Happy V-Day from The Kids!

The kids are saying that it’s high time they had some space in our newsletter, so we took advantage of our Feb. vacation time and did some “formal” interviews! We thought their responses would make a nice light-hearted Valentine newsletter while giving you some current mental (and digital) snapshots!

Of all the places you’ve lived, which have you enjoyed the most?

• Rachel (age 15):
  I would have to say Hainichen, Germany. It was the summer I turned 10. I had my best friend with me and we had such a blast discovering European culture together! I have so many good memories of that time it would be hard to list them all…
• Noah (age 11):
  Scotland – because we had lots of American friends there. We also visited lots of cool places: cycling around an island, hiking a mountain, and exploring the braes. I also liked our local libraries that had so many cool books in English!
• Olivia (age 9):
  I liked them all for different reasons. I love America because it is my home country.
  I loved Scotland because I had lots of fun discovering nature in my back yard and visiting the old man and his dog who lived down the street. I also liked the swimming pool in town. I liked Albertville because there were lots of kids to play with. I liked living at Oasis last year because it was beautiful. I like Soultz because I love my teacher, my kitties, my brook and my one best friend that lives on my street. And one is all I need!
• Kitties(via Olivia):
  We liked both-at the Leigh house there is no yard, but on the farm we were cold. If we lived in America, we wouldn’t like NY because we don’t like rap music. But we’d like Kansas where the kangaroos live. Jumping kangaroos sound better than jumping cars.

What do you miss most about America?

• Rachel:
  Unfortunately, not the things that can be sent in boxes! Mostly I miss places – some nights when I can’t go to sleep, I try to picture the neighborhood park, the library, my classrooms, the mall, all the rooms in our old house. That’s the hardest because it’s the only place I can’t ever visit again. It’s where I spent ten years of my life but it’s starting to feel unreal…which is kind of freaky.

  Otherwise, I would say different aspects of the culture that don’t exist in France, especially relating to school. In general, school just sounds more fun in the States!

  I don’t know, I guess I just miss being in a place where I understand everything. Though I am in love with Europe, I would really like to go back some day and bask in my own culture for a little while… but I know even that can’t completely happen because I am now a third-culture-kid with a mix of American AND European culture!

• Noah:
  I miss the sunny weather, our big backyard, climbing trees and neighborhood friends.
• Olivia:
  I miss the food: ice cream sandwiches, Rocky Road ice cream, and Kraft Macaroni n’ cheese. I also miss the sunshine and our big yard.

If you could change the world, what would you do?

• Rachel:
  Um, I kind of feel like I’ve outgrown that question – the world’s a little to complicated these days! But I’m really interested in the power of music to change lives – for better or for worse. Of course it’s really God and Satan using the music…I think it would be hard to find a piece of music that is neutral. So it would make a huge difference if there existed only music that glorified God, be it Vivaldi or cutting edge of praise and worship. If there wasn’t any demonic music, I think there would be a lot more minds and places open to God’s spirit.

• Noah:
  I would change to all the reusable energy sources: solar, wind, hydraulic power, etc.
• Olivia:
  I would help all the poor people.
• Kitties (via Olivia):
  New “mew” music and local kitty-tummy-rubbing stations, and that all the lonely old people would have a kitty or 2.

What’s the best thing about your school?

• Rachel:
  That’s easy: It’s Christian. And not just dress-modestly-and-be-nice-Christian, but seek-God’s-heart-and-discover-your-destiny-Christian! Since I’m in the last class before high school (where in France one has to choose a “track” and start working towards a career), we’re getting this message a lot. I find it really exciting! Another cool thing is that I get to know the teachers very well. All the students, their families, and the teachers have close relationships and it’s not at all uncommon the have teachers over to your house for dinner, or hear their life stories in class. Last year in public school, teacher/student relationships were for the most part extremely sterile and I found that depressing.
• Noah:
  My new friend Youcef. He’s Algerian, loves American basketball, loves to draw, and sits next to me in class. On recess we play war and defeat armies with imaginary weapons.
• Olivia:
  My teacher Cyril. He smells good, he looks good, he’s funny, he’s an artist, he’s a singer, he’s very loving, and he’s not married! So I’m looking forward to marrying him! :^)

What do you like to do with your free time?

• Rachel:
  If I truly have free time to relax then you would probably find me on the computer downloading and listening to media we get off the internet (stuff from Focus on the Family and From the Top). But if I’ve got energy, I’ll practice violin, do some composing, or work on music theory.
• Noah:
  I’m on-line at BZPower: the biggest Lego Bionicle forum and news site on the web.
• Olivia:
  I like to go over to my friend’s house. Her dad plays tricks on us. We go to the brook together, visit an old lady on our street, and eat bakery treats because she’s the baker’s daughter.
• Kitties:
  We like to fight with each other, eat everything we can get our claws on, chase our toys up and down the long corridor, take long naps in Olivia’s hanging toy bag, and lick the water out of the sink and bathtub!

Until next time!

Angela