Ryan's Graduation 2013

It seemed like only yesterday that we were in Beijing for the very first time, sourcing and looking out for a school for Ryan to attend. And I still remembered clearly the last day that Ryan spent in his school back home in Malaysia where we had a small farewell gathering for him and his classmates at Little Footprints. I remembered that day well, where when he was asked to speak in front of his class, he bravely (as always, without any hesitation) came forward, looked at all his 20 something classmates and said "I love you all."

I remembered Ryan's first day walking to his new school at Ivy Academy in Beijing from Oakwoods Service Suites where we were staying while waiting for our rented apartment to be ready. The air was getting cooler and colder as the chilly wind picked up for the cold Beijing winter was fast approaching. He was cheerful and excited, while we were apprehensive and uncertain. Apprehensive and uncertain as to how he would take on to his school, environment, classmates and teachers. I remembered too well, the days when he kicked up a big fuss in the morning and refused to go to school back home.

Well, needless to say, our fears were quickly put to rest, when he happily and without a care, followed his assistant class teacher to his classroom upstairs while we busy ourselves with some final registration paperwork.

I must said that IVY Academy, the enviroment, the teaching methodology and concepts and above all his class lead teachers and assistants suited him well. I have not seen the happiness that he radiates every morning, getting ready to get onto the school van to go to school and how disappointed he will be on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays when he could not go to school!

At a blinking of an eye (seemingly to us), Ryan graduated from his first year last week at IVY Academy. It was not a big fanfare graduation, unlike the one he had back home in Malaysia but it was a meaningful one. It has been an interesting several months for all of us, being relocated to a foreign land, foreign culture, language and environment for the very first time and it has indeed been an adventure all the way.

For Ryan, although his first year at IVY has come to an end, he will be returning for a second term next year, with the same teachers (which is good as they are his favourite teachers for now) while Chenya, who will turn two in July will very likely follow his brother's footsteps to start her first schooling experience. Now, all our fingers and toes are crossed at this point in time as we are again apprehensive and uncertain of how she would take on to this entirely new adventure but then again, that is precisely what life in Beijing is all about, an ADVENTURE and a whole learning experience.