The  2011  Zurfluh  Family  Letter  Here   is   another   edition   of   the   Zurfluh   Family   Letter   with   the  now  traditional  total  family  involvement.  Enjoy!    Jon  We  are  writing  this  while  on  vacation  in  Guangzhou,  China  –  the  place  where  love  brought  Emily  and  I  together  almost  16  years  ago.    Amongst  my  “other  hemisphere”  family  members,  we  are  finding   tremendous   joy   through   the   memories,   food,   and  surroundings.     It   is   truly   amazing   the   transformations   that  emerge   in   this   robust   city   between   visits.     China   never  disappoints.    Moscow,   thus   far,   has   been   an   exhilarating   and   enriching  experience.    As  I  build  new  friendships  and  many  new  working  relationships,   I’m   amazed   at   the   warmth   and   welcome   that  surrounds   us.     Staff,   parents,   students   –   all   have   been  tremendously  accommodating  when  I  make  the  usual  mistakes  of  a  new  leader  getting  settled.    It’s  both  an  amazing  school  and  a  wonderful   challenge  because  of  a   robust  array  of   traditions  and  an  established  organizational  culture.    But,  my  message  of  attending  to  the  small  things  has  resonated  with  staff  and  I’m  being  given  the  opportunity  to  build  working  relationships  that  will  lead  to  the  next  level  of  accomplishment  at  AAS.    It  is  a  wonderful  feeling  taking  my  experiences  from  University  Place,  Guangzhou,  White  River,  and  Shanghai  into  this  diverse  environment.    It  seems   like   all   those   small   interactions   that   have   taken   place   over   three   decades   in   education  emerge  each  day  in  new  and  unique  ways.    Whether  it  is  negotiating  with  contractors  on  the  St.  Petersburg  campus  renovation  or  having  a  chat  with  teachers  about  methodology  and  pedagogy  –  I   love  every  minute  of  time  spent   immersed  in  all  aspects  of  my  profession  in  a  near  perfect  synergy  of  both  purpose  and  trajectory.    I  love  the  history.    I  am  overjoyed  at  the  opportunities  that  exist  here.    I  love  the  city  despite  the  occasional  traffic  snarls.    I  cannot  wait  to  enjoy  more  of  the  arts  and  culture;  we  have  had  a  taste  that  only  leaves  us  thirsty  for  more.    I  want  to  fall   in  love   with   the   ballet   again   after   a   recent   trip   to   the  Marinskiy   in   St.   Petersburg   where   I   met  ballerinas   backstage   and   toured   the   halls   and   passages   of   the   oldest   and  most   historic   ballet  

theater  in  existence.    I  fell  in  love  with  Peterhoff  and  look  forward   to   greeting   the   fountains   again   in   the   spring.    I’m   awestruck   by   the   Hermitage   and   the   Kremlin’s  temples  and  museums.    There  is  much  on  the  horizon  as  the   excitement   continues   to   build   in   this   fabulous  epicenter  of  history.    Wishing   you   all   equal   excitement   and   joy   in   what   you  plan!    May   the   dawn   of   2012   bring   you   renewal,   hope,  and  faith  for  the  aspirations  you  face!    

Emily  2011   is   another   busy,   exciting,   and   fulfilling   year.     In   January,   Jon   and   I   stopped   in   Paris   to  celebrate  our  wedding  anniversary.    We  had  a  great  time.    The  food,  the  wine,  the  Eiffel  Tower,  the  Louvre  Art  Museum,  and   the  street  cafés  –   it  was  such  a  perfect   time  and  perfect  place   to  look  back  on  the  journey  that  we  have  taken  together  over  15  years.    With  the  end  of  2011,  I  am  enjoying  continued  success  in  my  program  with  Western  Governor’s  University.    I  finished  most  of  my   coursework   before  moving   to  Moscow   in   July.     I   also   passed   all   the   required   tests   for  expanding   my   Washington   State   teacher   certification   from   Early   Childhood   to   Elementary  grades.     I   am   getting   very   close   to   completion,   currently   projected   for   this   coming   spring.    

With  the  U.  S.  Ambassador's  wife  Informal  tour  of  Spasso  House  

St.  Basils  in  August  

Moving  to  Moscow  in   July  marked  another  beginning  of  a  new  chapter   in  our   lives.    We  really  enjoy   our   new   home,   new   school,   and   the   new   friends   that   we   made.     Jaisen   and   Erin   did  amazingly  well  settling  into  the  new  environment.    I,  for  the  first  time,  experience  the  struggle  of  living  in  a  foreign  country  with  a  language  that  I  don’t  understand.    Thank  goodness  for  all  the  support   I   have   received   from   new   friends,   school   staff,   Google   Translate,   and   my   iPhone.     I  managed   to   find  most  of  what  we  need   to   live  and  work   in  a  new  and  sometimes  challenging  city.    During  Christmas  break,  we  stopped  in  Shanghai  before  flying  to  Guangzhou  to  spend  time  with  my  family.    It  was  nice  to  see  some  of  the  familiar  places  and  meet  up  with  old  friends.    It  brought  back  many  fond  memories  of  our  many  experiences  in  this  exciting  city.    Times  spent  in  Guangzhou  with  my   family  made  me   realize   how  much   I   have  missed   them   (of   course,   I   also  missed  my  mom’s  homemade  soup  and  the  Cantonese  food,  too)  and  how  blessed  and  fortunate  that  I  am  to  be  able  to  spend  more  time  with  them.    Hoping  this  greeting  finds  you  surrounded  by  family,  friends,  love,  health,  and  peace!    Jaisen  2011  has  been  an  amazing,  and  eventful  year!    In  January,  my  classmates  at  Drum  Intermediate  School  and  I  returned  from  winter  break  to  continue  the  school  year  in  2011.    School  got  harder,  but  I  managed  to  keep  about  an  “A-­‐“  average.     I   also   started   my   second   year   in   Lacrosse.     I   primarily   played  Middie  on  the  second  line  of  the  team,  so  I  got  to  see  quite  a  bit  of  playtime  with   substitutions.     That   continued   from  February   until   about  May.    When  the  last  day  of  school  arrived,  I  knew  I  would  miss  all  of  my  friends  at  Drum  deeply,  and  I  still  do.    I  wish  I  could  have  had  more  time  with  all  of  them,  but  I  hung   out   with   many   during   the   early   part   of   summer.     My   summer   was   filled   with   parties,  playing   football   (soccer),   and   various   activities,   in   both   Washington   and   Moscow.     I   also  practiced  with  my   original   football   team  until   the   day   I   left  Washington   for  my  new  home   in  Moscow,  Russia.    We  arrived  in  Moscow  on  July  9th  and  got  to  our  house.    It  was  summer  and  it  

was  boiling  hot.    The  air  conditioning  in  our  house  was  turned  up  all  the  way  and  had  only  moderate  effect.    We  unpacked  and  settled  in  a  few  short  days.    I  made  new  friends  much  quicker  than   I   thought   I  would.     I   played   football   and   hung   out  with  them  during  the  last  bit  of  summer.    Then  school  started,  and  it  has   been   a   bit   challenging.     Despite   that,   I   am   holding   a   “B”  average  in  most  classes.    I’ve  made  many   new   friends   since   the  beginning  of  the  school  year.    Now,  

with  half  the  year  gone,  I  really  feel  like  I  am  having  a  great  time.    I  made  the  CEESA  Football  team,  the  top  football  team  of  the  middle  school,   which   consists   of   15   boys.     We   traveled   to   Budapest,  Hungary  and  placed  fifth  in  an  Eastern  European  tournament.    I  am  currently  trying  out  for  the  CEESA  Basketball  team  and  I  am  hoping  to  go  to  Helsinki  or  Bucharest,  depending  on  how  the  teams  end  up  forming.    Wish  me  luck  and  have  a  great  New  Year!    -­‐-­‐Jaisen    Erin  So  much  has  filled  this  year  such  as  taking  risks  and  leaving  friends  and  family.    While   it   has   been   challenging,   I   would   like   to   tell   you   all   about   2011.     In  January,  it  was  a  blast  to  finally  start  2011  and  to  celebrate  it  with  friends  and  family.    On  New  Year’s  Eve,  we  stayed  up  until  midnight  having  fun  but  we  did  not  care  because  we  were  together.    I  could  not  wait  until  the  school  year  was  over  but  I  worried  about  how  I  was  going  to  do  on  the  MSP  (Measurement  of  Student  Progress).    When  it  was  almost  time  for  it,  I  was  nervous  because  I  did  

not  know  if  I  was  going  to  do  well  or  not.    Shortly  after  this  we  found  out  about  the  traveling  side  of  the  story.    Our   dad   told   us   that   we   were   moving   to   Moscow,  Russia!    I  was  a  little  bit  excited  but  how  was  I  going  to  tell  my   friends?    How  would   they   take   it?    When  my  friends   found   out,   they   were   amazed   and   surprised.    But,  I  also  noticed  that  they  were  a  bit  mad  at  me.    On  the  last  day  of  school,  the  madness  changed  to  sadness  and   tears,   but   it   was   still   fun   to   spend   the   last   few  hours   with   my   good   friends.     Now   that   we   are   in  Moscow,  it  has  been  a  blast!    I  have  made  friends  with  

about   50   girls   in   the   5th   grade   and   I   am   fitting   in   wonderfully.     I   like  Moscow   because   there   is   lots   of   history   to   learn.     At   school,   we   have  students   from  many  different   countries.    We  celebrate  different   cultures  around  the  world.    However,  in  Moscow,  there  are  also  many  smokers  and  I  am  bothered  by  the  smell  a  bit.    With  an  international  school  comes  the  occasional  changes  and  one  of  my  new  best  friends  that  I  have  only  known  for  about  4  months  just  left  for  Thailand  .    I’m  super  sad,  but  I  know  that  we  will  always  be  friends  even  though  we’re  too  far  apart,  just  like  all  my  friends  back   in  Washington  and  Shanghai.  Wherever  you  are,   I  hope  you  have  a  great  year!!    I  love  that  we  are  getting  back  to  an  even  number!    :p      -­‐-­‐Erin  

       

 The  Archangel’s  Cathedral  at  the  Kremlin  

 

Erin's  debut  as  TweedleDee  in  Alice  in  Wonderland