So I've written some about myself, but people seem much more interested in the kids. So here's the low down.
The new school is tough. The International School, Bangalore (TISB) is a British school and most Americans find their approach heavy-handed and disciplinarian. Becky and I both went to Catholic school, so no problem. As a result, the other students are either European or Americans of Indian Origin. When the blond Schmitt kids arrived, everyone asked them where in Germany they lived -- usually in German. It's still a little confusing to their peers (and some teachers). On 'heritage day' most kids wore Sarees, Khaftans, Leiderhosen, or other 'costumes' to reflect their nationality. Our kids wore Jeans and T-Shirts.
The school bus, a first for these Grosse Pointe kids, picks up at the end of the street each day at 7:30am. Since they were the last kids to sign up for the bus route, they were assigned the last seats on the bus. The rear-most seats combined with the numerous speed bumps (they work better than stop signs to slow traffic) and a lead foot bus driver make for a vertebrae compacting ride. They can regularly get 1-2 feet of air off the seats, if traffic allows.
Will is in 9th grade and besides cutting his hair and pulling up his pants, has made quite an adjustment. Its been a different house, country, school, friends and curriculum (IGSCE) combined with school on Saturday. The Brits don't hold back. The course load is heavy. He has Biology, Physics, Advanced Algebra and Chemistry for starters. Of course the Indian culture is not happy unless there is a minimum of 2 hours homework each day. We're quite proud of him. He sleeps on Sundays to recover.
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Will has made the easiest adjustment to the spicy food. (even when we tell our cook Soudha to make it for a baby's mouth). Will can't get enough spice. Nolan and Emma'a mouths will be in flames and Will says, "a little plain".
Will has also made it out on the town several times with his friends after school Saturdays. Movies, go-carting, the mall etc... As a Parent it's a little unnerving to send him off with his friends into a foreign city and the only adults present are the drivers.
Emma has already made many friends (and some drama) in the neighborhood and at school. Typical stuff -- riding bikes in the neighborhood, board games and movies at her friends' house. She loves to be the center of attention and being a blond American girl in India, she gets all the attention she wants. Emma will actually stay after school to pal around with her friends who board at the school. She actually finds India “as boring as back home” and want to be a boarder at the school. She expected more excitement and less gated community suburbia.
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| Nolan and Emma share a cold one with Javeed. |
Her fashion sense has been a little repressed since she started wearing uniforms. She has taken up the guitar and we hope to have her play a Christmas carol. (Christmas music is a little hard to come by.)
Nolan also does very well in school, but finds it a little boring. He's much more focussed on extracurriculars and schoolwork is just something to pass the time. For example, he led the class in a game of "lets see who can slide farthest across this mud puddle". Not sure if he won, but was Top 3 based on his clothes alone. He plays goalie and half back on the school soccer team.
Overall they are well adjusted, miss their friends and Taco Bell. On a recent school day off, we made the trek across town to eat at the only Taco Bell in Bangalore. They hardly even liked Taco Bell in the US. It's funny what you miss.
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| I thought I discovered another Taco Bell in Bangalore, but it was only a mobile phone store. |
