It’s hard to believe that we are in week three of school. What’s even harder to believe is how nicely Lana has settled in. Yes, she still loves America & misses her family and friends, and yes, she would still love to be teleported back to her old school to be with her ‘girls.’ But she is doing well. Very well, actually.
We decided to come over to NZ at the last possible moment so that the kids (&I) could maximize on our time with our friends before we left Sydney. This decision is something I will never regret. We had just the most fantastic month EVAH! It did however make our arrival in NZ pretty manic. In a week I had to find us a home, buy two children their uniforms, get everything labeled, purchase all the right shoes and even get some things embroidered!
In the middle of that week I received an email from Lana’s teacher introducing herself and informing me that she had shared my email with a mother from our class whose daughter she had chosen to be Lana’s buddy. This little girl was new to the school last year so she felt she’d understand what Lana was going through. I was contacted immediately after by this mother, a Canadian, who invited Lana for a play date that weekend before school started. My daughter was taken for tea, a movie and then over to their house for a play! It was perfect. Three days later when Lana went in for her first day in her new school her ‘buddy’ was awaiting her. This little girl made sure Lana was cared for until Lana got her bearings. Here we were worried about Lana’s transition and she was the one who hit the ground running.
So far we are quite pleased with the school. Because I did not come over to look at schools I did my research by speaking to principals here from Sydney last year. I absolutely LOVE the principal of this school. It was after speaking to her that I was left in tears. I am not a huge supporter of private schools, but I knew that Lana deserved to be in this school, if even for a year.
Besides a strong curriculum and a very good learning environment there is also a focus on sport. If you know my daughter, you know she will do just about anything to avoid physical activity. Well, I have to smile when I write that as this new and improved Lana Banana has taken to surfing and has now joined her school Flippa Ball team!!!
Flippa Ball is a children’s water polo. The kids can actually stand in the pool, but if they get the ball they must either throw it or they have to swim with it. I tell you, that is an impressive skill. Even though we did not want to give up our weekends for the kids’ sports as we did in Sydney, we just could not deny our daughter since this is her first time expressing an interest in a team sport.
Most of the girls in her class are on the team, so it’s a lovely way for her to further connect with her friends. But more than anything I am proud of her for trying something new. This risk taking is something she has always shied away from. I am not sure if it was Australia, or this new school or maybe she just would have gotten here on her own. But regardless, I couldn’t be happier for her.