Half Day Wednesdays

The kids began school on Tuesday.  Why the Brussels English Primary School begins the day after the U.S. Labor Day instead of the first Monday in September like every other Belgian school is a question for them, not me. 

The kids were so excited.  They dressed up, grabbed their big backpacks and I drove them to school.  Lauren was such a big girl.  She put her backpack in a cubby and sat down to begin to draw.  A big hug and kiss and she was set.  Her first all-day school experience in a class called the Lion's Den.
I walked Cole over to his building, where the second year of Primary school is what we call Kindergarten.  He was confident, said hello to his teacher and then he too sat down and begin to draw.
There is one American boy in Lauren's class, but none in Cole's.  His favorite classmate is from outside Tokyo.  Lauren's teachers are Lebanese-Belgian and Lebanese/American-Belgian.  Cole's teacher is from Cameroon.  Cole says they call jackets jumpers.  He was sad he was placed in the non-Francophone French class and is going to work really hard to be moved up.
Wednesday, their second day, went really well too.  We walked to school which wasn't too hard.  Cole called it exploring as we can walk through part of the Bois de la Cambre on our way.  I went home, went to the park with Mom & Caroline and planned to be early to pick the kids up as I knew there was an early dismissal every Wednesday.  As I was pulling out of the garage the phone rang.  Unknown caller so I didn't answer it.  Then Jesse called and I just knew I'd made a mistake.  I was late to pick up the kids and they were wondering if I was on my way.  So I picked them up a half-hour late on their second day of school in a foreign country.  Not my best moment.  Luckily they were happily playing in the main office, chatting away.  Even luckier, we were headed to swim class and they quickly forgot I'd been late.
Swim classes began at the swim/tennis club we joined - David Lloyd Uccle.  Lauren started first and did really well with a teacher who didn't speak English.  Then Cole took his turn in the next class and swam the entire length many times in a very formal practice.  He (and I) was so proud.
It was a beautiful sunny day.  Amazing for early September.  We played in the outdoor pool, had lunch outside and headed back to join Mom & Caroline for dinner.