I haven't had a more miserable day since July 4th, 2003. Yesterday I was sick with a 102 fever, chills, headache, sore throat, earache and back ache. The fever finally broke last night about 8 p.m. and a couple tylenol PM helped the headache and earache stay away enough to get a fairly decent night sleep. This morning, the worst has passed and I'm down to one ear aching every time I swallow. Katherine has an earache as well, Ian and Nicholas have tummy/intestinal issues. So far Rebecca and Jonathon seem to be OK.
For everyone out there screaming "Go to the doctor! It could be malaria!!" don't think I haven't read up on it. If I was still miserable today, I would have gone first thing. But there is a fever going around so I think I'm one of the unlucky to have caught it. If the fever comes back, I know to get myself to the clinic ASAP.
This has actually been a busy week. I'll go into it more later, but Tuesday and Thursday were holidays for Ian. Wednesday the Regional Consular Officer (RCO) was in town and on Wednesday we received our car. Thursday and Friday were 1/2 days for the kids. Friday was parent/teacher conferences and first quarter report cards. Friday we also invited Emily over for pizza and a movie. Saturday was the Marine cake cutting for the 230th Anniversary. Sunday we went to a picnic thrown specifically for families by the director of Peace Corps.
Of course there's more to say about each of these things, but right now I'm chugging water and thinking about heading back to bed now that Ian and the kids are off. Ian would have called in sick today but he has consuls from Ghana coming to the office this afternoon. The kids are doing painting after school so I have until 3 p.m. to get all the laundry washed and dried, depending on how I feel folded too. And the dishes need to be washed. If I get those 2 things accomplished, I'll consider the day a success.
Sunday, November 6, 2005
Saturday, November 5, 2005
Hi, we're back.
Our modem got fried earlier this week, so now we have a new one and a stack of e-mail to respond to. Hang tight :)
Monday, October 31, 2005
That Time Again
It’s that time again, time to plan our R&R trip.
We have several ideas tossing around our collective heads. The one we’ve considered the longest is heading to Italy, though now we’ve also begun considering Norway, Finland, or Scotland. We’re planning to head out early June and travel for about 3 weeks. What we want is a relatively family-friendly itinerary.
Since every place has Pros&Cons, the only way to decide is to make a list.
Italy:
Pros: Rome! Pompeii! Venice! No matter where you start or which direction you go, there are amazing things to see, do and most importantly eat.
Cons: The summers are getting worse in Europe, and we’re really going to need someplace with a different temperature than Togo. The cost of staying in Italy is fear-inspiring. Starting in Rome means heading North or South, not both. There’s that language thing too.
Norway:
Pros: Definitely cooler than Togo with average June temperatures about 17C. Fjords!
Cons: Again with the language. Same concerns with the cost.
Finland:
Pros: See Norway. But also, we don’t know anyone who’s been to Finland, and it’s somewhere, well, not everyone goes. Which would be great! There’s a cool castle outside Helsinki that looks like fun.
Cons: See Norway.
Ireland:
Pros: I’ve never been. No language problem, well, not really. Not too bad… right? We might even find a leprechaun in the Emerald Isle.
Cons: There are cons to visiting Ireland?
Scotland:
Pros: It’s gorgeous, and who wouldn’t want to tool around Scotland?
Cons: I’ve been to Scotland already. Haggas.
But those are all just fun ideas at this point. What we’ve really been considering and thinking about and hammering through is this:
Fly to Helsinki, Finland
Ferry to Tallinn, Estonia
Train through (stops along the way) Latvia and Lithuania
End up in Poland
See Warsaw and Krakow
Fly home
There’s a chance we’ll meet up with my parents. We might be able to convince Jeff to meet up with us. Maybe folks we know will be in the area. And even if all those things don’t pan out, sounds like a blast of a trip to me!
Whadja think?
We have several ideas tossing around our collective heads. The one we’ve considered the longest is heading to Italy, though now we’ve also begun considering Norway, Finland, or Scotland. We’re planning to head out early June and travel for about 3 weeks. What we want is a relatively family-friendly itinerary.
Since every place has Pros&Cons, the only way to decide is to make a list.
Italy:
Pros: Rome! Pompeii! Venice! No matter where you start or which direction you go, there are amazing things to see, do and most importantly eat.
Cons: The summers are getting worse in Europe, and we’re really going to need someplace with a different temperature than Togo. The cost of staying in Italy is fear-inspiring. Starting in Rome means heading North or South, not both. There’s that language thing too.
Norway:
Pros: Definitely cooler than Togo with average June temperatures about 17C. Fjords!
Cons: Again with the language. Same concerns with the cost.
Finland:
Pros: See Norway. But also, we don’t know anyone who’s been to Finland, and it’s somewhere, well, not everyone goes. Which would be great! There’s a cool castle outside Helsinki that looks like fun.
Cons: See Norway.
Ireland:
Pros: I’ve never been. No language problem, well, not really. Not too bad… right? We might even find a leprechaun in the Emerald Isle.
Cons: There are cons to visiting Ireland?
Scotland:
Pros: It’s gorgeous, and who wouldn’t want to tool around Scotland?
Cons: I’ve been to Scotland already. Haggas.
But those are all just fun ideas at this point. What we’ve really been considering and thinking about and hammering through is this:
Fly to Helsinki, Finland
Ferry to Tallinn, Estonia
Train through (stops along the way) Latvia and Lithuania
End up in Poland
See Warsaw and Krakow
Fly home
There’s a chance we’ll meet up with my parents. We might be able to convince Jeff to meet up with us. Maybe folks we know will be in the area. And even if all those things don’t pan out, sounds like a blast of a trip to me!
Whadja think?
Thank you AFSA
Consumables Update:
"Mr. Hopper:
I just wanted to provide you with an update as to the status of your
shipment moved in error to Chennai. The Transportation Division has
contacted Peapod and placed a duplicate order which you originally
placed with them. They will advise once they have the shipment ready
for pickup. I will have the shipment export packed and moved via AIR
to Lome. Once I have received shipping info, I will advise post and
yourself. The Transportation Division will absorb the cost of the
consumables and shipment via air. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Dave Anders
Chief, Transportation Advisory Section
Travel and Transportation Management
U.S. Department of State"
"Mr. Hopper:
I just wanted to provide you with an update as to the status of your
shipment moved in error to Chennai. The Transportation Division has
contacted Peapod and placed a duplicate order which you originally
placed with them. They will advise once they have the shipment ready
for pickup. I will have the shipment export packed and moved via AIR
to Lome. Once I have received shipping info, I will advise post and
yourself. The Transportation Division will absorb the cost of the
consumables and shipment via air. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Dave Anders
Chief, Transportation Advisory Section
Travel and Transportation Management
U.S. Department of State"
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Mars Shine
While in Virginia, Ian ordered an Orion Telescope on the suggestions of Scott (an Astronomy fan) back in Manila. We knew we were going to Africa and there are few better places to have a clear view of the heavens than here. For Ian, I subscribed to Astronomy magazine and I read through the latest issue last week.
Then, last night, Ian and I were sitting outside, looking up. Bright, orange and high in the sky, Mars was looking back at us, so out came the telescope. We finally aligned the viewfinder and the lens and discovered its beautiful shine. Wow, I can’t wait for November 1st when it will be at its peak viewing state, not to be matched again until 2018. Now of course we feel the need for better, more powerful lenses, but even what we saw with the starter set was impressive. Round, orange, with some shaded areas, it’s my first ever personal view of another planet and I can see why folks become fans of the hobby. Later on in November is a meteor shower (the Leonids?) and we’re looking forward to it.
Then, last night, Ian and I were sitting outside, looking up. Bright, orange and high in the sky, Mars was looking back at us, so out came the telescope. We finally aligned the viewfinder and the lens and discovered its beautiful shine. Wow, I can’t wait for November 1st when it will be at its peak viewing state, not to be matched again until 2018. Now of course we feel the need for better, more powerful lenses, but even what we saw with the starter set was impressive. Round, orange, with some shaded areas, it’s my first ever personal view of another planet and I can see why folks become fans of the hobby. Later on in November is a meteor shower (the Leonids?) and we’re looking forward to it.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
The kids
Katherine has her own e-mail address and would love to get mail. You can reach her at kh@globehoppers.us and I promise that she will start checking her mail weekly from now on. We’ll try after school on Mondays, so if you write to her watch your inbox for a reply.
Last week out-of-the-blue we received an e-mail from her 2nd grade teacher at ISM, Angie Bayly. Ms. Bayly is the best teacher Katherine has ever had. It got me thinking about all the teachers she’s already been within 4+ years of school. She started with ½ a year at a co-op preschool in Silver Spring, MD. Sadly, I forget that teacher’s name. Kindergarten she began at King Elementary in Woodbridge and had Ms. Crouch, affectionately known as Ms. C, followed by first grade with Mrs. Childress. We moved ½ way through 1st grade to Manila, so she finished 1st grade with Ms… hmm, who was that?. Second grade at ISM was the wonderful Mrs. Bayly. Third grade split between Mr. Gascon at ISM and Mrs. Knisely at Arlington Science Focus. Now she’s at AISL with Mr. Naylor. If we stay with AISL next year, she’ll probably have Mr. Naylor again, but if we switch to the British school she’ll move on to teacher #10.
Rebecca isn’t doing much better with regards to number of teachers. She had Ms. Jen Cater for ECLC (Kindergarten, Jen is a Marymount Alumni as well) at ISM, 1st grade was split between Mrs. Rodriguez at ISM and Ms. Riverson at ASFS and now she’s with Ms. Emily Gilkinson at AISL. I know this is a side effect of moving every couple of years.
Katherine is doing well at school, currently working on a book report for her teacher, but also doing American History at home, and will start Algebra next week, also at home.
Rebecca’s handwriting is improving quite a bit and her spelling is coming along slowly. I gave her a “pretest” last week of words that should be known by 2nd grade and we’ll go from there through the practice workbook. She’s adding and subtracting with borrowing and carrying.
Nicholas is turning into a whiz at math and writes prolifically in his school journal in the “beginning of Kindergarten” way. He can dribble a ball and is learning the French way of script writing.
Jonathon can write his name and he is most definitely a lefty. They learn loads of songs in preschool so he is always singing at home, either to himself or for an audience. It’s amusing what he comes home with after being taught by a Togolese:
-This is the way we brush out teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth. This is the way we brush our teeth, ellie in the morning.
-My bunny lies over the ocean, my bunny lies over the sea…
-Clap clap clap your hands, clap your hands togedda.
There’s one little girl in his class, I believe Yasmina is three. Yesterday I asked him if he liked her. He said yes. So I asked if she likes him, and he said No. No, because she doesn’t want to dance with him at the Halloween party disco. I would have laughed right there if he hadn’t been so serious.
Saturday is the big Halloween festival at AISL, the biggest (and only?) fundraiser of the year. There are games, food, face painting. I believe the Marines are doing the Haunted House. You know where –I- won’t be, Marines can make a terrifying Haunted House. *shudder* In fact, I’ve stayed out of just about all the Halloween planning as it’s my least favorite “holiday.” The kids keep trying to volunteer me for everything, and while I know I’ll take them and buy raffle tickets and purchase food and help play games, no one is going to outright ask me to participate (well, aside from my kids) because of how much Ian and I both do already for the school. That’s fine with me. And were it a Thanksgiving celebration in the class, or a project about local customs or just about anything else, I would volunteer. Even a fall festival would be great, I adore fall with pumpkin patches and hay rides and apple cider. But I don’t like Halloween and I don’t feel bad about not pitching in this time.
The party is broken up by times, the younger kids go first from 4-6p.m., then the older kids from 6-8p.m., then the big kids and disco from 8-midnight. Back to Jonathon’s comment about Yasmine, I haven’t had the heart to tell my kids yet that the disco isn’t even for them.
Last week out-of-the-blue we received an e-mail from her 2nd grade teacher at ISM, Angie Bayly. Ms. Bayly is the best teacher Katherine has ever had. It got me thinking about all the teachers she’s already been within 4+ years of school. She started with ½ a year at a co-op preschool in Silver Spring, MD. Sadly, I forget that teacher’s name. Kindergarten she began at King Elementary in Woodbridge and had Ms. Crouch, affectionately known as Ms. C, followed by first grade with Mrs. Childress. We moved ½ way through 1st grade to Manila, so she finished 1st grade with Ms… hmm, who was that?. Second grade at ISM was the wonderful Mrs. Bayly. Third grade split between Mr. Gascon at ISM and Mrs. Knisely at Arlington Science Focus. Now she’s at AISL with Mr. Naylor. If we stay with AISL next year, she’ll probably have Mr. Naylor again, but if we switch to the British school she’ll move on to teacher #10.
Rebecca isn’t doing much better with regards to number of teachers. She had Ms. Jen Cater for ECLC (Kindergarten, Jen is a Marymount Alumni as well) at ISM, 1st grade was split between Mrs. Rodriguez at ISM and Ms. Riverson at ASFS and now she’s with Ms. Emily Gilkinson at AISL. I know this is a side effect of moving every couple of years.
Katherine is doing well at school, currently working on a book report for her teacher, but also doing American History at home, and will start Algebra next week, also at home.
Rebecca’s handwriting is improving quite a bit and her spelling is coming along slowly. I gave her a “pretest” last week of words that should be known by 2nd grade and we’ll go from there through the practice workbook. She’s adding and subtracting with borrowing and carrying.
Nicholas is turning into a whiz at math and writes prolifically in his school journal in the “beginning of Kindergarten” way. He can dribble a ball and is learning the French way of script writing.
Jonathon can write his name and he is most definitely a lefty. They learn loads of songs in preschool so he is always singing at home, either to himself or for an audience. It’s amusing what he comes home with after being taught by a Togolese:
-This is the way we brush out teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth. This is the way we brush our teeth, ellie in the morning.
-My bunny lies over the ocean, my bunny lies over the sea…
-Clap clap clap your hands, clap your hands togedda.
There’s one little girl in his class, I believe Yasmina is three. Yesterday I asked him if he liked her. He said yes. So I asked if she likes him, and he said No. No, because she doesn’t want to dance with him at the Halloween party disco. I would have laughed right there if he hadn’t been so serious.
Saturday is the big Halloween festival at AISL, the biggest (and only?) fundraiser of the year. There are games, food, face painting. I believe the Marines are doing the Haunted House. You know where –I- won’t be, Marines can make a terrifying Haunted House. *shudder* In fact, I’ve stayed out of just about all the Halloween planning as it’s my least favorite “holiday.” The kids keep trying to volunteer me for everything, and while I know I’ll take them and buy raffle tickets and purchase food and help play games, no one is going to outright ask me to participate (well, aside from my kids) because of how much Ian and I both do already for the school. That’s fine with me. And were it a Thanksgiving celebration in the class, or a project about local customs or just about anything else, I would volunteer. Even a fall festival would be great, I adore fall with pumpkin patches and hay rides and apple cider. But I don’t like Halloween and I don’t feel bad about not pitching in this time.
The party is broken up by times, the younger kids go first from 4-6p.m., then the older kids from 6-8p.m., then the big kids and disco from 8-midnight. Back to Jonathon’s comment about Yasmine, I haven’t had the heart to tell my kids yet that the disco isn’t even for them.
Hi
I sat outside this evening while the kids were getting ready for bed. Just me, petting the dog who wasn’t trying to bite my fingers off, listening to the bats chirping and the pool bubbling, and enjoying the perfect weather.
Life is good.
Update on our consumables: It will be “imported” and then re”exported” on another ship to Lomé. Of course, it’s still on its way to India, then it’ll sit there for “approximately 25 days” to get through the Import and Export paperwork, and then however long it takes to go from India to Togo. We MIGHT see our $2500 worth of consumables by Christmas.
Life is good.
Update on our consumables: It will be “imported” and then re”exported” on another ship to Lomé. Of course, it’s still on its way to India, then it’ll sit there for “approximately 25 days” to get through the Import and Export paperwork, and then however long it takes to go from India to Togo. We MIGHT see our $2500 worth of consumables by Christmas.
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