Summer Begins!

So sorry about yesterday, but it didn't feel like Sunday until it was too late. Manuel came out for dinner and stayed until my bedtime, so i just didn't want to stay up any longer. And for all of you who may be thinking there might be a relationship here, you're right... we're good friends and nothing more. And I'm perfectly happy with this arrangement. Sorry to burst any imaginary bubbles that may have formed, but he is and always will be just a very dear friend.

Last week I tutored Thomas for the last time and mentored the two brothers for what may or may not be the last time. Mentors are encouraged to continue on from year to year with their mentees, but I never really felt like I had connected with these two boys. I'd already decided to tell the counselor to ask them if they want me as their mentor next year or if they'd prefer someone new. So imagine my surprise when Sean, the 5th grader, told me on Wednesday that he hopes I will be his mentor again next year. It really made me happy. He'll be in junior high, but not far from here, so I guess I'll see him again in the fall. The 2nd grader is another matter, but we'll see how it goes.

Bottom line... I'm really looking forward to my first week with no obligations (except exercise classes). Let the games begin!

Blog Tomorrow

Sorry, check back tomorrow.

Let the games begin!

I just finished my last tutoring session with Alaeldin until the first of August and while I'll miss the extra money, a break will be good for both of us. I spend too much time trying to find things for him since he doesn't do schoolwork, but I look at it as time well spent. His dad told me today that their family is going to Sudan this summer because that's where he and his wife are from. They'll be gone a month and I'm flying back the same day they are... what a coincidence.

And tomorrow will be my last day tutoring Thomas, too, also until the first of Aug. I think I've finally convinced his parents that he needs to hit it again before school starts, but it remains to be seen if I really have. Regardless, I'm looking forward to my vacation from all my kids, too. I'll still be seeing Tristen at Krause House, of course, but all my school-related activities will be put on hold. Yee haw!

Until I was a teacher, I never knew that teachers are just as excited about summers as the kids are. And when I'd tell my students that, they were always surprised (so I had to tell them every year).

Ouch!

I got my typhoid and yellow fever vaccines this week and I'm not happy. First of all, they were very expensive and secondly, the yellow fever is still red, swollen, and hurts. Fortunately my nurse friend told me it's not uncommon. I had to go to a health clinic recommended by my GP's office and the guy was a serious weirdo.
This sign was one of five in the consultation room regarding cancellations, showing up late, etc. The vaccines were very expensive and he even charged me $25 just for writing the prescription for anti-malarial medication. What a ripoff! But the bottom line is... I'm ready to go. Still waiting on my passport (due to the bruised face photo), but I've been told if I haven't gotten it by the end of May, I can expedite the process, for a fee of course.

My take on all this is that this is my trip of a lifetime, so even though I may bitch about the little things, it just doesn't matter. I do feel I need to shelter in place between now and June 28th, just so I don't break a bone or get infected by someone, but since my worst accidents happen in my house, that's probably not necessary.

Busy Week

STAAR testing is this upcoming week, which is Texas' standardized test, so I did a lot of tutoring. I saw Thomas three times to review and I feel like he's as prepared as he could be. The only thing I couldn't get him to agree on is that he should work all the easy problems first and then go back to the others. His thinking is that he wants to get the hard ones over first, so his brain can rest on the easier ones. This is his first year of testing, so I didn't hammer too hard, but did try to explain that the test is timed and he doesn't want to run out of time before doing the ones he knows. We'll see...

I went to a birthday lunch with some old friends, a birthday dinner with 20 of my new friends, and hosted a Kentucky Derby party yesterday. Add in errands, walking the dogs, and exercise classes and it made for a pretty busy week. But because of the testing I won't be tutoring or mentoring this week, so feel like I'm on vacation. Looking forward to it!