From the COLlive inbox: For many families, this is the most enjoyable time of the year. But for those of us living overseas, this period can be incredibly challenging. Full Story
By Rochel
It’s the best of times, and the worst of times.
For many families, this is the most enjoyable time of the year. Camp is over, and the school year hasn’t yet begun. Kids who are usually away at school return home for a few weeks of calm. They relax, reconnect with siblings, and enjoy a brief stretch without the usual pressures, no homework, no projects, no early mornings. It’s also time to shop for school supplies and clothes, and to prepare for the coming year.
For children who live in the United States, it’s a beautiful and well-timed break. A chance to come home after camp, before heading off again for school, seminary, or yeshivah.
But for those of us living overseas, this period can be incredibly challenging.
Our children, who spend the year studying in the U.S., have nowhere to go between camp and school. Home is far away, sometimes across oceans. They may have come home for Pesach just a few months ago, and flying them back again now simply isn’t practical. Dorms aren’t open yet, and the places where they might board don’t start operating until school begins. So where do these kids go?
As an overseas parent with children primarily in the U.S., this is the most challenging time of year. I hesitate to ask people to host my kids, especially when their homes are already full with their own children returning from camp.
But what choice do I have? Flying them home would cost thousands of dollars. Renting a basement or short-term apartment is also cost-prohibitive.
So I make the calls. I reach out to friends and relatives. “Do you have space for one, two, maybe even three of my kids for a few nights or a week?”
This isn’t a complaint. It’s simply our reality. And if anyone out there has a solution, I’d love to hear!
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