New Country, New School

 When Matt and I first visited Jakarta back in May and saw the timeline of approvals to get his work permit, we were told that September was a good estimate for when we'd get here and get the kids started in school.  I (quietly) freaked out a little because the last thing I would want would be to move the kids halfway around the world and then have them jump into school late and be forced to catch up with all of the other kids.  After LOTS of prayer and some excellent work by the HR department, we got all of the needed approvals and arrived in Jakarta just in time to attend orientation and get the kids off to school on the first day.  They were a little nervous but pretty excited.  No cute first day of school signs this year so Alex grabbed the newspaper.

Even though the main gate to the school is a 10-minute walk, it's another 15 minutes through campus to the elementary school so we opted to use the bus.  They're actually nice vans with a chaperone and pick the kids up right in front of the lobby.  Because I wanted to make sure the kids knew how to get home, they rode the bus on the first day and I didn't walk anyone into class for the first time ever.  I was a little sad but the boys were totally okay with it.

Alex has an amazing teacher from the US.  She is adorable and full of energy and I think he loved her the minute they met!

First day of 4th grade!

 

His teacher sent first day photos of the class.  So far I've met families from China, Japan, America, Turkey, Netherlands, and Greece. I absolutely love the diversity!

 

 

 The elementary campus is a pretty big change from what we've known before!  Lots of outdoor space and greenery.  The kids get 2 or 3 recesses a day, so Alex thinks it's the best school ever.

The middle school track is bordered by local houses on the other side.  It's a pretty interesting reminder of living in Indonesia.  The middle school is also a cluster of buildings with lots of green space and pathways and the kids get two 20-minute breaks each day between classes.

 No uniforms here except for PE, so I think it's cute when Ben has it at the end of the day and comes home in his uniform.

So far, so good.  The boys are loving school and coming home exhausted but excited by all they're learning.  We're so excited for all that they're going to experience at JIS!