Let’s Help!

Two years went by as we were confined to our homes, trying not to catch the Covid Virus. Many people did catch it, fortunately most people have survived.

We should be extremely grateful that we have our basic needs: home, food, health, family and a school were we can be happy again. Being here, among your classmates and teachers is a blessing indeed.

There are children in another part of the world who are not as fortunate as you are, as we are.

The children of Ukraine have been living very difficult circumstances.

Perhaps you have watched the news on TV, or have heard adults talking about what is happening in that country.

It would be wonderful if all the people of the world lived in peace.

Can you think of ways to create peace in the world?

How do you think peace begins?

What can you do as children to promote peace?

Some years ago we got together to send aid to the children of Iran; we donated money to an organization called White Helmets, do you remember?

Now is the time to unite again and practice our generosity and be compassionate towards other children who need our help.

We are trying to find out what is the best way we can help the children of Ukraine, and as soon as we know we will inform you and your parents. I hope you find it in your heart to be kind.

Do not hesitate to talk to your parents about your feelings. If you have a question, ask. Always ask.

You are always in my heart and send you lots of virtual hugs and best wishes.

CHOIR OF CHILDREN FROM UKRAINE

MAY YOUR HOLIDAY BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY

Hello my dear students,

Please forgive me for not writing this blog in a very long time. I apologize, but my excuse is that I am now a full-fledge grandmother who is helping take care of her two grandsons.

You are always in my heart, and I haven’t forgotten you! I write today because I know you will go on a Christmas Holiday tomorrow and I want to wish you joy, health and love!

I will be much more present starting next year, and I hope you read the blog and post comments.

I will also be there to see you at the end of January, and will visit you in your classrooms. The only sad thing is that I won’t be able to see all of you, because of the hybrid program. This is why you should read my blog and post comments, in order to stay in touch.

There are some of you who are new to the school and have not been able to really know me. Ask your classmates, they can tell you, I am sure, that I truly care about you!

Stay healthy and be careful.

With all my love.

Here are some movies that I can recommend you watch during the holiday:

12 Dog Days Till Christmas

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

One Magic Christmas

Miracle on 34th Street

Mickey’s Christmas Carol

Merry and Loving Christmas from my family to yours!

GRADUATES: SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATORS

Yes, this school year was definitely a strange one. Only online classes, staying home for hours on end. No friends, no teachers, no in school adventures.

Sorry. I am REALLY, REALLY SORRY. I wish I could have had a magic wand to turn everything around, but, then you wouldn’t have learned the lesson.

What lesson?

That life is unpredictable, that it presents us with unknown challenges when we least expect it and either we adapt or are left behind. That we should value our “normal” lives much more than we did. That health is number one! That we do need friends and time together. That our parents can be fun! And that everything changes, but also, that time is fleeting.

All you graduates are going on to new adventures, new schools, new friends, new teachers, new experiences. This is an exciting time in your lives, for you are growing up and life holds unsuspected experiences.

Remember what I emphasized during your time at BAI: be respectful, polite, honest, and compassionate. Be the best you can be. Try hard. Do not give up. Do what you like most and choose carefully when the time comes to go to the university. Always choose a profession that you absolutely love, that way when you do have to work it will seem like you are having fun.

Help others when you can.

Be grateful.

Love yourself and then love the rest of the world.

You will always have a special place in my heart and memory. And yes, do come back to see us!

To the ones that are continuing their education at BAI, I am so looking forward to hugging you once again!

To the ones I haven’t had the pleasure of knowing well, I am the crazy principal who used to dye her hair purple and orange and pink. Who dressed as a chicken to entertain my students. Who loves Halloween and Christmas and musical productions!

If life is kind to us, as I hope it will be, we will have the opportunity of presenting A VOYAGE THROUGH TIME, in the not to distant future. I am sad the 6th graders will not be able to participate, but maybe they can come and watch the presentation?

I miss you. I MISS YOU VERY, VERY MUCH! Really! I can’t wait for you to be at school again, to see the teachers, the administrative personnel; to listen to your laughter and all the commotion that goes along our everyday business.

Life at British American Institute is FUN! We do live our motto: To Teach Through Happiness!

Are you happy you are with us?

“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved”

Victor Hugo

And something funny:

LUCY thanks you for your generosity! She is all grown up and has graduated from the sanctuary, now lives in the jungle with her friends!

FRIENDS ARE THE FAMILY WE CHOOSE

In our lifetime we meet many people and some of them become our very best friends. There are many ways of meeting people who can become our friends: we can meet at school, at an extra-curricular activity, like Ballet Class, Football practice, Swimming Class, etc., we can meet through mutual friends, we meet at the playground, and so on.

However, some friends will be our friends for only a moment, or for a month, or for a year, or for a lifetime…if we are lucky.

Friendship is a beautiful thing. I currently have several very close friends that I can actually consider my family, because we have been friends for more than 50 years! Now that is a very long time and feel very fortunate to have them.

When you are older and are able to travel you can also meet people in other states or other countries that can become your friends.

“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.” — Tennessee Williams

Friends however, can uplift you or they can bring you down. It is very important to choose friends wisely.

“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you; spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” — Amy Poehler

As we grow older we find that the most important things in life cannot be bought, and true friendship is one of them. Treasures cannot be compared to the joy a true friend brings. A true friend is someone with whom we can laugh, cry, share our dreams, be sad or be happy, be ourselves, and is always loyal.

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.” — G. Randolf

In the animal species we find that friendships are made between animales who are completely different one from the other, and if they can be friends, imagine what kind of friendships we humans can build amongst ourselves!

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“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”
– C.S. Lewis

Friends with whom you can laugh yourselves silly are a rare find. But, remember, never laugh AT anyone!

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.” — Helen Keller

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO LAUGH!

Hello my dear students,

I am very pleased and proud to tell you that our webpage http://www.britishamericani.com has included the school’s HALL OF FAME. This is a space dedicated to showcase the achievements of our former students.

I have invited many of the ones who have already graduated from different universities so send me a photo of themselves and their diploma, and a brief description of their current work. Up to now eight have responded and you can see them published.

This is very important, because it is a way to see that anything can be achieved when you have discipline, perseverance, and dedication. I hope this inspires you to continue studying very hard, knowing that anything is possible.

Aside from this news, I think the circumstances require that we relax and have a good laugh. This is why I am publishing some funny videos for your enjoyment. Watch them with your family, have a good time, some popcorn and think that one day soon, we will be together again.

I send all my love and my wishes of health!

WELCOME BACK, BE SAFE!

Helloooooo,

So we are here, at the beginning of a new, very exciting  and very different school year. We are going to be learning digitally, not in our classrooms, like we used to, but at home! We are going to take advantage of the technology we currently have available, and learn and communicate through this small screen we call a computer.

I know many of you would just love to go back to school,  be with your classmates, your teachers,  and be playing together in the patio….so would I. I miss you greatly! But for some time we will have to take care and be safe.

Here are some videos that will help you understand this situation we are living. It is so important for all  of us to be conscious of what is happening and to be ready to help each other, so  we can stay healthy and return to our former activities as soon as possible.

 

 

Know that is is alright to feel scared, strange, sad… this is why it is of the utmost importance to speak your mind with your parents and teachers.

 

Let us be positive and have a great attitude, being happy will make time go by quicker and will make our lives a lot more fun!

CLAP ALONG! THAT’S AN ORDER!

 

Reach for the Stars!

This young man is Germán Padilla Choy, a former student who just graduated from University of Southern California Los Angeles with a Master’s Degree in AEROSPACE ENGINEERING. After graduating from High School German  earned his Bachelor’s Degree at the  Polytechnic Institute (RPI)  in Troy, New York.

German, at 24 years of age, has been hired by NASA to work in their Houston Space Center to work in their ARTEMIS PROGRAM. This is an  extraordinary achievement for any young man, but specially for a Mexican young man!

The Artemis Program is  a  government funded  spaceflight program that has the goal of landing   “the first woman and the next man” on the Moon, specifically at the by 2024.”

Imagine that! Our own Germán Padilla landing a spaceship on the moon! This is what happens when you reach for the stars. When you have a dream and work hard to  achieve it, when you persevere and are a disciplined person, anything you dream of can be obtained. So when someone tells you to “reach for the stars” you could actually do it.

I posted a video filmed by German on Lovemystudents’ page in FCB,  also in British American Institute’s page in FCB and I would like you to watch it,  German filmed it specially for you. Because of technical difficulties I could not upload it here, but you can go to either of those pages and watch it there. I highly recommend that you do.

Germán’s family moved to San Diego when he was about to enter 5tgh grade, so he could not graduate from BAI. However, he stayed in contact with some of his classmates and even attended our Alumni Reunion three years ago.

I held a chat with Germán a few days ago and he wrote…”I  have fond memories of having fun and learning lots and really liking all of my teachers and friends at British American Institute. I was very sad when we moved to San Diego for that reason. I think going to British was a great experience because I made friends that I still hangout with today and of course learned English from a very young age which definitely contributed to my success in getting into a good high school, great college for undergrad and also great graduate school and of course eventually my job.”

We are extremely proud of German and wish him further success in his space adventures and hope he keeps in touch with us so he can keep us posted.

German will be a PROPULSION SYSTEMS FLIGHT CONTROLLER, that means he will be directing the spaceship to its target, the moon.  Obviously this is a very complicated matter, one that requires extreme precision and knowledge. We are in awe of German’s talents and will be keeping an eye on him when the Artemis Program is launched.

 

 

 

DIVERSITY IS BEAUTIFUL

Look at yourself in the mirror. What do you see? What color is your hair? Your eyes? Your skin?

Everyone in the world is different from everybody else. We have so many things that make us individuals, and this is called being diverse, being different.

Can you imagine if everyone in the world looked the same? It would be soooo boring, wouldn’t it?

Yet there are some people who discriminate others because they are different,  because they have different color skin or hair or eyes or  because of the way they talk or dress.

This is not only very sad but it creates problems, because the people who are being discriminated against  feel like they don’t belong, and there are many times when they are bullied just because they are different.

One should always make an effort to make others feel good, happy and included, no matter what color their skin is, or where they come from. One beautiful thing about our world is that there are so many countries and people in each country have different  languages, traditions, customs, clothing, food, music, art and all this enriches us as human beings.

So let’s celebrate diversity! Let’s make someone from another country feel welcome in ours. Let’s accept ourselves as we are and know that each and everyone of us is beautiful in our own way!

 

 

British American Institute has been extremely fortunate to have had students from other countries and cultures enrolled, and  it still does!

Many years ago we had 6 children from India. Their fathers worked at an assembly plant here because they were engineers and they wanted their children to speak English so when they returned to their country they would be able to continue their studies  over there with no problem. You see, English is the official language in India.

We had two brothers who were from Japan for one school year. We had a brother and sister whose father was from Haiti and their mother from Romania; we had a girl from Ecuador and two sisters from Korea; we have a 3rd grade kindergarten student whose father is  from India, two brothers whose father is English, a girl from Peru and we’ve also had some American children enrolled.

It is both an honor and a privilege to have children from other countries as our students and you should take advantage and be friends with them to learn about their cultures and customs.

Varun hariharan is one of the Indian students enrolled many years ago here at BAI and I still communicate with him. We send each other emails and as soon as the pandemic is over we will meet, because he lives about an hour away from where I live.

I think it is very exciting to meet people from other countries! Here at school we have our own foreigner who is almost a mexican: Mr. Kay! And we are so happy that he is a member of our family!

Each one of us has special talents and what we are and how we behave toward others makes us unique, and this is beautiful! To have a whole planet filled with different human beings makes our earth extraordinary! Be proud of who you are!

 

 

Happy Children’s Day!

Childhood is so wonderful! Specially if you have a family who loves you, teachers who love you, friends who love you, siblings who love you…and it ends very quickly!

So enjoy the time you have now! Be creative, be silly, be adventurous, be curious; laugh, say jokes, jump up and down, have crazy hair…and if you are lucky you will continue to do these things even when you grow up.

It was 28 years ago, in March, that BAI was founded, and I still remember my students and many of them keep in touch with me, and now have children of their own.

This has been an extraordinary experience and what makes it so is YOUR LOVE!

Celebrating my birthday with Miss Tanya

Former students

The Lion King, with Luis Francisco and Monica Gallego

And here are two photos of the founders of your school when they were children!

An Easter Message to My Students