[note: internet connectivity has been sporadic and mostly out for the last three days; I am getting this post up at 9:00pm on a Friday night because the internet is finally completely back up AND because three facilities management guys just showed up in slippers and scrubs to fix our AC unit (interrupting the movie that Art and I were watching). No problem. We will take AC any way we can get it… One of them is currently hanging out the window. We’re on the 17th floor…]
The list of people and things we’ll be sad to leave on July 1 is growing all the time and the Beijing campus of BISS is right up there at the very top of that list. Having our girls enrolled in a great school has made all the difference in our time here. There was a brief moment when we first arrived in China when we considered homeschooling them (i.e., me homeschooling them) if we couldn’t get into BISS. Seriously. I would have shot myself by now had we gone that route. And Cece and Elle would have missed mountains of great learning and inspiring people…
International Day and Spring Carnival…
Feeling like the Brady Bunch in our matching shirts... we were part of Team USA on International Day. Among teachers, students and parents, there are about twenty Americans at BISS, and about 35 other nations represented...
BISS focuses on creating world citizens...
And is a haven for a lot of TCK's ("third culture kids")...
Bringing up the end of the (alphabetical) parade, here comes the United States...
Blue skies over Beijing for this festive day...
aka Mr. Art...
BISS bliss...
Cece with buddies Nina (Italy) and Greshme (Singapore)...
Elle and her classmates warm up for their big performance...
They sang a delightful Chinese song and Elle was all over it...
Rock on Elle...
Art with head of school, Dr. Ettie Zilber (USA), an interesting woman who's been running international schools and raising her family abroad for 35+ years...
The following week was the track meet with four international schools. Huge fun for the kids and tons of winners from BISS…
Grace (Korea) and Cece...
Cece with Aighar (Malaysia) and BISS elementary principal "Mr. D." (Australia)...
Proud Cece with her beloved teacher Ms Ostiguy (Canada)... Cece took home 4 medals and the biggest grin...
And then there was the 3rd grade field trip to Beijing’s contemporary 798 Art District (Cece informed us, in giggles, that there were male nudes on display)… just after Elle’s day out at the Beijing Botanical Gardens…
Beijing art...
Art has also had a great time at BISS… teaching violin classes to several string students on Wednesdays, and joining them for various performances…
BISS commencement...
Last day of school is June 17. We’re going have some sad farewells…
adsventuresinchina 
Nancy, you have just completed my perfect day (childless/gardening/wine)! I sat here and read a month’s worth of your posts and ended up in tears over your trip to see Mao’s body. You have really missed your calling–you should be a writer! The pictures of all of you are wonderful. It looks like you are having the trip of a lifetime. We miss you all and can’t wait to see you! 4th of July coming soon!
Congratulations to Cece (track) and to Elle (singing) ;).
What a great School! Cece and Elle are fortunate to have such nice teachers and to have met so many new friends.
Nice picture of the four of you with your USA shirts on….:)
Congratulations to Cece (Medals) and to Elle (Singing)!
What a great school! Looks like Cece and Elle had wonderful teachers and met so many new friends ;).
Nice shot of the four of you…..1st picture, in your USA shirts :).