Question-Answers

Yes, our relocation phase is taking stronger color each day. Our days have changed their themes from What to do? What to buy? What to cook? What to read? What to see? to we have to sort things, we have to go, we have to pack. 'J' remembers little of her last move, she is bewildered, in last 2 years she needed almost 6 months to stabilize here, just now she started feeling comfortable with friends, school, pronunciation and again she is sensing another move. Her memory has grown stronger now, she understands better and she can estimate better. So she is trying to deny it, by saying "We will not go mum. I cannot leave my friends." But she has also accepted it that her life does not move on her will, so she has started telling her friends that she will be going soon. She makes good-bye cards in her after school club for her friends. In their school a worry box is kept in each class, where kids can write about their worries whenever they want, and put it in the box, once a weak, the teachers discuss about those worries, with the kids. 'J' wrote recently she does not want to go back to India as she thinks the school will be very strict, it is not all her imagination though, I am little bit guilty here as I have told her time to time to memorize number names and times tables before starting to go to school in India as  I know these are essential requirements for a school going kids in India. Her teacher comforted her by saying several good things about India. She is still little nervous, agitated and curious. Sometimes she just runs to me and asks some questions in the middle of her playing with a video game and art and craft. Here are few of them. Many times I don't know the answer myself, but I try to understand her feelings and try to answer her according to my reach.

'J'-Do I have to do maths in Hindi/Bengali in India?

Me- No you just need to learn Hindi as a language but Maths or Science you can learn in English.

'J'- Does Hindi don't have numbers?

(Because in Germany she used to do maths in German, and now in UK she does that in English.)

Me- Of course Hindi has numbers, you will learn them slowly.

'J'-Are you going to work in India? Are you allowed?
(Last many times, when she asked why we have to leave this place I reasoned her that I cannot work here any longer, as my contract ends, then she said that I can find job at other place, then I told her that  I am not allowed and told her little about visa and passport)

Me- Yes, I am allowed as I am an Indian, but I need to apply and perform good . Let's see. I don't know yet where I am going to work?

'J'- Good, can you find something to do at home then, from your computer, just like you do, when I get sick?

Me- Let's see, what comes up.

'J'-Are there after school club in our school, where I can stay if you work?

Me- We will find out something.

'J'-Do we have weekly assemblies in school?

(Here they have weekly assemblies and it is not prayer, pledge or thought, but it is mostly devoted to some themes like  energy, climates, countries etc. )

Me- Yes, it will be everyday in the morning, and it will be little different. But I am not sure how it is in your school. We will see.

'J'-Will I get a packed lunch or school lunch in India?

(Here her school provides lunch, but kids if want can also bring lunch from home. She can have any, we normally plan it beforehand, on which days she will eat school lunch and on which days I will give her lunch. )

Me- I will give you lunch, everyday.
'J'- Oh! That will be boring.
Me- Okay I will find out some funny lunch box menus for you.

'J'-Who is going to drop me and pick me to and from school? You or daddy?

Me- You will go by a school bus, I or daddy will drop you and pick you to and from the bus stop.

'J'- Do we have to tie seat belts in the bus?

(When they go for a picnic or to a zoo from school by bus, they have to put on seat belts.)

Me- I don't think you will have to put on seat belts, but you need to hold the seat tightly.

And several questions like this.

I try to find the bridge, between the world she lives now, but will leave soon and the one she is going to relocate.