Pre-K happiness

Two days in, and Pooh is loving Pre-K. Here he is leaving the house the first day.

And here he is at the school, as we are walking him to his room.

Afterward, we had a celebratory lunch, at the place of his choice. His choice? not unexpectedly, "Happy Meal".

The big day is here!

No, not moving day! It's the first day of pre-school for Pooh! He's so excited and ready to go, though currently, he and his trains are enjoying a nice big breakfast in hopes that he'll make it until 11am without a snack. Last week we got to go meet his teacher and see his classroom - he was enthralled, and did not want to leave. But that just means he'll be happy to see the place again this morning. Hopefully, he'll stay without problem and help other kids have a great morning too!

Today I go to school, Mom?

The Kiddo is so excited about going to school! Yesterday, he sang me a new lullaby, and when asked where he learned it, he responded, "At school." No matter how many different ways and times I asked, he was insistent that he learned it at school. Since we have yet to set foot into his classroom, I know this is not the case (great deductive reasoning on my part, right?!).

I love the fact that he's excited about school, but I admit to being nervous about how he'll feel about school once he is there. I just hope and pray that he loves his teacher...and his classmates...and that they love him too! Cause he's a pretty special kid with lots to offer! Here's a little reminder for me (and for him) of some summer fun.

Milestones...

One week from today, Pooh begins pre-school. That afternoon, my first phd student defends her dissertation. I'm feeling like the juxtaposition of work and motherhood is somehow converging this week. In the midst of it all, we will hopefully get a response to our offer. It may be the beginning of a new phase. Or, possibly, it could mean the adjustment of a dream to a different locale.

Whatever happens, we'll make it all for the better!

International Education

I've been thinking a lot about education this week. Pooh starts PreK this coming week, and my own classes start on Thursday. As we think about making a run for the border one day, what we'll do about school is an important factor.

In Pana, there are, from what I can tell, two international schools, the Life School, which is Pre-K to 9, and PCI (Panajachel Colegio Internacional), for grades 7-12.

There are also a ton of "private" local schools, but we want to make sure that Pooh is able to return to the US for college, or in case we were to return for unforeseen reasons before then. So education in English is going to be important. If he goes to a local school, we'll probably also need to homeschool him at night to keep up with what would be expected in US curriculum. While that would be possible (actually homeschool overall would be a decent option), Pooh is a very social being and really needs regular interaction with other kids his age. So we've been looking at the two international schools.

Besides, with my experience and education, either one of these *might* be a good choice for me to work, so I'm keeping my eye on my own options as well!

Sunset at The Sunset

I'm participating in Spanish Friday today, so this post is in Spanish, with English translation following. For more Spanish, head on over to over at Latinaish and join in the fun!

Alla en Panajachel, al final de la calle Santander, es un cafe bien popular con los gringos. Por el dia, no es muy obvio por que es tan popular. La comida no es muy buena. Los meseros no son muy atentos. A veces la cerveza no esta bien fria. Pero pocos minutos antes del atardecer, ese lugar se llena rapidamente, y los que lleguen tarde no encuentren ni un lugar para sentarse. Por que? Por eso:

Este cafe se queda en un lugar enfrente de la playa, sin otros edificios que bloquean la vista. Y la vista del atardecer por el lago es increible. Por eso tiene el nombre "Sunset Cafe". Es hermoso, es vivo, y es el lugar perfecto para conocer 'expats' y turistas si quieren. Espero verles alla un dia cuando visiten a Pana!

Down at the end of Santander in Pana is one of the most popular gringo bars in town. At first glance, it might not be obvious why. The food's not great. The wait staff is not attentive. Sometimes the beer is not even cold. But as afternoon moves into evening, the place fills up rapidly, and late arrivals may find that it's standing room only. What's the attraction, you say? It's this:

See, the Sunset Cafe sits right on the beach, and has a great view of sunset (hence the name Sunset Cafe) on the lake. It's gorgeous, it's happening, and (if that's what you are looking for) it's a great place to meet tourists and expats. I hope to see you there one day when you make it to Pana!

An Offer...

Yesterday, after much thought and wiggling of numbers, P-Daddy and I sent off an offer on The Property! We idealized it, based on what would work best for us, and we realize we'll have to do some negotiating, but the offer is in. To celebrate, here's a picture of the main house (the property itself extends quite a bit behind and to the side):

The current renters of the house call it The Treehouse - a name that you can see is quite fitting and which I'll likely be adopting!