Day 2 -- Liam's first day of school

Day 2 – Liam’s First Day of School

Today, February 25, 2013, was a big day – it was our Liam’s first day of public school.  Not only that, but it was school in New Zealand.  This morning he was rather nervous, but he bravely walked with me the one kilometer or so to his school.
   

Liam looking smart in his new uniform

We dropped paperwork off at the office, and took him to his classroom.  I stuck around for a few minutes as he joined his friends on the carpet patch in front of this teacher.  The teacher, Mr. Oakley, told the students that Liam was joining them today, all the way from America.  He asked if any of them had ever been to America.

Liam's classroom

About five little hands shot up in the air.  Two of the New Zealander students, it turns out, had been born in America (one in Texas, the other was unsure where).  The teacher then said that “buddy reading” time would be next, and asked who wanted be Liam’s buddy for the day.  All the kids’ hands shot up in the air – everyone wanted to read with Liam.  He was pleased, and so was I, and I said good-bye, with a strong air of “I can’t believe my little boy is this big!”

Liam's Teacher, Mr. Oakley

At the end of the day, I was terribly eager to hear how the day had been.  The problem, of course, is that five-year-olds are not particularly good comprehensive and chronological reporters.  The first thing I heard from Liam after school was:

“The day was pretty good.  I got in big trouble, though.”

After some number of questions from me, it turned out that when the teacher stepped out of the room, all of his grade one students took it upon themselves to visit on the play equipment right outside their classroom.  The teacher, Mr. Oakley, was rather unhappy when he returned.  Liam himself didn’t get in trouble, as he was still learning the school rules.


After many small stories and snapshots, I think I’ve assembled at least a partial picture of his day.

Highlights include:
• He cried after I left, because he hadn’t given me “hugs and kisses” (our usual parting ritual).  A girl was really nice to him, however, and rubbed his back and helped him feel better.
• Another boy really helped him at lunch, saying “follow me”, and “sit by me”, and helping Liam know what to do.
• The whole class went for swimming lessons, but since we didn’t know this was happening, we didn’t have Liam’s swimsuit, so he couldn’t go in.  He got to watch and to put his feet in the water, though – and he’ll get to swim with his classmates on Thursday.
• Liam wrote two whole sentences in a workbook.
• Grade one is more boring than preschool, because there’s more work!

I’m  sad that there were so many small disappointments, but he seemed quite chipper about school, and is excited to go back.  Hopefully the next day will be better.

Dominic settling in, too

I spent much of the day doing the small things that one must always do when starts a new job.  I got my email address.  I got my desktop computer set up to print.  I got my laptop connected to the internet and set up to print.  I met many of the department at morning tea.  I tested the videoconference equipment with Debbie Thomas, the wonderful department administrator at CWU (I have to keep teaching classes while I’m here.)  I also got a security card / library card, learned about the departmental seminars and was put on the speaker’s list, and got a bus pass.

Bus passes

Bus passes, for some reason, are a really big deal here.  In order to get a reloadable card, you first must find the appropriate office.  There was only on within walking distance – in a hidden room down an unmarked corridor under the campus library.   (I am not kidding about this; even after being given directions, I had to pass the hallway three times before I noticed that it wasn’t just for maintenance.  When you get to the hidden room, you then fill out paperwork amounting to what I usually expect from a credit card application.  They wanted my contact information, address, email, next of kin, three character references, bank statements, and my CV.  (It may not have been so detailed – already my mind is hazy trying to remember!)  Finally, though, Liam and I succeeded in clearing all bus-related hurdles, and set off on our last adventure of the day; grocery shopping.

Food Shopping

Going grocery shopping is going to be non-trivial when we’re here.  There closest shop is a Whole Foods-like place over a kilometer away.  The closest large, not-overpriced shop is just over 2 kilometers away.  Walking that far with groceries is tough, so we really did need the bus.  Even so, we still have to walk about four blocks from the nearest bus stop to our motel home.

We got a grocery store recommendation from Clemency, who also told us which bus to take.  We got on at about 5:00 – we had spent the time between school and 5:00 talking to Allyson and Emery, and getting our bus pass.  I expected the busses would be quite crowded at rush hour, but only about half of the seats were filled – perhaps this is a good side benefit to making the process so onerous.

Our grocery store of (Clemency’s) choice was Pack ‘n Save.  Given that in New England we shopped at Pick & Save, and that in South Africa it was Pick & Pay, there seems very little hope of my getting the name right!  The store was connected to a shopping mall, so we poked around first.  Liam found and bought a toy pirate rapier for two dollars, and we sat down to eat pizza – we were quite hungry by this time.  By the time we finished the pizza, however, the mall had closed.  All the shops were shut down, and big gates cut off various hallways – including the one that led back to the grocery store!

We had to circle all the way around the mall, so I was tired and grumpy by the time we got back to Pack n’ Save – not the best mood for entering a new grocery store.  Still, we got through all right, and made it back home.  By this time it was quite late (especially since I was still jet lagged), so I quickly unpacked and gave Liam a bath, and then we both went right to sleep.