Off to school

10 October 2005

Cerise starts formal schooling at Macleans Primary School. One of the educational institutions in the area with fantastic reputation. Here's hoping Edwin and I made the right decision to enrol her there solely on the basis of that reputation. We reside "within the zone" which is handy. They practise zoning here where parents can only enrol their children in schools surrounding their residence. If you happen to live in an area surrounded by less desirable schools, you're trapped. No amount of begging or money can secure your child a slot in a more desirable school. And even if your street is in the zone and you're practically 5 minutes drive from a reputable school but your house stands on the wrong side of the road, you're doomed for not being "in the zone". You can argue with the principal til you're blue in the face but that's just how they do things around here. Ridiculous, isn't it? It's one of those things that makes sense and yet it doesn't.

Anyhow, first day was cold and windy. Cerise was in high spirits but probably from Mum's infectious excitement and not quite from the significance of the occasion. I could tell she was quietly wondering what exactly she had gotten herself into. But nevermind, this day has to be a great day, she says to herself, because Mum and Dad didn't go to work on time just to be here and Mum brought the camera. And you know what that means. Camera equals fun times! So today has to be fun.

And so Cerise puts on a brave face and her I-don't-know-how-this-is-going-to-be-the-coolest-thing-like-mum-and-dad-tell-me-but-I'll-be-cool-about-it-anyway smile. And mum, well, there she was. Snapping away like an unstoppable paparazzi. And maybe it was getting a little bit embarrassing (for Cerise and Edwin) but Mum just had to capture the moment.

And being a multi-tasking person that I am, I was at the same time looking around, making observation, taking mental notes of important details and okay.... I'll admit it.... sizing up the teacher and the other students! Hey, that's harmless, right? And normal? I did get distracted by this one mum who was letting her daughter read a book aloud. Didn't think much of it at first. But after finishing one book, she'd tell her daughter to get another and read it aloud. They went on to read one book after another, aloud! Like, hey-everyone-my-daugher-can-read sort of aloud! What was up with that? Hello?! It's the first day of classes. Not a freaking bar exam (raise eyebrows)! Clearly, her daughter had been in Primary for sometime now. Shouldn't she stop herlself from showing off and instead encourage her daughter to catch up with old friends and say hello to new entrants? I know I would have! But hey, I wasn't the daughter who could read so there you go. Okay, okay... I'm such a stagemother I just couldn't handle that. But what do you know? The mum was a filipina! Explains the behaviour.
Now we all know what they say about THE first day of school... it spells tantrums and separation anxiety. Thankfully, we had none of those. If there was anyone who got emotional... it was Daddy! Not me, not Cerise. It was Edwin! The person you least expect to show emotion was fighting back tears when we drove away!