Sounds good, September 2013 I am going to Chile with the school and #3, this year our school will host to 20 Chilean students, from Liceo Lenka Franuliz School in Santiago Chile.
With a school of over 1200 students you would think it would be easy to find 20 families that would be happy to have an international student. NA AH, notices went home, the news letter went to all families and still there was not enough families. 3 weeks before the students were due to arrive a call went out for another family... I checked with HWMBO and he agreed we would take 2 girls.
Now, where to put them, we have a spare room that is also the study, my sewing room, the study and full of work and my half finished projects....I was very surprised that the cleaning process only took a few hours. I was ruthless, sooooo much got thrown out. #2 kept me on track. I managed to get 4 shelves and hanging space in one cupboard empty. We borrowed an extra bed moved bookcases and filing cabinets, cleaned the carpet, fixed the window latch and we were ready for the girls.
Of course the plane was late, not the flight from Chile...the connection from Sydney to Brisbane. #3 and I waited at the school for nearly 2 hours Sunday night. The students arrived at midnight, everyone is tired and a bit grumpy, it is raining and I have parked in the wrong car park.... this was actually a good thing. On our way to the car there was a kangaroo near the canteen at the school and then 4 more as we drove away. If we had been parked with the rest of the parents my girls would not have seen these roos. A perfect first experience.
Monday morning everyone is expected at the school at 9am......a lot easier than I thought it would be, everyone got up, got ready and faced the day. I went shopping. HWMBO's sister was visiting sunny QLD with her daughter and niece from Canada. #1 and +1 were coming for dinner to see the aunt and cousin. 11 people for dinner... the only table big enough is outside but it is too cold, more rearranging of furniture, out door table now squeezed inside and set for 11. The poor girls from Chile are so tired and now there is more people. We got lucky, the niece from Canada speaks perfect Spanish. She made the girls feel at home and translated the important things I needed them to know.
- If you don't like something say so
- If you want a drink get it
- If you want something to eat help yourself
- This is your home for 4 weeks - please treat it like it is your own
The first night was a success and everyone one went to bed happy.
The girls Skype with their families and gave a web cam tour of the house and yard. I talked to mothers who did not speak English and I do not speak Spanish, smiles and nods and lots of thank yous.
5 days into the stay and it has not stopped raining with shopping and the beach planed for the weekend, lets hope the sun comes out and Queensland shows its beauty.
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| A and V from Chile with #3 and #2, first day at School in Australia |
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| A & V |
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| Cousin and Aunty from Victoria |
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| Canadian Niece (who speaks perfect Spanish) Cousin and Aunty |
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