Tsunami drill

March 17th, 2016

Today was the last day of school before Easter vacation (a very big deal here!).  It was also my first Tsunami drill.

Yesterday I learned that Ari's class would be getting out early, at 10:45.  THIS morning I learned that Calhoun's class would be getting out at 10:00.  I will refrain from commenting about how helpful it is to find that sort of thing out the day of when you are trying to run errands, plan things etc...  Anyway, I was also told that there was to be a tsunami drill and that there would be a parent meeting at 10:50. Another parent contacted me and asked me if I could pick up their child, Ari´s friend, as they were unable to change their schedule to accommodate this sudden change.  I said yes.

Perceived schedule:

7AM: Drop off one child at school
8AM: Drop off the other child at school
10AM: Pick up one child from school
10:45AM: Pick up 2 children from school
10:50AM: Attend a parent meeting (with children in tow, I guess, so I am not sure why I picked them up at all)

Actual schedule:
7AM: Drop off one child at school
8AM: Drop off second child at school
9AM: One child arrives at door with school cleaning lady because she vomited (Ari, not the cleaning lady.)  They somehow were wandering around town for a while even though Ari knows where we live and even though I wrote my phone number down at registration.
10AM: Leave Ari at home watching a video to pick up 2nd child.  But alarms are going off because the tsunami drill has started.  They asked us to pick up the kids DURING the tsunami drill. ¿¿?? So I walk with Calhoun up an extremely steep hill.  4 people are pushing a girl in a wheelchair.  The wheelchair is made of out wheels drilled into a cheap plastic chair.  It looks scary.  Calhoun is not going fast enough so the principal offers to carry Calhoun.  Calhoun refuses but wants me to carry him.  So now I feel as if I am SUPPOSED to carry Calhoun up this ridiculous hill.  The doctor speeds past us on a moped.  The drill is running smoothly.  We hang out on the top of the hill in the sun for a while.  I eventually ask if we may go so I can attend to my sick child.  We may.
10:48AM:  I leave my children (thank you YOUTUBE) and go to pick up Ari's friend.  I am 3 minutes late so she is crying.

Later on I see a girl from the place I volunteer teaching English who also attends Ari's school.  She informs me that Ari vomited at assembly.  She asks what she had for breakfast.  I explain she had yogurt.  She tells me the vomit is green.  I explain that the yogurt was not green and that perhaps Ari was celebrating St. Patrick's Day.  She doesn't get my joke.

The Hill.  

The Drill.