School and Sport

When we aren't on school holidays, I'm either at school or running the boys to sport or work.  We are so busy during the school term, but it's a good busy. I'd rather be busy, as it helps me a lot as sitting around just makes me think too much.

Harri and Kobe have both played soccer and basketball this year.  It was Kobe's first year playing basketball and he liked it, but he says he didn't love it.  He was actually very good at it, and was a great defender and could read the play really well, and would find space so that his team mates could pass the ball to him. I think because he didn't score a lot of goals, he was disappointed in himself and didn't think he was a good player, but I kept telling him that it's not just about scoring.   

He had a lovely young coach, who was so lovely with the boys. I hope he will play again next year, but it'll be his choice. I love basketball, and think it's a great sport to play, but I only want the boys to play a sport, if they really want to.

On the other hand he absolutely loved playing soccer.  His team was in division 1, and I don't think they won a game, and it was a huge team so he didn't get a lot of time on the ground, but he still had fun.  Kobe would often be goalie for half the game, which was always stressful! He did a good job though.  On this particular day I think it was -4 degrees when they started playing.  He was in tears by the end of the game, as he was so cold!

I'm not sure if Kobe loves soccer for the game, or the food though!

Harri also played in division 1 in soccer year.  He does a great job, considering he's only played soccer for a few years and all the other guys on his team have played since they were little.  He gets a long so well with everyone on his team, and loved playing with them.   They ended up doing so well, and won the entire season. 

After soccer we have been going to the Harvest Market to buy bolani from some of the families, whose children I used to teach.  It's so lovely to see them selling their traditional food from Afghanistan and to be making money.  They're such beautiful people, and I'm so happy to see them being such a big part of the community.  I go to support them, but we also love bolani.

Even though Harri enjoyed playing soccer again this year, he is telling me that he doesn't want to play next year.   He has really become obsessed with basketball this year, and says he would rather focus on playing basketball next year, and give up soccer.  He missed out on playing a lot of weekend tournaments in basketball this year because he plays soccer on Saturdays.  He may change his mind next year.  We will see.

This year Harri played on a basketball team with lots of boys that were on his team a couple of years ago. As he's a year older than some of them, every couple of years they have to be separated because some of them go up to a higher age group.   He was happy to be back with his old team and coach.

They started off in division 2 and were winning the games very easily.  After a few weeks, they were moved up to division 1.  Harri was playing really well in div 2, and then when they went up to div 1 he struggled at first.  He would come home quite upset after the first few games, as he wasn't used to playing such good teams. They were losing by a lot, and he was getting frustrated with himself. 

About mid season Harri really started to improve.  He began going over to the school near our house almost every day, and would practice his shooting.  He became a lot more confident in the games, and started to play really well.  They still didn't win any games, until I had a work dinner. It was the only game I missed all season, and while I was at my work dinner I was getting text messages from one of the other mums, telling me that the game was very close. 

I couldn't believe it when she told me that Harri scored a 3 pointer right on the siren, and won the game! Apparently the whole place went crazy and his whole team ran over to him, as they were all so excited.  They were still talking about it at the end of year presentations (including the coach of the team they beat).  He said it was the 'best day of his life' and I think it made him even more determined, to give up soccer next year so he can focus more on basketball. 

It was very exciting at the presentation night, that Harri was awarded the Most Valuable Player on his team.  He did so well to go from being so upset after each game at the beginning of the year, to really contributing to the game and scoring a lot at the end of the season. 

Harri just does well at anything he does.  It was lovely to get a letter from his school to say he would be getting either a letter of commendation, or an academic achievement or academic excellence award.  From parent teacher interviews I knew that he was doing well at school, but I didn't really expect him to get an academic award.  

It was such a lovely surprise that he got a letter of commendation as well as an academic excellence award, which meant he was in the top 5% of his grade academically. I was very proud of him!

 Jay is doing subjects which he loves this year.  He's really enjoying Photography and Media. He had to come up with a concept for photography that he could develop as the year went on. He told me that when Noah was in ICU in Hobart, he was walking with Aaron and Aaron said to him that you see all these people walking around on the street, and you really have no idea what's going on in their life.  He thought then about how people can seem fine or even happy, but you have no idea that their life could literally be falling apart, just like ours was at that time.

He decided to do something along that theme, and has been taking photos of people in awful situations or areas, but with them looking really happy.  One day we went to this abandoned building so he could take some photos.  It was actually really creepy, and I couldn't wait to get out of there!

Kobe is happy enough, but doesn't seem to be loving school as much this year.  I'm not sure if it's because grade 3 is a big step up, or whether he's just tired with school and sport and me working full time.  I know I expect a lot of him, and he's such a good boy as he has to take on a lot of responsibility even though he's still very young. 

I absolutely love this portrait he did at school of Ed Sheeran.  I had just bought tickets to his concert next year when they were doing portraits, and he was so excited about it and decided to do the portrait of him.

I absolutely love my work, and without it I know I would be a mess.  I feel like it's the most fulfilling job, and I feel very lucky to be doing it.  I feel very privileged to be a small part of helping change my student's life in a small way.  They're amazing kids who have come from a refugee background, and they're always so happy and grateful, and want to learn. 

Hearing about their lives and what they've dealt with, makes me feel very lucky for my life.  We have been through some tough times, but we have nothing to complain about.  I love seeing my students every day, and feel like they're helping me, as much as I'm helping them. 

We've had a few themed days this term at school, where we get to dress up including 'Crazy Day', Book Week and Footy Colours Day.  The teachers at my school all dress up, so it's a lot of fun to get involved with the kids.   The kids think it's so funny when I dress up. Some of them didn't even recognise me in the witches costume!

 

Jay has met a lovely girl at school this year - Erin.  They've now been going out for about 4 months and they're just so lovely together.   Erin's dad passed away just 4 months before Aaron, and I can't believe how amazing it is that they've met each other.  It's been lovely having a girl around the house, and to meet her lovely Mum who obviously knows how hard things are.  It's nice for both of them as they just get each other, because of what they've both been through. 

It's been a busy term 3, and we were so ready for school holidays again!