Tired!

I'm emotionally and physically exhausted. I feel like I haven't slept in a week!

It all started with an amazing trip to Petrila for Joel's birthday! We all had a nice time hiking in the mountains and meeting Joel's friends/colleagues, but it had to come to an end so I hopped a train back to Tarnaveni. I got back just in time for one day of classes and volunteering at the Roma school, and the next morning I hopped aboard another train early in the am. I went down to Bucharest for two days in order to have my Mid-Service medical/dental appt. Everything went well, and I'm fit as a fiddle. To be honest, I was a little freaked out. You see, the director (principal) at my school was just diagnosed and underwent surgery for thryoid cancer...and because I have thyroid disease and am more susceptible to the disease I was a little freaked. My blood tests came back normal so my fears have subsided (just keep my director is your thoughts or prayers if you would).

I returned to Tarnaveni on Thursday night and headed to school early on Friday to finish filling in my marks in the Catalog (gradebook). I hate doing this so it added additional stressed to my already exhausted self. Friday night culminated in the 8th graders graduation party at Tarnava Restaurant. There was lots of food, drinks, and most of all dancing! I took a raincheck on going to the disco afterwards (that's right! Teachers going with the students to dance at a club!)...the dynamic between teachers and students here in Romania is very different than in the U.S. I teach because I love kids, but due to restrictions and regulations, as teachers in the States we tread a fine line between what is appropriate and what is inappropriate between teacher and student. Here is Romania the relationships between teacher and student are much closer...at first this made me uncomfortable, but now I enjoy it.

I hope this all made at least a little bit of sense to you. I'm so tired, and I can't seem to form a coherent sentence in my head. Summer is almost officially here for me, and after my vacation to Greece with my family I'll start focusing on summer projects and plans for next year!