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February 2nd Love is in the air 
Drawing by Tamatea. |
Everyone, it seems, is full of excitement and anticipation about "the wedding". The Dutch crown prince married his Argentinian bride on February 2nd. A few days ago, Tama told me that they were already married because he'd seen the jets fly past that were to fly over after the wedding. So on "the day" the children and I watched five minutes of the wedding zapping between the three channels that were covering it moment by moment, step by step. 
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The dress had a 5 metre train and one of my colleagues at work told me that it was now "in" for brides to marry in replicas of this dress. It was a beautiful day and Tama and I went shopping for harmonicas and a music stand. Tama settled on just one simple "A" harmonica at 21 Euro's and now the family has a music stand. |
"January 29th, day one of my CITO exam" |
February 7th Toroa is up to the 8th of his Cito exams. They take up half of his school day and he tells me that he is nearly finished reading "Lord of the Rings". He likes the exams because then he gets to read while the others finish the exam. Last night we went the the 19 Bahá´í day feast at Rob's house. I'd prepared Tama not to be disappointed if we had to leave before the sweets or candy. I need not have worried. Rob had lots of chocolate and candy and Tama stuffed himself on them. |
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For the last two weeks we have been shopping around high schools for Toroa for next year.
Here there are 5 levels and then within the level
that Toroa was recommended by his teacher for (the vwo - the highest one and only one which allows entrance to university) -there are about 15 schools all with sorts of
variations on offer for this level.
Sen had braved 6 school visits while I found 3 far too many. Each time the school was full of 100s of other parents and children, all crammed into the corridors and rooms, all trying to get a "feel" for what this or that school has to offer by looking into classrooms, trying to make sense out of their prospectuses, and talking to teachers. And the schools were doing their best to sell themselves with fun give aways and experiences for the children, such as showing experiments, offering the children a go at things and then giving them a certificate for participating. And then the mousepads, the pens, and the books. |
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In the end we settled on Da Vinci because it offers music as an extra subject that can be taken at exam level. Toroa has an exam in early March to see if he will be accepted for the music. He must play a prepared piece for 2 minutes, play some new material by sight reading and then play with some other students.
Also it's VWO plus level has latin and greek just for two years as introduction and that sounded better than having Toroa slog at this for 3 years. Now we have to see how he does on the CITO exams. It is ridiculous that an 11 year old has to sit exams in order to enter high school. |
Dear Willem Allexander,
I have noticed that there are a low amount of white sharks, to low. I would like to make a proposal to you. Taht proposal is that you, Willem Allexander make a limit on the amount of shite sharks that my be killed per jear. many thanks, tamatea van Kerkhoff\Mcglinn One evening we left Tama behind assuring him that it would be boring to hear teachers describing the school. So he had free reign of the computer and the tv! He looked sheepish when we returned and I wondered what it was he had done. He'd written a letter to Willem Alexander (the Dutch recently married crown prince) after watching a nature programme on the white shark. 
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