Parties, Programs, and Presents

The last two school days of 2012 were packed with action!  I should have had the camera at hand more, but here goes..............

Thursday during the day we really tried to get a lot of planning done for the week when we come back after vacation.  We also did a lot of catching up on grading and filling out both the electronic grade books and the official "class books", not to mention getting lots of help filling out a bunch of end-of-the-month forms (in Slovak) for the business office.  Then there was the monthly church service at 11:00.  We walked there of course, and sat in the balcony, with Peter and Katarina helping to translate.  It was the first time ever that I've seen my breath the entire time I was singing because it was so cold!!  

These little ones were adorable singing a carol!

After school we stayed even later than usual, because we were invited to attend a program and Christmas party for the parents of the I.A5 class (which is the top "freshman" class in the school.)  It was 4:00-6:00, and we were introduced and "interviewed" at the beginning of the program.  We got to meet and visit with some of the parents who speak English, and just like at home, sometimes it's obvious why there are awesome kids when you meet their moms and dads!  They appreciate having us here so their kids learn from a native speaker.

The program included a lot of music including some terrific guitar playing, piano, and singing!
We both really enjoy these kids -- Tim and I each have half of them for conversation class. 

They had a "Secret Santa" gift exchange, so after the program they were just like little kids
looking under the tree excitedly for their packages!!  So cute!!  

Later that evening we walked around town to three different hotels/pensions to try to find a place for the kids to stay their last night in Liptovsky Mikuláš.  The cottage we had booked changed the gig on us, and they can't stay there the whole time, so we had to find something just for that one night.  It will all work out fine!  

Then this morning we went extra early to school because the day was busy again.  It's a heavy teaching day, and there was also a party in the Prima classroom one period.  (They are the youngest in the school - beginning the 8-year bilingual program, so probably around 10 years old).  They had some nice music - 2 violins, 2 recorders, piano, singers, and a really impressive accordian player!!  WOW!  After the program, I played a little bit for them on one of the violins.  :-)   Forgot to bring the camera though - bummer!

We received several gifts at school today - so many sweet students and colleagues!  This centerpiece was at the I.A5 party last night, and it was given to us today.  Very festive addition to our flat!!  The other package pictured is a "tree" made of gingerbread cookies, from Erik and Janka, who we play volleyball with on Fridays.    :-)

I had one very special thing happen with my IV.AP class today.  When I went in, they had two big boxes of cookies sitting on a desk.  Lots of classes are having parties and treats today, so I figured that was it, so just I asked them to wait and eat cookies after our opening prayer.  And they said O.K.  But after I prayed, they said, "Mrs. Olson, these are all for your family for Christmas, so you, Mr. Olson, and your children can taste real home-baked Slovak treats.  We had all our mothers and grandmothers bake their specialties, so you'll have a big variety.  We hope you enjoy all our Slovak cookies!"  I was so touched with their thoughtfulness!   The cookies look amazing, and the one I tasted was delicious!!  There must be over a dozen different kinds!  I really had to hold back the tears, because I had been feeling really badly that I was only able to do a small fraction of my usual holiday baking for when the kids come.  So now, there will be a beautiful and delicious cookie tray for Christmas, thanks to our wonderful students!!  Wow!!

The view across the schoolyard to our flat and the snow-capped mountains beyond!  We may not have gotten the "White Christmas" blizzard that Iowa got this week, but we do have mountains!!  :-)  

Today at school, the pastor also delivered the van we'll use to pick up the kids in Vienna.  It will be plenty big enough - it's a diesel Fiat 9-passenger van.  So after school, we drove it to Benice, which is a small village about 5 miles from here, where we visited the cottage where the kids will be staying.  The couple who owns it were super nice, and they invited us in for gingerbread cookies and medovina (a honey-wine beverage).  The view of the high Tatras from there is spectacular!  It will be a fun place for the kids to stay!  

Tonight we played volleyball, but I left early to get a haircut!  Our colleague, Katka, has naturally curly hair similar to mine, so I had mentioned I'd like to have her hairstylist cut my hair sometime.  Well, she arranged for both of us to get haircuts tonight at our flat!  Evidently this gal doesn't work at a salon, but just goes to people's homes - pretty cool!  Unfortunately, at the last minute, Katka called and said she couldn't come, but she'd call the gal to tell her how to cut my hair.  As I was sitting there hearing the first snips, I did get a little bit of a panic attack.  WHAT in the world was I doing getting my hair cut by someone I couldn't even talk to?!?!?!   LOL!!  It turned out O.K., and it was definitely convenient!  :-)  

Also, Tim's mom's long-awaited package FINALLY arrived!!  She mailed it  long time ago, had been tracking it, but we were afraid it had gotten lost.  THANKS!!!  :-)   
Well, that's it for tonight - it's almost midnight, so time to get some shut-eye.