Last day at JIS

The kids had a lovely last day at school. They got to bring cookies for their friends, with the UAE flag on them:

I also had cookies with me, because my group of little Zumba Stars were set to perform in their Pre-Prep Assembly:

The signing of the shirts started already in the morning...

... and when I came to pick them up, they looked liked this!

Linnea had also got a lovely laminated message from all her class, just like Lucas did last week:

 A lovely way to finish off their time in JIS! Goodbye JIS.

The Leaving Assembly

So, today was the morning I had dreaded for a while - the Leaving Assembly...
Considering I've been crying in every Leaving Assembly I've ever been to, for other kids and their parents, I thought I would bawl my eyes out this morning too. Luckily Tash came well prepared:

I did shed a few tears before the Assembly, just thinking about it - but when it was actually time for the goodbyes, I didn't cry at all! It was actually all just very lovely.

Lucas' teacher Mrs Rickell talked about how he has always entertained the class, sometimes a bit loudly..., about his amazing performance in their class assembly earlier this year and how it's a great loss to this school, but that the school in Abu Dhabi should be happy to get this talented boy!

Lucas had his two good friends Nick and Daniel with him to say a few words. This was Nick's speech:

"To Lucas, You have been a great friend over the past five years. My earliest memory of you is from Reception when we were both four years old. We have grown up a lot and we have had a great time, such as playing football tournaments in Panaga (…)  and playing in a successful touch rugby team.
We have both had fun on some great trips, like the Y5 Miri trip and the trip to the OECD.
You have also had some very cool parties, like the Star Wars party and the Lego Movie party, which we all have very much enjoyed.
Not many people know that you are a fantastic clarinet player, I’m sure the people at your new school will reap your great talent.
We all will miss you because you are a great friend who is funny, smart, sporty, cool - and the best of all, friendly. Good luck in your new school."

And this was Daniel's speech:

"Lucas,
You have been my best friend ever since Kindergarten. (…) I wish you all the best in Abu Dhabi and I hope you make lots of good friends in the future. It has been a pleasure being your friend."

Then he got the JIS bear, a laminated memento from his class, and a big handshake from his teacher!

Mrs Fowler-Watt also talked about Linnea's performance as Mrs Flower-Pot in their class assembly. She also said how she was going to miss Linnea's big smile and good sense of humour.

Linnea hadn't been able to choose, so she had her three best friends with her. Ben's words:
"I’ve known you for about seven years. I hope you will make new friends in Abu Dhabi. I will miss you but I will visit you."

Emily's words:
"Linnea, You have been my friend for the past six years. You were the second person I met at JIS. You have been kind to me and we have played together and had lots of fun, especially at parties.
This year I have loved talking to you in class but it has been hard these last few months as Mrs Fowler-Watt has found out that we love talking and separated us!
Always remember I have great memories of our time together. Have a nice time in Abu Dhabi."

Gemma's words:
"Dear Linnea, You have been y best friend since Kindy Panda and you are not going to be my neighbour anymore. But when I come visit you for a week we can go to Kidzania 1 hour drive away, or to Ferrari World with the roller coasters. I will be lonely but I am lucky I will visit you. I hope you have a lovely time in Abu Dhabi, but I will give all of you a big warning - she is coming back."

Then she got her highly anticipated JIS bear, and it was luckily all over. It was a really nice goodbye for them.

Happy kids, they just love the limelight!

I did cry after the assembly though... and when watching the videos I took... and now while I'm blogging this... Just a touch emotional at the moment I guess...

Sport Relief Run 2014

Yesterday the kids were dressed in red and white (well, sort of) for another fundraising event at school - the Sport Relief 1 mile run.

 

They've done this once before, two years ago, and back then I remembered it being a huge event with lots of parents participating, and it was very festive. Yesterday, not many parents turned up at all unfortunately, and out of those who did, very few ran.
Me? I took pictures. :)

It's an event organized by the British High Commission here, and the British High Commissioner himself was there to set the first run off. The little ones ran first and then they all followed after.

Happy faces before the run:

"Mr Beast" was there too - leading the warm-up:

Then "Mr Beast" set off the run:

They ran two laps around the field and some of the school buildings. It was hot, hot, so well done!

- "Did you do one or two laps?"...

Girls Night

So with Lucas on a school trip it was just Linnea and I for dinner yesterday (Tuesday she had invited Gemma down for pancakes, since I was at the Hash). We had a lovely time, just the two of us, with some nice food and very civilized conversation. After dinner Rhoda helped her prepare a little surprise treat for us, as it was "Girls Night":

I came down to freshly baked chocolate muffins and some wine even!
What a lovely way to end a day!

Girls morning

Saturday morning while the boys were left in peace to play Xbox, the Turner girls and the Watson girls went to get pampered at the salon! We all had our hair washed, massaged and blow dried and came away with super nice hair dos for the weekend ahead!

Linnea's hair is quite long now. When they blow dry it super straight like this, you can see it's all the way down to her shoulder blades. She looked really pretty.

Hannah got pretty curls done in hers.

Me and my girl.

More farewells

Friday night was time for another farewell party. This time for our Loan Service friends Lee and Anne, who are on their way back to England right now.
It was a nice evening with good friends, spicy Indian food and many laughs. Our little group is getting smaller and smaller...:

Linnea also went to her friend Henry's last play at a playland on Saturday, and her and I did see them again Sunday afternoon too, at the Yacht Club. Just a couple of hours before they actually took off. Here Linnea and Henry are posing for me. They did hug goodbye, but I didn't want to embarrass them and take a photo of that. Cuties.

Flat Mallory

The day before Christmas Linnea received a special letter through the mail. It was a letter from her Canadian friend Mallory who left Brunei last July and moved to Denver, Colorado. She wrote that they were studying geography at the moment in school, and had read the book "Flat Stanley". Her class got to make flat duplicates of themselves, to send to special friends, and Mallory had chosen Linnea.

Flat Stanley is the hero of a series children's books written by Jeff Brown.
Stanley Lambchop was just an ordinary boy until one night a bulletin board fell off his bedroom wall and squashed him.  Stanley was unhurt, but flat. Stanley soon discovered that being flat had its advantages, and the books tell of Stanley's many adventures. One of the benefits of Stanley's diminished size is that he can be posted to visit his friends. Send Stanley off, and see what happens!

We had to be a bit quick doing our part with Flat Mallory, since she should've been back to their school on the 9th of December (...), but she will be going back today - together with some postcards and souvenirs from her trip to Brunei! You are supposed to take your visitor on adventures, but since we haven't done much this last part of the Christmas holidays, Flat Mallory only came one day to the Yacht Club with us:

She seemed to like the sun and the sea though, although she couldn't go swimming of course...

Look out Mallory - your flat counterpart is on her way back to you!

Proud parents 2

The other day Linnea got invited to the Principal's office, to have some juice and biscuits and a bit of a chat. She told us they had been talking about NZ and Sweden, and she was very excited.
She also came home with this special certificate:

Well done Linnea! Very proud of you!

Art Exhibition

This week the Junior School is holding an Art Sale. Every child in the Junior School, from Nursery to Year 6, has an original piece of work for sale, and all the artworks are on display in the at drop off time in the mornings, all week. A beautiful and inspiring start to the school day!
 

The artworks are for sale by donation and all money raised goes to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Linnea and Lucas showed me theirs this morning, and they were very excited to have their work on display. I better bring in some cash tomorrow so I can buy myself a couple of original Watson art pieces!

The Great Cake Mystery

Yesterday we were invited to come and watch Linnea's class Assembly, called 'The Great Cake Mystery'. They had based their play on a book by that same name, by Rhodesian-born British writer Alexander McCall Smith.
Linnea played the role of the teacher, Mrs Flower-Pot (her real teachers name is Mrs Fowler-Watt).

Here she is as Mrs Flower-Pot:

Talking to "Mr McCall Smith" about his life and how he came about to write the books about Precious Ramotswe. Linnea's friend Emily played the role of Precious:

Ben played Precious dad, a role that he took very seriously. Apparently he had practiced this ponderous look for days. He's telling Precious the story about when they once were attacked by lions:

The book is about the first mystery that Precious ever solved, about jam sandwiches and other goodies disappearing at school:

After some investigating, she found out who the culprits were, and made a very sticky cake to try catch them - some monkeys!
Ha ha, could've been a true story from our own school, as the monkeys around school here have been known to come and steal stuff of the kids here too!

Successfully solving this mystery, made Precious start the "No 1 Ladies Detective Agency", and several more books were written about other mysteries she solved.

Ben and Linnea after the performance:

I always like these class Assemblies, the kids always do so well. This time they had enlisted some help from one of the drama teachers, Mr Kemp, so it felt like a proper little production! :)

They were all very focused throughout the performance but at the same time they all seemed to enjoy it immensely too. Well done Linnea!