Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Belated Birthday

I have mentioned that I teach Ukrainian at Saturday School to 4-6 yr. old kids. Most everyone who works there with me is very nice. We're all trying to do our best with, A. Kids who don't want to be there, B. Teachers who don't want to be there, and C. Kids who are exhibiting more behavioral issues than ever before. We do have a short Recess time and each week a different teacher is responsible for preparing a snack for the teachers- cake, fruit, small sandwiches, coffee, etc. Now, once in a while, the principal pulls out a giant bouquet of roses and we know that it's someone's birthday. She is so kind, wishing the woman: (no male teachers, except for the priest)
1. health
2. happiness
3. well-behaved children
4. the coming true of all her dreams, and
5. wild love from her husband (!?)

And then we all sing Mnohaya Lita, everyone is embarrassed and is looking at the floor, we eat, and then leave to go back to our classrooms. I hate it. So, I was so excited that my birthday (Jan 3.) came and went without the requisite bouquet. Whew!! Dodged a bullet! Until this past week all the women were like "Pani Lesia, come ON, go to the office, it's recess, come ON, what are you still doing here??" and I was like oh, shit, here we go. Awkward moment alert!!! So I walk in, and there she was, with the giant bouquet, closing the door and saying- "Pani Lesiu- I am so sorry, I can't believe I forgot, I knew something was up when you said you'd never want flowers, blah blah." Now, it's not that I'm getting flowers. That's all fine, but, it's the wishes she has for me. You can't wish someone crazy/wild love from her husband when you know that her husband left her!! Awkward!! She handles it nicely, I guess, but it's SOOOO obvious that I'm the only one she doesn't wish that for. Some of the teachers know the situation, others don't, so they're all, "Huh? What was that?" especially this time, because she wished me something like "maybe you'll find that elusive love" and I made this loud wrong-answer-buzzer noise so those women who don't know were more confused. Not to mention the priest!
Whatever...My son's teacher says- "Why don't you go to the Malanka (dance) tonite?" I was like- "OH, LORD, I am NEVER going to a dance for as LONG AS I LIVE, especially not to find a MAN." GAHHHH!!!

No comments:

Post a Comment