Some things in life are just intense more than intense and I feel blessed to have quite a number of such experiences often to do with but not exclusively to do with travel and difference such as working in France at 15 or visiting family in Kenya. Kyrygzstan has turned out to be one of those life affirming overwhelming miracles that happen sometimes in life.
Yet Monday morning I felt a bit bluesy, made just because I knew it could not be sustained. I had walked back into class last week as if I had never been away yet in truth these are not my classes anymore. Quite rightly the school has moved on, but it has welcomed me back with welcome arms and more thanks than I deserve as my teaching leaves a lot to be desired but I guess what happens when someone like me walks into the school there is a shift. Every day the little ones who do not know me and where not taught by me say hello. Some of them if they see me start to sing Twinkle Twinkle. I went into the preschool group and showed them books and half of them turned from the TV and instinctively took themselves off to just enjoy the sensual pleasure of turning the pages.
Of course I have also realised that this treat will end. On Tuesday night I sat and enjoyed the sensation of just sitting at The Ashu and unwinding. I loved the hurl of the wind that put the lights out for over a couple of hours and the walk under a dripping umbrella to school. Each day I have popped into the shops to get a farewell gift for a class.In their Wednesday practice performing Handa's Surprise for example when the goat hits the tree and delivers tangerines that is exactly what happened I unleashed a bag of tangerines on to my two Handa's heads for everyone. Or at the end of the practice for Walking Through the Jungle I brought out a plate of jewel like sweets that are really soft tender prunes and yesterday in my final lesson with year three the students I know best at the end of circle time they too received a tangerine each. Circle time is a new concept here and the team is putting together information on it for the end of term conference, but year three seemed to get the hang very quickly. I allowed them to respond in Russian so that they could say more mainly about what they felt they had learned or enjoyed the last two weeks (What's the time Mrs Wolf seemed to be one of the stand out moments in what has been a very busy time -books, shops, Mrs Wolf, and We're Going on a Bear Hunt) and even I could understand when one lass said that she had also learned that she had a friend in me. A lot of the kids had made me cards - lots more than last time in fact as they had not really realised before that good-bye really was that, but I think that is why it has been fun for them to see people can return and the relationship can resume and grow.
Today my last day I had no formal lessons again so happily graffitied an alphabet on the long wall, I tried more apple measuring and then landed up having an early dinner despite having had a very late breakfast. It was nice to join in with everyone, the presence of an English speaker at almost every occasion meaning we can all talk now unlike last year. I had noticed many of the children being in dance clothes but I am so used to them performing did not think anything of it till my head said to come over to the canteen as year two and three were putting on a farewell concert for me! Having sent most of the kids off on their buses with last farewells it was time for us teachers to have a little party - or that was my thought a drop of vodka and an orange but of course this is Shabdan Kyrgyzstan so as well as my aforementioned contributions there was plove, and salad and my favourite little mini doughnutty things that I should know the name of by now and the lovely tradition here of everyone being able to thank and acknowledge each other. To me I am the person who has had the best time and the luxury of spending time here, yet everyone seemed to just want to thank me. The joys of teaching in the UK will be a mega bring down.
Just one day left a trip to Bishkek and a chance to talk with the American teacher who has been working for the Foundation in their Kant school and then the airport and a long trip home.
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