Nachodoodles

Two and a half months after school began, Nacho showed interest in going to school.  He would also pack his small backpack when Elise would get hers ready.  He would make sure he had his pencil, notebook, crayons, blue ruler, water bottle, juice box, milk box, cookies, extra shirt, powder, face towel...... all that for just a ten-minute car ride to bring Elise to school!

We decided that nothing would be lost if we let him go to school too.  The school recommended that he join the Baby Nursery class, which is for 3 year old kids. Not the BABY Nursery class!  I wanted them to assess him and hoped that they would put him in the Nursery Class, as he already knows his ABC's, 123's, shapes and colors. He can even write his name already!  But the Directress insisted that he should do the Baby Nursery Class first, which had more play.  The Nursery class had many workbooks already and the children sat in traditional rows of desks.

I agreed, and was thankful because it was the only class with an air conditioner.  The classroom was also brighter and cheerier than all the others - with lots of pictures and labels. I observed for a week, and we decided to go with it.  The class only lasts for two hours, and so I just wait for him outside. He would check if I would still be there, or ask for help if he needs to go to the bathroom.

When he gets bored, he would write on the white board, and the teacher would just let him do so while she carries on with her class, flashing colors or letters for the other students to identify.  And a few days ago, the teacher put her head out the door and said to me,"Mother, Nacho won't let us erase the white board until you take a picture of his drawing."

Here are two more taken on different days:

And yesterday, it was Nacho who stuck his head out and yelled,"Mama, I have a surprise for you!  A letter!"

Notice the "MAMA" he wrote on the upper left side. His face was beaming, and I asked him what he wrote about, he said, "I am almost ready to go home."

Weekday Morning Grind

We start each school day by checking the water in the car radiator, just in case, since the days are burning hot.

On some days, we make a quick stop at the gas station.  Here is where buses stop on the way to the city proper, to load gas.   Mamang sorbetero (ice cream man) makes a killing. 

This is also where I get palpitations as gas prices are sky high, approximately P10 more than the ones in Manila. 
 

Sometimes Elise needs some cartolina or manila paper for a school project, or we just need to replenish our supply of Sunkist juice boxes (or "quick lamig" packs, which are better!).  The neighborhood grocery store has almost everything.  

Pablico Rd. 1 is where we turn right.

A few meters later, we are greeted by the familiar sights of some domestic animals that were left to wander along the small roads.

A full-grown white and brown goat feeding on leaves from the bamboo fence...

A skinny horse taking a break...

A full grown pig basking in the hot sun...

Here comes the parade of black chickens crossing the street everyday at exactly 9:45A.M.

Just before the final left turn to the street of the school, neatly lined mango trees dot the corner lot.

To the right, a lonesome carabao (water buffalo) grazes on the long grass. 

 The bumpy ride ends and we turn into the parking lot of the school, where Elise gets off and walks to her Grade 2 classroom.  I bring Nacho to his Nursery class where he stays for two hours.

And I patiently wait outside his classroom, just in case he needs me, savoring precious alone-time.