiting? What a concept! They asked if we wanted a lung test, which I determined to be a TB test and respectfully declined. The translator then said we needed to go to another floor to have her blood drawn. Screech...deal breaker. No way, Jose. Ahh, but the driver saw my distress and explained to the translator and visually to me that this was actually just a finger prick. Kristen was still not too thrilled, but I could go along with a finger prick test. (Which I am happy to say was done with surgical gloves, a fresh stick and antiseptic.) And so with a little gnashing of teeth and a couple of tears, the health exam was over. We pick up the results on Monday and then Kristen can start school.

Just a quick note about education here. (I am sure I will have more to say about it over time.) We may feel that the US education system is far more evolved, but I can tell you at least in math, these kids are WAY ahead. I know Florida is not a hallmark for academic excellence, so perhaps other parts of the country are more advanced, I hope so. Marissa's grade is doing pre-Algebra, which is at least a year or two ahead of your average 6th grade. Lindsay's class is well into multiplication and division, which her 3rd grade was only beginning to introduce. (I remember memorizing my times tables in 5th grade!) I placed Kristen in the 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 year old class because it seemed like it was less academic than the older group at her school. Then we observed a math lesson...the children were solving equations like 13+5 and 15-8! Yikes. I had hoped they would be learning their colors and to count!