So, with a few hours left of 2013 it's perhaps time to reflect on the life of Thunderchild the last year or so.
There are 3 areas of her life of which I'm most proud namely personal, sport and academic.
Academic
The way the school system works here is that you get credits in years 9 and 10 that add up to a score at the end of year 10. Despite having one term less than the other students, and coming from a predominantly Afrikaans schooling arena, TC managed to achieve a distinction in her final year. I'm so proud of her because I know what it took. She worked very hard to ensure that all her assignments were done properly and handed in on time.
She also had this wonderful knack of taking on her teachers if she disagreed with something they said. This was particularly evident when they studied WW2 and the Nazis. TC believed that a lot of good was done in Germany before the war that was never noted. She also had a big problem with everyone criticising the Germans but forgetting what the British, Russians and Americans also did.
In year 9 she was very fortunate to be ahead in Mathematics, having done most of the work previously in South Africa. This afforded her the opportunity to assist others in her class that were struggling, something she relished doing.
There were 2 extra subjects that she took: psychology and sociology. I'm glad she took these as they will be crucial in her future career when she studies criminology (which she will also take in college next year). These subjects she also really enjoyed as they gave her a lot of insight into how people thought.
Sport
She really excelled in her hockey these last 2 years. She also did a few other sports such as badminton and soccer, but hockey was most prominent.
In 2012 she managed to get into the team for Daramalan College, playing U/16 with the occasional U/18 game when they needed someone. Her rapport with her teammates and coach was very good. With every game she played she always gave everything she had and, at the end of each game, she always had a smile that went around the ears - she just loved the sport.
Towards the end of 2012 her school managed to put together a combined team (boys and girls) to take part in a hockey competition. This was their first time playing in the tournament and the promptly ended up winning it, beating one of the top schools in Canberra. #respect
In 2013 she was selected to play for the school's first team (U/18), even though she was only 15 at the time. The games this season were very tough and the team did not do so well, but she was always there, playing her heart out.
At the end of each year the hockey association has an indoor league which TC played in. It was during her first season that she managed to get a hat trick of goals from penalty corners. I don't know who was most impressed - she or her daddy (who was, by now, dancing around).
The 2013 indoor season started very good with them winning all but one of their games in the first half of the season (second half starts in Feb). There were times when they fielded a team with less players than their opponents but still won. TC is starting to make a name for herself as a penalty corner specialist - other teams are starting to mark her. It was during one of these games that a defender tried to tackle her and ended up getting the ball on the lips - ouch! But that's hockey.
Personal
As parents we were worried how she would adapt in a new country with a new environment. TC did well. So well in fact that she was selected to the school's Student Representative Council in 2013. She made many good friends, often walking with them to school in the mornings.
She also managed to get herself a boyfriend or 2. The latest one seems to be sticking around. And, as luck would have it, he is also a South African.
TC has also kept up with some of her friends back in South Africa, which is good. It seems as if it's true what they say about her old school: friendships made there last forever. What we have found is that connectivity is an important part of her social environment, and we actively support her as much as we can. Internet at home is always on and her phone (iPhone) also has data. This way she can connect to her friends and family at any time. Her teacher at school would often tell her to get off the phone, not realising that it was easier for TC to search Google for information than to use the school's computers. She just does this "technology thing" well - very naturally.
The college years
...to be written sometime in the future.
So, you see Thunderchild, you have accomplished so much that last 2 years. Your mother and I are so very proud of you and cannot wait to see what more you are going to accomplish. Just know that we'll be there every step of the way.
And, remember, your daddy loves you.
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