Happy New Year 2012

Happy 2012!  We arrived back in England early this morning and started the New Year festivities early – we didn’t think we’d make it until midnight.  But now it’s only 3 hours away and we’re still up. 

Big Ben at the stroke of midnight

Fireworks in Paris

Champs Elysees at the Arc de Triumph

What are most people doing to ring in the New Year?  The Brits are heading to the London Eye to watch a firework display, which is triggered by Big Ben at the stroke of midnight.  The Scots go to Edinburgh Castle for the famous Hogmanay; there are bands, festivities, and celebrations that last for 3 days.  The French head to Champs Elysees or the Eiffel Tower, which explodes with color and comes to life.  The Germans ring in the New Year at Brandenburg Gate, otherwise known as the Berlin Wall, where they showcase bands, party tents, food, and entertainment for over a million guests.  

Berlin, Germany

And how do we know all this?  Our first New Year’s in the UK was two years ago.  We had just arrived two days prior, and we sat on the sofa and watched the telly as New Year’s unfolded around the world. 

Here it is two years later and we are doing exactly the same thing.  The New Year’s celebrations remain pretty much unchanged, except now that we’ve visited the Eiffel Tower and Edinburgh Castle, we feel a bit nostalgic. 

London Eye

2010 has been a great year filled with travel, new experiences, and a lot of living.  But it’s also been a year of growth and change.  A new country, new rules, lots of settling in; it was a big adjustment.  But we are comfortable now and England is our home – for 8 more months anyway. 

We wish you all a wonderful 2012.  Wherever you ring in the New Year, may you start off the year right (no resolutions!) and remember to pace yourself – it’s a long haul until the end of 2012.  Here’s to health, happiness, and dreams coming true.  And don’t forget balance.  That may just be the key to it all.

Cheers!

A fun top 10 from a British writer (who’s just 13!)... 

http://hellogiggles.com/my-top-10-british-things-of-2011

'Tis the season

Brendan's in the choir and singing today...

Ring in the Holidays with your friends at AWS December Annual Meeting and Holiday Luncheon tomorrow, Dec. 2.  If you are staying for lunch you are in for a treat!  In addition to a fabulous meal, we will listen to the songs of the season.  The Lower School choir, consisting of 3rd and 4th graders from the ACS International School will entertain us with beautiful songs of the season to put us in the holiday mood.

   
The ACS Cobham International School Lower School Choir is one of several vocal-performing groups at ACS. The Lower School Choir is open to all students, without audition, from grades 3 and 4. They perform in several concerts and assemblies on campus, alone and with groups from Middle and High School, and also engage in community outreach concerts, making trips to care homes and day centres in the Cobham area.
   
Last year, the choir was cited in two newspapers, The Surrey Comet and the Guardian, for their "Royal Wedding Song", an original composition by the choir members, as a tribute to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  The choir is delighted to be invited to sing for the American Woman of Surrey.