Author Archives: holmesfive

July 2022 by Emily Phew! What a busy time it has been! June and July were packed full of exciting events in both the primary and secondary schools and culminated with the completion of Term 2 (of 3) of the 2022 academic year. As we round the final bend for this school year, we haveContinue reading “Good for the Body, Mind, and Soul”

May 2022 In this blog post, we decided to explore the children’s views on our lives in Mauritius by asking them a series of questions. As you will read, their responses are deep and insightful and will definitely let you know that life on a far away tropical island is, well, completely normal and uninspiring.Continue reading “Mauritian Life in 12 Questions: The Kids Speak”

March 2022 By Emily Next month will mark a year and a half since we arrived in Mauritius. So much has happened in the last year and half, but as always with the passage of time, it’s hard to believe it’s been that long and that we are almost halfway through our initial three-year commitmentContinue reading “Refocused and Re-Purposed”

January 2022 By Emily It is hot! Not just a little hot, but really hot! The cyclone season is upon us, so the 90 plus degree temperatures are made sweltering by the high humidity and intermittent rain showers. In the midst of this heat, we have begun the 2022 school year…online. While the beginning ofContinue reading “Finding Connection”

November 2021 By Emily November 26th was the last day of school for the 2021 academic year. This year consisted of 8 weeks of in-person learning, 14 weeks of online learning, and 14 weeks of hybrid learning. Class schedules changed five times throughout the year, meaning that (with a family of five) we juggled atContinue reading “2021: Gratitude, Purpose, and Peace”

October 2021 By Aaron At the end of each year, Lighthouse students go on a multi-day camping trip. The excursion is both eagerly anticipated and somewhat angst-inspiring for students. Students buzz with excitement at the prospect of a change of scenery and a break from academics. Some enthusiastically discuss the possibilities while others quietly worryContinue reading “Going Away and Coming Together”

September 30, 2021 By Emily As I write this, it has been thirteen weeks since I started at Lighthouse. It is amazing how quickly the time flies and how much has happened since then. I continue to meet with students one or two days a week to provide mental and emotional support, some for ongoingContinue reading “Sunny September”

August 21, 2021 By Emily The first day of school is always hectic and little anxiety provoking. But the first day back to school on a hybrid schedule after being in confinement and doing online schooling for the majority of the school year was all of that and more. Making sure we had the rightContinue reading “Back to School…In More Ways Than One”

May 31, 2021 By Emily May marks the third month of round two of coronavirus in Mauritius, and our lives have continued largely unchanged. We remain at home most of the time, busy with online schooling and daily routines, although we have had the opportunity to go out on a few family excursions (photos below).Continue reading “Looking Inward”

April 30, 2021 By Aaron I am annoyed. No, I am offended as I tirelessly click through to yet another mediocre student response, this one even more underwhelming than the rest. The crease in my brow settles in as I process the wreckage of ideas clumped across the page. The time it will take toContinue reading “When is good enough, good enough?”