JUST A LITTLE OF THE BSQ FAMILY FUN DAY

Every year the British School Quito PTA (Parents Teachers Association) stage Family Fun Day. Usually, yes, it is good fun, and usually, yes, the sun shines as it did this year. The sun was maybe a surprise, given all the rain of the last several weeks and given that it was raining with only an hour to go before doors opened. FFD has two honorable motives: one is to get the BSQ community of teachers, parents and students together; and the other is to raise a considerable quantity of money for the school, with which to better the teaching. Here are a few photos and comments about just a little of the FFD of Saturday 24th March 2012.

This globally renowned group of musicians is comprised mostly of teachers. Owen, lead vocalist, really digs deep while his wife, music teacher Mary, who is in real life is a superb cellist, is a little out of place amongst this riff raff. Paul is there with his guitar, and Dan also.

 Teachers looked after different activities. John and Steve Tober filled Steve's 5-wheeled cycling bus with children and rode around the basket-ball court, trying not to knock over bystanders. More about Steve below! As well as being Year 3 teacher, he is manic!  I have put a link to Steve's blog on the right of this posting. Read it and be humbled! In this photo, you might pick out Robbie in the trailer, while Maia watches from a safe distance on the wall.

 Here is Steve! Steve, from some remote corner of Canada, Calgary maybe, thinks nothing of filling this contraption with his two children and setting off at dawn to see if he can reach the coast and get back again, or maybe visit Pasto in Colombia and return for tea. These are not his children here, but Ramon can now pedal in the half bike behind Steve - in tandem jargon, he would be called the 'stoker'. Carla then travels in the buggy. Steve's wife María, if she is not running along-side, pedals her own bike. This is a fruit-cake family! But, wow!

Here is Maia, having a mouse painted onto her face - for the second time! Art teacher Janet was the first to do the face painting, but it was not long before Maia had wiped it all off, so here two of John's IB students are putting the mouse back in place. Camilla is the one seemingly eating grass, while Sophie, with her back to the camera, is the artist.

And here is Robbie, enjoying his time in the buggy. Neither Robbie nor Maia were successful in the giant raffle of some super prizes, although Pippa carried away a tooth whitening offer worth $150!!! She also won a fancy Nokia mobile phone, while Rob won a very valuable Direct TV magic box, aerial and subscription. Rob doesn't watch TV!!!! So that was auctioned to the highest bidder - $160, I think. Robbie and Maia did win plenty in the tombola but frankly their collection of lollipops, volcano sweets, hair brushes, and stick-on badges was not a great reward for their long day in school, which started at 9:00 am, helping John get out some of the stalls and the scooters.