The singular most important event around here lately is that Wilder (known, as you can see why, by everyone around the town and country as Super Niño) has finally started pre-kinder at Nuevo Arenal’s public school. Needless to say, we’re very proud of him. (Wilder is already asking, “Mom, am I smarter than you?” I hate to have to answer that.)
It took less than two weeks for him to acclimate to the rigors of a Tico schoolboy: wearing a uniform, functioning in an all-Spanish environment, being the subject of everyone’s curiosity (a gringo with a bald spot and a big bandage on the back of his head from a fall the day before), having to comply with classroom structure (of which there is quite a bit), and eating communal hot lunches (meals created from scratch with fresh ingredients by Lili, pre-kinder’s very own cook – certainly not what I knew as “hot lunch” as a kid). We took it poco a poco – Wilder spent three days with both mom and dad in attendance, then a day with just dad, then a day with just mom, then a half day with dad…and then finally three full days all on his own (with a minimal of tears) to round out the second week of school.
His school schedule is every morning, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 to 11:00, but in just two weeks, he’s already had 3 days off – there always seems to be a holiday or teachers’ meeting. That’s suits us just fine seeing as how we’re burning a rude amount of fuel going back and forth to town every day. And as with most things around here, anyway, nothing is definite; and at this age/grade level, things are pretty informal -- some kids wear uniforms, some don’t, some kids come every day, some don’t, some kids miss the morning and come in the afternoon or vice versa, some kids just come to eat (Lili serves at least 2 meals a day even when there are no classes).
His Niña, as the teacher is called, is a nice but somewhat stern grandma whose husband (endearingly called Abuelo by the kids) is a retired school teacher himself who comes every day to help out with the kids and classes. It’s a warm and welcoming environment with a definite underlying code of conduct that seems to be lovingly but firmly enforced. The kids are allowed to be kids, but the first ½ hour to 1 hour of school is spent sitting on three different lines for three different activities, and everyone is expected to sit still, pay attention, and follow along. The first line is for toothbrushing, the second for attendance (“Wilder Zahn, donde estas?” “Aqui estoy, no me voy!”), and the third is for songs, stories, prayers, and various color/number/language activities. Then there’s free indoor play, art time, outside play, and then lunch. Wilder seems to be loving it! And this new addition to our lives has already made a big difference for all of us. Wilder gets to play with kids his age, focus his energy, and learn Spanish. We get to have a quiet breakfast alone, read/write, do a bit of uninterrupted work, run errands – basically whatever we want! It’s pura vida.
The school’s pretty much got everything a preschool needs, but they depend mostly on donations and much is old and in need of repair. So we’ve been sharing some of what you all have sent for Mata de Caña with Wilder’s class (construction paper, bi-lingual books, crayons), and they are VERY appreciative. So thank you all again. It’s amazing to see how such simplicities can make such a complex difference.
His school schedule is every morning, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 to 11:00, but in just two weeks, he’s already had 3 days off – there always seems to be a holiday or teachers’ meeting. That’s suits us just fine seeing as how we’re burning a rude amount of fuel going back and forth to town every day. And as with most things around here, anyway, nothing is definite; and at this age/grade level, things are pretty informal -- some kids wear uniforms, some don’t, some kids come every day, some don’t, some kids miss the morning and come in the afternoon or vice versa, some kids just come to eat (Lili serves at least 2 meals a day even when there are no classes).
The school’s pretty much got everything a preschool needs, but they depend mostly on donations and much is old and in need of repair. So we’ve been sharing some of what you all have sent for Mata de Caña with Wilder’s class (construction paper, bi-lingual books, crayons), and they are VERY appreciative. So thank you all again. It’s amazing to see how such simplicities can make such a complex difference.
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