end-of-year

Tuesday I had my end of year plays for my two second grade classes, my third graders will perform tomorrow. The 2b headteacher stood up after the performance and started with "I have some news about Ms. Lauren." At that, I went to myself, "oh, hell." Sure enough, she proceeded to tell everyone that I am leaving the school. The kids gasped. They cried, and grabbed me, and started shouting in Hungarian that I can't leave, why was I leaving, and so forth. I was doing alright until one of them grabbed my leg and quietly said, in English, "You can't go away from us, please." That was when I lost it.

Then I went to 2c's performance and repeated the same thing, except in 2c there are two little girls who adore me, and who started sobbing. So I lost it again. So I'm looking forward to repeating this process tomorrow, though I suppose it will be less intense since the news has spread somewhat through the school.

On the plus side, since this announcement I feel like even more of a rock star at school than usual, with kids running to grab me, kissing me, presenting me with pictures and flowers and little hand-made gifts. I'll miss the hell out of them.

On the other side of the end of year spectrum, I am tired. Really, really tired. I love my program and working for it and having various freedoms to do what I want to do, but damn if it isn't exhausting come this time of term. Today Edit, lovely professional Edit, walked into 6th lesson with two cups of ice cream. She handed one to me, we handed out worksheets, and we spent the first ten minutes of class quietly complaining about administrative things, workload, and so on. It was lovely and one of the purest moments of happiness I've had in Hungary, and also deliciously evil to eat ice cream in front of children who are doing review worksheets. :)

The horrible weather we've experienced recently seems to have calmed down, so I'm back on Tiff and staying relatively dry, sun on my face, my arms slowly turning brown. Benci has suddenly gotten very old, but she still happily snacks and now sleeps in our hands and pockets, which is very sweet. She is also the proud new owner of two hammocks, which she loves.

I just baked my first cobbler of the season (rhubarb, bought in Prague and brought back to BP) and the smell has filled the whole house. It's summer.