I don't enjoy being mean to children...

I swear, I don't. I really do like kids, but sometimes, you gotta be mean.

It's the last week of school, my counterpart is worried about making the gradebook look perfect, my kids don't want to learn, and they all come up to me, shouting, 'a game! a game!'

So, I try to make it educational.

One 6th former: "Your heart is like ice. It is the last days of school. We want another game!"

Punk.

So, I forced him to suffer through the educational bit.

The kids have stopped coming, and it really is pointless for me to go. I go anyway, to see the few who have come run through the halls and pick flowers in the courtyard. I'll go tomorrow to collect the posters I've hung in my room...I can't believe the year's already over. You'd think it would slow down for me, but I see no sign of it letting up in the near future.

Softball is in full swing, and though we're still at a loss for money, we've arranged a trip on Monday to go to a village in Zaqatala to play a game. The kids are really excited, and so am I. They're getting better...today, in an hour, we played a full four innings (and could have probably played another). As opposed to an hour, with barely two innings, each inning getting at least 6 runs, and hardly any outs. There is improvement, it's amazing to see.

On top of that, we're prepping for our First Ever Balaken Arts Camp, which is hugely stressful and exciting all at the same time. I feel like it's kind of my baby...I'm way invested, and I hope it goes well. Unfortunately, we only have 30 slots for kids...which means when at least 30 are coming to softball each week, and upwards of 40 are coming to clubs...we have to draw the line. Too many times this week I've had to single kids out, and pull them off to the side. Of course when that happens their three friends follow them, and I have to say, "Is your name Sevinj? No. Then go away." And I don't enjoy that.

But, so far, I think we're putting together a group of our 30 best kids, and it's going to be awesome. We've got about 12 other PCVs from other regions committed, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the grant we wrote will come through. If it doesn't, camp will still happen thanks to the AMAZING donations from my friends and family back home.

And of course, personally, I'm trying to get ready for a trip to Georgia and Turkey - 2 weeks before camp. (Yeah, I'm a REAL good planner). I really need a vacation. For some reason, I've been feeling like I've been under a lot of pressure lately - pressure to perform, to be a certain way, to deliver certain things...and I'm just tired. I think a change of scenery is just what I need right now.