Day 1870. Sammy was up at 6:30 am, as was Tammy, but my alarm went off at 7 am. I had no choice but to get up today. I got the kids dressed and myself ready and left the house just before 7:30 am.
I had a trip of nearly an hour ahead of me. I took two subways and got to the south of Vienna, at the end of the subway, then I had to walk for 15 minutes. Then I finally reached the Christian school a few minutes early. It is one of three evangelical Christian schools in Vienna. One school is too expensive and the other one is where they are enrolled to attend primary school starting a year from now. It is a lot of smaller than the school I visited today. I wanted to see what this school was like, especially as it's the only Christian option for them where to attend grades 5 through 8.
I was greeted warmly, when I walked in. Some of the students were standing around waiting, as they were the ones showing the parents around. At 8:30 it was time to get started. The students paired up, and each pair took a few parents with them to show them around. As the school is international and bilingual (German and English), there were also English-only speaking parents that got their tour in English.
Two four-graders took me around. They showed us the gym, the library, science, speech and art lab and where they eat. All but the actual classrooms. In all reality they really gave us too much information that was not really relevant, but they did a great job. After that tour, we all gathered in their eating area, where they had set up a projector. Then the couple that started the school 25+ years ago spoke. First the husband, then the wife gave a power point presentation. After they were done, it was time to go visit the classrooms.
As people were walking away, I was surprised that I was the only one going up to the lady that had spoken to ask some questions. I asked about an "integrative class", i.e. a class that includes a special needs child like Sammy. They don't have any yet, but would like to. I also asked whether all the teachers were born-again Christians, and most are. I told her that I was a teacher and that I was interested in teaching French at their school if they ever needed a French teacher. Then we got interrupted, and I quickly caught up with the others that were on the way to the classrooms.
The elementary school principal then gave the tour through elementary school, and she also answered question. I liked what I saw. Then the tour was over, and everyone gathered back downstairs. I got to talk to one of the administrators, and then the founder, the husband, was right there and I ended up talking with him. I had a great conversation. I found out where they attend church, and they were interested in me and the triplets. I even gave him a Mali brochure. I also told him about my interest in teaching there, especially if our kids ever attend that school. It's a shame it's so far from our home. The founder knows the school where our kids are enrolled, of course, and thinks it's a great school, which I agree with after what I've seen. I was thankful for the great conversation and left later than expected. It was nearly 10:40 am.
Randy had to leave the house at 11:20, but I was not gonna be back by then, so I called him. Our cleaning lady had arrived at 10 am, after Randy had returned home, and I told Randy to just leave her by herself in our house for the few minutes until I'd get home. It was 15 minutes, as I got home at 11:35.
I was completely exhausted. I'd gone to bed at 1 am, and Tammy and Emmy had had a restless night sleeping to my left and right and constantly waking me up. And so I lay down in bed to get some rest. I was surprised when Randy already got home with Tammy and Emmy at 12:45 pm. I got up and warmed up leftover soup for Randy and myself. After having eaten, Randy left to pick up Sammy at 1:30 pm and then take him to his physiotherapy session at 2:15 pm.
Today somebody brought in a guinea pig that Sammy got to pet, brush and feed, which he enjoyed. It was very special.
At home, I was getting ready for my 2 pm student, and I was also preparing everything for us to leave right after I was done. I also made bread with salami to take with us. There was still time for me to do part 1 of piano practice with them on the Whiteboard, but not to go downstairs to play the piano.
At 2 pm I started teaching and finished at 2:50 pm. A few minutes before I was done, I told them to put their shoes and helmets on, so we could leave right away. Thankfully it was a warm day today (the only day), so they could wear shorts and didn't need jackets. Unfortunately first a shoe couldn't be found, then they hadn't picked out socks yet, then there was something else, so that our departure was delayed. Even though we had scooters, it was too late to try to make the bus, so we went straight to the subway to take the alternative route.
Thankfully we didn't wait long for the subway. We rode it for a few stops, then got on a tram. After we got off where they get off for their kindergarten, we rode our scooters down the sidewalk until we reached the dance studio, where other kids and parents were already waiting.
Once the teacher arrived we went inside and up the stairs to the studio. Emmy changed his shoes and went into the room. There was a good number of other boys and one girl there. Then the dance class started. I stayed in the locker room with Tammy, who was drawing there, and went inside the dance hall from time to time to see what they were doing and to take pictures. Emmy was clearly having lots of fun, even though some of the dance moves the teacher was showing were really hard. Emmy did the best he could. In the end, he had them do a bridge, and as Emmy had learned that in his dance class last semester, he was the only one to be able to do it perfectly.
Just before the class ended at 4:15 pm, I called Emmy to come and get changed, as we needed to get going. Their ball-playing class starts at 4:30 pm at a place 15 minutes away, but it takes longer considering getting changed and waiting for the tram. We were the first ones to leave the dance studio and rode our scooters to the tram stop. Unfortunately we missed one tram and had to wait a long time for the next one. We really didn't have that much time. Randy even called to ask where we were.
We took the next tram, rode it for 3 stops, then rode our scooters for one bus stop to get to the school, where their class was taking place. Considering how late we were, we went straight in, changed their shoes, and they joined the others who were already doing the roll call after the first 10 minutes of free play. I sat down on the benches by the wall, where the others parents were, and then Randy already called again. I asked him where they were as we were already in class, and Randy and Sammy joined us a few minutes later.
Sammy was happy to see me but was much more interested in seeing his friend Michi from last week again. He had been talking about him and was excited. Sammy looked at all the parents sitting there, but there was no Michi. He started crying hard and would not be comforted. The lady next to me then told me that Michi was her husband and that he hadn't be able to come today but would be back next week. Sammy was devastated and continued crying for a long time. At one point he tried to make friends with another guy, but he was not interested.
I then suggested we'd play ball together, and we did it for some time. Then he found a hoop, and I offered to pull Sammy around the room, like we used to do in another exercise class. He was excited, and I pulled him, much to his delight. However, he had short sleeves and his elbow apparently slid on the floor at some point, so he started crying as he had burned the skin off. Once again he was crying hard, and once again he would not be comforted. At some point I started the game we alwalys do at home that he loves so much, and it worked. He was laughing instead of cying. But when we stopped playing, he was crying again.
Tammy and Emmy had enjoyed the class. They were able to throw some balls into the basketball hoops, and they had to jump through hoops which they did masterfully.
At 5:30 pm the class was over, and they put their shoes back on and we left. Emmy asked to go to the playground right there, but our bus was leaving 5 minutes later, so we went straight to the bus stop. Once again the boy their age from last week got on the bus with us, and the kids all sat together having fun.
By 6 pm we were back home. The kids had all eaten their bread with salami already, so I cut up fruit for them to eat. Before they went into the bathtub, I reminded them that they hadn't finished their piano practice yet, and so the three of us went downstairs, where I first practiced with Tammy and then with Emmy. Emmy wanted to outdo his sister and wanted to keep plaiying the song over and over again. I can see such progress in both of them, just because they've praciced three days in a row.
But then it was time for the bathtub, and our evening routine continued on for them. Now it's after midnight, and I'm definitely more tired than usual. But I still have to take care of the kitchen, and tomorrow I have to leave the house early again.
