Pass!

These days the term 'pass' conjures up thoughts of our living status in Singapore.  Without some sort of 'pass', you really can't do much of anything - rent videos, rent apartments, buy cell phones, join clubs, open a bank account, book tickets, etc.

Last week, my daughter received her student pass!  Because I do not have an employment pass yet, and Terry is not her legal guardian (he has an employment pass), she cannot get a dependent's pass.  The student pass allows her to live in Singapore until August 2012... and to get a student's package on her new iPhone, which includes unlimited texting - she's pretty pumped about the new phone:)

On Saturday past, I got the formal email stating I've been approved for a long-term-visit pass.  I just have to pay and figure out what 'medical' means and provide all that before Oct. 2nd.  So, although we'd already planned an adult night out, we had a celebration Saturday night.  We visited Terry's friends and then went to Clarke Quay.  Clarke Quay is like a high end George Street - no, Bourbon Street -because it's bigger and cleaner and has these enormous air conditioning structures hovering over the entire outside area.  It offers a greater variety of entertainment than either.  We went to a couple of bars, did the conga and salsa at a cuban bar, sited bellydancers while passing another restaurant (it was teeming with spectators - mostly men - so we couldn't really see much), and danced to 'western' music at yet another bar.  It was a great night, albeit late (we met up with another of Terry's friends at around 2 a.m. and got home around 5 a.m.!).  Singapore's bars are open until around 4 a.m... the area was still full of people when we left... although at the final joint we visited, they were only serving beer and only outside.

Needless to say, Sunday was very laid back.  And today it's back to work and school... and while I'm trying to figure out life in Singapore in almost all aspects, my daughter is focused on life at school.

To date, I've seen some excellent education at my daughter's international school.  She takes a course called Theory of Knowledge - basically a philosophical discussion course - and her teacher has decided to bring the theme of 'love' into this year's classes.  Seriously.  Love.  Isn't that the best?  She will also do an excursion trip to either Cambodia or India this year and do some community work while abroad.  The school boasts about 80 extracurricular activities, and she's joined choir, dance/musical theatre, and art for a cause (in which she'll be creating a photography 'show' and fundraising for a selected cause).  While being faced with social challenges (she's met lots of school friends but hasn't hung out with them after school hours yet) and academic obstacles (although she already completed grade 11 math in grade 10 last year, there are gaps in what the two schools taught so there's some extra learning sometimes), the overall school experience is excellent.

This Friday, her school is holding a fundraiser to raise money for a school in Ladakh, India, where the flooding in Pakistan and India has had a significant impact.  Students and staff in her school have family members who have been affected.  It is this worldly awareness and mindfulness that I see as one of the most important learnings for my daughter.  It seems only a select few get this type of experience at home, while all students not only have an opportunity to receive it here, but it is part of the programming.  The system and school are not perfect, of course... her school is constructing a new building for next year so their current location is temporary, and there have been some frustrating logistical issues.  But this school gets a pass from us.

The school also offers opportunities for parent involvement... although less in high school than other years - not unlike home.  I thought I might volunteer for something since I'd like to be involved... and I really need to meet some adults!  I have done a few things... gone to the orientation and curriculum night.  I arrived at curriculum night early (I'm never early) and waited for Terry.  They had started when Terry arrived and I leaned over and said, 'you haven't missed anything, they are still talking about middle school.'  About 20 minutes later, they ended and that was it.  Nothing on high school.  I thought I got the date wrong!  I asked a teacher, who told me the high school session was in a different room!  We found the other room, which was empty, and then wandered the halls until we found the high school classrooms.  Phew!  All the teachers were there and we managed to speak to them all.... this is a typical Tina moment of course - to go to the wrong room - but I've never missed a parent night at the school and felt a wee bit stressed:)

Testing and evaluating has begun for my daughter, and her studying has to be taken into consideration when we are planning weekend activities or excursions.  It's one of the balancing things an adventurous expat parent needs to learn how to manage.  And I'm only in the beginning stages of learning it.  Moving to a new country is like school - you pass and you fail.  When you pass, you continue to improve.  When you fail, you get up and try again and figure out the lesson.