On the "Up-swing"!

So after that encounter with the family two weeks ago or so, I came to my present residence and stayed in my room for the following 24 hours! I cried a lot and did some thinking. I am not sure I came to any real conclusions, but I felt a little better afterward. I talked with my present hosts about it, and they said that I shouldn't worry about what the girls think as they are merely children. It would be so much easier to heed their advice if I didn't care so much about them.

Those at school are getting more and more complicated. Most still aren't talking to me, but it is all good. I am getting closer to my wonderful 4th and 6th graders. The teachers threw me a going away party, which was great fun! They seemed very concerned about whether I thought they were friendly or not. They have been, but this is just yet another clue in the puzzle of what I have done. It is an absolutely fascinating puzzle I have to solve .... I hope that I can keep the emotional part out of it from now on though.

My flight home was changed from Sunday to Tuesday. They finally gave me the itinerary this morning; talk about last minute! At least they are going to take me to the airport at 3am so I can get my flight. I hope it is early enough; everyone seems to think that it will be, so here's hoping! I can't wait to get back to the US; it will be good to see the family and then friends when I head to Atlanta. Hopefully all will go well and the cost of flying home isn't too expensive. I have two bags, and I am only allowed one. Extra baggage fees can be outrageous, but I should be able to just bring one back (though one has a broken zipper, so I may just need to get a new one, again!!)

I have decided to return to Georgia for the next semester. The pay is basically nothing (what does one expect from a volunteer position), but the students need me. The circumstance are crazy, many of them can't afford books, and trying to make the teachers and students aware of different ways of teaching is difficult, but it is so worth it. I just wish I knew how to make a little money to supplement my income to help pay bills. I am sure something will come up; it always seems to.

I also wish I knew Georgian! How much easier my life would be if I could understand and express myself to the people here. I have finally bought some material that will hopefully help. I can't wait to try it out. I hope I will make enough progress to be able to chat a little with people when I get back in January.