Going away stuff

I should have made it clear when I had this good-bye party with my students, but I didn't need any gifts to take home... The following pictures are things I both received and purchased as souvenirs before I left.

Chocolate chocolate and more chocolate

this was given to me by a student, and his cat's results were in the book in pencil so I could compare Boo's with his cat's...

cute picture and frame :)

a "Hungarian" pencil, a Tata plaque and a key chain that says "the best teacher"

two animals to stick in the back of my car - the dog is a "bobble" dog :)

yes... these are what you think they are - crotchless panties from some of my girls... probably the most interesting present I received - there is a red sequined top that goes with it... Ahhhhh Hungary

a wine bottle cover and coasters

ornaments and coin purses I bought

a plate I received from Kati and István

a piece of embroidery from Kati and István - which were conveniently removed from the walls of her fathers house - and given to me

an authentic rubic's cube

a pillow cover from a student's mother

coasters? I think... or just decoration

from Csenge's great grandmother

another piece of embroidery I received from a students' mother

a beautiful figure eight piece - all of these are hand made!!!

Last trip to the Pirate Bar!

I was fortunate enough to be invited to dinner by some of my 12 A students. It was a really thoughtful idea, and at my favorite place in Tata!!! I ate the same chicken wrapped asparagus and potato cakes, you really can't go wrong with that dish I swear.

The evening was wonderful! I was able to sit with some really special people and talk with them about all that had happened in the last year and a half. It was hard because even though we were having a nice night, I knew I was in my last few days. Even so, it was so nice to be able to just relax a bit and enjoy a nice evening out. Such thoughtful students... Man I miss them :(

Made by 9th graders...

This was posted on my Facebook page by some of the 9th grade girls... how sweet...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LxIgJtafNw

More 9th grade students

Szandi, me, Anett and Petra

Liza me and Klaudia

CLass Pics

Here are some class pictures I took the last week I was in Hungary

13A

13A

12A

10A

10A

11

13A

9

11

12A

11

11

10

11

11

10A

9A

9A

11A

The beginning of the end...

Certainly the situation with Justin dampened my last few weeks in Hungary, and I was more than excited to leave after all the army shit that happened. Fortunately for me, I have students, co-workers and friends in Hungary who made my last two weeks some of the best of my life. To start it off, my 10th graders (who I admittedly know the best as we spent quite a bit of time together last year) totally surprised me with a beautiful book that they had made for me. It is a picture book, and each student has a page with a picture and something they wrote for me and sometimes a quote. As I entered the room that morning to an entire room of standing students and a table to my right with home made treats and two liter bottles of pop - I knew I was loved. When I stopped to take a look at what they wrote, I knew that I would never be forgotten.

Teaching is one of those funny professions where you don't really have instant satisfaction. Gratification is delayed semesters, even years. And then one day, the senior who used to come to your first hour World History class (for 10th graders - he failed a couple times) directly from the casino - steps into your room in an army uniform and says with real sincerity, "Ms. Staffa, I'm sorry I was such an ass." Between those students who eventually get it, and the ones I had in Hungary who I developed a tremendous love for, teaching is worth it - it is my passion. The amount of love I felt in my last week and a half in Hungary truly made me never want to leave.

Here are some pictures from my last day with the 10th graders - luckily they were taken before the end of class when there were a LOT of tears shed... I tried to remind them that it wasn't my funeral - I am still alive, but I'll be far, far away. I'm counting the days until I can return!

Bence and Kamilla

Agi

Bence and Kamilla

Niki and Jenni - (Jenni drew my tattoo)

I look incredibly short inbetween all these beautiful ladies

This is what happens when you tell kids to work only with their partner - they join two other partner groups :)

Csenge - last time :(

Here are some pictures we took on the day of my last lesson with Csenge - her younger sister is on the left.

Viki, her mom and younger brother are in this one too... I miss them as well. As much as I'm okay not having my own kids right now, it was kinda fun to be the "cool aunt" for these three. They are wild and energetic, and after an hour or so, I'd be totally worn out - but it was more fun than I ever thought it would be...

My colleagues

This is a picture that was taken one of the last few days of school (for me). I wasn't sure why we were doing it at first, when in Hungary don't ask questions, but I ended up with a nice copy, and there is now one hanging in the office. What a great looking group of people - man I miss them so much!!!

This

Not odd at all...

I'm not sure how we came upon this particular topic in class, but something we were talking about elicited one of my students (on the right) to produce these two objects from his bag. One of them is a long whip used on the great plain to herd cattle, and the other is a rusty saw. While not totally out of the ordinary in Hungary, it still was a bit weird that he was walking around with these two items in his school bag. Admittedly, they were using it for a production they were doing at school, but still... they would have been expelled from Burnsville for this...