Teaching is hard...

Two weeks in and I finally found a computer I could have been using this whole time to email people. Haha. Oh well, I guess the "break" from Internet is good sometimes huh? Well, here we are, at a camp called, Romantica. With about 120 kids, ages 9-12. We have 30 in our group who we are attempting to teach. 

We are in the forest next to the Gorky "Sea", part of the Volga River, but man-made. See picture below to get a glimpse of the sea. More pictures of that later. 

Our daily routine (approximately): 

6:30-8:00-wake up, go for walk or run (only time that the kids aren't around)

8:30-loud techno-Russian music starts to wake kids up and all surrounding bugs and animals. Kids come and do silly exercises and a small run around the building. And they play the same 5-10 songs every day!!!

9:00-breakfast. The kids eat super fast. I mean, within one or two minutes some of them are finished. CRAZY.

9:30-group meeting, where we learn about what is happening during the day.

10:00-1st English lesson of day. Brian and I split kids, girls class and guys class. About one hour class.

11:15-Second breakfast. Literally. Did anyone read that with a Hobbit accent?

11:30-1:45games, activities run by camp people, kids also have health related things, like massage, physical therapy, eye doctor exams, sauna, other exercises and such... (I know, a little strange).

2:00-lunch

2:30-nap time, rest period AND an attempt at a second lesson till about 3:15 or so.

4:00 sports game, usually futbol (soccer), sometimes basketball, or Pioneer ball (similar to volleyball).

5:00-second lunch. (I know, seems silly huh?)

6:00- Club/Show time/Theater. Each day is a different theme, from detective work, to newspaper, animals, dance, comedy...

7:40-Supper

8:30-Discoteka, DANCE time. Loud music and a lot of dancing. I usually play cards with some kids that don't want to dance and Brian hangs out with anyone or plays soccer. 

9:40-Second Supper. (you knew it was coming...)

10:30-sleep for the kids.

And then we get up and do it again. Its tough at times. Gets a little tiring for me. Brian is in his element. He loves to be with people 23:59 hours out of the day. I don't. :) But it is just another part of our adventure in Russia and in life. Challenges all make us grow to be better people although sometimes I fight CHANGE. Don't we all? 

Teaching is hard. Teaching English to kids who don't understand what you are saying is hard. Some of the kids are strong English speakers, but 60% aren't very good. So, each day is a challenge. We try to make the lessons active and fun, not so much class and teaching, but reviewing words using pictures and magazines and worksheets. I will forever respect teachers so much more. :) Good job for the work you all do. 

Katie and Rita ready for the daily event. Dressed as a lion and zebra. 

Brian with one of our favorite kids. Vadim. He can't speak any English and he isn't even a part of our group, but he is so fun and awesome. We have a special handshake. :)

Meal time, a few kids from our group, chowing down!

Seven days to go! Okay, now I must go watch the soccer game. It is adults versus kids and Brian will be playing. So I must go support my husband in the mosquito infested field.