The eagle has landed.

Quiet Sunday morning after a rather eventful Saturday. We had an Open House at the school yesterday, the first social event of the year. As usual, I let myself get super stressed out before Open House (I figure this was my 33rd school Open House, not counting those I went to as a parent), something about the vulnerability that you put yourself into when getting all those parents in one space, combined with my irrational minor phobia of confronting and socializing with (EGADS!) more than three people in one space at one time.

In any case and despite my convalescent state of mind and body (see previous post), I think it turned out pretty well. Sure, I grossly mispronounced the names of the Saudi and Nigerian Ambassadors’ names when introducing them, but other then those two minor faux-pas', it was an OK day. It helped that it was a beautiful sunny and warm (no make that hot) day, but our campus being ocean front, a cool (no make that warm) breeze made the space in our under cover area very enjoyable (no make that tolerable).

Madeleine had made a dozen banners with the help of the high school students, and these were hung up all over the place, thus covering up all those walls and spaces in dire need of repainting. Sam, our music teacher, took out his wonderful african raggae/rap cd’s and in no time, music permeated the campus. Most people, for some reason, showed up in their traditional national garbs which was, to say the least, impressive and colourful. The place looked very festive...a look conducive to the feeling of renewal that we wanted to give to the event. I think we succeeded.

The fact that we had decided to open up the campus swimming pool definitely added to the carnival-like atmosphere. After the business portion of the day: welcoming opening remarks by the new director (this is where I massacred the ambassadors’ names), elections of the new school board, visits and presentations in the classroom by teachers, all the kids went straight for the pool. It was an impressive sight. Parents sitting around the freshly painted rich maroon-coloured pool deck, munching on hot dogs, deliciously spiced-up basmati rice and the best-I've-ever-eaten mutton samosas (a contribution from one of our Indian families), watching their kids having a blast in the water...all of it seemed rather surreal to me.

At one point, as I was enjoying my 16th mutton samosa while downing a frosted bottle of cool Fanta, one thought came to mind. The Eagle has landed...we’re here. Now let’s get on with putting this school and this community back on track.