Continuing the Journey

Alia at Rosslyn Academy

Rosslyn Academy likes to think of itself as an international school rather than an American school. This is certainly correct, as many students come from Korea, Kenya and various European countries. However, the changes we have seen in Alia since leaving a Kenyan school and entering Rosslyn are interesting.

She now wears jeans and a t-shirt to school and to play in around the house rather than dresses as she did before.

She talks about the girls having boyfriends in the class. Many may not realize how typically American this is, for small children to speak of having boyfriends or girlfriends. But Jordan and Jessica in the French and Djibouti systems never heard of children talking in this way. The same was true for Alia in her Kenya school. So it seems to be an American thing.

She also has a lot more opportunity for extra-curricular activity. She is taking piano and ballet lessons.

I find it to be an interesting cultural difference.

posted by Brislen Family @ 5:57 PM 0 comments

Back to School

Our lives seem to follow the school calendars. Jessica has left to return for her senior year at Eastern Mennonite University.

Jordan has begun his senior year at Rosslyn Academy here in Nairobi, and he has begun to think more seriously about where he might go to college next year.

Alia has begun first grade at Rosslyn Academy. It is her 4th different school in 4 years and she is only 6 years old. She now gets on the bus with her brother and goes to the same school. She enjoys her new school and she has made many friends already.

I'm teaching 3 classes at NIST. I had taught two of the classes last year, Spiritual Formation and Nurture and Research and Academic Writing, so preparation time for those classes is somewhat minimal. However, I have one new class which is challenging me very much, Introduction to African Theology. While I enjoy the subject, and I have read quite a number of theology books by African writers, I'm not African and I haven't read all of the books.

Now that we are back in school, Cindy has more time to put into her EMM office work and other duties.

posted by Brislen Family @ 6:44 AM 0 comments