The last time I posted, I was wrestling with a turkey and eating too much ice cream.

We've had a cold, rainy, busy, exciting, and challenging December. I've had a few days off over Christmas and New Years to process everything and muster the energy to tell you all about it.

The month started off with Rita's report card (long awaited reply to Rachael's post about Katya). As expected, Rita is testing below basic proficiency for reading, reading comprehension, and language. She's proficient for penmanship, visual and performing arts, technology, physical education and listening (what?!). Everything else (math, history/social science and science) she is testing in between ("basic"). I was most interested in seeing how she was doing with what they call "life skills and work habits". Here's how she did -

Outstanding - Completes & returns homework on time (I'm going to take credit for this)

Satisfactory - Listens to, follows directions, works independently, completes quality assignments, demonstrates organizational skills, works cooperatively with positive attitude, displays good sportsmanship, resolves conflicts with peers, communicates ideas clearly, participates and contributes to discussions, identifies problems and makes appropriate choices, behaves with courtesy and respect, avoids needless talking

Needs to improve - shows self control

All in all, a really good report. No surprises except she is doing better than we thought~

Then, the following week started two weeks of work craziness. My company finalized an acquisition at the end of November and the re-organization started. We had to lay-off a few people in our department. It wasn't as many as I anticipated but it was hard none-the-less. In the process I ended up with a new group, more direct reports, a new boss, and a promotion. So I will be having to spend more time working but it's the job I've been working towards for the last two years. It's funny that this happened this year, the year that I took off three months ... worked less hours ... and focused on my family ... that things also worked out at work. I'm thinking good karma finally worked in my favour.

Onto our other family member - Lena. She's been having a tough time adjusting to her school and life overall (community, our family) in America. We've been trying to work with her (and her agency coordinator) to get her through the first few months. Understandably, students go through a period of homesickness. Since August, not much as improved and we are thinking that alot of her struggles may be her personality, (bad) attitude, and social skills (on top of the homesickness). The first issue is school. She doesn't like doing homework (being accountable ... apparently in Russia she could "talk her way" out of doing things), some of her classes, and the kids at school.

Because of this, she has made very limited friendships. Like none ... only another Russian exchange student at her school that she has done things with five times ... Apparently, she has also had some of the same adjustment issues. Lena's only social outlet is doing things with us. And talking to her Russian friends on the internet. So it's been hard ... being the social director for a 7-year old and a 16-year old. She also isn't doing her community service requirements and has a million excuses for not doing so ("Those kids aren't needy enough", "I already know how to take care of animals", "I don't want to pick up litter (on the beach)").

This is particularly frustrating to me because we expected an outgoing, participatory, engaging exchange student. She is getting a monthly stipend by the U.S. government to be here (that she gladly accepts) and has mostly negative things to say about her school, classmates, America, etc. After another conversation in December about her not liking any kids in her school ("not intellectual enough") we talked with her local coordinator (again) and they have decided to move her to a different school & family. That was a hard conversation to have with her.

We are hoping that after the holidays, when the Spring semester is starting up, she will be moved and able to have a fresh start. Anyone want an exchange student from Russia?

Whew. So once those conversations were over we had another SST (student study team) for Rita with the principal, teacher and counselors at school. They think she is doing wonderful and will continue her services through the Spring semester. We are also waiting for some standardized testing results to see how she is doing on her english skills. Her services include:

• Every morning (Mon-Thurs) for 30-min a language specialist helps Rita get started with her schoolwork
• Midday (Mon-Thurs) for 30-min Rita goes to the reading specialist for one-on-one help
• Mondays Rita goes to "A Time for Kids" ... 30-minutes of playtime at the school. It's a program that supposedly helps kids talk about what is going on at school, makes them feel comfortable at school, gives them one-on-one time to build confidence
• Mondays after school she has a study buddy from the high school for 1.5 hours.
• The school has purchased some special computer software that Rita works on that helps her learn English during computer time

So we are very happy with her school and her progress. One area we have asked the school to focus on next semester is her socialization. We are worried that she isn't making enough friends because we see her playing alone in the mornings and afternoons. She has made comments that she thinks she sounds like a boy when she is talking (apparently a kid told her that so she believes it) and I think she is shy to talk to kids because of her english. (We can understand her just fine but I think that kids sometimes have a hard time understanding her so they shy away from playing with her.)

We also need to work on her sportsmanship. Because Rita always wants to win, she will get angry / mad / sad if she doesn't win. This sometimes turns into a temper tantrum, or (mild) rage against her competitor or teacher. This typically happens after school during her after school program.

So school and work starts again for everyone tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be as crazy as December but I think it will ...

Next up, a post about our first Christmas together~