First Semester of School

Cameron had a great first semester of school. He loves being there and seems to be learning a lot! The curriculum at the school is very interesting and Cameron has been a part of many fun activities. Here are some of the fun things that happened during the first semester.

He learned about mailing letters to people.

He went on his first field trip to the Ghent University Book Tower.

Learning about the very old books and newspapers in the book tower

View of Gent from the top of the tower

Of course the kids had the most fun running around and playing after the tour.

Fun hats after the tour

Cameron and his friend, Matin

 He participated in Eat Local Day: The excerpt below is from the school's website to explain about Eat Local Day.

Did you know that your food travels an average of 2000 km before it ends up on your plate? On Thursday, 17 October, we participated in Eat Local Day, which helps to support local agriculture and to draw attention to the dangers of CO2 emissions from transporting food long distances. The event was sponsored by Good Planet Belgium, an organization dedicated to teaching youth and adults how to live sustainably. Both the Primary and Pre-primary classes picked apples in the garden and worked together to make delicious, fresh, local apple juice.

Picking apples at the school

Preparing the apples for juice

Juicing

Drinking their yummy apple and pear juice

They celebrated Halloween

Heading to school as fireman Cameron.

Face painting 

In the afternoon, parents were invited to the school to enjoy the halloween festivities and to try some pumpkin soup that the children made for us.

Harrison joined in on the fun

Getting soup for us

The last thing Cameron experienced before we left for Christmas break was a visit from Sinterklaas (saint Nicholas) and his helpers, the Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes). I'm not really sure what to think about this because, in the U.S., this tradition would be highly inflammatory. However, it's a big tradition here, so the children received a visit. Below is a little more information about Sinterklaas. 

Sinterklaas is a traditional winter holiday figure based on Saint Nicholas. He is celebrated annually with the giving of gifts on Saint Nicholas' eve (5 December) in the Netherlands and on the morning of 6 December, the feast of Saint Nicholas, in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Northern France. Sinterklaas is an elderly, stately and serious man with white hair and a long, full beard. He wears a long red cape or chasuble over a traditional white bishop's alb and sometimes red stola, dons a red mitre and ruby ring, and holds a gold-coloured crosier, a long ceremonial shepherd's staff with a fancy curled top. He traditionally rides a white horse. Sinterklaas carries a big book that tells whether each child has been good or naughty in the past year.

A Zwarte Piet (Black Pete, plural Zwarte Pieten) is a companion of Sinterklaas, usually portrayed by an adolescent in blackface with black curly hair, dressed up like a 17th-century page in a colourful dress, often with a lace collar, and donning a feathered cap.

Cameron doesn't look completely terrified! 

Even though I was worried about missing out on time with Cameron and wasn't sure that I wanted him to go to school, this experience has been very enriching for all of us so far.  I'm looking forward to seeing what adventures are ahead in the second semester!