Day 2- New Pots and No Homeschooling

Today we got a late start, around 10 ish. We had some oranges, grapes, almonds and cereal since our pots and pans hadn't arrived yet and cooking was yet impossible. Leon set off for his first morning prayer with the new men, played a few things and called it good. Then he came back and we had to meet with some secretary and the police. But the secretary was out and it turned out we didn't need to see the police for whatever it was anyway, which was good by me. So we signed a few papers and then went on our way to the Economo's office. At this time in the afternoon I was starting to feel a little weak and woosey for lack of food/water and had to give Leon Stella so that I didn't drop her.

Once in the office we made our request for pots and pans so we could cook our chicken. We made small talk with one of the ladies there.She told us that there was a good school nearby and asked if we had figured out which one we were going to use. I noted that Emma was only 2 and half so we had a little time before we had to think about that. Then, grateful to have someone to small talk with I mentioned that we were planning to home-school. I did hesitate for a minute before I mentioned this, wondering if it would be well received. It wasn't. Even though she didn't know us and had been very polite up to this point she became very forceful with her opinions of home-school, her bad experience with anyone home-schooled and her belief that "socializing" children was very, very important. I restrained my comments like, "Of course, we do too. It's not like we would stay in the home for 12 years!" She did note that even though it is big in the United States it wasn't here. Very comforting. Then I started feeling self-conscious that Emma hadn't spoken a word to her. Not that she should have, she's not even three and  rightfully shy. I haven't started homeschooling yet really, so its not my fault. ;) After the tirade we went home and I cried. I was a little on edge, hungry, tired and really haven't spoken to anyone here yet. What a welcome. 

But after the pots arrived and pretending I spoke Italian to the maintenance guy, we ate and napped and everyone felt better. The welcome dinner was at 6 and we had a much more pleasant time there. The girls were delightful. Stella kept trying to give handfuls of spaghetti to the priest next to us and pointing to one of them across the table. Emma was very well behaved and managed to make some small talk too. Although it was at the volume a little bird's. The food was delicious, the dessert was yummy and nobody melted down or even required a diaper change. A perfect evening! It went very far to erasing the afternoon's unpleasant encounter. Just never mention homeschooling again.