First two weeks of school done, only taught a few classes. Trying to replace my tenth graders with more fifth and sixth graders, but so far my schedule hasn't changed.
This past week, the third week of school I missed to attend winter language refresher in resort for the improvement of health), the woods. It was a bit like being back in college. I really miss sustained academic thought. Language refresher was 3 packed days of Ukrainian study and practice with 40ish other volunteers and 9 instructors. We had great small classes, useful topics, excellent grammar, even extracurricular dance, arts, and culture clubs before dinner. Ukrainian language movies, catch phrase and chess followed dinner. Slightly nerdy, volunteers' normal use of alcohol was curtailed by a ban, which led to a very tame (perhaps in part due to the cold grey mist and 8am breakfast). Now light enough to run at 7:40am, I enjoyed the new network of forest trails, giant fields and even some
Teacher Collaborative meeting tomorrow in Volodomir Valinsk. Many volunteers are actually experienced qualified teachers who have lots of great stuff to share. Since we are introducing many foreign education concepts, it's nice to have a support network within which to share success and failures. We also share resources and project ideas.
Sunday back to Mosty to check out the one option I have for a new home. It's on the second floor of a house with a mother and daughter living on the first floor. Not exactly sure how separate it would be, perhaps it will be like moving back in with a host family. Hopefully I'll find out Sunday.
As far as I know everything worked out for my grant, but I'm still waiting for the money to appear in my account. I'm getting worried because the training of trainers is planned for February 27th, and I need money for the coffee breaks and brochures.
Getting ready for the meeting of the environmental working group, of which I am the head. Got the agenda all done, now just have to conduct a productive and successful meeting. First for everything I guess.
I made it through January on only my emergency reserve of money, because I spent my entire January allowance on the train from Heidelberg to Luzern while I was hanging with my brothers. But the February allowance is in my account, and I can get back on my chocolate kick.
One more month of solid winter, then the flowers will poke through the snow and rain will start competing with the snow to make mud even more effectively than the cat in the hat can make pink snow.
