Skill Transfer

I am sooo tired!!!

A mother's work is NEVER done!!!



I've been very busy since coming back from vacation, working with FLEX (foreign exchange) students with conversation clubs. We are trying to get a classroom at the Russian school as it is mid point where most students live.  During the summer we will have club at 11 am in the morning and during the school year at 4 after school.   This is closer than the Lisey school where I teach, so I think a lot more children will be able to go.  To secure a classroom has proven very difficult. The Director needed a letter from Peace Corps to the Education Department in Zaqatala, the Education Department needed a letter to the Regional Ministry of Zaqatala, and the Regional Ministry needed a letter from the Ministry in Baku.  As you can see, this is very frustrating. Peace Corps is trying to get approval from the Ministry in Baku so that all Peace Corps volunteers who wants to work in any school (free mine you and doing it on their own time) will be able to without jumping through so many hoops and getting no where!! But we been working on this for 2 weeks, so it hasn't happened yet, the wheels here are extremely slow.

We are given workshops and seminars on transferring our skills and watching my cat Mint teaching her little ones has been an education all in itself! She plays with each one of her kittens differently, she is "MANning up" Snickers (he is a little sissy, rather nurse then eat real food, way behind the other two). She also plays hard with Junior Mint in which he cries all the time and she keeps playing with him until he stops and fights back. Bounty (the girl) is exactly like Mint, she is a fighter, first to learn, first to explore, first to try anything with no fear. She can beat both her brothers without any problem.  Mint is introducing prey (much to my disapproval and objections!!).  She has brought in live baby mice so they can learn how to kill them.  Then a couple of rats (yuck - at least they were dead and I immediately threw them out!) and then a couple of live birds!!  It has been a challenge to keep her from bringing those critters in.  She also taught them to run into the kitchen when they hear me in there and to start meowing until I put food down.  When she leaves, they immediately hide behind the sofa (except for Bounty who climbs up on the couch and cuddles in my lap)!  When she returns, she has a certain meow and they come running out to her. The kittens through their playing have learn to run, jump and climb.  It is amazing the instinct that Mint has, never having kittens before, she knows exactly what to do and when.  We can all learn from animals, they truly transfer their skills to their off springs!!

Life Challenge: Parenting is one of the hardest jobs on earth... Jennifer Aniston