Sports and arts and more

This has been a long and busy weekend. On Saturday Raoul and Karl had a sports day at school. They got their special T-shirts earlier in the week and have been inseparable from these most of the time. I didn't let Karl wear it for the night in case he has an accident but by most mornings he had managed to put it on anyway. So the excitement was big.

On the day everything was very organized as we have gotten used to in Maris Stella. The sisters' prayers had been answered and the weather was perfect - no rain and not too much sunshine. The kids marched onto the field in neat rows class by class, sang the national anthem, hoisted the flags and sat down under the shelter, still in neat rows. Each class was divided into two teams that competed against eachother in different kinds of games and races. It was quite funny at times. Karl and Raoul were on different teams and Raoul's yellow team won. They seemed to enjoy it a lot. After the kid's competitions it was the parents turn. That was very funny. Lots of people volunteered, not me. Both boys were very happy with their medals, Karl didn't mind the silver at all.

From school we went straight to Taekwondo, the boys still tireless as ever.

Beatrice was happy to disappear from all the excitement for her piano lesson and enjoyed it again.

Then in the evening we had tickets for a concert - Sarah Chang with the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra playing Sibelius' violin concert, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen (a Finn who has been working with the LA orchestra for a long time). We enjoyed it a lot, especially as they played some extra pieces of Sibelius. The violin concert was brilliant, her technique incredible. In the second part they played La Mer of Debussy and Ravel's Bolero. So quite an interesting mix. The funniest thing was though, that my parents had been to the same concert in August in a small town in northeastern Estonia (Johvi). So that was an interesting connection and a reminder of a small world.

Sunday was the eve of Deepavali. With the large Indian community here it is a big celebration in Singapore. We had to go to Little India to get a dress for Beatrice's assembly coming up this week. So ended up soaking in all this special atmosphere. The roads were so blocked already in the afternoon that we decided to make our way to the big shopping centre through the back streets. Even these were more and more packed with men hanging around. I thought first why are there only men and wondered if the wives are at home cooking or something until I realised that yes they are probably at home cooking, only their homes are a few miles away - in India. There are thousands of workers here from India and that's where they hang out when they are off. We got to the Moustafa centre finally. It is being praised in tourist guides as the place for good bargains but I don't really think that is true. Many things I saw would cost just the same here in Holland Village - the main expat shopping area. It was just unimaginably busy and full of people and stuff. I don't want to think what happens if there is the fire. Like where we finally found Beatrice's Punjabi suit there were rails and rails full, no order of sizes, 30 hangers on a rail for 10. So if you took a piece off you didn't really know where or how to put it back. And then after this fight ended up paying something like 50 SGD (20 GBP) for a beaded polyester set. But there we go. Meanwhile the boys were not sitting still either - they had managed to find some fabulous indian police uniforms, of course in polyester. Karl had even managed to get it on. So after we had found their clothes and shoes under the piles of dresses, we had to buy these as well.

By the time we got out from the shop traffic had literally come to standstill and all the streets were full of these workers relaxing and having fun with their friends. Many street cafes had TV screens out and showed the latest Bollywood blockbusters. It was a strange atmosphere, maybe one of anticipation, but not really festive. Just all these men everywhere talking and chatting creating quite a strong background noise, insence burning, smells from restaurants and bins etc. Nothing like the rest of Singapore. Robert said, it's almost like India, only there the rubbish would be not in bins but on the street. Probably you would have a few cows and monkeys wondering around as well.

We found a nice restaurant in the midst of that, with seating on cushions on the floor, very clean and neat and clutterfree. Very pleasant service and tasty food. And then another one of those Singaporean encounters that just keep happening - just a few steps after we had left the restaurant we bumped into Beatrice's classmate James, his siblings, mum and grandparents who came out from a restaurant just next door. So got a good recommendation from them for the next time as they have been going to this place for 20 years. We bought some sweets there and enjoyed these later at home.

Monday was public holiday here but Robert had to work anyway. He hasn't had a day off since over 3 weeks now. So we had a good playday with the kid's at Mia's place. Together with the Korean kids again. Their place has a kids lounge - a bit like a soft play area, but very nice so they all enjoyed a game of hide and seek in the "jungle", a swim, lunch, more play. I had another Korean reminder lesson. And also we found out that the Korean boy Yeo Yoo in the boys class and Taekwondo school in the neighbour of one of the Korean ladies and his family had been to her house the night before. So now I will just stop wondering if this happens again.

In every port city of the world ...

... there is an Estonian. Singapore has many big ports and that means there are more of us here than we thought. Yesterday we finally found 4 - dad is working as operations manager for a restaurant business, mum stays at home with two kids - girl 10, boy 6. We had a nice afternoon at their place and the kids bonded fairly quickly and learned some Estonian games that I have forgotten all about. They know a few more Estonians, so there might be enough for the choir and folkdance group ,-) and christmas party etc. Well, luckily I felt we had enough to talk about and enough common interests in order for it not to be a get-together just because of being fellow Estonians. They also live fairly close and two other Estonian girls live just round the corner from us.
Beatrice had a week off and we tryed to keep ourselves entertained. Went to Mia's on Tuesday, she had invited some Korean kids from Alex'es class with their mums so I had an opportunity to brush up my Korean as some of them don't speak much English. Funnily quite a lot of the vocabularly is still somewhere in the far corners of the brain and it actually comes out again when needed.
On Wednesday Beatrice had a playday at her new friend James'es house. They are a big family with 4 children but all of them extremely nice. And lucky Beatrice - they live next door to her "old" good friend Nikky, so she could pop round there as well afterwards.
On Thursday we went to the Science centre - Beatrice's favourite attraction here - together with her big Korean friends, the twins. Had a great day and discovered some new areas in the centre including an eco-garden with a tree-house.
Beatrice's highlight of the week was probably her first piano lesson on Saturday. She had been quite hesitant for a while but was completely extatic afterwards and wanted to go back the same night. The teacher is here on the condo and seems really sweet. So of course we went out and bought a keyboard on Sunday as our piano is sadly and lonely in storage in Estonia.
Oh, and yes, she passed the Taekwondo test - so now white belt with yellow tips.

Identity crises solved

Beatrice's school celebrated the long anticipated United Nations Day on Friday and that helped to solve our identity crises! It is a big annual event with parade, countries displays and concert. 44 different nationalities at school this term! Beatrice was wearing her Estonian national costume for the parade as she bravely marched in front of hundreds of people carrying the sign "Estonia" and the blue-black-white. All alone! (There were a few other countries with only a single representative.) She did very well and we cheered our hearts out. I had taken the boys from school for that day and colour-coded them in the national colours as well. The full-length pleated wool skirt is wonderful in the Estonian winter but really not the most suitable clothing in Singapore's +35 C. So she did a great job. I had chosen "Jaa vabaks Eesti meri" for the parade music and they read out what I had written about Estonia and the Laulupidu.

Then we moved to our little table. I was not going to do a stall at first but after a while patriotism won over shyness so I decided to make one anyway, even though on my own. We shared a classroom with Austria, Spain, Holland and Switzerland. Some countries had very large groups - the English of course, followed by the Koreans and Japanese. They had a classroom for themselves and had put on massive displays and offered whole buffet lunches. (I had just baked a rye bread and Beatrice made a "kirju koer".) But we generated good interest and had great fun. All kids at school had a special passport for the day and got it stamped at every countrie's stand, so Raoul and Karl got themselves their first little proper job as immigration officers. When they had time off from pinching Toblerone pieces from the Swiss stall, of course. We were a bit unlucky though - I had asked the Estonian tourism office to send me some booklets and give-aways and after more than 2 weeks in mail the parcel arrived on Saturday! One day late. At least it is here for next year.

We were very lucky to have done this stall as we found some Estonian-speakers in school! There are 2 more girls (and their mom), who speak fluent Estonian. It turns out they are Italians but have lived in Estonia since 1994, meaning the girls were actually born there. Their mom is working here in Singapore now. They even live nearby. We were all completely enthusiastic about this coincidence. And they would not have found us if I hadn't made the stall.

On Saturday Beatrice had her first Taekwondo grading test for the "Yellow tip". It was very busy but I think she did very well. Had to show the first white belt pattern, a few kicks and break a wooden board. We'll know the results by the end of the week.

Robert's job is really busy now with the rig in dock, so he had to go to work on Sunday as well. I took the kids to the zoo and luckily he could join us there. We went to see the elephant show. Felt really lucky as the first row was completely free. However as the show started we realized why - we were welcomed with a proper elephant shower. Not a few drops. Soaking! The show was amazing though - lots of humour and great stunts. The boys had seen it with their school so they were looking forward to see the elephant throw off the keeper's hat. Then after lunch there was a new show that we watched - The rainforest fights back. That was very nice with small animals, monkeys climbing above our heads, tribal fighters and drummers ets. The story about the rainforest's fight against the loggers actually seemed to have arrived at destination - Karl kept asking for the whole afternoon why the tribesmen threw the bad guy in the water. There is always something new to see and to discover at the zoo. We were lucky to have a really close look at the big orangutan Charlie this time. Or maybe he had a good look at us.

Identity crises

Yes we did something cultural last week. Took the kids to the art museum where they had arranged a few workshops. Mia and Alex came along as well. We sent the kids for a "rainbow" painting workshop - unfortunately it was such a wet affair that all their artwork nearly disintegrated. Just managed to save some of Beatrice's pictures. The kids were keen on a music workshop but the organization for that one didn't quite work out.
On Thursday Beatrice had a new friend over here for a playdate after school - a very sweet Australian boy James, who likes to play with girls. When he was picked up his mum said she had asked James where Beatrice is from and it turned out Beatrice had told James she was from Korea! His mum was surprized to discover that Beatrice didn't look very Korean at all. But that's what you would call identity crises. I guess we have to try to find out where she is really from.
On Sunday we took Beatrice along to see Mamma Mia in the cinema (it seems all films get here much later than Europe). She loves Abba and deserved a treat after working hard on her sums. We enjoyed it a lot. Will have to make it up for the boys one day.
Today we had a class coffee morning in the British Club. The first time I had been there and I had predicted it right - yes there are flowery carpets all over the place! Was nice though as many mums turned up and it is quite a colourful international bunch. I had to take the boys along as it was early before their school time. They munched away on the croissants and had a little play in the playroom. Then off to school.