With only a few weeks left before school beginning the Wendling family has been busy with a number of different activities:
- soccer (every night of the week)
- hockey for Matteya
- basketball and volleyball camps - which started this week and will continue for the next three weeks
- various music lessons
- Justine taking a summer course at Jean Vanier
- Laff Olympics
- Kevin canoeing in Algonquin park with uncles and nephews
However, as days start to get shorter and the nights get cooler, one can feel Fall just around the corner. In some ways this summer as been great with fantastic weather in July and lots of time for us to connect with family and friends.
Yet, three months of summer vacation is far different then what we are use to as well as wanted to move onto the next transition which included the four girls back to Ecole St. Joseph -- Justine to Ecole Jean Vanier -- Rosanne to Niagara Falls and St. Antoine --- Kevin to Brantford and St. Mary.
It has been over a month since our last post and much has occurred here in Port Colborne. June and July have always been transition months for the Wendling Family and our return from Korea did not change this.
So what have the Wendling's been doing for the past 6 weeks....simply put....3 Birthdays and 3 Graduations. From June 6th to July 1st there have been 3 birthdays - Rosanne June 6th - Matteya June 15th - Mia July 1st.
To Rosanne being back in Port Colborne was the best birthday present for her - however, she also wanted an new ATV for the family as we explore our new property. Rosanne still has not had a chance to ride the machine, but the girls, in particular Kyara, have enjoyed the chance to hit the back country with it.
For Matteya's birthday the family stayed pretty low keyed by just celebrating with the family and having Dairy Queen ice cream cake.
For Mia's birthday the family went to mon oncle Paul's house where the family celebrated both Mia's birthday and Canada Day. The day was beautiful as family got together to talk, swim, sit by the pool and have a BBQ.
The night ended with fire works that were OK -- to be honest the group across the street did a better job then Kevin did with the fireworks but at least we could watch them.
The end of June also saw 3 Graduations. The first graduation saw Mia graduate from Kindergarten. To be honest Kindergarten Graduation was a very small affair lasting an hour long and featuring a number of songs that the students had learned during the school year.
The second graduation was Grade 8 Graduation for Justine. Although she was only at school for 3 weeks -- and was a graduate from Middle School at GSIS she was also able to graduate with her class that she spent 7 years with, JK - Grade 5.
Since returning to Canada Justine has been able to renew many of her friendship by playing soccer, retuning to school, going on the school year end trip to Quebec City and taking a pre-High School Course at Jean Vanier High School. However, Justine still misses her friends in Korea.
The third graduation was for Rosanne's nephew - Justin. Justin attended Jean Vanier High School in Welland, the same school Justine will attend this fall.
Justin graduated with his parents, god-Father, and many of his aunts, uncles and cousins present. Truly a great night for the Lafontaine family.
And so June has ended and July has begun and the Wendling family continues to adjust to life in Canada as they look at building a house, buying a car and trying to reintegrate back to life in Port Colborne. We are all safe and well and enjoying our time together.
In a few days I will fly home to Canada and leave Korea, probably for the final time. Rosanne and the girls have already left and are sitting by the pool in Port Colborne...the packing is all but done...and the movers took 23 boxes which have begun the long journey back to Canada.
It is hard to believe that 3 years has gone by so quickly...but it has. Three years of building a High School, of creating a Middle School Sport Program, of watching our children grow and learn. Three years of traveling all of Asia -- to China, Japan, Thailand, India, Malaysia -- of seeing 1st World Countries -- developing nations -- and poverty. These experiences will forever be a part of the Wendling Family's understanding of the world and how diverse, yet similar it is.
Within this blog I have including pictures of many of our trips and activities that have occurred during these 3 years. Of watching Mia leave diapers and participate in Kindergarten...of seeing Ariel learning to read, write and do Math...of watching Matteya play hockey -- dance -- and become fluent in a third language...to observe Kyara move into Middle School and develop a personality and to grow taller than her mother...and finally, to watch Justine grow and mature and become ready for High School. This truly has been a great adventure....one I would not have wanted to miss.
What is next....
for Rosanne...it is back to the French Language Catholic system...CSDCCS (I think)...at this point in Niagara Falls...but this could change. To the challenge of remembering the Ontario system and conversing daily in her first language. Of adjusting to life in Canada and the realization that almost everything in our world is not a 2 minute walk away.
for Kevin... after a number of possibilities -- discussions -- and waiting for direction from God it seems like it is time to begin working with the Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk Catholic District School Board (BHNCDSB)...to new challenges and the opportunity to grow in a new school board. Although the drive will be long and there will be no Mia and Ariel invading the office at the end of the school day...still it feels right...like coming to Korea 3 years ago.
In all, God has once again guided the Wendling Family. So it is time for a new adventure.
To all who we have come to meet during our time in Asia...thank you. Thank you for sharing your time, your expertise and your friendship with us. You will be missed, all of you.
To those who we are coming home to...ready or not here we come...a time for new adventures...so...stay tuned.
As any school year ends there is always much activity: year end trips, exams, end of the year concerts, play day, graduation (for Grade 8 and Grade 12); this is part of the life of a school.
For an International Schools, like GSIS, End of the Year takes on an additional meaning as many staff leave to either return to their own country or take on a new challenge in a new country.
Over the past month the Wendling Family has been involved with the End of Year Activities and with saying good bye to the GSIS community.
Almost 3 years ago the Wendling family arrived in Korea with 14 suitcases and lot of energy and not knowing what to expect from a school and country which was foreign to them. During this time a lot of growth has occurred - Mia doesn't wear diapers anymore - Justine has moved through Middle School and we be starting high school at Ecole Secondaire Jean Vanier in the Fall - Kyara has grown to be not just taller than me mere but Rosanne as well - Matteya has learned so much Korean that she can converse with her friends and Ariel is an expert with technology using google products and facebook regularly. Finally, Rosanne and Kevin have now experienced and international education setting in an IB World School. Which has been both exciting and challenging.
Saying goodbye to Korea started at the beginning of May when Ariel accompanied Kevin back to Canada. It was decided that she would stay with me mere so that she would prepare for her First Communion which will take place at the beginning of June.
So Ariel needed to say goodbye to her classmates and then pack up her two bags and head back to Port Colborne - much to the surprise of me mere. Well, Happy Mother's Day to you me mere.
During the past month the girls have been involved with:
- the end of the year Elementary talent show - where Matteya and Mia performed
- the Middle School Concert - where both Kyara and Justine performed with their Choir and Band Groups and sang a duet - "For Good" - taken from the musical Wicked
- Grade 8 Graduation - Justine when she leaves GSIS will have Graduated from middle school and will have celebrated this event with the community
- Grade 5 Graduation - Matteya when she leaves GSIS will have finished elementary school and if we stayed would be in Grade 6 - middle school
For Rosanne and Kevin the last month has been a time to be with the kids for these activities as well as being honoured at the Farewell Banquet held at the school. Both Rosanne and Kevin have been leaders at the school during the past three years. Rosanne as Middle School Athletic Director and CAS Coordinator and Kevin as HS Principal - in these roles they have been able to help shape the present and future of the school, which has been a once in a lifetime experience.
In all, the Wendling family has been very grateful for the GSIS community for the administration, teaching staff and classified staff who have supported our family. Living internationally can be quite difficult - however, withe support of Helen, Andrew, Julia and all the classified, aka: Korean staff, at GSIS life was made a lot easier.
So we will soon be home...with lots of changes and Rosanne at a new school and Kevin with a new school board. The Korean Adventure will have to be renamed...but it will be an adventure with 5 kids and new experiences on the horizon.
God has been with us during our 3 years and we await the path which has been chosen for us. See you soon.
It seems only fitting that our 50th blog comes at time when the Wendling Family is nearing the end of their time in Korea. With just over a week left in Korea the Wendling Family was involved with the first Graduation exercises at GSIS.
Approximately three years ago the Wendling Family decided to go to Korea for two reasons. The first reason was for the family to gain an experience of the world. And to be honest with many travels to countries like China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, USA (Alaska and Saipan), Philippines the Wendling family has been able to gain a rich appreciation for other countries, other cultures and life abroad. A majority of this blog has been dedicated to reflect upon these travels and share our experiences with friends and family.
The second reason that Rosanne and Kevin came to Korea was to be involved with the building of GSIS and helping to create a school that would see its first graduating class in the Spring of 2011. This day has come as on Thursday, May 26th GSIS graduated 68 Seniors in its first commencement exercises in what can only be described as a truly historical event.
The evening was marked by speeches from the Valedictorian, Salutatorian and representative faculty speaker. GSIS' Headmaster also spoke about the history of the school and how its first class of Seniors had surpassed any and all expectations as all 63 students who applied to colleges in the US and Canada were accepted and how 3 students were accepted in the top 15 schools in the US and 1 students had been accepted into McGill University in Canada, a University which is viewed Internationally as Canada's elite Univeristy.
Both Rosanne and Kevin were involved with the Seniors and their work towards University. Rosanne was the IB CAS Coordinator and the Community Service Coordinator. Her role was to ensure that the students fulfilled their necessary requirements for these program. Kevin was the HS Principal and worked with the teachers and Rosanne to ensure that program at GSIS would prepare the students for their college applications and beyond.
Now that Graduation has occurred the Wendling family has 1 week left in Korea. It is a time for packing and tying up loose ends. A time for saying goodbye to the land of the Morning Calm and all those who they have come to know over the past three years.
For our family and friends in Canada it will soon be a time to renew friendships and restart our lives in the Great White North. Hopefully we will see you soon!!
