Green Villas

So here it is: D13.  Our new house in Green Villas.  Yes, our house is mint green! Ugh.  BUT--I am not complaining; it is a house and we are in our permanent digs.  

The neighborhood feels like Anywhere, USA...

Only a few indications we are in China:

New development here is very "Western."  They love it.  Nothing Chinese about the compounds (neighborhoods--although we are walled in with security guards at each gate).  

For my planner friends:  notice the neighborhood trash bins (street amenities) and traffic calming devises...Shanghai style:

month one

I can't believe we have been here a month!

Quick recap of the last month:

1.  We are now on our third house...still haven't moved in yet, but supposedly on March 15th. Our "new" house is in Green Villas, an expat community, that is a great area to live in.  Has a small hamlet (Green City) which is walkable from our house.  Our house is at the end of a cul-de-sac and will be perfect for riding bikes, etc.

2.  Duncan is at the British International School Shanghai in Ms. Suzanne's pre-K class.  He really enjoys class and on several occasions he told me he wasn't ready to leave school yet.  Boy, that's refreshing.  The past few weeks he has been learning about life cycles...of frogs, chicks, butterflies.  Seriously--in Pre-K?  They cut out the stages of development and pasted them in order.  His teacher reports that he loves Mandarin class and is quite attentive.

3.  My days---spent in the car 4 hours.  Leave the house at 7 a.m.   We drop Dave off at work and head the Murphy's school.  The drive is about 30 minutes in Shanghai traffic.  Going anywhere in Shanghai takes FOREVER (thus, our emphasis on the importance of living within walking distance to shops, etc.)

Both Murphy and Duncan wear uniforms.  Super cute (especially Duncan in his navy cardigan!).

settling in

The jetlag is gone.  I have managed to find a few sources for safe food (www.fieldschina.com and www.smartdirect.com).  Our next order of business was to get the kids in school and back to a routine.

Murphy is attending Shanghai Community International School and is in Mrs. Michaud's kindergarten class.  There are 14 students--and only 3 from the US!  It is quite a little United Nations. Murphy has settled in quite well.  The first week of school her class celebrated the 100th day of school--complete with activities including counting to 100, doing 100 exercises, digging in a sandbox and looking for 100 objects, and (Murphy's favorite) putting one candy on 100 sections of a cake.

Then, her second week of school she is the Narrator for a kindergarten production AND won an award.

Check out Ms. Sassy Pants rocking the mic.