Welcome to Lincoln!

Well today was our Welcome to Lincoln High School Orientation Day. Jake was to be at school by 10am and would be doing activities and meeting his buddy until 12pm and then we would all meet for lunch at 1pm.

We, of course, got there 40 minutes early because you never know how long it will take you to catch the bus to San Jose, then get a taxi in San Jose, then drive through morning traffic in San Jose.....so we always leave ourselves a buffer.

When we arrived at school we wandered around for a little bit before heading over to the high school building to meet all of the other students in the office. Once we knew that they were ready for the students, Bob and I wandered over to the cafeteria to talk and wait for them to get done.

While we were sitting at the picnic table outside the cafeteria, I noticed a woman sitting at the other table who was reading "The Book Thief". Having read that book myself, I told her what a great book I thought it was. That started a conversation that killed a good hour for all of us. Turns out she has two children going to Lincoln, one in 2nd grade and one in 5th grade. She lives in Escazu with her husband and kids, which is not far from us....we bike there to Hiper Mas and EPA.... and she was totally amazed that we had no car and biked everywhere. She said if we ever needed anything and if there was anything she could do to help, please let her know.

As we sat there talking to her, and then eventually just sat there by ourselves because she had to go meet her kids teachers, I was amazed at not only how friendly the teachers were......we had several that stopped to ask us our names and who we had that was going there and how old they were (to see if they would have them in class)....but also how friendly the staff and students were. We had two boys stop and ask us if we knew where the high school kids were supposed to be meeting because they had volunteered to be buddies for the incoming students. They told us their names, asked us our names, asked us about who we had coming to Lincoln, what grade he was in, if he played sports, and then they thanked us and told us how pleased they were to meet us. This happened on more than one occasion as we sat there.

When 12pm rolled around we headed back to the high school building and went downstairs to wait by the commons area. As we sat there, we met another couple. The husband, Bill, is the Director of Marina Operations, at a resort at the beach (Los Suenos Resort and Marina), and is from Boston, and his wife Magaly, is actually Costa Rican. They have a son who is going to be starting Lincoln this year and he is in 6th grade. We talked to them until lunch and then after lunch before we left. His wife handed us her husbands business card with their information on it and said if there was ever anything they could do to help just let them know. Whether it is to ask about where something was, or if I needed a ride somewhere, or whatever. The wife had moved to the States when she was 21 and had lived there for three years. She spoke no English then, so she understood how hard it was to move to a new country.

Jake made two new friends, Bernardo and Ignacio, both of which I think have already "friended" him on Facebook! LOL! Or maybe only Ignacio so far....not sure! They were both his "buddy" because apparently the two of them are best friends and do everything together so basically Jake got a "Two For One" Deal!! LOL!

When we arrived back at the high school building to wait for lunch, the students were on a scavenger hunt to familiarize themselves with the school. At one point, we had two boys approach Bob and I to ask us if we were on the list of "signatures" they needed. They seemed truly disappointed when they found out we weren't. They apparently won prizes for the signatures.

When lunch rolled around, Jake sat with Ignacio and Bernardo, while Bob and I sat next to two teachers from State College....you heard me right....State College, Pennsylvania. Have I told you all of the weird Pennsylvania connections we have found here? The physics teacher for Jake's grade is from Altoona originally and graduated from Altoona High School. He has a son in Alabama (so does Bob) and a daughter in South Carolina (Bob has a son there). We also meet another couple there and the wife is a teacher at Penn State. It is so weird how many connections there are to Pennsylvania! I know I am forgetting another one but it is late and I am tired....I'll post it later when I think of it!

So as we are waiting in line for lunch, the man behind us asks who we have coming to Lincoln, what grade he is in and if he plays any sports. We answer the questions and tell him Jake plays Soccer to which he replies, "Is he any good and what position does he play?" Turns out he is the assistant high school principal so when he gets up to give his speech Jake manages to make it into his speech when he says that they even have the future Middle defender, and possible goalie, coming to the school. I couldn't tell if Jake turned red or not when the man looked right at him.

So lunch is over....Jake now has a Lincoln High School mug as a welcome gift....and we head back to the office to catch a taxi back home.....in the pouring rain! As we are waiting for the taxi....we are in the lobby talking to Ignacio who we met earlier... I am sitting on a couch as is Jake and Ignacio and Bob is standing. When Bernardo comes back he sits next to me....where his books were....and when he does that Ignacio stands up and offers Bob his seat. I am totally amazed at how polite the students are at Lincoln! It is wonderful!! :-)

Over all it was a wonderful, but long, day and Jake is looking forward to starting school on Monday. Of course he has no idea what classes he is taking because they don't get their schedule until the first day of school....along with their locker number. Fortunately they did tell us what his bus number was, where it would pick him up and at what time.

We think this school is going to be great for Jake and that he will be very happy there!