Coffee and Classes

Today was the first day of school for my boys here in Oman.  They were very excited to start school.  Without many of their toys or TV shows, these last two weeks of summer have been very long.  Not to mention, they have been on summer break since May 24.  This has been a crazy long summer!

We started the day with pictures like I’ve always done.  I had to Photoshop in the chalk words thanks to not finding any chalk here.  It doesn’t feel authentic to me, but we like our tradition.  Note to everyone in America:  they are in 3^rd and 5^th year which is equivalent to 2^nd and 4^th grade. 

E's first day of 5th year.

J's first day of 3rd year.

We walked to school for a special meet and greet time for new families.  They had 1^st-6^th years split up in the auditorium, so Stephen went with J and I went with E.  Stephen met a man who works for PDO and his son.  I met a man from Louisiana and his son.  We then were taken to the classrooms to very briefly meet the teachers and drop off the kids.  J just had one other new kid in his class and E had four other new kids in his class.  Parents then headed back to the auditorium to meet the principal and chat with parents.  The principal seemed very kind, and he emphasized how kind all the kids are.  In an international school, there is a 20% turnover rate, which means that almost all of the kids know what it’s like to be the new kid within the last few years.  I cannot tell you how much these words put my mind at ease.

After he finished talking, parents could continue chatting.  I met the wife of the man from Louisiana who then invited me to coffee with a group of moms from the US.  I told her I had no car, so she kindly offered to drive me.  I met these other girls who all seemed very friendly.  We then headed for coffee at Costa which is just a few blocks from my house.  Oh how welcomed I felt!

We really thought Duncan was a friendly and open community.  And it is.  But when you live somewhere with so many expats, everyone knows where you are emotionally.  Everyone has been the new expat.  I think it makes people even more outgoing and welcoming.  It has taken my friendliness bar up a notch.  So between church on Friday and coffee today, I have a renewed confidence in our move.