Wow, how time flies... We've been shopping and walking around Beautiful Brielle town. We've done some shopping in Spijkenisse too. We had too. We'd forgotten Xenne's buggy at the airport. That obviously can happen when your overly tired and hold a screaming baby (Xenne wasn't too happy when he couldn't take a cart through customs .....)
Life is good of course. KK saw a real cheese shop 2 days ago. He was stunned and didn't know where to look. So much cheese. And the owner of the shop has told us that we can take cheese with us depending on the kind of cheese and how they pack it. So.. we need to make a reservation for a few kilos in our luggage... ;-)
Today we're going to meet up with some of my friends and see the market in Rotterdam or The Hague. I'm not sure what the plans are exactly... I think none of us knows. I wouldn't be surprised if we just go out for lunch and talk.....
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
In the Netherlands-all 3 of us!!!
This time i write an update from the Netherlands. Finally normal internet access ;-)
KK got his visa and so all three of us are here. KK finds it all a bit overwhelming but he really enjoys it. Luckily it isn't too cold really, yesterday it was a whooping 27 degrees celsius so we sat outside and Xenne loved playing in the garden. The dog isn't too wild about having him here though, Xenne keeps trying to pat him but the dog runs away....
Anyways, with normal internet connections for the next 2 months, i'm sure i can keep this blog updated a bit more... And i'm sure i'll have much to tell
KK got his visa and so all three of us are here. KK finds it all a bit overwhelming but he really enjoys it. Luckily it isn't too cold really, yesterday it was a whooping 27 degrees celsius so we sat outside and Xenne loved playing in the garden. The dog isn't too wild about having him here though, Xenne keeps trying to pat him but the dog runs away....
Anyways, with normal internet connections for the next 2 months, i'm sure i can keep this blog updated a bit more... And i'm sure i'll have much to tell
Sunday, 10 May 2009
Ok, internet is working again
It was out for ages and ages. Apparently some boat had broken the cable that connects Burma with Singapore for internet use and there was a land line they said but well, the connection was often so slow that it was just impossible to do anything. Anyway, things seem to have returned back to normal internet wise so i hope i can keep this updated a bit more until we go back to the Netherlands for the summer holidays. I have a 2,5 month holiday this year since our school starts following the IGCSE-program and in the UK schools don't start before September 1. We do start a little earlier than that but not much.
A lot has happened since i last wrote. The school's board of directors had a fall-out so now there'll be 2 schools. I've decided to go to the new school. Luckily i'm not the only one. And now we're all hoping that the students will follow. Fortunately most preschool and primary school teachers are going to the new school so we are optimistic that parents will follow. In a way it is fun since we can start with a whole lot of new ideas, materials, books etc, not to mention a more spacious environment but it is also a bit stressfull. Even more so since the board that keeps MIES is putting rather a bit of pressure on certain teachers to change their minds. Besides, the headmaster has been relieved of his duties (since he has decided to go with the other side) and so the office staff that has left too.
The water festival (and Burmese New Year) has taken place as usual mid-april. Papa and Jet were here so they've been doused with water as well... It is difficult to avoid getting wet, especially when you are a foreigner. We also went to the beach with them for a few days. A story in itself which i've already written back home but, as usual, this morning the power was off again so it['ll be for another day. We're still on our schedule for the electricity and with the temperature around 40c i often feel like anging my head against the wall. It's been 6 months since it started!
Xenne is growing like weed. He now climbs on everything. He's found out that if he gets on the dining room chair, he can get onto the table. He also hangs of the bookcase regularly, can open the fridge and freezer and can push the heavy door of the bathroom open.... He's also producing 3 more teeth at the moment.... He was also in our nursery class for about a half hour on thursday. They loved him, he loved it and afterwards the teachers told me that he was a very confident little kid (meaning he wasn't afraid of anybody and anything...).
Friday i did a field trip with my kids and the kids from the special care class. We first went to the fun park (for as much as you can imagine we have here....) and then hopped accross the street to see how ice cream was made. The kids loved it. Of course the ice cream was very very good but they were also allowed to make their own cones and we has the soft, freshly made ice cream to fill the cones with. I've had already 2 other classes who have asked me if they can go as well.....
Alright, i promised KK that i wouldn't be too long. He and Xenne are in Sule Paya where Xenne can run around and have all the burmese look after him. They all think he is super cute.
A lot has happened since i last wrote. The school's board of directors had a fall-out so now there'll be 2 schools. I've decided to go to the new school. Luckily i'm not the only one. And now we're all hoping that the students will follow. Fortunately most preschool and primary school teachers are going to the new school so we are optimistic that parents will follow. In a way it is fun since we can start with a whole lot of new ideas, materials, books etc, not to mention a more spacious environment but it is also a bit stressfull. Even more so since the board that keeps MIES is putting rather a bit of pressure on certain teachers to change their minds. Besides, the headmaster has been relieved of his duties (since he has decided to go with the other side) and so the office staff that has left too.
The water festival (and Burmese New Year) has taken place as usual mid-april. Papa and Jet were here so they've been doused with water as well... It is difficult to avoid getting wet, especially when you are a foreigner. We also went to the beach with them for a few days. A story in itself which i've already written back home but, as usual, this morning the power was off again so it['ll be for another day. We're still on our schedule for the electricity and with the temperature around 40c i often feel like anging my head against the wall. It's been 6 months since it started!
Xenne is growing like weed. He now climbs on everything. He's found out that if he gets on the dining room chair, he can get onto the table. He also hangs of the bookcase regularly, can open the fridge and freezer and can push the heavy door of the bathroom open.... He's also producing 3 more teeth at the moment.... He was also in our nursery class for about a half hour on thursday. They loved him, he loved it and afterwards the teachers told me that he was a very confident little kid (meaning he wasn't afraid of anybody and anything...).
Friday i did a field trip with my kids and the kids from the special care class. We first went to the fun park (for as much as you can imagine we have here....) and then hopped accross the street to see how ice cream was made. The kids loved it. Of course the ice cream was very very good but they were also allowed to make their own cones and we has the soft, freshly made ice cream to fill the cones with. I've had already 2 other classes who have asked me if they can go as well.....
Alright, i promised KK that i wouldn't be too long. He and Xenne are in Sule Paya where Xenne can run around and have all the burmese look after him. They all think he is super cute.
Saturday, 28 March 2009
quick update
Xenne and i are in Thailand for a quick visa trip. We do have a 6-month multi-entry visa but in Burma that means that you still have to leave every 10 weeks..... Luckily we don't have to go to the embassy, just leaving the country is enough. So yesterday afternoon we flew out and this morning we'll go back. I'd planned to do some shopping but that never happened. We went into the nearest department store and spend enough time there for Xenne to be exhausted by 5. He fell asleep shortly after we got back to the hotel. Only to wake up for 2 hours in the middle of the night. Now he's keeping the receptionist busy while i time this quick update.
When i opened this i realised how long i haven't been online. In Burma they are doing some maintenance on the internet backbone. At least that is what they say. Amazingly enough it is mostly news sites and email that we can't access.....
But we're all ok. Xenne is busy exploring the world and he can already do that by running around on his little baby legs. So yesterday at the airport it was a game of him running ahead and me following with the stroller..... All the time till we could board. Then he fell asleep......
Ok, i'm going to see if any of the malls or supermarkets are open.....
When i opened this i realised how long i haven't been online. In Burma they are doing some maintenance on the internet backbone. At least that is what they say. Amazingly enough it is mostly news sites and email that we can't access.....
But we're all ok. Xenne is busy exploring the world and he can already do that by running around on his little baby legs. So yesterday at the airport it was a game of him running ahead and me following with the stroller..... All the time till we could board. Then he fell asleep......
Ok, i'm going to see if any of the malls or supermarkets are open.....
Friday, 13 February 2009
Lagging behind
I hate it when i've just typed a huge post and then when i want to send it, the page just deosn't want to go trough. And of course i handn't paid attention and missed that there were no drafts either... So i have to do it all again. It'll probably be shorter this time.....
Kyaw Kyaw is in Bagan (or actually in Nyaung-U which is literally next door to Bagan). He needs 1 paper for his passport extension (yes here in Burma you can get a passport extension!Then again, a passport is valid for only 3 years). even though he hasn't lived in his village or Nyaung-U for over 15 years, he still needs to go there to get this one paper. Or pay an exhorbitantly high fee to have someone else arrange it for him. Even family isn't authorized to do it except when they pay a lot. Anyway, on the bright side, he visited his family yesterday so that was nice. He had troubel (again!) on the way up there. Apparently he and his fellow passengers slept alongside the road becasue the bus broke down. He arrived in Bagan 24 hours after he'd left Yangon. Even though it is normally 15-16 hours. And it has been like that for the last 3 times that he went there. So he wasn't all that happy since he had planned to get the paper he needed on wednesday which would allow for an extra day if need be. Now he can only hope that it can be done in one day otherwise he'll probably need to stay the whole weekend.
Me, i spend my time in a whole different manner. Yesterday i had a lovely day alone with Xenne. Even the maid had a day off which both she and i enjoyed. The only drawback was that we didn't eat pasta yesterday as i had planned. Xenne wanted to be held all teh time yesterday evening. And since he was ill last week i couldn't deny him that. But cooking AND carrying a toddler at the same time does't work very well. So i ordered in some fried rice. He only wants to eat whatever i eat anyways now. I had made him some nice porridge and yoghurt yesterday but when we were at the teashop he wouldn't eat anything else than my noodlesalad. No matter that the salad was medium spicy... And this morning it was no different, though i was prepared this time and asked them not to but in any chilli.....
Wednesday we had our annual sportsday at school. Well, sportsday.. More fun-and-games day. Coconut shell relay (where the kids walk on coconut shells cut in half), sponge toss, banana relay (which involves blindfolds and unpeeled bananas), water balloon toss, golden coin relay (with the attributes of bowls of flour), tug-of-wars etc..... Much fun. But i think we should have some more water-based games next time. Even though it wasn't extremely hot yet, being out in the sun all day just asks for a waterfight.....
Ok, let's see if i can post this....
Kyaw Kyaw is in Bagan (or actually in Nyaung-U which is literally next door to Bagan). He needs 1 paper for his passport extension (yes here in Burma you can get a passport extension!Then again, a passport is valid for only 3 years). even though he hasn't lived in his village or Nyaung-U for over 15 years, he still needs to go there to get this one paper. Or pay an exhorbitantly high fee to have someone else arrange it for him. Even family isn't authorized to do it except when they pay a lot. Anyway, on the bright side, he visited his family yesterday so that was nice. He had troubel (again!) on the way up there. Apparently he and his fellow passengers slept alongside the road becasue the bus broke down. He arrived in Bagan 24 hours after he'd left Yangon. Even though it is normally 15-16 hours. And it has been like that for the last 3 times that he went there. So he wasn't all that happy since he had planned to get the paper he needed on wednesday which would allow for an extra day if need be. Now he can only hope that it can be done in one day otherwise he'll probably need to stay the whole weekend.
Me, i spend my time in a whole different manner. Yesterday i had a lovely day alone with Xenne. Even the maid had a day off which both she and i enjoyed. The only drawback was that we didn't eat pasta yesterday as i had planned. Xenne wanted to be held all teh time yesterday evening. And since he was ill last week i couldn't deny him that. But cooking AND carrying a toddler at the same time does't work very well. So i ordered in some fried rice. He only wants to eat whatever i eat anyways now. I had made him some nice porridge and yoghurt yesterday but when we were at the teashop he wouldn't eat anything else than my noodlesalad. No matter that the salad was medium spicy... And this morning it was no different, though i was prepared this time and asked them not to but in any chilli.....
Wednesday we had our annual sportsday at school. Well, sportsday.. More fun-and-games day. Coconut shell relay (where the kids walk on coconut shells cut in half), sponge toss, banana relay (which involves blindfolds and unpeeled bananas), water balloon toss, golden coin relay (with the attributes of bowls of flour), tug-of-wars etc..... Much fun. But i think we should have some more water-based games next time. Even though it wasn't extremely hot yet, being out in the sun all day just asks for a waterfight.....
Ok, let's see if i can post this....
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Somepictures from our trip to Moulemein/Hpa-an
Sunset seen from our ferry
A beautiful river trip it is
This is the way we use the buggy in Burma ;-)
Xenne, being his usual happy self. I think he likes to travel.Saturday the 31st
Slowly I’m getting behind on this blog too… But I’m trying, really I am. But it is a bit harder since Xenne got his hands on the laptop again. Now we’re not only missing the ‘D’ but the spacebar is not working very well either. I know that we have to get the laptop to the repair shop but somehow it is never the right time even though I haven’t used it much in the past weeks…
As I wrote last time in my quick update, school has started again. And my class is much smaller. Now I have only 11 kids. The brothers are back in Malaysia, their father was transferred back there. And another boy now lives in Singapore. It makes huge difference 11 or 14 kids. Actually 14 or 10 kids since one of the girls only comes back from holiday this week. She didn’t show after the holidays so we called to check up and her aunt told us that the family was away and wouldn’t be back until after Chinese New Year. No message was given to the school and I doubt there’ll be an excuse apology either. But it does mean a lot of extra work for me since she has to catch up of course. It is so funny, many parents here take their kids out of school during the term for a holiday. Sometimes we’re told, sometimes, like now, we find out later. But the parents still expect their kids to be top of the class and sometimes blame the teacher for their kid’s lower scores…. Like we’re magicians!
It is the end of January and I have the feeling that the temperatures outside are already rising again. March and April are the scorching months here, summer they call it. I’ll probably think with nostalgia and regret of these past 2 months when, on occasion, I had to cover myself with a shawl because it was a bit chilly. And the last few days we’ve had thick, all-covering mist in the very early morning. So much that it almost looked like it had rained. But now it is nice. The windows are open, there is a nice, light breeze and I’m looking at Inya Lake and kids playing football outside.
Alright, I’m of to play a bit with Xenne…..
As I wrote last time in my quick update, school has started again. And my class is much smaller. Now I have only 11 kids. The brothers are back in Malaysia, their father was transferred back there. And another boy now lives in Singapore. It makes huge difference 11 or 14 kids. Actually 14 or 10 kids since one of the girls only comes back from holiday this week. She didn’t show after the holidays so we called to check up and her aunt told us that the family was away and wouldn’t be back until after Chinese New Year. No message was given to the school and I doubt there’ll be an excuse apology either. But it does mean a lot of extra work for me since she has to catch up of course. It is so funny, many parents here take their kids out of school during the term for a holiday. Sometimes we’re told, sometimes, like now, we find out later. But the parents still expect their kids to be top of the class and sometimes blame the teacher for their kid’s lower scores…. Like we’re magicians!
It is the end of January and I have the feeling that the temperatures outside are already rising again. March and April are the scorching months here, summer they call it. I’ll probably think with nostalgia and regret of these past 2 months when, on occasion, I had to cover myself with a shawl because it was a bit chilly. And the last few days we’ve had thick, all-covering mist in the very early morning. So much that it almost looked like it had rained. But now it is nice. The windows are open, there is a nice, light breeze and I’m looking at Inya Lake and kids playing football outside.
Alright, I’m of to play a bit with Xenne…..
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