Miscellany

I'm somewhat behind my self-imposed schedule of posting every Sunday.  That's the beauty of self-imposed schedules - they can be disregarded on a whim. 

I'll start with the main event of February.  The Moores and I had to make a trip to Singapore to renew our visas.  (Chad Moore is one of the three teachers here this year.  He is here with his wife and two kids. Great family by the way.)

Singapore is wonderful.  It is clean, very cosmopolitan, has a great public transportation system and tons of things to do and see.  The highlights for me were eating at Subway and Chilis and shopping at IKEA!!  Here are a few pictures.

 

One of the many interesting places to visit is Gardens by the Bay.  Two huge greenhouses and many of these "trees".  The ferris wheel in the background is currently the largest in the world - 541 ft high according to Wikipedia.  I understand a larger one is being built in Dubai, to be finished in 2015. 

 

Moving right along, we head to Chinatown.  Not sure what a medical hall is.  I just thought it was interesting and amusing.

 Maybe that medical hall sold 100% crocodile oil. 

 

All good things must come to an end.  So we must return to Tarakan.  But you know, the saying "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home," is very true.  I was glad to get back to my "home" in Tarakan.

 

While we were gone, we gave the students a reading challenge.  If the entire school (3 teachers and 11 kids) read a combined total of 5555 minutes, we would have a party.  Of course, we met the goal and had our party - pizza for lunch (courtesy of the moms), a movie and water games.  Here are a few pictures:

 

No, she isn't about to smack the kids on the ground.  This is a Pinwata - a black trash bag filled with water.  The children on the ground volunteered for the dowsing they got when the bag started breaking open.  Great fun!  :o)



 

All the kids lined up, ready to start the water balloon fight. 

Aunt Mary right in the thick of it.  She's a lot of fun!

 

 

 

 

 

Here's an idea for Pinterest.  :o)  Cut the end off a water bottle, wrap a piece of terry cloth over the hole and secure with a rubber band.  Dip the terry cloth in soapy water; blow through the mouth of the bottle and make bubble snakes. 

The kids had a fun day.  Of course, what kid doesn't enjoy getting a half day off of school, right? 

More about our school next week.