Julia Hale: Family

The blog has been a little bit abandoned this year with all our comings and goings - so I'm going to do a wrap up here. Year in review, 2013, some of these you will have seen before. Some will fill in the blanks of a very full year.

January: In January we did January type things: visiting from friends and neighbors, the odd temper tantrum and begin making a big decision as we made first contact with the school in Colombia. The cold and "shut upness" of the winter is starting to get to Rafa. We celebrated Diego's birthday in the church hall, with a photo booth and our new bouncy castle.

In the winter months we especially appreciate the Tangs - as they will feed us at a moments notice and their house is generally warmer than ours. Plus - they are just great company.

February: In February the winter really settled in and we got out and enjoyed some winter activities. Diego got on his skates for the first time and was a natural right from the start.

March: More winter. Playing indoors and outdoors. The kids are beginning to play more and more together and we are beginning to see the "return on the investment" of having two.

April: The spring is coming but it's slow. By now we've had confirmation - we're spending the next year in Colombia - so there is hot weather to look forward to. We have begun the process of emptying the house and getting it ready to sell. Behind the crying you'll notice a lot less clutter. This is a BIG job!

May: May is Lucia's birthday and more packing and cleaning. I'm getting used to keeping the house clean all the time and we're getting used to living with less stuff. It's a habit I'd like to think I can keep up - pretty sure that's a pipe dream.

June: Is the end of a very challenging year at work for me. Besides the regular stress of trying to keep 250 kids with special needs on track, passing, generally fed and safe (along with an amazing team of other teachers!) we were involved in a placement and review process. Which more or less boiled down to the slow death and future close of our school. There was (continues to be) a lot of powerful and convincing lobbying but at the end of the day we're the smallest, and poorest of the schools up for review. This was a sometimes inspiring and empowering, often sad and hopeless process which both united and discouraged the community that I have served for the last four years. I learned a lot - and with mix feelings I packed up my desk and got ready to leave. We also gave up on selling the house and rented it (thankfully quickly) - which meant that we could really pack. By the end of the month we're living out of our 8 suitcases. Plus: a little bit of early potty training. A BIG month.

July:was a dedication ceremony for Dad's ashes, 15 years and Mom was ready to get them off the bookcase and into a more permanent home. We were accompanied by some amazing family and friends and, in honor of Dad's memory, it was a fine party. Mid month we did a couple of mad days of last minute packing and cleaning, and got ourselves, our kids, eight suitcases, two car seats and the stroller to the airport. We're off!

August: was new house and schools for everyone. Rafa is playing the role of house Dad and I jump into a history classroom. The first time I have a "regular" classroom under my care in a number of years. We spend a lot of time getting the house furnished and ready but manage to enjoy some time at the beach as well. Plus - lots of birthday parties and family time.

September: In September Diego got a bead stuck in his nose. We negotiated our way through some crazy afternoon traffic (the biggest thing that has changed in Barranquilla is the traffic!) to make use of our new private health care. The advantage (for those that have the money to pay for it) is that you get to see the specialist directly. We were in to see the otolaryngologist right away and she took care of him... for which both he and Lucia got "bon bon boom" - suckers.

October: In October we got a visit from Rafa's grandmother "Abula Heca". After 8 years in the United States she had her paper work worked out and she came to Colombia to visit those of her 10 children who are here. We got to spend a couple of afternoons with her (good when she is spreading her time between so much family) which was so much fun! Also - Halloween. Diego designed his own costume - Avatar - and so Lucia had to go as the girl Kung Fu princess - Katata. Rafa also got a job in October - teaching middle school science at another bilingual school. He's done lots of teaching in his life but never a full time classroom - which is a big learning curve. The money and the schedule are great, and he's enjoying the teaching. That brought another big change which was a full time maid - who does the cooking, cleaning and afternoon childcare. The kids are here in the afternoon with their abuela Raquel (Rafa's mom) but she doesn't have the full charge of keeping everyone fed, happy and clean. Soen (the maid) has been a blessing, she is an amazing cook and really good with the kids and we are hoping she continues with us.

November: One of the things about the tropics is that life continues along, pretty much the same, interspersed with holidays and celebrations of different kinds. The kids are speaking close to 100 percent Spanish now, to us, to each other, and to anyone who will listen.

Here is Lucia singing "Cumplean'os Feliz" - happy birthday. Diego's drawings are getting more precise and complex.

December: is vacations. The winter break is almost four weeks long, which has been a great chance to rest up after a lot of transitions. We all got sick the first week and so stayed very close to home. Christmas night (celebrated the 24th) was at Rafa's mom's and New Years at his brother's. On the 28th Rafa and I also escaped for our first ever (!) all by ourselves night out, to a wedding, and the kids went for a sleep over at their grandmas.

On New Years we did a Colombian tradition from the interior of the country - the burning of the an'o viejo (old year). You write all the bad things that have happened on little slips of paper and put them in the dolls bag and light him up. My bad thing - the uncertainty of the move. Now in the New Year - we're settled, we've both got jobs, we've a routine that works, the car is bought, I "get" my job, I know the students names (most of them) and we are full speed ahead! Settling in to really enjoy our two year vacation in the topics.Come on down anytime!

Last published on April 23rd... that is what my blog-schedule says. Whew! A lot has happened since April 23rd.

Lucia turned two. I will take the time to write a proper Dear Lucia later - we are deep in the "terrible twos" - with all they're ups and downs.

Rafa graduated from Civil Engineering Technology and got notice of a pass on his last exam for his Professional Engineering License.

Spring came - slowly and cold for the most part.

I finished one of the most challenging and also most rewarding school years of my life. I ended up doing a lot of mental health support this year... among other things. The best advice I had all year: "It's all conversations, you just have to keep having the conversations".. I had lots of amazing conversations with kids, many frustrating ones, some funny ones, some very fruitful ones...
An example of one of the fruitful ones - if not my best moment as a professional...
Me: "________ - if you are not bi-polar I am going to poke your eyes out!"
The student - "It does run in my family."
Me: "Then you need to see a doctor."
I loved it, and also was ready for a break - which is good because a big break was on it's way.

June 31st I finished school. In the next ten days we packed up our house, sent our most precious things to my mom's, sold or gave away the rest, cleaned, packed, changed our address... and loaded our kids, 8 bags, 2 car seats and the stroller on a plane. We flew out of Kingston and arrived, 6:30 pm and 3 planes later in Barranquilla. July 11th, 2013.

A so begin the next two or three years. We settled into our apartment, 4 blocks from my mother in laws house. We`ve purchased and borrowed some basic furnishings - just missing some bed frames to get our beds off the floor. We`ve enjoyed the little pool downstairs. I started work on the 22nd - the kids don`t arrive till the 12th of August. A big change from the afternoon of prep I am accustomed to. As I imagined - everything is easier in the second round. As I hoped - the kids are settling in well - no one has been sick and everyone is sleeping well.

In a week and a half I`ll get somewhere around 100 students in middle school History - Grade 7 World History and Grade 8 American History.

Rafa is happy, I am enjoying the change and Diego already doesn`t want to go home. Lucia, she doesn`t seem to care where we are as long as Rafa and I are both here.

Pictures will come - as we continue to get settled and organized.