Looooooooong

Somehow this day just seemed to go on forever- thus making the week seem even longer. That doesn't really make sense, though, considering today was only my second day in the classroom, and it is also my Friday since I will be off to Balti again tomorrow (Monday I took two of my students to write an English composition, Wednesday one had a group and individual interview, and tomorrow the other one has her interviews). What I find most ironic about my trips with my students to Balti for the FLEX exams/interviews is how many students go unsupervised. Where I went to school (in Suburban Kansas), I feel as though any sort of educational activity- if sponsored by a teacher- was always supervised. In Moldova it seems that the children are so accustomed to traveling alone to run errands for their hard-working parents, so it is almost foreign to them that I, the encouraging teacher, wants to accompany the children because I would feel a personal responsibility if something were to happen to them while they were not attending their classes.

On Monday the girls and I had to take the 5:30am rutiera because they couldn't be late for a 10pm meeting time- and the 8am rutiera would get us to Balti right at 10, which therefore would have made us late. I left the house when it was still a cold, dark, starry night, and I arrived back (around 6pm) in the same situation. While I was ridiculously tired, I will admit that it was beautiful to watch the sun come up on the foggy morning (even though we were in the rutiera so unfortunately I couldn't take a picture). When I arrived back in Varatic, my host mom was at the stop waiting for me and wondered why I hadn't arrived earlier... because many rutieras had gone by and I wasn't on them and she was worried I was stuck in Balti.

Thankfully on Wednesday I got to sleep in a bit- because I needed to catch the 8:30am rutiera. However, I mistakenly told my host family I needed the 8am rutiera, not the 8:30. So at 7:30 I was still in my PJ's and had just sat down for my breakfast and coffee when my host mom came into the house and said the rutiera had just passed by, was going to go to the neighboring village, and turn around and be back here soon. This confused me because it was so early... but I assumed it was going to take some time in the neighboring village before coming back. I finished my breakfast and coffee and then went back to my house to get dressed and gather my things. Next thing I knew, my host mom was in my house, breathing heavy, telling me to leave my coffee behind because she had stopped the rutiera for me. It was 7:50. I was so confused. I ran to the rutiera, got on it, then tried to find my phone to call my student. By the time I found it we were already out of Varatic. She got on the 8:30, as scheduled, and then we met in Balti.

Today was spent teaching kiddos English (what? really? no way?! lol) and decorating Luminita's classroom with the decorations I spent all weekend making. I'm pretty excited and I can't wait till it's all up- and then I will show you the finished room. It's already looking brighter and educational!

Now it's time for bed... tomorrow I have another 4:50am wakeup call.