I don't blame her. The school is pretty crazy. She says the students go to block class (a 4-hour morning or afternoon class) and everyone just sits around for two hours until the teacher begins the class. She's constantly coming home early because school lets out early. And she's tired of not being able to communicate sufficiently. She says she's exhausted the get-to-know-you conversations and the what-music-you-like conversations and so she spends a bit of time alone. During those frequent down times, she often reads. Julia is a very social girl, and I know it's been hard for her.
I was more hopeful in February when she went back to school that things would be better. There were a couple days she asked to stay the full day--until 4:30--so she could help in her conversational English class. And she wanted to stay later in the cooking class too. Also, she told me about a fun conversation she had with a friend about the "rap" lyrics in Justin Bieber's Boyfriend song and she had been posting cute Facebook pictures with her and her friends at school. I feel like the kids from school have been kind to her, but there does seem to come a point where you crave meaningful conversations, and friendships have difficulty progressing without them. I feel the same way.
Caleb and Dylan at least have each other, and since they have recess at the same time, they always talk during those times. Before we came to Costa Rica, Caleb and Dylan did not get along and we resorted to putting them in separate rooms to help the situation. But I think that needing to rely on each other has strengthened their relationship. Of course, they still have their moments, but things are so much better now. I pointed this out to them the other day, and they both smiled and recognized their improved friendship. If nothing else comes of this experience, just that will make it worth it.
But back to Julia . . .
We only have a little over a month left of school here, and so I was a little torn on how to approach Julia's situation. We had bribed the kids with a friend party at home if they went to school every day they were supposed to. Jonah lost his party a while ago (though we reassured him that he'd still get to enjoy the other kids' parties). Caleb and Dylan are still going strong, but Julia decided it was no longer worth it.
Since Julia still has opportunities to work on her Spanish--she goes to weekly Seminary, has been working weekly with the Sister Missionaries, goes to a weekly language class, and goes to church and church activities--I felt okay about transitioning to complete home schooling with her.
So yesterday we came up with a plan.
Julia will work on school assignments from 7:00-2:00 each day. A couple of those hours will be working on her Spanish online. She will also continue to follow along with her Math class back home, do some kind of P.E. activity, and then she will do a lot of self-motivated reading and reports on that reading. We tried to find books she was interested in, covering a range of topics in science, history, and literature. Right now she's reading Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen Dubner, Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, and Yearbook by Allyson B. Condie.
I know Julia's counting down the days until we get home, and that she has lots of summer plans with her friends. I'm pleased with how much she has learned, and how much she is continuing to learn. I know she's learned to appreciate her blessings, and see things from others' perspectives.
Just the other day, as we were listening to General Conference, Julia mentioned that she thought the talks should be given in the speakers' native languages, and that the English speakers could read subtitles on a few talks since the non-English speakers never get to hear it in their own language. Not many adults would make that observation, let alone teenagers, and Michael and I were both pleased with how she was able to see that.
I am happy to report, though, that even though it's been tough for Julia, she tells me she is glad we came to Costa Rica. But there will be no complaints from her when it's time to go home :).
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