oh and in NZ,,,,theres no pres bush, no NCLB policies, no food police, etc!!!! ref other posting with the sagas we parents have to endure with each new wave of public school policy-making!!!!smile. (no offense to bush, just recounteing what ive read on these BBs)
And if youre adventurous, I hear New Zealand is the place to be, green, clean, more sheep than humans, low crime, etc etc. and still affordable. And they speak English.
As for places to live, I'm partial to the great Midwest. I'm no expert mind you, because I've never lived in any other part of the country, but friends who have moved around a lot say this is the friendliest part of the country. I live in a town of about 25,000 and the crime rates are low, people are nice and it's a good place to raise the kids. Some complain that there isn't much to do, but I feel like you make your own fun and our town really does offer a wide variety of activities if you pay attention. We're not that far from major metropolitan areas if you need the "big city" experience.
then again, maybe no school on weds afternoons is so the teahcers and admin staff can play golf, just like doctors take thurs or fri afternoons off.......
who knows. its our tax dollars not at work, just kidding, they do get the same total nr of hours of school per week as others who dont have weds off, just screws up the parents weekly schedule, thats all, but since when do schools care what parents think or say about anything?? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!