After two months of being away from the computer, I'm playing catch up on our lives. As the school year ended, we prepared for our trip back to the states, so things were a little crazy. Here are the kids getting ready for one of their last days of school, and doing the daily ride down the elevator to catch the embassy "bus" (van).
Sadly, we've had to say good-bye to a lot of friends. Friends from the embassy that are moving on to other posts, and friends from school returning to their native country. Thomas' best friend Mudanch is one of them, returning to India. We're missing Kalen and Kera as they move to Lesotho, a small country that lies within South Africa. Our friends Becca and Jesse are moving to Liberia, Patricia or Poopee as she is nicknamed is moving to Kenya, Briggs is moving to Mozambique, and Rora and Mia are returning to D.C. for an assignment after being out of the country for several years. The long, daily commute of these kids every day to school in this van has been a challenge in many ways. But I believe that this ride with friends (who are more like siblings, fighting and all), has provided my kids with a support group they could count on. 
Savannah had a grade-level play that she was singing in, so I took the day off to go to it. I got a ride on an embassy van that leaves to go out to the school at 12:30pm to make sure it's there by 3pm. Traffic is unpredictable, so better safe than sorry. We got there a little early, so I bounced around the school to see my kids and get pics. Thomas was in his classroom playing games that they had to create on their own.
Savannah's Portuguese class, watching a movie in Portuguese.
Rhea with some of her friends and her teacher, Ms. Karisse whom we absolutely loved!
After school, we all loaded up in the embassy van and got dropped off at "Poopee's" house. Her mom works for the U.S. government, but she was in Angola on assignment for the Angolan government, so they lived right by the school. The only embassy family that had a literally 4 minute commute! And they lived in a house in a gated community with lawns, streets to ride bikes, etc. A few of these communities exist, along with the kids' school, because they've been built mostly by the oil companies that are established there. This was the first time in a YEAR that my kids had been on a bike and a neighborhood (with grass!) for that matter. They were extremely happy to say the least, as was I walking around freely in this quiet neighborhood with noone around and listening to my kids let loose in their outdoor freedom. And it was so clean. :)
Savannah and Poopee were in this school play about penguins traveling around the world and learning about better ways we could take care of our environment and the world. Savannah did a great job learning the words to all of these cute songs. They take months to prepare in music class, and I can see why! After the play we got to see her teacher Ms. Ruth and other embassy kids that performed or attended the play.
It has been a good year for these kids! The school has played a crucial role in their adjustment to Angola, so we can thank their three wonderful teachers that have taught them so much and that the kids looked forward to seeing every day!
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