經過一輪的尋訪，終於找到一間以廣東話教授中文的中文學校給Julian讀。這兒的中文學校已經在幾年前轉為國語授課，而很多家長認為國語對小朋友的前途重要些。我不是不認同，但始終覺得Julian學中文最先要的是懂得跟我以廣東話溝通。我是八十年代前出生的香港人，所以在香港接受的是英語教學，國語就要在外面自己找興趣班學。因少練習機會，就算學了也交回給老師們。況且，Julian到現時為止都只懂聽廣東話、英語和荷蘭語，再加國語未免太多了！
After a bit of research, I finally found a Chinese school that teaches in Cantonese. Here many Chinese schools have switched to teaching in Mandarin for a few years already, as many parents feel that speaking Mandarin is better for their kids’ future. I don’t disagree, but I still think it’s better for Julian to learn Chinese in Cantonese, which is what he can fully understand as I speak in Cantonese to him. I was born after then 80s in Hong Kong, so I was educated under the English speaking system. To learn Mandarin, I had to learn it out there and without practice, I could hardly remember anything I learned in those summer classes. Also, for Julian, if he had to be in a class where he couldn’t understand a word of what the teacher is saying, he would lose interest right away. Plus he already is being raised in Cantonese, English and Dutch, adding Mandarin now would probably be too much!
老公本來對我們在週末時還要走來走去有點擔心，但我就覺得其他全職媽媽有時間在平時日子帶小朋友上興趣班。我和老公都有份忙碌的全職工，平日做不到，那週末就更加需要補償一下。再者，如果再不好好利用現在Julian 還年幼，學習能力最高的時機，那錯過了就後悔莫及了！那一星期一次的買餸就要在平日做，分開幾次，另外就是把肉買了後，立即急凍放入冰箱，吃之前那一天拿出來溶解。
Daddy was a bit concerned about the stress we would have in the weekend with him taking Chinese class on Saturday. I just thought with us both working during the week, we just didn’t have time to take Julian to join any classes in the week. So I should do it then in the weekend. Plus if I don’t take advantage of him being able to learn quicker when he is little now, I would regret forever. Our weekly grocery shopping will need to be done during the week, or split up in a few times. Plus we now buy our meat at the butcher, and we would put them in the freezer, so that we would just defrost the one we would have the following day.
我起初有點兒擔心Julian會不肯上中文班。於是上課前幾天就跟他思想再做，告訴他上中文會令他比其他荷蘭學校同學更醒目更聰明。他就先問我為何不上英文班，又問老師漂不漂亮，又說要帶他的女同學一起上學！唉，問到我口啞啞！
I initially was a bit worried about Julian not wanting to join Chinese class, so I tried to talk to him about it already a few days before school started. I told him that taking Chinese lesson will make him smarter than other kids. He first asked me why not take English classes. Then he asked me if the teacher is pretty, and if he could take his girlfriend from normal Dutch school along. I was a bit speechless!
到上課當日，我早了半小時帶他去到學校。學校是一所大幾層樓的大樓，跟他平日上課的荷蘭小學十分不同。他平日上的都是一層半校社，幼兒班只得兩三班！ 帶了Julian 找到在二樓的課室後，第二動作是找洗手間。這所學校是成人校社，所以洗手間是普通成人尺碼，這個問題不大，反而問題是洗手盤很高，Julian自己又怎樣開到水喉呢？！
On the 1st school day there, I took him there half an hour earlier. The school building is quite a big building with a few floors, which is very different from Julian’s normal Dutch school that he is going to. His normal school only has one and half floors, and there are only 2-3 classes of kindergarten. After I brought Julian to his classroom which is on the first floor, I took him to the toilet. This is an adult school building, so certainly the toilets are in ordinary sizes. That isn’t really a problem. The problem is the sink being so high that Julian won’t be able to turn the tap on himself.
本以為可以逗留一會，和在他午餐時間去找他，怎知原來家長只可以在上課前帶小朋友上班房，然後就要離開，接放學時也只可在校園前門外等。午餐時，要在樓下的飯堂吃自備午餐，幸好，頭幾次老師會帶他們，提醒他們上洗手間。上課時間是上午十一時至下午三時，中間有半小時的午餐時間。
I first thought I could stay a bit and visit him during lunch break. But it turns out that parents are only allowed to bring the kids to their classrooms before class, and then we must leave. We can only pick up our kids after school by waiting in front of the building. During lunch break, he must eat the lunch I packed for him in the canteen on the ground floor. Luckily the teacher said she would bring them up and down for the first couple times, and remind them to go to the bathroom. The class starts at 11 am and finishes at 3 pm. Lunch break is only half an hour.
Julian 跟著就問我為何班房內沒有玩具，又問有沒有泥沙玩！Julian習慣了荷蘭學校型式，對這樣循規循矩的學校有點不習慣。問我老師名字是甚麼，聽到是余老師就說為何那樣複雜！跟著，不少跟Julian一樣年紀的小孩開始進入課室。有的是像他一樣，是個混血兒，有些是中國人，但有些是完全聽不懂中文的中國人。我心想Julian都不算差，起碼懂聽嘛！我之前亦有不停教他他的中文名，否則老師叫他，他沒反應就不好啦！
Julian then asked me why there were no toys in the classroom, and why there is no sand box for him to play in. He is just used to the normal Dutch kindergarten. He is not used to this kind of school, with strict rules and formalities. He asked me the teacher’s name. I told him is Miss Yu in Chinese, he asked why it was so complicated. More kids were coming into the classroom, and they are more or less at Julian’s age. Some are like him, mixed kids, and some are Chinese, and some don’t even understand any Chinese. I thought at least Julian does understand Chinese well. I did have to remind him many times for weeks before of his Chinese name, or else he would not have reacted to his Chinese name.
班房內的家長種類不同，有新潮的，有荷蘭籍丈夫的，有傳統些的。有位母親就不停忠告小朋友不可這個，不可那個。那提醒了我自己，要盡量以正面的說話教Julian，尤其是想他對讀中文有興趣！
The parents in the classroom are quite different types, some very modern, some with Dutch husbands, and some old-fashioned ones. A mother was lecturing a child of what not to to do. I then found myself thinking maybe I should try not to say so many “no”s to Julian also, but try to be positive, especially if I want to get Julian interested in learning Chinese.
跟著，老師說要上堂了，所有家長要離開了。Julian跟我揮手後，我就走。四個小時後，在校門外接他，他很高興地走出來，說很喜歡上中文班。他說他很乖，跟著老師讀，又說自己把午餐吃掉，又有自己上洗手間。我問他怎樣洗手，他說有位比他高的同學跳了幾下，替他開水喉，令他可以洗手。
Class was about to start, so we had to leave. Julian waved me goodbye, and I left. Four hours later, we picked him up. He was all cheerful, and said he enjoyed the class a lot. He said he was being good, repeated after the teacher, and he ate his lunch also. He went to the toilet himself. I asked him if he washed his hands, he told yes, and that another boy helped him to turn on the tap after having to jump a few times.
回來後，我們買了些文具給他，因為老師介紹我們替他買這種鉛心筆。都不算平，要七個半歐羅，即是大概七十元港紙！這是為剛學寫字的小朋友而設，令他們執筆正確。還有的是筆心無毒，和環保。
After we got back to our town, we bought him some stationary, since the teacher recommended us to buy this specific pencil. It was not cheap, some 7.5 euro, something like 70 HKD/ 5-6 USD. It’s specially designed for kids who are learning how to write. It helps them to hold the pencil properly, and claims that the lead is not poisoning as they used to, plus it’s environmental friendly.
回家後，他還開始做功課！這是他一生人中第一份功課！其實，見到這份功課，他的學生手冊，和書本，令我想起我的童年！這和我的童年有些相似，跟Julian 平日上的荷蘭學校方式嚴謹很多！在荷蘭學校，小朋友好像是在幼稚院高班才學寫字，現在Julian要早些少少學，或者對他真正在荷蘭學校學寫荷蘭文亦有幫助！雖然他這份功課不算是寫得很好，但起碼他有心機去學，我亦盡量由他，免得打他的士氣。
After we got home, he started doing his homework. This is his first homework in his life. Seeing this, his school handbook, plus his school book, it reminds me a lot of my childhood. This has some resemblance of my childhood, which is very different from Julian’s Dutch school. This is more organized, and strict. In Dutch schools, I think kids only learn how to write in Group 2-3. Julian now has to learn how to write a bit earlier, but that may be helpful for Julian in the future, giving him a head-start. Though he didn’t write it that well, but I think at least he was motivated to do it, so I let him and didn’t want to demotivate him instead.
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