How Can We Help Myanmar and China?

Last Friday, the students and staff of Rhein International Academy held a bake sale to help in some small way with the dire needs of people in Myanmar and China. While the Middle School students organized the selling and advertising, the school cooking club baked some delicious chocolate banana loaves, and the First Grade class created some wonderful chocolate chip cookies (including one giant one that was raffled off). In addition, every family at RIA generously donated something to sell.



Thanks to everyone's hard work, we raised about 230 Euros, all of which will be sent to World Vision Deutschland to use as they see fit in the relief efforts.

Mr. Barbour's Middle School Class Goes Formal!

On Wednesday, May 7, 2008 our school welcomed visitors from the community on Open House Day. In honor of this special occasion, and in special honor of the visit of our Oberburgermeister Herr Wolfgang Dietz, the middle school class decided to go all out and dress up for the day......by adding ties to their outfits. What a great looking group!

Quick visit to Valencia, Spain

Last Wednesday, during our school's Fasnacht break, Jennifer and Cam took a cheap Ryanair flight from Basel to Valencia. Our bed and breakfast was on the eighth floor of apartment building right across the street from the new performing arts and science centres. We took in two great Imax shows, Mysteries of the Nile, and the Alps. The centre of Valencia is great too....the Sorrenos Gate, started in 1492, and completed in six years, was part of the old Valencia fortifications. There really are oranges on the trees in the middle of February in Valencia. Fantastic!

Christmas Photos

The 2007 Christmas season has all but wrapped up, and most of the Barbour family has returned to Canada. We had a great time in Weil am Rhein, just visiting, playing games, and eating far too much. We were glad to have visits over the break from Nigel and Beatta Beaumont from Bielefeld, Joel Braun from Zurich, Vijay and Tobias from Lucerne, as well as school staff members and friends. It made the whole holiday time very special, having lots of people in the apartment.
It has also been great to have Carolyn stay a few extra days, but alas, she is heading back tomorrow, Jan. 10th.

The B family drove up to Rotenburg aub der Tauber for a day or so, then stopped in Berg to visit the Rheinhardt family for a day as well.

Cam and Jen's photos are not nearly as good as Dan and Renae's, so please enjoy the slideshow to get a sense of what we were all up to:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Renae.Barbour/ChristmasInGermanyDec15Dec28/photo#s5151849778914873650


Happy New Year everyone!

Rhein International School Wishes you a Merry Christmas!

After a little jostling and struggling on a slippery hillside, all of the students and (most of the) staff of Rhein International Academy managed to pose for our Christmas photo. Wherever you are, all of us at RIA wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Leina and Joe's Wedding Reception

It was a pleasure to be able to attend Leina (Kowalsky) and Joe Reinhardt's wedding reception here in Germany, since we weren't able to attend the wedding in Canada. Joe's family and friends treated us royally, and Leina and Joe looked wonderful as the community celebrated their new "Canadian" family member. We look forward to meeting some of the Reinhardt family again soon. Thanks again for the hospitality!

Middle School Tour of the Salt Works

Earlier this Fall, the Gr. 4-8 classes visited the Rheinsalinen (Salt Works) in Ribourg, just outside of Basel, Switzerland. Here, salt has been extracted from underground deposits since the mid 1800's by pumping water below ground, and then retrieving and processing the salt water which is extracted. Table salt, pharmaceutical salt, and road salt are all produced here. When we visited, the road salt storage dome was packed full, awaiting a snowy winter, when salt will be applied to roads all over this part of Europe.