People have asked us what we’re going to do with the kids while in South America and whether we’re going to home school them or if they’ll go to an international school.  The answer is neither. We are keen to learn Spanish and I believe that the only way to do it in a short amount of time is through full immersion. Home schooling was completely out (no Spanish, plus let’s be honest, I am far from having enough patience for that), and so were international schools.  While many families understandably choose this path when moving to another country, particularly if moving for an extended period of time, for us, finding a local spanish-speaking school with Argentine children to avoid English in the hallways seemed like a better fit.

I know that this decision will make their first days, weeks, or maybe even months that much more challenging.  I remember the first time I walked into my elementary school in Sioux Falls, SD, without speaking a word English nearly at the same age that Ella is today.  I felt so alone; tears rolled down my cheeks when my parents left me in the classroom with a big dictionary so that I could translate single words. But here I am actually choosing to do this to my kids (needless to say, my parents do not find this amusing and are having a hard time understanding my rationale).  Hopefully the reward will not only be fluency in their third language, but also long-lasting friendships with kids from BA that they can cherish for years to come.  Still, it’s a profound change to experience as a little human.  Even though we have been preparing for this by taking Spanish lessons since Kindergarten, I know this will be rough.  

And so…I have been busy trying to find a school that best fits our needs.  The process was slightly challenging with my non-existent Spanish, but thanks to FB, friends, friends of friends, and so many others who have helped us with this whole effort, we identified multiple schools in two neighborhoods we’re considering living in, applied, held skype interviews, and chose a couple that seem to fit the bill.  We’re excited to get started!