My Dutch Schooling

My schooling days, Rotterdam

So you want to move to the amazing country of the Netherlands, but you are not sure exactly how to do it? It really is a great place to live, once you have settled in, but it can be a hard experience. -WikiHow

Last day in school

Yasmin, our beloved teacher

This is I have proven true. Moving and getting a permanent visa at The Netherlands is not easy. I am happy and thankful that I am done with all of the procedures.

This time, I would like to tell my stories about my Dutch schooling. Yes, schooling and training for my Dutch language. To all who are planning to migrate in The Netherlands, to learn and to speak their language is a must. Before I came here to live, I took first a Dutch exam at the Dutch Embassy in Manila. When I arrived here, after I gave birth to our son, I started my Dutch schooling in Rotterdam.

at the back is our school building

our farewell note for our teacher

sometimes saying goodbye is easier to write than to tell

Why do I need to attend to a Dutch school? Because within a three year period, I need to pass the Dutch Naturalization Exam. You are not permitted to take the exam unless you have taken first a Dutch language course to a school or a training center that accredited by the IND.

My schooling was every Monday evening. My husband coming home early so he can take charge in taking care of our son. I walk going to the train station, then I take the train going to Rotterdam Central.
Our school is only a few meters away at the back of Rotterdam Central. It is an old architectural building. There is a lake in front and a tram lane. We started our schooling springtime and we finished in the autumn.

farewell party

For me, I have some special memories there. It is different, when there are people who have seen how you eager to learn, how you struggles to succeed in your endeavor, and truly understand your feelings. They are all there. My classmates and our teacher.

my simple gifts

the cup of coffee for my teacher that now has a good story :)

dinner at a Vietnamese Restaurant in Rotterdam with my teacher and Malaysian classmate

we remain as friends even after school

On our last day, we have a small farewell get together. We brought foods and drinks. Our teacher brought some simple decoration to make our room festive. I wrapped gifts for my two female classmates and also for our teacher. I feel like crying when I saw how happy my teacher with my gift for her. She is really appreciative.
We became good friends. There was a time that even our course has finished, I met one of my classmates and our teacher and have dinner together. Since childhood, I have this deep respect for teachers. I admire them.

accomplished! going home after our last day in school

I also have some photos to share. I always cherish that time. I already passed the Dutch Naturalization Exam. My Dutch schooling for me was one of that moments of my lifetime.

My Preschooler's Closing Time

Burt's class picture

My son's first year in preschool has finished today. Another milestone. Teachers, mothers, and the preschoolers spent the day celebrating. On my part, I am happy to see that Burt is growing beautifully, at the same time, this day is nostalgic.

with his papa on first day in school, I was in the Philippines to be with my very sick father.

sunny, rainy, stormy, always present in school

Burt with my parents

This day brings me back to my elementary days, together with my only sister who is a year ahead of me. When it is closing time, that is the time for papa and mama's great treat for us because we were both an honor pupil. Not bragging, but almost everyone anticipating the end of the school year because they want to know if we remain on our class standing.
I and my sister got the highest class honor during our elementary days in Bicol. When we moved in Manila, I was not allowed to be included in the highest section because I am a transfer. Even in our section, many eyebrows raised when I got the highest honor.

Burt's first two weeks in school, I was so faraway

my last photo with my sister

Every closing in school, papa and mama buy us new clothes and new shoes that we are going to wear when we go on the stage to be awarded. After the ceremony, papa and mama prepared a party at home where our teachers and classmates were invited. We are not rich, but papa and mama value our effort to study hard.
How time flies. I am no longer that girl. I am now a mother of a preschooler. My son started in preschool here in The Netherlands as soon as he turned two years old. He loves school. Every day, he remembers going school. After we eat breakfast, he will tell me: "mama, school."

today, school's celebration

all mothers brought homemade, I just brought this cake

from festive mommies

Dutch summer vacation starts on July 11 until August 19. Most families will take this vacation to go somewhere to enjoy. I do not know yet what is my plan. I am torn between staying at home or visiting my friend in Denmark.
Burt's first year in preschool was an exciting time for me. I cannot escape the reality that my son is growing and helping him adapt well outside, to mingle, and to learn new things. I have learned too that motherhood includes the heart that is letting go. Yes, we cannot keep our child with us forever. All we can do is to teach them the fundamentals and values. So when they reach the adult life, they have options in life and will not say: I am doing this, because this is the only option. Till next school year!

Me And My Preschooler

The sign of great parenting is not the child's behavior. The sign of truly great parenting is the parent's behavior.

How times flies. Summertime is gone and the beautiful Dutch autumn now starts. The temperature goes down and we are at once experiencing the cold months. I am counting the days and we are going to have again our simple wedding anniversary about two months from now. But I am setting that aside for my sweet story later on. We just arrived from school where my son is now a preschooler. In this ever changing world, the happiest days of mine as a mother of my preschool is something that I love to treasure forever.

Father and son on first day to  school.

Burt has turned two years old last August 29. I was in the Philippines that time and was staying in the hospital to give my family my moral support as our beloved father was in a bad condition. Burt's first day in school was September 2. My husband took the day off so he can bring our son in school. I cried when he shows me their photos together going into school. I know my son is in the best hands when I was away, but I am a kind of sentimental. How I wish I was with him on his  first day in school. When I was back home, I was excited to see how my son doing in school. Perhaps because I have been away from him for two weeks, he found no delight in school for a while. He was crying even just the sight of his school when I took him there. After two times of sending Burt to school with his cry-cry, he began to feel secure and confident again that I will not going to leave him very long, and when I leave him, he has learned that I will come back. Having a preschooler is an exciting life, both for the child and for the parents.

My son's teacher gave it to me, his art work.

Every time that I go to school, I feel the greatness to be called as a mother of my child. It is a title that no one can take or can replace. I am thankful for the joy of motherhood. When I get into the classroom, my childlike heart beats again. The ambiance, the smell of the children bringing me back on those days when I was a small girl who loves schooling. I watch how other mothers deal with their child in school. To deal well in "separation anxiety". One of the mothers put the crown to her daughter to stop her from crying. Another mother sniffing the butt of her son like a dog because her son poo. Many heartwarming scenes when you try to come to a preschooler room. I am glad that my son is adapting well. When he enters the classroom, what his eyes finding first is the tractor. When he already has it, then I leave and will return and  pick him up after nearly three hours.

Tuesdays afternoon with co-mommies.

I have posted sometime in my Facebook that I am an imperfect mother to my preschooler. There was the time that I took my son to school without his shoes. A time that I forgot to leave my son's coat, when I pick him up, he was wearing a used vest that his teacher lets him use for a while. Another time that I was going crazy finding his bag, his bag that I unintentionally left in school. I would say that I am an imperfect mother to my preschool, but with a pure and perfect love for him. My son makes me and his father proud of him by showing many potentials. He loves cars, he loves arts, he loves books, he loves to sing, he loves food, and he loves us.

Even just now, we see his potentials.

A boy with an easy smile to everyone. My journey of being a mother has just begun. Every Tuesday afternoon I meet with other mothers to talk about motherhood and the needs of our children. Here in the Netherlands, child care is almost everything guided in black and white. One of the staff at the child care center here in our town told me that sometimes she doesn't like it, sometimes she feels it is too much.

As for me, those child care advice and help are something to be appreciated, they came from well-meaning people by profession. But it is the parents who know well what is the best for their child because that is their child. Child care professionals gathered knowledge through book study and observation. But parents know their child by heart and blood and by their time of being together.

The love between me and my husband is like a cake, sweet. Now that we have our son, he is the icing on our cake.

I have the special role now to lead my son to enjoy his time in school and after school. My husband is a good provider and always busy at work, out of the town or out of the country. I am happy of his confidence to me in taking care of our son. As what I already wrote: having my own family I feel I already hit the moon and the stars... I feel completely happy. Before, it was only between me and my husband and our love is like a cake, sweet. Now that we have our son, our son is the icing on our cake.