I think I've mentioned before that I only kept in touch with a couple friends from all those years ago.  One gal is Irish and we taught at the same school in the 80's (argh). She married an Italian and has been here ever since. The other gal is half English, half Italian.  She and her family were our neighbors for the two years we lived in this apartment before returning to the states.  I introduced them way back when and they became and have remained fast friends.  I have gotten together with them a few times this year, and last night we three had dinner together before Grace and I leave for the summer.  It was a lovely evening, sitting out on K's terrace up in the hills looking out over the city below.  We compared sagging under upper-arms and never again flat stomachs; said "screw it" and each had another almond cookie and glass of wine.  I got home at 1!  That is so past my bedtime.

As many of you know, especially teachers, there are a lot negative things being said about American education.  We don't prepare our kids for a global world because we put no importance on foreign languages.  We don't measure up to other countries in Maths and Sciences.  Our education is too "American centric".  Possibly all of that is true in the nation as a whole but I have no complaints about the education Grace got in our little Boothbay schools.  Every year in October, the International Schools around the world give a general assessment in Maths, Reading and Writing.  The International Schools have a very good reputation, (though some much better than others), and are thought to provide a "superior" education to most other schools around the world.  They are highly sought after by expats,(of all nationalities), with families because the schools are all taught in English and have to meet certain standards established by the Council of International Schools.  Anywho, last October Grace took this assessment for the first time.  She was being compared to 9th grade students from something like 122 International Schools from 50 countries.  Most of these students have spent all of their school years in the IS system where as Grace had barely been here a month.  The tests are general knowledge, not IQ, so assess what the students have been taught, (and absorbed).  Grace did very well.  Higher than most in Math, well into the upper average in Reading and Writing.  This is not proof of her brilliancy but proof of the strong educational base she brought with her from our puny little underfunded public school.  I'm writing a letter today to BRES principle to tell him.  I'm proud to have been part of the school and I miss it terribly!  Yeah Boothbay!  xxoo me