Positivity Amidst the Adjustment

Saturday 15^th October

Three nice things in the middle of the delicate adjusting as we acclimatise to our life here.

The elementary school have a 10 minute break after each lesson and are sent out in the playground to run around and let off steam.  I was sitting outside on a low wall in the playground during a lesson and when the year 1 class were all let out the most delicious little boy came right up close to me.  Automatically, and still with the phone to my ear talking, I put my arm around him pulled him to me, almost distractedly and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  This started a frenzy as all of them wanted to be kissed and I had to do it to all of them as they presented themselves to me.  How funny!

During lesson 2 in the afternoon, I was told I had to go to the library, and the librarian had set out a supra (feast) for herself, the director, the PE teacher me and Juliet.  It was really yummy and she had made it all herself. Eggs, khachapuri, battered fish (bigger than whitebait but that kind of thing) and the aubergine in a nut sauce.  Delish!  Not forgetting the cognac, which was reputedly made of roses but actually tasted more like benelin. I am sure it was good for my cold anyhow.

On the way home, I have to walk down this very long cow shit route which serves also as a road.  I heard a bunch of “hello”s behind me and about 10 year 3s and 4s were running towards me.  “Come on” I shouted to them and they caught me up.  It was obvious that we all had to hold hands and sing “Heigh Ho!” as we walked along and they absolutely creased up when I did the whistling bit.  They all trailed off on the way and in the end I was escorted home.  I left 2 boys at the crossroads who put a new twist on the ageold gae of pushing your mate into a puddle.  One shouted “hello” and shoved then the other shouted “Goodbye” and shoved.  Excellent!  I will have to try that in class