Our biggest news is that we are busy planning our next move. We would have liked to stay another year, but unfortunately Sunke's two year fellowship can't be extended. So we are lucky that a next job is waiting for him at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. We will move at the end of August which gives us about six more months to enjoy this great city, the beautiful nature around it as well as our dear friends here... and then we are very curious about living in England. Sunke and I both have been in England as 15 year old students for a few weeks. So we have a tiny idea where we'll get to but still it feels like starting at point zero trying to figure out childcare and school system, job market, housing market ... nice that life doesn't get boring and there is always something new to learn. Theda and Jonte at least are excited to move to the land of castles, fortresses and princesses - though Jonte already asks whether we could move to the Netherlands afterwards because his favourite color is orange and then he could play soccer there and learn Dutch. So that gives us some future perspective.
Other than that life is good and busy. Sunke loves work. I am busy with our kids and preschool business. Jonte and Theda are going to a Cooperative Preschool for three hours four times a week. It is a special program for 5 year olds - a transition to next years so called "Kindergarten" which is the first year at elementary school. They love to go to preschool and have lots of fun. After having talked about the stars, the sky, the planets, they are now learning about the earth - and they are very enthusiastic about it and ask us tons of questions like where do the animals come from, how came the earth to be.... big questions and sometimes hard to find good answers (without studying for months yourself). They start to be very interested in what is happening in the world, so we talked about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan as well as what is going on in the arab countries (trying to stay on child level).
Since it is a cooperative preschool, it is run by the parents which means that we are very much involved. Every parent works once a week as assistant teacher and everyone holds a job. This year I was thrown into the cold water and am working as the chair of the class which means quite a bit of work, e.g. setting up and leading monthly board and parent meetings. It is a nice challenge and I learn a lot. Furthermore I appreciate parent education as part of the program. There is a parent educator (with an educational-psychological background) observing the classroom, working together with the teacher and being available as counselor for the parents. She gives a one hour session at each parent meeting focusing on age appropriate development, conflict resolution among kids etc. I really value this resource.
Narne who just turned two a few weeks ago also goes to a Cooperative Preschool once a week for two hours together with me. It is the same Preschool Theda and Jonte went to last year and it is nice to be there this year again though it is a different teacher for the toddler class. Narne is jumping in his development right now: he loves to run, to jump, to dance. He loves Theda's and Jonte's small lego which he can play with for hours. He loves farmers and workers, trucks, tractors, airplanes, ships,.... He started with pretend play like he is pretending to go to work. Speechwise he is jumping as well: he tries to repeat practically every word, mostly in German, but has now started to do it in English as well. He can now say 'Theda', but he calls Jonte 'Tati'. And of course he has some other fun vocabularies like 'Heusch' for airplanes - we have no idea where this comes from.
Well, now you have a rough overview of what we are doing. I add some pictures. And then I hope to write more soon.
Narne's 2nd birthday:
Today:
Narne trying to put on glasses with Theda (with new hair cut)
Jonte created some art
Theda and Jonte work on Jonte's art project together
playdough session, Jonte's creation of man
Narne talking through the playdough phone
Theda's creation of a girl
Jonte's creation of a planet
Happy spring time!
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