First day of school

Carolin got to go to school.  She was so excited.  I asked if she had a good nights rest and she said she couldn't sleep because she was so excited for school.  When I arrived home after work, I was so excited to hear how she did the first day.  I couldn't go with her to get her classes because I had to teach a class at work.  Carolin had a big smile on her face and shared she knew  someone in every one of her classes.   That made me happy.

She then shared some funny things over the last couple of days that I think are funny and wanted to share:

When the P.E. teacher asked all the students to run around the track one time, why did all of the students walk? 

I love the sound of your bells here.  Each one has a different meaning. 

I find it so fascinating that they have classes start at 52 minutes to.  Why wouldn't they just start on the 5's?

I failed my first American test.  It was in Graphics, and I don't know all these machines.

Why do teachers give so much homework?  We don't have nearly as much homework in Germany.  Yet my classes are all ahead of where the classes are here.  I do not get this.  It is so much more quiet in classes here.  They should be much more ahead than we are in Germany.

The biology teacher had a waterfall mouth.  She kept just talking and talking.  I couldn't take notes because I had no idea what she was saying.  So I just kept writing, I do not understand so it looked like I was writing notes.

Wonder of Wonders, Miracle of Miracles

Happy Day!  We got the letter of approval from the Granite School Board.  This truly is a miracle.  I know the prayers of many were answered with the way this worked out.  I am so grateful for many, many, many family and friends who encouraged us to keep going, shared their love and desire for Carolin to stay, and who said outward and inward prayers to help us figure out how to make this work. 

A HUGE thank you to Granite School District and the State Board of Education.  I'm so impressed with their efforts to make this work.  I know many might ask why they didn't just come to the conclussion they finally came to.  The answer, they couldn't.  They have to follow these laws because of the many Foreign Exchange Agencies that don't protect the kids.  I understand so much what they are trying to protect and I totally agree with how they handled this whole thing.

I have to share one more cut story.  Sunday my family was gathered for dinner.  My dad called on Josie, my five year old niece.  She blessed the food and prayed for her family.  Then she broke her regular pattern and asked to "please bless Carolin that she can stay in our family and everything will work out."  I was very touched by her love and how in tune she was with what was happening.

It's time to move forward and to begin enjoying this experience.  The woman that handed Carolin the papers for permission said, "you've now can see the best of America.  It's not normally this complicated."  All of this work was worth it when I saw the twinkle back in Carolin's eyes. 

A Big Thank You To Many

Carolin right before the zipline at Snowbird

Today I have just felt so grateful for wonderful friends, a loving family, and kind ward members.  I hoped people would extend a hand of kindness and friendship, but I honestly have been overwhelmed with how kind and thoughtful people have been to me and to Carolin.

Kids her age have invited her to do things with them this week which has made the week much more enjoyable for her.  Friends of mine are having a party for her with their kids on Tuesday, and a dear friend's daughter has invited her to go waterskiing with their ward and the next day have a swim party for her, all while I am working.

Young Women leaders have been so inviting and welcoming to her, concerned about her reactions to her first time saying the YW theme and the lessons they are teaching.  My family (nieces, sisters and mother) have truly extended their kindness and involvment for which I am so thankful. The Lord knew we needed one another and I have always felt grateful for others kindness to me.  Yet, in just one week with Carolin, I feel I have learned more about how we need each other and how anothers act of kindness completely knits our hearts together in love and gratitude. 

I truly am overwhelmed with everyone's concern for Carolin's well being and mine as well.  Thank you to all of you.  I truly am incredibly grateful.  I couldn't have asked for a nicer exhange student. She is willing to try anything I make and willing to reach out to others and get involved no matter what the situation.  I know I'm only into this one week, yet this week has been truly remarkable, even with the challenges of the school situation and her cell phone.

I hope each person realizes that each little act of kindness they share goes so much further into other's hearts than I think we ever know.

Carolin ready for the Alpine Slide

Friday the 13th and more...

Wow, where to begin?  First off, I have to say that Carolin is a "cool headed" teenager.  Today was a day of disappointment for her and she kept her "cool" very well.  She was so excited to register for school today.  We got up, went and got her library cards at the city and county libraries (who knows if she will ever need it, but I thought it was good for her to know about the library system).  Then we went over to school.  She had dressed up a little more and I could tell she was excited.  We sat down in the counselor's office and told her Carolin's name.  The counselor looked at us like, what are you saying.  I repeated the name and the counselor started looking through her files like she had lost something.  It just so happened that they had no record of Carolin coming to the school.  I called the two ladies from the agency and both assured me they had confirmation from the school district that she could enroll.  Unfortunately, we have to wait until next week now for her to enroll.  She is ready for school to start and I felt very badly about this delay.  She didn't say much about it and when I asked how she was feeling, she mentioned she knew things would work out.  How many of you with teenagers get this response?  When we walked back to the car, I said, "do you know what today is?"  She replied, "What?"  I said, "It's Friday the 13th, we probably should have planned on something like this happening." As we were driving home, I shared that I think our luck is going to change because the mailman was in the driveway and her cell phone was to arrive today.  I went and waited for the mailman and when he came up to the driveway I said to him, "I bet you have a package for us."  He looked at me a bit confused.  I repeated myself and he said, "No packages today."  At first I was joking about Friday the 13th, but now I was beginning to buy into the whole idea.  Once again she was a bit disappointed. 

Her bank card arrived yesterday and this morning her mother gave Carolin her pin number.  We can only go to the Bank of America ATM machine in Trolley Square or clear out in Sandy to get her money from Germany.  So we drove to Trolley Square and after we found it we looked at each other like, will Friday the 13th still be cursing us?  She put the card in and entered her pin and it said wrong pin number.  My heart sank.  I was so impressed with Carolin, she didn't respond negatively at all.  I shared for her to try it one more time, perhaps she had entered in the wrong number.  She tried it again and this time... BINGO, it worked.  She shared, "the curse has been broken."

We then went to dinner and to see Charlie St.Cloud (or something like that... it was the Zach Efron show).  Afterwards we talked about him and I asked if she thought he was cute.  She said yes, but he needs to shave his armpits.  I laughed out loud.  I asked if boys in Germany shaved their armpits and she said I don't know about over 30 year olds, but under 30 year olds all do.  Well that is something new.  I shared with her when I went over to Germany the first time the women didn't even shave their underarms.  Look at all this we are learning. 

We stopped off at Rachel's on the way home and sat in the back of their neighbors and chatted and ate some ice cream.  When we left she asked if Rachel's neighbors were Mormon because they had beers.  I shared that they weren't and that Rachel and Matt weren't either.  She asked why, and I shared that Matt was raised Catholic and Rachel raised LDS, but that they decided not to be actively involved in these religions.  She said, it was probably good that Matt wasn't or he'd have a lot more children as a Catholic.  This then lead us into a long discussion home about contraceptives and teenage sex.  At one point Carolin asked me the name of a type of contraceptive.  Imagine my surprise when I didn't know the name.  Imagine her surprise when I didn't know the name.  I was laughing inside that I was having this very descriptive conversation with a teenager about sex, contraceptives and what they teach in school.  I was totally impressed with Carolin of her maturity and willingness to talk openly about this.  It was a very mature conversation.  She shared that in Germany they have lessons about this in 4th, 6th and 9th grade.  Like I said, this is a journey where I think we will learn from one another.  Tonight I think I learned more than she did. 

School Differences

Last night as I prepared dinner (which is quite fun for me this first week, ask me how I like it in two months) Carolin was reading Olympus High's Catalog.  She kept saying, "this is so cool, this is so cool."  I asked her what she thought was so cool.  She said, "there are so many more interesting classes here."  In Germany they mainly focus on the basics.  I said give me an example, and she shared, "Sport Sewing, Food and Fitness, Food for Life, Japanese, Ceramics, Fashion Merchandising, and Cosmotology / Barbering (she had a little bit of a hard time saying that one)."

She is trying to decide what one "fun" class she should take.  The way their school system works, is starting with grades 11, 12, and 13, they get points for each grade they get in their classes.  Grades range from 1 to 6.  1 being the highest and 6 the lowest.  If you get a 1 you get like 10 or so points.  To get into medical school she needs 730 points out of a total of 800.  The grades she gets here don't count for any points, but she has to take History, and English.  I asked her why she only wanted to take one fun class.  She has clepted out of 11th grade because her grades were so good, so when she returns she has to just complete the 12th and 13th grade.  She shared that she wants to take as many AP classes as possible and take many of the classes she will be taking in the 12th and 13th grade.  So, she will be signing up for AP Calculas, AP Chemistry, Honors Biology, AP US History, Sociology, and one more that I can't remember.  I think she is a little different student than myself.  I hope she doesn't think I can help her if she has a question on any of these subjects.  Perhaps I can do a little learning too!  I've got a smart one on my hands!

Her other comment was that most students in Germany arrive anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes late for class.  They rarely do their homework either.  She said only students that don't understand the subject have to really do homework.  For the rest, "it's just a waste of our time."  I laughed.  I shared here it often counts as part of your grade. 

Cheers to learning!!!

Changing Expectations

So, as many know, teenagers really enjoy being with their friends.  I know this too, it has just happened more quickly than I anticipated.  One thing I love about Carolin is she is not one bit nervous to meet new people.  As she says, "She enjoys meeting new people."  Already she has gone out with friends on Tuesday night and then on Wednesday night she went to the Young Women's activity.  Today we planned to go ride the bus. Come on, doesn't that sound fun? It will come in handy one day for her, though I don't think she thought it would be all that exciting.   Around 10:30 one of her friends called and said they were going over to the school to get their schedules and wanted to take her so she can see inside the school and they can show her around.  I couldn't ask for more.  I'm simply left in a position I'm not familiar with.  At home from work with no plans.  La da di, la da da....

Another thing I'm finding out is I think I like to pack more in a day than the average person.  Yesterday we had swimming plans at 1:00.  I shared with Carolin that if we got up at around 8:30 we could get a great hike in before we went swimming.  Her reply was, "I think this is too much activity for one day."  I'm not use to being off work and being at home.  I may have to start cleaning out that room I've never gotten too.

So, here I sit, wondering if I'll get that bus ride in! 

Carolin on the steps of the State Capital.   She asked why we are the Beehive State.

Fun language moments

I couldn't ask for things to go better.  Carolin has adjusted beautifully and I'm so impressed with how willing she is to meet kids her age.  I'm also so impressed with the kids in my neighborhood and their willingness to extend themselves to welcome Carolin.  She's "hangin" tonight" with some of her new friends. I honestly did not expect that to happen so quickly. 

We've had some fun times with the language challenges that have been memorable for me.  This morning I told Carolin I was going to "run" with my mom to go and look at a dresser.  I was dressed and ready for the day.  She looked at me with this look of confusion and asked if I was going to "run" in the clothes I had on.  I shared that when I used the word "run" I meant "go".  We both started to laugh. Later that day I shared that I loved that exchange and she said that she couldn't imagine my mother as a runner.  It's been fun exchanges like that since she arrived.