BACK TO SCHOOL

Hello everyone,

Mama mia, what a heat wave these past weeks! I was in Germany thinking I could escape the heat, but I recently returned to Spain – and it’s even hotter here! And India… well, I won’t even start. But at least it rained a few days ago, which helped cool things down a little.

The summer holidays are over, and the kids are back at school. I could tell they were actually looking forward to it after two and a half months of vacation. Well… not total vacation, because every afternoon a private tutor comes to the house. During the holidays, he actually spends more time with them than when school is in session. Luckily, they all passed to the next grade – Shivam and Preety just barely made it, but they did it! Most of the children enjoy studying, though of course there’s always one or two who need a little extra push to stay motivated.

Our three girls who are studying at university are doing well, although it’s challenging. The academic level is very high, and they have to dedicate a lot of hours to keep up with the demanding pace. I also notice they’re a bit nervous – they no longer live at home, as their university is 700 km away. They now live in a girls’ hostel, and of course, it’s not quite as cozy and pampering as home. They’ll be coming home during the holidays, and in the meantime, I’ll try to visit them when I can. Thankfully, we stay in touch regularly by phone. Jyoti is the most “attached” to me – it’s hard to believe she’s already 19. She still seems like a little girl with a strong case of “mamitis.” Honestly, I love her calls and enjoy that she shares so much with me.

I don’t remember if I told you about the little dog who showed up at our door. He first sat at the entrance, and when he saw all the children, he got brave and came in – and he never left. The kids are thrilled, and even though I had no experience with dogs, I quickly bonded with him. He’s beautiful and very well-behaved, always following me around. I guess he immediately understood that I’m the one in charge around here, and that his fate depends on me. One thing’s for sure – he’s now a part of our big family.
It’s funny – when I’m in Europe and make a video call to see and talk to the kids, the dog hears my voice and comes running to the phone. He looks at me, and I talk to him. The way he stares at me with those big, tender, attentive eyes… I honestly believe he understands me. The kids named him “ROLEX” – maybe because he’s so valuable!

In August, I’ll be in Valencia until mid-September, and then I’ll return to India. The kids are already impatient to see me again, though they also understand that I need to spend a few months working in Europe.

We’ll send out the next newsletter in September – until then:

HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!

Christiane