Now that it's been two years since the last posting...

Hello!

It's been almost two years since my latest post, and I decided to check up on this blog to recall what we went through.  Ben is now 11 years old (how time flies!)  We have now lived in Singapore for almost four years, and we are loving it.

So how is Ben doing?  Let's see...at the end of the 2015 year, Ben received an academic award for ranking #3 in his class (Singaporean schools rank students - an aside: according to the latest (2015) Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, Singapore's 15 year old students rank #1 in the world (of 72 countries) in all three subjects tested, math, science and reading).  Ben also won a school "Colours Award" for his leadership and teamwork on the school basketball team.  He was captain of his school basketball team, and they won the "South Zone Championship" and then made it to the national semi-finals where they placed #3 in the country.  He continued to play soccer for the ANZA (Australian-New Zealand League) where his team won both the "Cup Championship" and the "Trophy."

One of my favourite "every day moments" here in Singapore was when Ben's math teacher, a stellar teacher who studied in Des Moines on a Fulbright Scholarship, wrote my husband and me an unsolicited note about how much he enjoyed teaching Ben and about how the US needs more young people like Ben.

Fast forward to 2017.  Ben is still a school prefect and still captain of his school basketball team.

After months of tournament playing, Ben's senior boys team is one of two teams nationally that is undefeated, and his team has made it to the national championship game.  The game is happening later today.  It'll be the last game of 3 1/2 years of a lot of fun and camaraderie on the team - I know Ben will miss his teammates a lot.

This year, Ben is also preparing for going to "secondary school." In the Singaporean local system, all student leave "primary school" and have to apply to "secondary school."  Admissions are 100% merit-based.  Students can be admitted based solely on "results" (their ranking) on one national exam that all sixth graders are required to take.  It's not like the SATs where students can take the test multiple times.  No re-takes and basically no excuses for absences.  Each of the ~ 40,000 students is ranked.  Students submit their ranked preferences for schools.  Then based on how the students performed on the exam and what schools the students indicated as their preferences, the students are placed into a secondary school.  It's a gruelling process - and quite stressful for the students.  Students can also be placed into some selective schools based on a "talent" such as sports, the arts, a musical instrument or another talent.

Ben with his (new) baby brother.

Although Ben could gain entrance to schools via his national exam results, he will go to tryouts at some of his top picks in waterpolo (one of his favourite sports) as well as basketball.  Unlike in the US for college admissions, Singaporean schools' admissions processes don't give any credit for "hardship" or "having an interesting story."

I don't know how all of this will turn out for secondary school admissions, but we think he's got a solid shot at his top choices due to his academic and athletic achievements.  What's the point in sharing all of this besides unabashed bragging and pride?  It's basically to say to any worried parents out there - especially if you are cradling your newborn kid with microtia for the first time or wondering how your toddler with microtia will turn out: "Your kid will be just fine."

Ben's right ear - taken at haircutters.

Ben wears his hair very short.  He still gets comments like, "Ew.  Your ear looks like rotting flesh."  Or "What's wrong with your ear?"  Or "What happened to your ear?"  Or "I don't want to sit next to your ear."  Ben recounts these stories in a matter-of-fact way, sometimes even chuckling as he recounts them.  My heart doesn't sink the way it used to when I heard these stories.

He has learned to deal with these comments very well.  Mainly, he shrugs them off.  Sometimes he explains that his ear had surgery.  His best friends don't care.  He is a well-liked kid - and he certainly doesn't let his ear slow him down.  He is a driven, focused and goal-oriented kid.  He puts his mind to something and succeeds.  He doesn't waste his time playing video games or television.  His ineptitude with an iPhone and iPad is anachronistic.  He is a nice kid - never petty, bullying or mean to others (except his occasionally his younger brother).  I often wonder if his ear has anything to do with any of this.  Whether or not being born with his microtic ear has anything to do with him being a good kid, I'll never know.  But I do know that, like your kid, he's turning out just fine.