Humble Pie

It turns out the system favors us, too, as we are (who was I kidding?) poor enough, after all. Daniel and I knew something was off when we saw that 85 % of the people of the admission-list (and not-admitted-list, actually) had received the 2 possible points for earnings below a certain amount. We were convinced that we could not possibly be earning more than the majority of other families in this neighborhood. So, I did some research, dug into our old tax-papers, made a few calculations, and headed to the school to "reclamar": we deserved those points, and I was going to demand a correction. It worked.

We were given the extra 2 points that were due, and Ari was bumped up on the list. She made it to the top of the not-admitted list, and the principal had already explained that about 8 or 9 of those kids would still make it into the school (from the top of the not-admitted list). So, little Boo is now officially on the to-register list! YAY! Three weeks from now, we will have to do the real registration.

The system may still be unfair. But, we are on the side of the privileged, and I should have been complaining about the system´s inefficiency, rather than whining about how we are too rich to get any benefits in this country. Hahaha. I feel rather like an idiot, and will certainly do a bit more thinking before I write.. Next time. I hope.

When the kids and I went to the school to look at the revised admission-list, and I saw Ari´s name on the good list, I said a loud, "YAY," and Ari picked up on my enthusiasm. She probably thought it would be her school all along, because we had previously been there for a tour, and we were more hopeful back then. Before all the registration-mess.

Yesterday, as we waited in the playground by the business-park where Daniel works, Ari said, "Ari´s go to school.. Ari´s listen to teacher and pay (play). Ari´s get a new backpack. Mama won´t see me." It made me a bit teary-eyed to see how well she seems to understand the adjustment that is ahead. She´s a perceptive little kid. So, I pushed her swing, and told her about all the fun things that she will learn... and that Mama will go to work, but then Mama or Papa will pick her up from school, pick Anika up from the baby-school, and then we´ll play in the park, and then we´ll eat together. She seemed to like the idea.