Until you travel or spend time in a different culture, it is difficult to know just how deeply we have been shaped by our home culture. Our three years abroad has brought this to light in my life. The way in which I do things or the filter through which I interpret things has been challenged and often didn't function well in another culture. Granted, I could get by just fine with my own cultural ways if I kept to myself, but as we desire to build relationships with the people we live among, it requires we not only learn their ways, but also take on many of them. Having spent three years learning culture and language, and trying to apply it, we now find ourselves in our home culture with very new perspectives.
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| Fair and Frontier Days' parade |
The end of August brought the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days. We enjoyed the festivities, but froze in the unusually cool weather. Though we are still getting some warm days, the weather is beginning to cool off and we are finding our two pairs of long sleeves each will not be enough to get us through the winter months.  |
| Mutton Bustin' (sheep riding) |
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| A Ribbon from Mutton Bustin' |
Caedmon is rather a cautious child. He has always been one to sit back and watch what is going on before jumping in. I, Erin, was very surprised when he said yes to Mutton Bustin'. When it came time to let the sheep loose, he asked for the guides to walk along side and help, resulting in a rather calm ride.
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| Caedmon roping a steer |
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| Whitman roping a steer |
We have been blessed with opportunities to be involved in many activities unavailable to us overseas. Again these opportunities feed my feelings that life is great here (when really it is just another place in our broken world, though with a few more conveniences).
Most activities I jump into with excitement and appreciation for the chance, but their have been a few that have seemed a little ridiculous in the extent to which they are taken.
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| Caedmon playing soccer |
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| Caedmon heading to the goal |
We signed Caedmon up for youth soccer, which has been a blast. John also signed up to coach the team. Caedmon has thoroughly enjoyed both the practices and games. It has been a great way to meet other families here and expose Caedmon to organized sports. I applaud the Parks and Recreations department here as it is a rather large program. Our first game was a new experience for me. The parking lot at the sports complex was packed with cars, six games were going on at once, people were all over getting kids to the right place or cheering them on, and of coarse there were concessions, as with any other sporting event in the States! Since the soccer season is in full swing we have found if much more difficult to get together with people as the business takes over and seems to trump relationships with others.
Soccer may be the most world wide sport, well known even to those we live among in Barat. Though kids will play pick up games during their free time and there are two indoor soccer fields, the only organized games in Barat are for adults.
Soccer may be the most world wide sport, well known even to those we live among in Barat. Though kids will play pick up games during their free time and there are two indoor soccer fields, the only organized games in Barat are for adults.
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| Homeschool group field trip to the library. |
Another experience has been schooling, both for Caedmon and Whitman. Though I am not homeschooling the boys currently, I have been able to become slightly involved in the homeschooling community here. Since homeschooling is done by a large number of families, I have been able to discuss curriculum, look over materials used, and even join a group that meets once a month to co-teach their children about different countries and cultures. In our first meeting the kids were exposed to maps and globes, characteristics of both, and then taken on a field trip to the library to see a large globe.
In our host country overseas the only local children that are homeschooled are child stars who have private tutors to school them around their performance schedule.
Caedmon has been in school here for four weeks now. It is going well and he seems to be enjoying it. I have been amazed, and very thankful, at all that is sent home to the parents on a daily basis. To begin with, I received a handbook from the district and another specific to Caedmon's school. Papers are frequently sent home, some are Caedmon's work done while at school, but others are letters for the parents which are to be signed and returned. There was an open house to meet the teachers and see the classroom and there will soon be teacher-parent conferences to discuss the child's progress. In contrast, the boys' school in Barat did not have a handbook, nor did the district. Instead the boys would only occasionally come home with instructions indirectly given by the teachers about dress or conduction.
Whitman's preschool has been quite the experience as well. Whitman is enjoying the new setting and all the 'new to him' toys. The preschool is a parent co-op, which in and of itself results in a great deal of parent involvement. My first couple days of exposure to this program left me feeling it was all very excessive. He is one in a class of 16, with at least 4 adults in the class at all times. In contrast with his preschool in Barat, Whitman was one of about 20, with occasionally two adults in the class. The activities, interaction, and facilities are all very different. When I first visited the preschool in Barat, I was astonished. Now back in the states I find myself surprised at the extent to which the preschool here goes.
Again I find myself having to step back and recognize that we have had a unique experience, have fresh eyes to see our own culture, and there are reasons why things are the way they are (mostly good). Here I definitely feel that the well being of my child is being put first!
