Kindergarten Redux and 4th Grade!

Welcome Home!

We made it home safely after 22 hours. This photo was taken playing bouncy ball in the Concepcion Airport after checking in 3 50lb bags and saying good bye to Mono and his family. We are excited to get home, but we will miss Chile!

I am so proud of these two taking on our Chilean adventures and challenges head on. These two have certainly grown in more ways than those visible to the eye!! (above March 2012/ bottom two August 2012)(. . .and since we don't have a car anymore, we are considering taking this to school as our transportation. Holiday Inn said they didn't mind!)

My ever dramatic son decided to say good-bye to our Nissan Platina 1.6 that has been our "autito" here in Chile by bleeding on her (right before I am to drop it off to the buyer). He lost his 2nd tooth on the way to schooll!!!!

Our last theater production in Chile. Tj almost fell on the floor laughing (I'll take that as a good sign that he understood everything). They let the boys get on stage after the show...wonder if these kids will become actors. I am so lucky I have been able to share my love for theater with these kiddos. And the fact they like it is even better!

Busy last Saturday. The Y surprised the boys with a going away party after basketball this am (highlight video included), and we took in one last children's theater production. We will miss city living going from 500.000 to 50.000.

The boys have been great this week...despite their excitement. Today is one week from blast-off. I treated the to an ice-cream at the mall and a soccer outfit (they want to wear on the plane). Latin America has rubbed off. Of course they forewent Colo Colo of Universidad de Chile and went with Barcelona...but they are still cute as heck!

Sometimes, during those rough days where you spend 1 hour at the bank and 3 hours at the DMV selling your car, you wonder if you have enough strength to make it through the last 10 days. Then Tj and Cole spend the night with a fantastic babysitter (Michelle) speaking in Spanish the whole time, and Tj comments to me later..."Mom..what is hombre arana". I respond: "It is Spider Man." And he remarks: "Well that is just backwards. In Spanish it is Man Spider." WOW! This 5 year old is cognizant of all this!!! Standing in line was worth it.

I took a before and after photo of all the construction going on in Downtown Concepcion. We have watched these two buildings everyday (downtown mall and apartment building (to replace the one that fell in the earthquake of 2010).

Although we are all extremely excited to head home, be back with Dad, our friends, our home and our sweet Liliah, there are many things we will miss from Chile. This view will be one of them.

Five round-trip flights, 200,000 frequent flyer miles used, a bunch of sleepless nights...Dave's last trip to Chile is over. That is one dedicated Dad who made all those sacrifices so the boys could experience all that they have here in Chile. The countdown for us now begins. .

There have been a lot of new firsts here in Chile (besides skateboarding on a ramp for the first time):
Tj lost his first tooth in the elevator
Living in a building with an elevator
Experiencing their first earthquake (6.2)
Learning Spanish and attending a bilingual school
Wearing an uniform to school (mom really likes that)
Discovering Nutella
Taking piano (Cole) and playing with the big boys at the YMCA (Tj)
Skiing on a Volcano (Chillan)
Running down a Sand Dune (San Pedro de Atacama)
Going to Children's Theater productions (in Spanish)
Eating A LOT of ice-cream
Watching "Bob Esponja" and other children's tv shows in Spanish without complaint
Learning to fall asleep with the sound of squealing buses and disco music going on outside
Playing in the water and sand of the (very cold) Pacific ocean

and the list goes on. . .

A fun weekend with Dad (his birthday celebration). Few places in the world you can ski one day in 6 inches of snow and head to the beach the day after!

Dave got here right on time for Tj's first tooth!!!

The weather may be cooler (50F), but the sun has been out in Concepcion the past few days. We have been really lucky with the weather this winter, thank goodness. Although balloon volleyball can keep them entertained for awhile, nothing beats heading to the U and playing boats in the waterfall with leaves!!!

As I reflect on our past 6 months living in a fairly small apartment by Texas standards, but a fairly large one by Chilean standards, and count the number of toys the boys have on just two hands, I found this article interesting. Although there is still the typical fight to get them to help (that hasn't gone away), the boys are keeping themselves busy (as I type) playing soccer/ volleyball with a balloon in the hall way (since the noise of a real soccer ball in "apartment" living was outlawed months ago). I wonder if I shouldn't get Dave to donate 1/2 their toys before we come home.


http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2012/07/02/120702crbo_books_kolbert?currentPage=1

Eramos companeras en la Universidad de Concepcion hace mas de 15 anos. Este semestre pudimos ser colegas. Monica Tapia Ladino....te agradezco por todo!!!

My students threw me a party last night! Celeste's father went all out on the asado, and all students come to celebrate. I was so touched...although exhausted after spending a day in Santiago (down at 8am and back at 8pm).

The competition for 2013-14 Fulbright Scholar grants is now open. The application deadline for most programs is August 1, 2012. U.S. scholars and professionals can learn how to present their credentials at www.iie.org/cies.

Nice to see pilots still taking time to get kids psyched on flying!!

Excited to have "Teatro a Mil" in Concepcion this coming month. Boys will attend their third Children's Theater production. "Bodies: The Exposition" is also coming to town. And, to top it all off, they just announced at the YMCA that they will be having Winter Break Camp for our vacation in July. I am one happy momma and excited to share my love for theater with the boys; lapping up all the culture a city of 500,000 has to offer before heading back to a population of 50,000 in Georgetown, Texas

Gira teatro a mil: Movistar y Fitam llevan lo mejor de las tablas a Concepción | FITAM - Fundación Teatro a Mil

Gira teatro a mil: Movistar y Fitam llevan lo mejor de las tablas a Concepción | FITAM - Fundación Teatro a Mil

In light of today's historic Supreme Court Decision, thought this information was interesting:

Chile (which also by the way has 6 months post-natal leave)

The Chilean constitution guarantees rights to health protection.

Chileans can opt for public care or get coverage from private health insurance companies. Wealthier citizens can buy insurance from the Instituciones de Salud Previsional or obtain coverage through their employer. A 7% income tax funds the public health care system, the Fondo Nacional de Salud, according to an analysis of health care reform in Chile.

Public care includes free medical, dental and midwifery services, which are run locally. Private insurance tends to focus on specialist treatment.

The existence of both public-private insurance has created inequities of care, prompting reform efforts in 2000 to increase equality across the country.

Chile has guaranteed universal access to quality treatment for some conditions including certain cancers, HIV/AIDS, pneumonia, depression and dental care, which has improved care for the poor, according to the WHO.

3:30 wake up call, rough drive-up (and a little car sickness), followed by breakfast at 13008 feet (and 1 degree F temperature) all in order to witness the sunrise over a geyser field.  It was pretty amazing, despite the sacrifices. Boys did great! Tj even swam with Dad in the hot springs. We walked in the desert on the back way down to San Pedro. What a day of sharp and stark contrasts. The afternoon was followed by a bike ride/ run (air felt so much thicker here) and early bed time. Return to reality tomorrow. We head back to Concepcion, Dave heads back to Texas. I am amazed by what the boys are learning about geology (a mix of Spanish and English) and how friendly they are to Chileans and tourists alike. Neither one of them is scared to say: Hola. Buenos dias! I think the lesson of "es necesario siempre saludar" has finally sunk in.

We had a easy morning (bike ride around town while I hit the museum), followed by tour of Valle de la Muerte (dunes) and Valle de la Lune (sunset). Cole said: "That has been the funnest so far (as he ran down the sand dune). We head out early (4am..gasp) to the gysers tomorrow morning.

Okay..I am finally on vacation (before finals next week!) Letting loose. It has been a haul at times but Chile is just amazing.

Flamingos at San Pedro de Atacama Salares

Primer dia en San Pedro de Atacama.  Trip to Atacama Salares (third largest after Bolivia and Salt Lake City). 4300 meters took some getting used to. Utah can't really compare to these volcanoes, blue/ green lagoons, and pink flamingos.

Inside La Moneda: Palacio Cultural. Conference was good, contacts were great, heading on vacation even better!

Arrived to Santiago fine. First three days away from boys in 6 months! Presenting tomorrow at the Moneda. Slightly nervous. . .a estas alturas de mi profesion, es patetica.

Tj's assimilation into school, as witnessed by his happy boogie performance below, is not to be outdone by his brother's recess joy. These boys have done great down here. Quite a testament how friendly kids are. (and those are "delantales" they must wear over their uniform. Quite handy when you don't have a drier!!!