SAS ASA

No, this is not Chinese......these are just a couple household acronyms we use around our home which mean--Shanghai American School  After School Activities.


These activities are offered to all middle school, and elementary age students.  Since school has begun, our afternoons are filled with SAS ASA's.  Here are a few.....

Parker---

Parker joined with other middle school classmates to play Rugby for an ASA.  Was it his idea?  No!  Did his Dad tell him if he didn't get more exercise by joining the Rugby ASA instead of coming home after school to play on the X-Box, his X-Box privileges would be gone?  Yes!  Will he be upset I documented this in our family history?  Yes!  But did he end up enjoying playing Rugby, and did he admit that he will "try out" next year for the Rugby High School team?  Yes!!!  Case Closed!

Tyson---

Tyson's feeling about SAS ASA's are dramatically different than Parker's.  Tyson LOVES SAS ASA's, and given the chance,  he would sign up for every activity offered.  This quarter,  after loooong consideration, he finally chose clay sculpturing, and origami (Thanks to cousin Garrett for peaking his interest last summer with his amazing origami skills!!)    Tyson learned so many new origami tricks, that now our entire family is reaping the rewards of finding them decorating our entire house----LUCKY!!!

Like every year, Tyson looked forward again to another SAS activity....SOCCER DAY!  We love that not only is Tyson a great athlete on the field, a great  team booster club member "behind the scenes" who loves to bring "spirit cupcakes" to his teammates, but also a great cheerleader on the side lines.  I couldn't decide which one he enjoys the most......

  

 

And last but not least......  It is definitely "Expo Mania" here in this city, and everywhere you look you can see "Haibo", the famous blue gumby looking mascot who represents the Shanghai Expo.  It is by far the most important thing going on in this city right now!  However, since the government gave every Chinese citizen a free pass to come to the expo, it has been an overwhelming place to be--sometimes with over a million people making wait times at pavilions over 4 hours.  (and a visit to the Chinese pavilion??---not a chance without a reservation days or even weeks before)!!  We were thrilled Tyson was able to participate in a SAS activity field trip to the Shanghai World Expo, and even more thrilled to hear the school was given VIP tickets to enter the Chinese pavilion with no wait time!!



This year, Tyson's fourth grade class is studying Chinese History and Culture.  The Expo was the perfect destination to soak in facts about each and every Chinese province. 

Regardless of how many thousands of people were at the Expo that day, Tyson came home raving about the Expo, and how many amazing things he saw while he was there.  Like always, Tyson found fame among the native Chinese who asked to take pictures with a genuine American boy!

Preston--

Preston does not attend SAS, but he has had a few ASA's that he has been proud to share his own pictures and experiences with his older brothers.  I was lucky enough to be able to go with Preston on this activity to The Natural History Museum in Shanghai.  It is truly one of the best Natural History Museum's I have ever been to.  However,  I quickly realized how much more interesting, exciting, and down right FUN  it is to visit a museum with a curious and energetic group of  three-year-old's.  Who knew it could even be enjoyable to picnic with a sack lunch smack down in the middle of  a museum??!!  Oh how I wish this age would last forever!!!!

And as long as we are talking acronyms.....Here is Parker's BFF Paige. Paige and Parker have been BFF's for as long as we have lived in Shanghai. Paige's brother Garrett is also Bracken's BFF. We love their family, and enjoyed our Christmas trip to Guam together a couple years ago. Unfortunately, the MacDonald family moved back to the states last year. However, they continue to miss Shanghai, and make trips back often to visit. We too enjoyed seeing them on their recent trip back to Shanghai, and Parker was happy to entertain at any moment.  (Interesting that he never had to be even slightly bribed to participate with this type of ASA (:

Tyson considers everyone and everybody in our neighborhood his BFF!  Without a doubt, at 4:00 daily, our neighborhood comes ALIVE with kids running and playing everywhere.  Tyson is always right in the middle of every game and activity going on outside--with Tyson there is never a dull moment!

Preston and his BFF Seth Olsen are just plain CUTE!!  After preschool, they love meeting up at the local indoor play places around Shanghai, or anywhere else they can let some energy fly!

So here's to a few SAS ASA's and BFF's that add great spice to our

 day to day routines!!