Guilt about not writing...
I just looked back at the blog, and realized that my last post was April 14! It is now June - barely, but still June. I promised Aunty Bev (one person who really checks in on me regularly), that I would write something soon. It seems to have been a really long two, tiring months at work.
The Exhibition, which is the final project for the students in the PYP took an enormous amount of energy from me. I was monitoring the work and efforts of 6 separate groups of students, and trying to get them to reach heights never achieved before... It was successful, but took an enormous amount from me. I would come home and fall asleep at 8:30 with the boys, and then get up feeling like I had not slept at all. The boys told me they couldn't wait until Exhibition was over so they could have their normal, non grumpy Mum back. It was fine in the end, but it has taken the last month for me to recuperate.
Immediately following the final presentations I began to plan for the end of the school year. Writing the reports that take over 4 weekends of work, setting everything up for the next school year, and still trying to teach. I'm ready to be done. Last week I learned that the Grade 5 room will be moving as well, so on top of everything else, I will also have to pack up the classroom one more time... But after that I will only have one box to move to the classroom where I will be spending most of my time next year. I will share a room with my friend Carol, which will make life a bit more fun and interesting.
Strangely enough the weather here has been mostly rainy the last few months as well. This week was the first week that we had heat. Last night after a TGIF at a teacher's house I went for a long swim in the pool in the dark. I enjoyed the laps, and watched fascinated as the bats diving for a drink of water worked to avoid me. The cresecent moon was brightly shining over me, and the green of the creeping ivy on the walls kept the space nice and cool when I got out.
Today I went to the bazaar to buy some Uzbek hats for the Grade 5 recognition ceremony with my assistant. She is so fantastic, and I am going to miss working with her next year. She has helped me so much with so many things - she always knows where to get everything. After the hats, she walked with me to buy some small gifts, and a larger wedding present to take home with me to Latvia. I always get a much better price when I am with her.
Healthwise I am feeling good. My body is changing. I have lost about 6kgs which is pretty good for me during this time, and I see that my clothes are hanging in some spots, and in others that they are no longer tight. I am looking forward to adding the supplements my dietician has recommended to see if they will help the process. I can't buy them here, and the summer will be my trial period to see if I should bring them back with me.
The boys are fantastic right now. They are growing up into fine young boys, who I am very proud of. They are still learning to make the right decisions, but we have formed an understanding of expectations, and a way of communicating positively to solve problems. I will miss them over the summer, but will get to see them periodically. I also am looking forward to a rest for myself for the few weeks that I will have when I am not attending conferences.
Now I think that it is time for to sit outside for a while in the sun - as it is possible I won't see sun in Latvia..., and take a swim. Then I need to tackle some organization for writing reports tomorrow, ugh. Then I have to attend a goodbye party for one of my ex-students - the boys have a sleepover with friends. The nice thing is that friends will also come tomorrow, and we will make our own shashlik and cook it - it will be a nice mellowly, relaxing afternoon as a result of that.
Things will wind down very quickly for the end of this year, and soon enough we will be in Latvia, and I will be writing from there.
The Exhibition, which is the final project for the students in the PYP took an enormous amount of energy from me. I was monitoring the work and efforts of 6 separate groups of students, and trying to get them to reach heights never achieved before... It was successful, but took an enormous amount from me. I would come home and fall asleep at 8:30 with the boys, and then get up feeling like I had not slept at all. The boys told me they couldn't wait until Exhibition was over so they could have their normal, non grumpy Mum back. It was fine in the end, but it has taken the last month for me to recuperate.
Immediately following the final presentations I began to plan for the end of the school year. Writing the reports that take over 4 weekends of work, setting everything up for the next school year, and still trying to teach. I'm ready to be done. Last week I learned that the Grade 5 room will be moving as well, so on top of everything else, I will also have to pack up the classroom one more time... But after that I will only have one box to move to the classroom where I will be spending most of my time next year. I will share a room with my friend Carol, which will make life a bit more fun and interesting.
Strangely enough the weather here has been mostly rainy the last few months as well. This week was the first week that we had heat. Last night after a TGIF at a teacher's house I went for a long swim in the pool in the dark. I enjoyed the laps, and watched fascinated as the bats diving for a drink of water worked to avoid me. The cresecent moon was brightly shining over me, and the green of the creeping ivy on the walls kept the space nice and cool when I got out.
Today I went to the bazaar to buy some Uzbek hats for the Grade 5 recognition ceremony with my assistant. She is so fantastic, and I am going to miss working with her next year. She has helped me so much with so many things - she always knows where to get everything. After the hats, she walked with me to buy some small gifts, and a larger wedding present to take home with me to Latvia. I always get a much better price when I am with her.
Healthwise I am feeling good. My body is changing. I have lost about 6kgs which is pretty good for me during this time, and I see that my clothes are hanging in some spots, and in others that they are no longer tight. I am looking forward to adding the supplements my dietician has recommended to see if they will help the process. I can't buy them here, and the summer will be my trial period to see if I should bring them back with me.
The boys are fantastic right now. They are growing up into fine young boys, who I am very proud of. They are still learning to make the right decisions, but we have formed an understanding of expectations, and a way of communicating positively to solve problems. I will miss them over the summer, but will get to see them periodically. I also am looking forward to a rest for myself for the few weeks that I will have when I am not attending conferences.
Now I think that it is time for to sit outside for a while in the sun - as it is possible I won't see sun in Latvia..., and take a swim. Then I need to tackle some organization for writing reports tomorrow, ugh. Then I have to attend a goodbye party for one of my ex-students - the boys have a sleepover with friends. The nice thing is that friends will also come tomorrow, and we will make our own shashlik and cook it - it will be a nice mellowly, relaxing afternoon as a result of that.
Things will wind down very quickly for the end of this year, and soon enough we will be in Latvia, and I will be writing from there.
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