Flower market

Today the kids and I went to the local flower market, which is a 5 minute taxi drive.  The point of the trip was to find fish food for Lily fish (we lost Minnie), and we did but wow what a place!  The market was huge, with fresh cut flowers on one side of the building and plants on the other. It looked like there was a second level, but with the stroller that wasn't going to happen.  We wandered around and just took it all in.  I did end up coming home with a small plant for me and a cactus for Liliane.  I did find the fish food and some gravel for the tank.  There was a row of small shops that had fish and other small pets for sale.  I can't wait to go back when I'm settled in our apartment.  Plants just seem to make a place more like home to me.  

This afternoon we met Lily's new teacher, Ms. Julie.  She was very nice and while I chatted with her about the school the kids played with the assistant.  Ms. Julie's main focus is on teaching the kids reading and writing.  There is a second teacher who is Montessori trained, she is Chinese and she guides the kids in their unstructured learning time, she also teaches Mandarin everyday.  There is also an assistant and an ayi in the class, which makes it 16 kids and 4 adults.  Much better ratio than what you find in the US.  They have a mix of Western and Chinese lunches for the kids.  The table rules are that they must try everything at least once and they have to wait for everyone else to finish before they may leave the table.  They also brush their teeth after lunch so Lily will keep a tooth brush, tooth paste,and cup at school.  I really like the school and I know Lily will be very happy there.  Once we move into our apartment the school will only be 5 minutes away.  At the moment it is about 15 minutes away.