Way To Go Netherlands !!

As I am writing this entry, the sound of vuvuzela horn can be heard buzzing in my neighbourhood. The sound sure irritates me on the few occasions I turned on the tv to see world cup games. But I suppose today I can make an exception since, Netherlands has just won 1-0 against Japan...

Well done Sneijder !!

Lunch Party

Grade 2 had their luncheon party on past Monday . Parents were asked to bring in anything, be it homemade or store bought. It's a "no pressure" lunch, anything is possible so long as it is finger food.


Surely there is something from here that we can eat....


The luncheon was at the inner courtyard of the school. It was a wonderful sunny day. The kids enjoyed their lunch and the parents got a chance to meet and eat with each other and teachers. Last year in grade one, the luncheon was done indoor, we ate in classroom and mingling was not possible because of the small enclosure.




The inner courtyard...



Let's see them tucking into their food...








And more food...





And playtime afterwards...







So, what did I bring?



What else? These of course.. :)



In case anyone is curious, yes I "klim" them myself :)



But what interested me was this....



Sekejap ada....




Sekejap tak ada.....



Then, they had icecream party in their own class.






And a special goodbye to those who were leaving ISA....








Where they each told why they would miss the leavers....



Couldn't help but shed a few tears myself :( huaahuaawawaa.....

Hup Holland Hup !!

On the way to the ISA Monday morning, these are the scenes that greet me in my neighbourhood.






They must have hanged the flags on Saturday or Sunday, because we didn't see them on Friday.


The Dutch are kind of crazy when it comes to football. So it is not surprising when they started hanging the flags from their houses, balcony, window etc. for the last couple of weeks. The number of orange flags seem to accumulate as the World Cup approaches. Everywhere you go, there are orange banners, Netherlands flags and also balloons.

Even on the tree...

I can see that some of the balloons had been pricked by the sharp leaves ha...ha...ha...

And orange flowers...

Are they daisy and carnations?? Whatever they are, they are simply beautiful and definitely eye-catching...

On Monday morning, I saw many Dutch children and adult alike, wear orange T-shirt, even the workers repairing the road!! Normally they wear their normal clothes covered by the safety vest. But not on Monday...

Then it occured to me, that today was the match Netherlands vs Denmark !!

I can almost imagine the loud cheer that must have sounded throughout the neighbourhood when Netherlands scores against Denmark. I couldn't hear anything, I was having luncheon with the grade 2 students and their parents at the time.


It is very hard not to be caught up with the oranje craze...

Especially Ilham.

These are the things that he insisted to have...

Hup Holland shirt and cap (not in picture)




Torch light, fan, balloons and these littles monsters called GoGos...

The little lion and the furry monsters... We have yet to collect the white and blue furry monsters...


And of course the orange jersey.....

Diploma A At Last !!

So many things had happened in the last ten days. We were involved in Malaysian Food Fair at the embassy on 5th and 6th of June. We also had a family of five arriving from Malaysia on that same Sunday. They were here until Thursday and to be honest things were quite tiring and hectic for me. In fact today, a quiet day at home is also not possible. We have to go to the Ambassador's Residence for the Keamatan Open House. So many things to write and yet somehow so little time to do it. That is why the blog has been "neglected" in the last few days.


I really would prefer to write about these things, but first I feel that I should write about Ilham's Diploma Swimming. Thank you to Cheqna and TK for their good luck wishes to Ilham. Yes!! Ilham has succeeded in getting his A Diploma !


With much enthusiasm, Ilham and his best friend Daigo were the first to jump in the water to be tested. Lets see them... Ilham was in green shorts and white shirt.

I was proud that he swam very well. They had to wear T-shirt and shorts on top of the swimming trunk, that was easy. The difficult thing was the shoes, it was heavier in the water. Off they jumped and glide..and kick..and glide..and pull etc. Bravo !!

Then, came the dive and swim through the hole and swim 50 metre breast stroke and 50 metre backstroke. I have to say that Ilham dived almost to the hole! Certainly much, much better than his diving 3 weeks earlier! Let's see him dive. He was wearing the blue shorts (almost hidden by the teacher)

Since all Diploma A, B and C were done at the same time, I managed to get a video clip of this grade 2 girl. She was trying for her Diploma C. She was small but very good, she got her A Diploma in November, her B Dip. in February and now her C Dip. in June. She was wearing the black swimsuit.





Receiving the Diploma at last...

Ilham and Daigo

Congratulations Ilham and Daigo !!!

Going For Diploma A !

The much awaited letter has arrived! Ilham is invited to attempt for Diploma A swimming tomorrow !! These are the requirements that he has to do....

He is very excited about it. Let's hope that he will be able to perform well especially on diving and swimming through the hole, floating on his front and going under the line and turning to his back !!

Must not forget the shorts, T-shirt, shoes and socks tomorrow!!

Go for it Ilham !!!