School's out! Today was the last day of school. Now what? Now I know how my mom felt...

Today I joined up with a Vietnamese mom, a Chinese mom and a South African mom to go scope out a place that offers Mandarin lessons twice a week for 3-5 year olds. Unfortunately, we were not impressed. It was a couple running this "lesson" in their living room and it was weird.

It ended with the mom who had organized the whole thing apologizing to the rest of us about wasting our time. It was comical really. One of the moms had the giggles about it and she couldn't stop laughing. I am still just scratching my head. If someone actually speaks the target language they are teaching (which is kind of a requirement right?), why on earth would they use a horrible CD Rom program that uses the computer to instruct the class?

So that is a no go. I have had G wait listed for a Mandarin playgroup since we got here. So I decided to drop in to check her status once I knew the other place was such a bust. That looks like it will work out for the fall so I am excited about that. And they offer a summer camp the last week of July and I think I may sign her up for that.

Tomorrow there's a birthday party for one of G's class mates on the beach in Mui Wo. So we have to take the ferry there and back and schlep all of our stuff to have a day on the beach. I'm looking forward to it because I know the company will be good. But I'm dreading it at the same time since I know it'll be hot and I know once the ferry dumps us off we are stuck for a full 3 hours until the next ferry goes back to Discovery Bay.

B gets home tomorrow afternoon. He will get back home in time to meet me at the ferry pier when we get back so that will be great to have an extra set of hands because I know by then the kids are going to be DONE.

The lifestyle over here is almost indescribably more busy and active for kids (and adults too of course). Some examples: 5 days a week school starts the year they turn 3. Kids have to walk and it's really hot and humid here. It's also very hilly so even on a quick and simple walk you can't avoid stairs and hills. And there's always activities like riding bikes, swimming and lessons and whatever else people will pay to have their kids in. There's no childhood obesity here, that's for sure.