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Waaaaaaay back it was Statias Carnival! During Statia Carnival we went and saw the parade
with LOUD music, fancy costumes and culture.
Some Statians will tell you that this really isn’t the basis of their
culture and that its just turned into lets party drink and carry on – Some
locals don’t participate in some of the festivities because of this. We wanted to see it at least once. I thought it was pretty fun to watch but poor
Jase – who I didn’t really think about until after, he didn’t really care for
some of the costumes and dancing.
This
one lady at the beginning of the parade tried to get Katie to come out and
dance with her!
We knew some of the kids holding the flags – this boy here
is ET-en.
It was fun to take some pictures of everyone – they seamed
to really like getting their pictures taken.
Saying good-bye to friends you have know for 2 years now is
very hard. The Fijma family left the
island after being here for quite a few years to move on and get their son Beau
(one of Jase’s really good friends) better education. We had arranged to meet them at the airport
and there was some miscommunication and Jase just missed Beau through
security. They could see each other
through the glass. Jase was very upset
and I felt so bad that he missed giving Beau one last hug good-bye. But there is always Skype, and who knows
perhaps they might come back here to visit before we have to leave.
Anike and I being goofy while waiting for Judith to board
the plane
One last girls picture together – with Anike & Niz,
Judith, Me and Ineke Schram. She is a very sweet lady I’ve had the
pleasure of visiting with a few times, she works at the Family and Youth Center
and teaches social skills with Anike at the high school once a week.
Good Golly Miss Molly!!!
Love this girl! And Courtney has
so much fun with her! We had a few more fun play dates with her before she had
to leave. In this Mohawk one they were
not impressed with me because I kept making them take another picture because I
wanted the light to glow in the picture – you can see how unimpressed they
were!
So here’s the thing with the girls and the naked statue – it
needed clothes and make-up because she looked gross. So that was their goal this play date to get
naked statue all dolled up! So here she
is with the finishing touches – notice the make-up they put on her using
different colored flowers and plants from around the yard. – Very Creative!
Girls night out!!
Marlin and Hansel invited Courtney to join them for a dinner they were
invited to so Court could be with Molly and entertain each other!! It was so sweet, and Courtney had a wonderful
time!!
Another sad farewell!
That’s the one thing I really don’t like about here is that you have to
say too many good-byes! Especially when
they are wonderful friends! Hansel and
Marlin have been very good to us and the kids, giving the kids swim toys, and
just fun stuff from the main land – helping Todd with computer things or
anything he need brought to the island when Hansel would come. They are very thoughtful people and we will
miss them! It was hard to watch the two
little girls look at each other through the security glass crying, and trying to touch hand through the glass. We would love to see them again one day! Maybe in New York !!
Pic 26 – 29
Off to Zeelandia Beach with the family to get away. The kids were excited to show Daddy some of
the neat hiding places in the rocks worn by the water that they had found on
previous outings with the STENAPA Summer camp they were in – that I have since
failed to mention. For four weeks three
times a week they were going with Hannah of STENAPA, and of course some
volunteers, on different hikes, Botanical Garden outings, snorkeling, just like
mini Junior Rangers outings! They had a
lot of fun. SO they wanted to share some
of what they had discovered.
This is a picture of a hotel that was destroyed by a
hurricane that came through the island some years ago. It really quite interesting to wander through
the different buildings they have there that functioned as the hotel. Rooms, offices with papers, office supplies
and lots of different things. We found
the swimming pool tons of old things.
You have to be very careful though with the over grown Acacia, floors
slippery with moss & go, and the over all structure of the building. Its just one of those ‘exploration’ sites to
check out on this small island. :)
The girls found this huge piece of bamboo that definitely
did not grow on Statia and more than likely not on one of our neighboring
island to the west, so we figure it probably came from Africa. We wanted to take it home for a cool piece,
but it kind of stunk pretty bad so we left it there.
Picking Gnips
So I’ve wanted to have a Pintrest party for a little while
now and was trying to think of how I could swing it. I thought it would be a great idea to involve
the ladies from the church group – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints – and we’d try and throw together a shin-dig for us and invited
guests. We tried to invite all the
people who we though would love to come, we had 29 invites out (not 39) besides
the ladies in the group and we had 4 guests come. A little bit of a bummer but it was still a
super fun might. Hopefully next time we
will have a better turn out! Hannah
Farrell was a super great help in putting it together with me!!
We tried to keep everybody’s
project a secret so the judging could be totally candid – it worked out
really well!
And of course there were some amazing prizes to be
won!! Tic ‘Toc’s’ – the most time
effort, Crayons- most colorful, Sugar Bags – most calories, and the top 3
prizes of body spray and hand soap!!
Those who didn’t come will for sure now want to come for next time ;)
Of course what is more summer fun without more summer
friends!! Play get-togethers with Niz
and Zay.
And Stuart and Emelia!!
Todd opened up everyone a coconut to drink, eat and enjoy! They loved it! Nothing like living in the Caribbean and having your very own coconuts – really gonna miss that.
Cheers!!
Just before the Tolman family left the island Lyndsey
invited us over for the kids to have a play date – but not only for them!! I had a dessert lesson date!! It was sooooo awesome. Some of the desserts that Lyndsey brings out
of her kitchen are amazing and I couldn’t bare the thought of her leaving with
all of her magical secrets! So a date it
was, for all of us. We made some special
cinnamon buns and a super yummy chocolate cream puff! I have to admit I’ve been scared to try it on
my own but one day I will buck up and do it!!
The kids had a really fun time too of course!
Way to soon it was Jase and Courtney’s first day of
school. They started on August 14th
and Katie still had 2 weeks off. So in
total Jase and Court got 1 ½ months off and Katie got 3 months off. As my Mom would say, “Thems the breaks,” –
I’m not sure where that saying comes from though. Court was pretty excited for school to start
though so she could see all of her friends again, Jase – no so much. It was a little bit of a rough go last year
so we were hoping this year would be more promising with him being in 6th
grade.
This is Courtney's class this year with her new Teacher from
Holland – Tr. Anna. Courtney just loves
her and I asked her what she likes about Tr. Anna and she said, “She
doesn’t yell.” She has love all her teachers in the past too!
Jase and his class.
Jase’s teacher moved up with the class this year – Tr. Helen, and I’m
excited about that. She know Jase and
can motivate him and keep him going and working hard. He has a more positive attitude about his
studies this year, and about his Dutch.
Todd made him a deal that if he got a 7 on the first report this year he
would get something extra special and so far he is doing wonderful! It been tricky just being thrown into Dutch
schooling, but he is doing better than quite a few of his classmates who have
grown up here. Jase also volunteered to
be a classroom helper/ representative for when the teacher has to step out of
the room. He was very excited about
doing it, however no one really listens to him sooooo when the teacher is away
from the room miss behavior is a huge issue, but as the school year has gone on
different solutions have been made. One day
I picked up Jase from school he started crying in the car because some of the
children can just be absolutely mean, degrading, verbally abusive and
physically abusive to classmates – not just Jase – but mostly Jase.
It is a very sad
situation for all involved. These
children not really understanding the consequences of their choice to bully and
how it can effect the lives of those who are being bullied but also their
lives. I have observed that in this
culture, *mind you not all but a huge majority* – and I’ve had this discussion
with one of the schools teachers, there seams to be this toxic cycle of
stepping on others to bring yourselves up.
The esteem on the island is not high, and the only way they have learned
to try and lift themselves up is to put others down and try to climb on
them. You can see it in the laughter of some children when one of them falls and hurts themselves. Or the anger when someone is doing well in their
grades – instead of congratulating and encouraging. Of course this is seen all around the world but for some reason has a very high concentration here. And the result has been destructive. There is currently a group on the island
trying to break the abusive cycle “Stop it Now”, trying to promote it through
out the schools, community but most importantly trying to “Stop It Now” in the
homes. There are a lot of beautiful people,
in mind and spirit, on the island and I hope together this old cultural
issue can be put to rest.
So I went to Lavern, the school principle, and told her what
Jase had told me and what was happening unbeknown to the teachers and
principles not to just Jase but to others.
And it’s not Just Jase’s class but the younger ones – just moved up into
the older elementary group trying to show that they are tough. She felt sick about it and had no idea that
it was so terrible. She actually had a
speaker come in and talk with the students at the assembly. She called parents, brought in parents,
Jase’s teacher moved Jase into a more friendly area in the classroom and it has
just been fantastic. Jase hasn’t had
problems since and is enjoying his classroom.
I so appreciate the staff at the SDA School for caring so much for Jase
and other bullied kids, and for cracking down so fast. They are an absolute joy to work with and be
around.
Off the Tolmans go for their next adventure! There is the option of doing 5th
term in Atlanta and that what they had chosen!
It always exciting to see other people move on to the next step! It was really fun having them around and
getting to know them – perhaps we might even run into each other sometime in
southern Alberta!! Good-bye to another
family of friends!
And speaking of Southern Alberta and the small world it is
Joel Wolseys parents came for a visit to the island and is was barbeque time at
our house! We knew them in Magrath and Todd especially knew Joels Dad
Paul. It was a nice time hanging out,
swimming, and visiting. Katie went
climbing the quill with them to hang out the Bethany – the girls loved her! Being the small island it is we ran into them
at Duggins and the Park! I think they
had a pretty fun time on this little speck on the globe!
More playtime at Niz House for the girls! Its always a good time! We absolutely love these guys!
Some random pictures at the Botanical Garden – on the giant
Dragonfly.
Dusty chewing on half of a plastic egg shell – funny! And of
course dress-up! What a great puppy!
MORE FRIENDS! Payten
and Stella Bridge come to play! It was
great having them – we really need to have them over more often!
And then the tropical storm Irene. We really weren’t affected by the storm too
much. There really wasn’t much rain to
worry about like past storms/hurricanes.
It was quite off and on and we only lost power once and for not very
long. There were some rough waves –
enough to take away most of the beaches on the Caribbean side and bring in huge
jellyfish that have never been here before.
We did have a little bit of a more wild moment while we were out driving
around and this part of the storm blew in.
But we love a good storm sometimes! Especially when you can play on the waves! Of
course it’s a time when I forget the camera, but it was really rocky still and
we wouldn’t let the kids in the water, because they could easily get slammed
into the rocks, but Todd went in with his body armor of sorts, that he wears
while spear fishing, gloves, and boogie board and caught some sweet waves. The kids played in the rocks and Courtney
found this cross.
You can sometimes find all sorts of neat things after a
storm! Check out this hull!!
Unbelievable!
Todd and I really wanted to go on the blue bead dive that
ritually follows a good storm, but alas they were having the dive on the
Sunday. Having Sunday as our Sabbath we
don’t dive on Sunday. We were a little
bummer but decided it would be wonderful to take the kids to Crooks castle and
look for blue beads together! Todd will
tell you that in the end we were hugely blessed for not breaking the Sabbath by
going diving and I agree 100%! Of course
I brought my camera but the battery was dead when Jase and Katie each found a
half of a 5 sided blue bead, I found the little broken whole bead you see in
the picture, Todd found the whole larger 5 sided bead and each of the kids found a 1/2. It was an awesome afternoon! We went home to
grab a bite to eat, cool off and Todd thought it would be nice to go behind the
Smoke Alley restaurant to look so that’s what we did! And this is what Jase found…
…a VERY rare round Statia bead!!! You pretty much never find any of these! We were all hooting and hollering so excited
about his find – we couldn’t believe it! The right place at the right time – so
amazing!
Court was getting a little discourage though because she
hadn’t found anything yet, but to add to the excitement Courtney found her very
own half of a bead!! We were so excited for her too!
The other two little pieces of bead the girls found at the
Dive Statia beach after we went and showed Auntie Leontine, Uncle Tony and
Grandma Ellie our bead – especially Jase’s round bead! Us out there looking for
beads! We will always remember this fantastic day!
Alas the long awaited 1st day of school for
Katie! She was very excited to start
because summer break was too looooong! I
was so happy she was excited to go back and see her friends and teachers! Grade 4 it is, and she is doing wonderful so
far – she really is quite a smart little thing.
I’m glad she got more of her Daddy’s brain than mine!
And here she is with her entire grade 4 class – the biggest
class in the school! There are 7
students in all.
And of course here she is with one of her BFF’s in the
world!! – Sarah Rodriguez. Attached at the hip!
Pic 95
And Todd started his 4th term. Time is going way to fast. We are excited for him to be in the fourth
term, but not overly excited to have to leave when he is done the 5th. We don’t like to think about it – so we try
not to… or we cry. He has started
Pharmacology, Pathlogy2, Patient Doctor, and will eventually go into the
hospital to do some stuff in there.
We are looking forward to a great new school year and term!
