Do you notice something that doesn’t look right in this picture?
Yes, that is SNOW falling on this sunny, bright, yellow Adirondack chair (that will soon be moving to a new townhouse with Michelle and Katie).
Somehow snow and colorful summer furniture don’t seem to go together. A big, tall glass of lemonade should be matched up with it-not a mug of hot cocoa!
Speaking of out of place-
I have a new student- straight from Somalia.
He doesn’t speak any English.
He has never attended school.
Two weeks ago he left behind a politically unstable world (and a warm and arid climate) for a very different life (and a cold one right now).
Somalia is situated in the Horn of Africa, along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, on the East side of the continent. (I had to look it up.) It touches borders with Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya and is just a little bigger than Texas.
It hasn’t had a stable government since 1991. The country has faced famine, civil war, and drought. In the famine of 1992 over 300,000 people died.
I’m sure my new student is feeling lost and awkward as he tries to figure out what is happening all around him.
I gave him a little picture “survival guide” to start off his first day, but there is no way to really communicate with him, other than some feeble attempts at body language.
(Can you imagine what he was wondering as we participated in an earthquake drill on his very first day?)
I wish our school system had better provisions for students who need time to transition, but they are just thrown in the mix. At least the other students are kind and helpful, and kids are pretty quick to adapt.
I sure hope he soon feels comfortable and settled!
Now, about that snow…..
JoAnn
P.S. These pretty flowers might help!
Thanks, Ken!
4 comments:
That chair really does look out of place. And that poor kid, that would be so hard. Hard for you too. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to communicate what you want.
And WAY TO GO DADDY! You know, your youngest daughter, who happens to be battling sickness and pregnancy and moving could use some of those lovelies too. :) How beautiful.
Poor kid probably didn't know what to think with an earthquake drill. Luckily he has a very loving teacher and he'll be okay (if not thoroughly overwhelmed for a bit)
Ooooo, pretty flowers! They seem to match the bright and sunny chair much better than the snow... :) But the snow will pass, someday. I can't even imagine what life would feel like to your new little Somalian student... I'm so glad the other students are trying to be kind and help him adjust. Good luck figuring out how to best communicate and work with him!
My heart goes out to that small child. I can't imagine uprooting him only to give him a better life hopefully.
I love the comment that your daughter wrote..about her Daddy. That's exactly what my daughter would do...so special.
I have my sunny day so I will make the best of it.
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