Monico Family Travels

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  • Farewell Bob Bob

    Posted at 10:06 am by Charlotte, on July 5, 2019

    If you have been following our travels, you will know that we were lucky enough to have had the most incredible teacher traveling with us.

    His remit was to keep the girls on track with the the UK core curriculum, but he has brought SOOOOO much more to their education, to the girls more broadly and to James and I as a friend and travel companion.

    He has had many names over the 10 months that we were together.  We started rather formally with Robert, and worked our way through Rob, Roberto, Rob San, Bob San, Bob, to Bob Bob.  He will now be forever Bob Bob, but we promise not to call you that ‘in public’ Rob, just in the safety of the Monicofamilytravels cocoon.

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    Here’s just one of the crazy, spectacular, and downright extraordinary classrooms that Bob’s taught in this year

    We had a protracted IMG_20190703_184117set of celebrations and goodbyes starting with the last night he hung out with the girls while James and I enjoyed a date night.  They  started recording a cooking show together (YouTube stylee) as they often do to have a lark while Rob prepares their tea.  Bob Bob totally surprised them this time instructing them to pull out 3 boxes of lurid and spectacularly sugary cereal from a secret stash drawer.  We have an ongoing joke with Rob about cereal, so the girls were both taken aback and totally thrilled when they realised that they were legitimately getting to eat unlimited amounts of  unhealthy cereal for their evening meal!

    Next night was the materialisation of one of a series of fabulous Christmas presents Bob Bob gave to James and I.  It consisted of a delicious home cooked meal.  Bella and Emily were kind enough to act as waitresses, so we had the most amazing gourmet experience without moving from our spectacular alfresco home table, and  without lifting a finger.

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    It was so delicious we suspect Rob left it until the last week to deliver in case we figured out what a great chef he is and attempted to prevail upon his cooking talents more frequently!

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    Cheers Bob Bob!  Happy Christmas (!), and THANK YOU

    After dinner, Rob performed a song for us.  He wrote the lyrics (copied at the bottom of this post) all about our trip to the tune of Old Town Road by Billy Ray Cyrus, and there weren’t many dry eyes by the time he finished.  Music is just another one of Rob’s talents that he shared so generously with us all.

    On Robs last full day, Emily and I disappeared to town for some girl time in the afternoon, and the Minecraft maniacs (James, Bella and Bob) had a bit of a binge back home on the sofa.  I can’t tell you exactly what they did, but I know that it involved villagers, racing horses and deadly zombies.  Anyway, they had fun and Millie and I were glad to be elsewhere!

    We went to one of Bali’s classic restaurants, Bridges, for Rob’s last meal of the trip.  Over drinks at the bar, we presented him with cards, Monicofamilytravels t-shirts, ’string art’ masterpieces from the girls, and James read a poem he’d written about our time together (copied at the bottom of this post).  There were lots of laughs, and a few more tears, followed by some delicious dining.

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    Emily celebrating one of Rob’s encouraging catch phrases

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    Another Rob-ism from Bella that will be with us for life (along with the accompanying head/shades flick)

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    Bob bob turned out to be a bit of a hippy magnet, but we’ll leave him to tell you those stories!

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    The nice one

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    The Insta pout (needs working on!!)

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    Delivering his poem

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    Listening to James’s poem

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    Opening the string art masterpieces

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    Fancy dining!

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    Beautiful view over the valley of the old and the new bridge

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    a 360 (by Bella) of the restaurant

    That night was the last of the sleepovers where the amazing Roberto bunked in with the girls.  What kind of amazing teacher does that?!?!!?  Last seen disappearing with fizzy cola bottles and a box of glow sticks,  we imagine they got some sleep, but their eyes in the morning suggest that it wasn’t much!

    In school this week, Rob recreated an entire learning journey for the girls.

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    They started with a day of ‘reception, having fun mis-writing their spellings, colouring, asking to go to the toilet constantly, and enjoying nap time and story time.  The learning journey culminated in a re-creation of University, receiving a ‘lecture’ from Rob.  He cunningly weaved in lots about different learning styles to help embed the personal maturation the girls have achieved this year with the benefit of his 2-on-1 tuition.

    Some of the outputs from reception class:

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    After Monicofamilytravels University finished for the day, Bob Bob held a wonderful graduation ceremony for the girls.  He had created bespoke certificates for them to commemorate their incredible achievements……….

    Bella Millie Bob School certificates:

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    …… handed over their schoolbooks…….

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    …….and gifted them the most fabulous bag of goodies.  The bags themselves were constructed from printed montages of BMB (Bella, Millie, Bob), and the gifts inside all had personal stories behind them: some weird pizza sweets (must be an inside joke!), a beautiful wooden spoon (for cereal), a Bob bear each, a hair band (because the girls were always playing with his hair, and regularly helped him shave his ‘back-burns’), elephant bracelets, and a rubber (marked on the back to remind the girls that they shouldn’t always rub out things that they are not 100% satisfied with, but should challenge themselves to work with what they wrote/drew, and keep going).  I’m sure I’ve missed loads, but the point is that the gifts represented the level of thoughtfulness and creativity with which we will forever associate with Rob San!

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    The girls also held onto one of his t-shirts each which they haven’t really taken off since he left.

    The finale to the graduation ceremony was a series of photos set to music that Rob compiled from all the occasions when the girls and he had had their own adventures.

    It was so fun to see moments captured that James and I hadn’t even known had happened, and it was a bitter sweet visual journey of happiness, adventure, love and nostalgia.

    I can’t dwell too much on the final farewells, as I’ll get discomBOBulated and teary again.  There were a lot of soggy hugs:
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    Its soooooo hard to let go!

    Robert Thomas – THANK YOU for coming with us, and we wish you all the very best for your next walking adventure, and your incredibly promising future in the teaching profession.  We are counting the days till we can come hose you down, feed you up, and swap stories again.
    In the mean time, Monicofamilytravels RULES!!!
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    Monicofamilytravels t-shirts!

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    Monicofamilytravesls crew

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    Drowning our sorrows in a giant glass of rose after Bob Bob left – our home felt very empty without him.

    James’s ode to Bob Bob

    There was a young lad from Saltburn on Sea
    With a peculiar liking for Yorkshire tea
    While eating a late night bowl of frosteeees
    He saw an ad that was surely a tease

    The advert set out in clear nomenclature
    The details of a crazy year long adventure
    Bob set about becoming the best interviewee
    To join Monico family travels with his box of Yorkshire tea

    His first day as a teacher
    Was in delightful Argentina
    At a house in Palermo soho
    Surrounded by street art and delicious gelato

    With the first lesson completed
    We know Mr Thomas would not be defeated
    For the girls and he just clicked
    And Charlotte and James loved his kindness and wit

    A note to all teachers who are learning to ride
    Buy a pair of budgie smugglers, your manhood should hide
    For Bob quickly mastered galloping with style and grace
    And an ever so slight wince on his face

    Like a charm from pandora
    Bob bobs magic aura
    Attracted hippies from the beach to airbnb

    For late night chats
    About spirit animals and all that
    When all he wanted was a cup of Yorkshire tea

    On this Minecrafty day
    We wish Bob bon chance on his way
    And we know in our hearts
    This friendship will last

    As we raise a glass with love and thanks
    To Bob Bob Thomas

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    Bob Bob’s song

    Well the Monicos are going all around the world
    Were goanna fly till we can’t no more

    Well we start in BA
    Where Bob loves the Crepas
    Millie love the chocolate
    And Bella loves the wagu

    We’re In Argentina
    Of course were riding horses
    Bob’s on Chimango
    Bella’s on Tornado

    Now were in Los Pots
    Jeff is swearing
    Kevin’s teasing
    Massi’s sleeping

    Now were in Colombia
    We digging on the beach
    We’re walking in the forest
    We’ve got a guide taking selfies

    Now Lela’s here
    And your mum and dad are partying
    We went to a man bar
    In Santa Marta

    Now were on aeroplane
    We land in japan
    It’s very cold
    In Shibu Onsen

    Then we take a train
    and then take an aeroplane
    we land in Hokaido
    then we go to Sapporo

    We get to Niseko
    We ski down a mountain
    We’re on snow mobiles
    For James’ birthday

    Now we’re in Tokyo
    Where we go on lots of trips
    But bob got lost in
    Tokyo station

    We hired a car
    And went to the mountains
    We slept on the floor
    And walked the dogs in the morning

    Now in Indonesia
    Where the food is good
    But It’s very hot
    and we have to wear long sleeves

    Then we went to Bankaru
    oh no we didn’t
    we went to Tailana
    it was very beautiful

    We went back and helped out
    Tom, Prass and Feetree
    we said goodbye
    and we went on half term

    Now we’re in Bali
    Living in a villa
    It’s got a nice pool
    Surrounded by rice fields

    Bob got his hair died
    And Millie got her hair done
    Sarah taught us RE
    And Robyn came for Pete Tong

    Now it’s nearly over
    We had a really good time
    But I’ll stay in touch
    so I’ll say see you next time

    Well the Monicos have been all around the world
    Were goanna fly till we can’t no more

     

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    The sun has set on our first adventure with you Rob, but we know that somehow, somewhere we will have more together

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    Author: Charlotte

    | 3 Comments |

    3 thoughts on “Farewell Bob Bob”

    • sarah thorley

      July 21, 2019 at 8:23 am

      GREAT! What a lot you have all shared. Love the poem and the song and the cards.
      I wish you all the best, Rob, in whatever you do next and always.
      Sarah

      Reply
    • Ness Langdale

      July 21, 2019 at 4:41 pm

      Rob sounds the most amazing teacher/friend.
      Love the photo at the end
      xx

      Reply
      • Charlotte

        August 4, 2019 at 4:26 pm

        Thanks Ness!! Xx

        Reply

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