Chapter 10

School

          Coming in from the bus, Esther said, “This was a great day at school.  In band I met three girls who sit near me.  They were really friendly and asked where I was from.  They asked if we lived in a grass hut!  I told them we lived in a house, just like we do here.  The only bad part of the day is riding the bus home.  Some of those boys are real jerks.”

          From the table where he was eating a snack after getting home from school, Dan said, “Isn’t it funny what people think?  Even though I am in a Christian school with only fifteen in my room and three of us are TCKs, the people from around here seem to think we lived like savages.  I’m glad I come home in a car and don’t have to ride the bus.”

          I like my school,” said Esther.  “It’s big and exciting to be with 200 other sixth graders and get to meet so many kids.” 

          “I would much rather be in a small class, more like we had in our host country,” said Dan.  “Besides I have a good friend—one of the other TCKs.  He really understands how I feel.  He came to the school just last year.”

          “The only thing I don’t like about school is feeling stupid,” said Esther.

          “What do you mean by ‘feeling stupid’?” asked Mom.

          “When the other kids talk about movies they saw last year.  Or who was President during the Korean War, and things like that, I don’t have a clue,” said Esther.

          “That doesn’t mean you’re stupid, Esther,” said Mom.  “It just means that you weren’t here to see those movies and study that part of our country’s history.  I can teach you and Dan some of that history, and we can see some of those movies on DVDs from the library.  You’re at least as smart as the other students are.  But you have learned other things, things in our host country.”

          “What I don’t like is feeling out of place,” said Dan.  “I am not sure what clothes to wear.  I have trouble crossing the street because people here drive on the wrong side of the street.”

          “You’ll soon get used to where people drive,” said Mom.  “Ask your new TCK friend about what clothes to wear.  He can give you much better advice than any of us.  And he will understand since he went through that just last year.”

          Just then Paul walked in from his cooperative home school just down the street.  “I like all five kids in my class.  But I don’t like Mrs. Brown who teaches English.”

          “What’s the problem with Mrs. Brown?” asked Dan.

          “She expects me to know a lot more than I do about where to use commas, and she can’t explain it very well,” said Paul.

          Dad just walked in.  “I don’t know where commas go either.  I would just like to put three or four at the end of each paragraph and tell the teacher to put them wherever they should go.”

          Mom said, “People follow different rules when it comes to commas.  Soon you’ll learn which ones Mrs. Brown uses, and you won’t have any problem.”

          “I really like it when you teach French, Mom,” said Paul.  “You explain things really well.”

          “You may think so, Paul.  But probably the other kids in your class feel the same way about me that you do about Mrs. Brown.  It’s just that you already know something about French.”

          Dad looked at Ruth as she came in from her home school room right there at home.  “How was your day in first grade today?”

          Ruth replied, “It went pretty well.  I am glad that I can just be here with Mom all day.  The only problem is that I am having trouble with subtraction.”

          “Just use your fingers,” said Dad.

          “Oh, no you don’t.” said Mom.  You need to learn your math facts.  You can’t be counting on your fingers all your life.  Dad, be careful what you tell her to do.”

          “Sorry,” said Dad.  “I counted on my fingers all the way through school.  And I use a calculator now when I need to subtract.”

          “Well, we don’t want Ruth to have to do that.  She needs to know her facts,” said Mom.

          She went on, “It sounds like you all are about as happy as you can be in the schools you go to.  Esther in a large public middle school.  Dan in a smaller private Christian school.  Paul in a cooperative home school where several mothers teach.  And Ruth right here at home.”

          Dad added, “I’m glad it has worked out so well.  I am also thankful that the church is paying part of Dan’s tuition.  And that we have been able to car pool, ride the bus, or walk to places you go.

          He went on.  “I was thinking the other day that I ought to suggest something.  I know you all really liked our host country.  And it’s great to talk about it, maybe even give a report on it some time.

          “However, you need to be careful not to compare it too much with life here.  Others may think you’re bragging or that you’re running down the country they live in.  Be sure to talk about this country, and not too much about our host country.  Others may not understand.  Of course, other TCKs would—and they would probably begin telling you about their host countries.”

Things to do and think about

2. Use the following code to find some activities you can do to make friends.

(1).

(2).

(3).

(4).

(5).

(6).