Recent Visits to the Almasri Family
The Almasri Family are now very much more independent and running their own lives. However I still visit and keep in touch and support where I can.
Aseel has struggled with her reading so I am trying to have reading sessions with her twice a week. She loves books with funny stories or surprises or naughty children, and laughs and chatters away. The sessions are a joy and the time goes very quickly. She has problems because, as with many children, including some of my grandchildren, the emphasis on phonics in reading lessons at school doesn’t connect with her at all, probably made more difficult because Arabic sounds are very different from English sounds. Somehow I need to harness her enthusiasm for stories for her to make progress with reading. Her brother loves phonics – which doesn’t help!
Some of our conversations take strange turns. She was reading a book called ‘The Dragon Who Wanted A Bath’. This is a snapshot of our conversation –
Me – Dragons are a bit like dinosaurs.
Aseel – Oh yes I have seen fossils in the museum. We went to the British Museum. We have been learning about …….Anning?
Me – (after a quick Google on my phone)… oh yes Mary Anning.
Aseel – She found lots of dinosaur fossils (I was impressed)
Two weeks ago I had a big surprise when I arrived at 4 o’clock, earlier than usual. Rahaf and 2 year old Yousef were spreading a plastic sheet over the carpet. Soon the evening meal was set out and I was invited to sit down with the family. It was the first time I had eaten on the floor with them. Mohammad kindly put a cushion beside me. The hardest part was the distance between the soup bowl and my mouth- soon I was copying Monther and drinking straight from the bowl. Like many of us who have moved from another country, the Almasris love to have reminders of their homeland. I have tried to create a little bit of NZ bush in my front garden. The sitting room in their new flat is a little bit of Syria.
(The photo of us all eating was taken by Aseel)
