New Year Messages 💖

 

Been missing calls from my Syrian Princesses over the month of December.. but New Year's Eve got a video message in Dutch from Leen and Celine.  Then New Year morning a lovely video message wishing Happy New Year in both Dutch and English. I sent this to Juliya my Ukrainian refugee family here in West London.  We were saying will be so good for our Professors of Linguistics children to meet .. would be fascinating which language they would use to chat.. between them they speak English Arabic Dutch French Ukrainian Russian and Turkish .. with Leen learning more languages on Duolingo!  Theo and Vera sang Christmas songs in English for facebook friends .. so cute .. But soo sooo good to get messages from Leen and Celine.  Loved our calls over the years and fun learning and sharing together.  💞

Parcel from Germany

 Lovely surprise parcel from Sabine my friend in Germany.. some of her yummy homemade pear puree from her garden orchard and some cookies and chocolate treats.. guess what no brexit customs tax for me to pay to receive.  Now I am wishing I had sent Christmas gifts to Sabine when I was in Belgium as the post within EU is no problem just like it was before UK left EU!! So frustrating. Crazy as if say I nipped over to Ireland then post a parcel from Dublin no customs issue for my family and friends to collect.  but if I posted from Belfast same issue as if posted from London to family and friends in EU. 

Now this month of January got parcels to send to Sabine in Germany and for Leen's birthday in Belgium... must track and try to negiotate no customs be charged for them to receive my gifts!  Brexit Parcel Issue 

Christmas a time missing loved ones

 

So thankful I had time with my Princesses before Christmas as something changed we don't get to videocall like we used too .. i think Bushra as been busy with her new partner and commitments . But boy do I ache to have time with the girls sharing fun, learning together. Leen is such a chatterbox in English so such a good fun friend. 

I managed to have time with my new Ukrainian refugee family. Festive Update would be so much fun for the Professors of Linguistics to meet up. But wonder which language they would choose to use out of the 8 languages they speak in total.  Last time I chatted with Leen and Celine they were using Duolingo to learn more ... Celine Spanish, Leen Italian and Turkish .. amazing how our refugee children are developing as polyglots. 

Fairy Christmas Cafe

 

My Belgium friend and vrijwilliger volunteer took me to the park cafe Leopold park Oostende it was so lovely like a magical fairy cafe with all the Christmas lights and decorations.. When I went back to the apartment and told the girls they excitedly put their coats on wanting to go and see... so we did .. they loved it 

💞🎄🎁🎅So thanks dank u wel Monique for helping me find this place 🎄🎁🎅💞

More from Belgium visit

Leen read me this story a book about a Unicorn I bought at the local bookshop near the Kursal Oostende.. she not only read it all in Nederlandse but explained the story to me in English.. love these times together . 

Was looking at the school reading book she has go work through too 

Belgium visit

 Here again in Belgium to visit my Princesses... got a busy week as also meeting one of my nurses I have been mentoring who is now training with Medicin Sans Frontiere in Brussels.  Plus a catch up time with my vrijwilligers volunteer friends in Oostende. I have brought a good cardiac book for my nurse to help teach his students on ECGs .. and I brought my Stethoscope for my Princesses to hear the heart and teach about the heart... but wow so impressed with Leen she was telling me about the heart. They have been learning at school ...not only chambers of heart but the P QRS T waves on ECGs ... lol not only Professor of Linguistics but Professor of Cardiology  🤩

Do I have a  Dokter Doctor;  Verloskundige Midwife; Verpleegster Nurse in the making?

Listening to the Lub dub sounds in the heart as Atrial chambers and Ventricular chambers pumping blood... 

On the subject of sounds ...and listening ..so glad I got the lift the flap Questions and Answers book about Music from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden .. my Princesses are enjoying this .. Leen reads English and understands the notes, rhythm & melody of music..

Hhhhh when we were looking at the history of music and recording music suddenly I felt so old as remember the old gramophone.. As a little girl would visit an elderly neighbour who had one in her sitting room..  

Thank you for post help

so grateful to Karolein my Belgium friend from the Anglo/Belgian Society..she kindly took my knitting gifts to Belgium to post to Bushra's sister Asma in Germany.. the knitwear for Asma's cute daughter.  Such a help as the Brexit customs tax for loved ones to receive gifts is stressful. Karolein's father took control of posting from Belgium to Germany as post within EU no problems.. 😥 like we used to have from UK when in EU.. the knitwear in one of our local cotton bags ironically funded by EU before brexit!! Something very special happened the day I handed over the knitting to Karolein...we had met at St Paul's Cathedral to go for afternoon tea at a fun Japanese restaurant.  On my way home after on the central line to Northolt I met a Ukrainian refugee..an amazing lady with impressive legal career.  She, her children, her mother and her Turkish husband are now absorbed into my Family Link Up project.. So my family of refugees growing to befriend, to help network to help rebuild lives..feeling very blessed with brave, courageous inspirational people. Totally fascinated how refugee children are becoming polyglots..lol little Professors of Linguistics.. but a big hope as we build a truly Global Family understanding and caring for one another.