Secret Santa

Well today being Friday and the last Friday I will be here (till next year that is) Albena and I decided to set up the Secret Santa gift exchange.

As luck would have it, I got Ava, and I got together a few things for her. I gave her a book of mine called "Writing from the inner self" for starters. I have read parts of that book and I think she could benefit from it. I have.

I also gave her a framed photo of Cambodia (Angkor Watt) which I had taken last year at this time. I gave her this because eventhough I am not a religious person, I am quite spiritual and I was truly in awe of this place, and I believe she would feel the same if she went there. Maybe we could have a school trip. Now wouldnt that be a treat. Oh God! To take the kids there would be a truly awesome experience.

She also got a bracelet I got in Cambodia and a necklace I got in Thailand. So all in all she got a pretty international selection and I do think it was all to her taste, which of course is the most important factor.

We had our gathering in the cafeteria during third period and my mom came to meet the kids. It was her last chance as she goes back to Sofia Monday and flies out Tuesday. Where DID the time go??? She was impressed by my kids, and said they were all such good kids. And I thought about this, about how fortunate I am to be here teaching high school instead of in western countries where you just dont know what the kids will do.

All in all I think I love all my kids for different reasons, from the talkatives ones whose spirit is never broken, to the quiet ones who remind me of the quote "still waters run deep" to every one in between. I can honestly say there is not ONE student that I would remove from my grade 8 class. They are all such different characters and they complete the picture so well.

So to cut a long story short, we exchanged gifts and we had a wonderful time. We sat around talking and laughing and my mom later said that she thought they all loved me a lot! I hope so.

Tonight I am actually going dancing with them eventhough I am not over my cold yet and should really stay in bed with a book, but I promised and so off I go in just half an hour.

God help me!!