L.B.F. What has been happening?

So the LBF blog has been quiet for quite some time now and I will explain why.

We arrived in Koh Samui early in April 2016 and had spent a few days getting settled when we got some terrible news from home. Michael’s mum, Emily, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and the outlook was very bleak. Telling the boys this news was heartbreaking and something I will never forget.

Our main priority was to get home as soon as we could. All arrangements were made and the help we had from friends here on the island was incredible. We made it home and were able to spend two weeks with Emily before she sadly passed away on 25th April 2016. I am so thankful we got to see her and she got to see the boys again as she loved them dearly.

So, what was I to do about home schooling now we were back in Northern Ireland? I decided I would keep going with the boys from home as I knew what I had covered and what still needed to be done. The kids were able to call into Strandtown and see their friends and catch up with teachers and tell all about their travels.

It took a while to settle back to home life and poor Tom was freezing for a long time, but he managed to get used to the climate again.

So, September 2016 and the boys head back to Strandtown. A big year for Ben as he sat the AQE, a transfer test for admission to post primary. He had his heart set on Sullivan Upper and worked hard and in January got his results. We hoped this would be enough and in May we got confirmation he had been accepted. He was delighted.

September 2017, Ben starts at Sullivan and it is now Tom’s AQE year. Again he wanted to go to Sullivan with his big brother and worked hard. We were in Finland when the results came through and our neighbour Jessica opened the letter and sent us a picture. I was sitting on a bus with Tom when the message came through, he had done so well. He would be joining his big brother at Sullivan.

September 2018, both my boys are off into life at Sullivan. They make great friends and there are even a few girlfriends! How did that happen! They both continue to play sport. Ben with his football and now Tom playing rugby at school . Ben also does the high jump!

Tom has also become a very good guitar player and has such a talent for it. He loves it so much we had to buy him a guitar during our last two long summer holidays!

They are happy at school and achieving well BUT we can’t help but think there is more to education and life than sitting in school for 7-8hours a day, five days a week!

As Michael and I work online we are in a fantastic position to be able to work anywhere in the world with an internet connection. So, in March 2019, we have a discussion with the boys and suggest heading off again into the world of travel and home school.

It doesn’t take long for the decision to be made. We are going to go for it and soon! With the boys being older now we need to consider their feelings and they don’t want anything to be permanent so we won’t plan too far ahead. And we always have the option to return home if it isn’t working out.

So, June 21st 2019 the boys officially left Sullivan. This was a huge decision as there are no guarantees they can go back again, but they are smart kids and I think any school would be happy to have them .

26th June we head off to Koh Samui for three months and I am typing this update now in the sun and 33 degree heat.
We are having the summer off and will start home schooling in September and will be following the curriculum from Sullivan. But, there is so much more to learn that can’t be taught at school and this is really what we love about being away with the kids.

As usual we don’t plan too far ahead and for now we are staying in Koh Samui for three months and have a flight booked to Bali in late September. After that who knows? The world is our oyster.

That’s us pretty much up to date with school life over the past three years but during this time we have also had some fantastic holidays. You know we love a holiday.

We have had two long summer holidays (8 weeks each) in Koh Samui. Yes we do love it here. The people, the food, the weather all suit us very well. We have made some good friends and met some amazing people here.

We have had winter break in Finland. We have visited Portugal twice, been to Spain and travelled around visiting lovely places including Seville, Malaga, Rhonda and Cadiz. I have had my 50th birthday in Italy. I have also had a few short breaks in Alicante with my Aunt Sheila and had a wonderful time.

So, we still have the travel bug and although Little Brown Feet has been quiet in the world of the internet we have still been exploring!
Susan