We are jolly ninjas.

I was up early today, I figured if the children were supposed to start performing at 10 00 I would need to be there by 9. Just as I was about to leave the lights went out at the Ashu, brilliant where is it written that every time we have an end of year gathering, there is a power cut.   My show with year zero needed no electricity, only my dance needed power and we have practiced so often without music that we can do without, but everyone else needed power so again we had to wait. I therefore suggested that before even more of the kids got dressed in their special outfits (see pics) that I do my show for the year 0 parents. However, the teacher said no to wait as we had to do it in the main hall. So along with everyone else I waited and waited and waited. About 11 the lights came back on, and away we went, the year zero did this great show (I hope to have the video soon) but it was such a great show I thought that there is no way I can follow that, and of course somehow no one knew that I was doing a show, so in the end, amidst the detritus of getting dressed etc, I quickly gathered the kids together and we did a version of The Snowman the like of which has never been seen before and never will be again. There were all the kids dressed to the nines, my terrible snowman costume, made of sheep's wool floor cloth with pictures of snowmen attached, for the girl playing the part.    Because the children had not practiced with the snowflakes I have lovingly made them some of them refused to do so, (half had been lost in the hall during the earlier performance) so were in a strop when we started. Two practices ago I had had a definite tingle moment when the kids performed it beautifully and reverentially, but today dressed as spider man, men in black, a prince, a wolf and a heaven knows what and several princesses, the story of a simple boy and his snowman friend took on a whole new dimension. We are jolly snowmen, a song they love to dance to, looked like a fancy dress party instead of a winter wonderland, no wonder none of the parents could understand what was going on. At first I was cross, but now I cannot stop chuckling to myself over this bizarre new version. Luckily I have no film evidence as I was too busy trying to get the kids to go through it all and come out alive. So not quite what I had planned (I must remember to somehow co-ordinate my show and make sure that the Head knows that I am doing something with them and that their wilder outfits need to be delayed till my bit is over)  However, in principle they were good and knew everything so in a way I am glad the parents saw something.

The puppet play was performed and faired both worse and better than expected. 2A did actually deliver most of their lines, except for the one girl who is usually the star in all the Russian productions, I thought she was perfectly cast as the stubborn turnip but she did not even remember to get pulled up at the end, but her inability to recall anything did at least amuse the parents, especially when in exasperation I pulled her up.  While 2B managed it all but only as you will hear on the video cos I was telling them all the lines. Though their turnip did the right thing and actually had some real character. But 2A did the dance perfectly for the first time ever and being dressed in ballgowns and turtle outfits somehow only added to their style While. 2B did it imperfectly but carried on when the music died, which was brilliant and they all performed Jingle Bells nicely.  And year 1 performed their show perfectly. If anything they are over rehearsed so not as energised as I would have liked, but very very professional and the boy who did the wolf howl, who a couple of lessons ago was reluctant to do anything made everyone laugh with his great howl.   So all in all, not a bad achievement and hopefully as you will see when I have the video no less surreal than the rest of the shows.

I was starving by the time all this had finished (2 hours later than planned)  but was determined to try and print my ticket. I was having problems so as the music/computer teacher dismantled bits of equipment around me ready to rush off to BishkekI begged him to help me. He ran off one ticket, but left me to somehow manage the second ticket,however, every time I went to print ticket the screen went through to something incomprehensible.  I gave up and went to eat, grabbed a plate of soup thinking that is funny I thought we were having a special meal and why are all those mums hovering over on the other table with all that food. The minute I finished my plate of soup, the hovering mums took over the space and laid out another meal for us to thank us for our endeavours. Which was very kind of them. We had champers with that, which I am not keen on, but their version is quite fruity, so a bit nicer for me.  I was running out of battery by this time, so cannot show you some of the mums and grandmas sat resplendent with their fur coats and hats on tucking into the cake.  I was tucking into bread and sausage and what I call Russian salad, but locally has a French name, when my head told us we were having a special meal and that would follow.   So having gone for four hours with no food or drink in the space of three hours I was to have had three meals, and be plied with drink.  

Once the parents were gone I headed back to the computer room whilst this third meal was being finalised.  I had just got everything sorted and ready to print, but was still having problems with the totally unintelligible page coming up instead of the ticket, when the power went again.

Luckily we started with salads, and a gas cylinder had been wheeled in to finish cooking what I feared would be besh barmak. We had more of the lovely sausages, banana and kiwi fruit etc, and lovely Christmas tree biscuits that are here New Year's Eve biscuits. We had speeches, and vodka as per usual. But even better as the room got darker and darker we had party games and songs. One of the party games was giving a number, you had to follow a Russian number with a Kyrgyz number if the next person said a Kyrgyz number they were out. I did not join in but could sometimes tell if they had got it wrong, only here could you play such a game, then we were each given a letter and had to answer questions with that letter having T helped me stay into the final.  We were just finishing when the lights came on again. Hurrah so  I went off to try and print, but I still could not get the thing to work, I think because I had stopped half way through earlier the page would not let me re-enter my details. Back in the kitchen I could hear singing so I gave up to return to the party. I had Drunken Sailor ready so was pleased when asked to sing.  Everyone had a go.  We then went off and had a little bop.  Here a bit like in some African countries people dance in a circle and others have to go into the middle and dance. I am not the oldest person on the staff but everyone joined in and despite the terrible disco music it was fun. My colleague in Kerben was obviously involved in something similar but much bigger as she has just texted me to say that " I just came first in a dancing competition with a 15 year old partner in front of 200 people, but at least I earned my partner 20 dollars.I am glad I have vodka in me to blur to memories"   Then it was back to the dinner table for turkey besh barmak, which is a huge improvement on the normal beskbarmak, if I had been hungry I would have eaten a lot.  Then it was onto our Jangle jills, which is the same tune as jingle bells for our new year's hopes and resolutions. My head rescued me and allowed me to get onto her printer and computer and the ticket problem was resolved immediately and then it was back here to the Ashu to pack my things into my box  and get ready for the holidays. So a very memorable end to my second term.