Heat Wave

Well, school is wrapping up. The last official day is Thursday, the 31st, though really, it's just a day to have class parties. My last official day of the 2006-2007 school year will be next Tuesday. Monday is a holiday, (the Ascenion of Christ) and Wednesday I never have lessons, so that leaves me with two more teaching days. There's a happy thought.

We've had a heat wave here in Bar with the temperature hovering in the high 90's. This is rather unheard of for Bar this time of year. The heat wave usually comes in July or August, and that has lots of people talking. Rumours are going around Ukraine that there was a radioactive explosion somewhere in the country and that's why things are so hot. You can't exactly blame Ukrainians for being suspicious, Chernobyl and all, but Peace Corps has assured us that radiation levels remain unchanged. It's simply hot. No foul play. No conspiracy. And sadly, no AC. Thankfully I have a fan.

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My favorite class is my 7A (NOT to be confused with 7B, they're a nightmare). On Tuesday we had our lesson outside, under the shade of an old tree. The class is all girls who LOVE to practice speaking English. They are my only class where I can speak entirely in English and be understood. They are my only class where it is difficult for me to get an English word in edgewise. They're fantastic, so on Tuesday, when the classroom was suffocatingly stuffy, we ventured outside.

We were standing in a circle tossing a ball around and asking/answering questions. They were happy. They were enthusiastic. Things were going along smoothly. Then about two thirds of the way through the lesson, things got a little wacky. Out of nowhere, and with no warning, a bird pooped on poor Marichka. It got her on the left shoulder and forearm. She squeeled and made a beeline to the bathroom. It took about 5 minutes for laughter to subside.

Marichka was a good sport about it. She laughed and then proceeded to twist every question thereafter to somehow include the answer: And I would kill all the birds!