American Community School

We did a ton of research before moving here about all of the schooling options and decided that the American Community School (ACS) is where we definitely wanted Olivia (and later Eliza) to be.  Thankfully, Exxon has some pull with ACS and after lots of worrying and sleepless nights, Olivia was admitted in August!  We were BEYOND thrilled.  We figured once that happened, everything else would fall into place and it did.  Exxon paid the deposit and the entire year's tuition back in August to be sure her spot was held, not knowing we wouldn't arrive until January!  We landed January 2nd around 11 PM and Olivia started just 3 days later.  I still can't believe we actually made it there on time the first day.  I hardly remember it; we were all still super foggy from jet lag.

So far, we have been really happy with the school and all it has to offer.  It truly is a community.  It is an American bubble right in the heart of Abu Dhabi.  We have made good friends in the very short time that we have been here.  I am able to volunteer in the classroom weekly, which I love.  We also have to park and walk them into the classroom and pick them up from there in the afternoon.  Getting all of us somewhat dressed and at school by 8 is not always easy, but it is nice chatting with the other moms and seeing her teacher, Ms. Mara, twice a day.

We are still pinching ourselves that we are here, in the school we wanted, and in the villa we wanted (perfect location, only a 5 minute drive from school).  Seriously, we couldn't be happier here.  It all really fell into place and I feel we are never going to want to come home, it is just so perfect!  Here is a little video about Olivia's school.  It will give you some shots of the city and what it looks like here, especially at the very end.

 The (purple!) Kinder hallway, outside her classroom

 The small kinder only playground

 All of her classmates

 I brought up purple cupcakes for her half birthday, January 24th.  Eliza just went and sat down next to her, like she belonged right there.

My sweet, smart, precious, resilient, kind-hearted, loving, beautiful, lovely and darling 5 1/2 year old.  I love her to the moon and back.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world being her mama.