Week 01; The 04/01 - 10/01 2016.

I noticed that my time in school has begun to change some of my personality, and the short time here in Lithuanian, seems to really have made it more permanent. I am not liking it, but every time i am trying to do the things the way i would usually do it in Denmark for just a year ago, it seems to backfire on me.

I feel like i have grown up, in a way that does not match the thoughts about how i would like to be, but maybe it is a naturally responds to protect myself, due to all of the pressure of being in a new culture, and having to take responsibility in a different way, then i am use to.

I use to be able to play with toys with the kids, where i would play different roles according to the game, and the kids around loved it, because as they said: "i was not like the other grownups, i was more fun". But now i feel stuck every time the kids try to make me play with them where i have to make up a storyline or role. I find myself going to the kitchen several times a day, cause i feel safe and relaxed out there, doing the dishes and cooking. Every time i try to play with the kids and their babies or little cars, i feel impotent at playing, and after just a couple of minutes, i feel so helpless that i have to stop the game, and go back the domestics tasks.

For the last couple of days, i even noticed i prefer the teenage boys company, because they don't demand so much of my creative skills. With them i can just talk about computer games, their pets or play games. For me, that is a new twist to my preferences!

Usually i always would prefer the younger kids, cause their creativity and active spirit, but now, i feel lost inside when i am using playtime with them. If i read a book with the kids, or watch cartoon, i doesn't seem to have the same feeling of being lost, so at the moment i try to keep the interacting simple minded.

 

This week the employee "Mrs. S", and i went to the cinema with 8 kids. The youngest boy didn't come, since we needed extra personal, and there where no one else to help, since some kids stayed at home. Instead the youngest boy was visiting the art teacher, while we were at the cinema. I had been very scared of so many kids, in different stages of life, being "let loose" in a big shopping mall, cause face it, if they wanted to, they could run in all directions, and we couldn't catch them. But it all went well, they had fun, and i made the seating arrangement, so they were placed next to someone, who could handle any minor problems, if they arose. The arrangements in ages was: 11, 13, 11, 8, 9, 6, 2Mrs. S", 4, 16, Me.

The teens have shown abilities to handle the younger kids, but i still wanted them to enjoy himself, and they like to be together. The 13 years old is in between the two 11-year-old, since that in my perspective is the "social" seat, and therefore would be pushed a bit on that part. The 16-year-old i seated next to me, so i could keep an eye out for any signs of attacks.

 

I also made an introduction video this week, for the new boy (10 years old), who was going to move in. I had been told, he was scared to come and visit, so i suggested to the headmistress that an introduction video, with pictures showing, while she talked in the background. It took me 6½ hour to finish, but it was a success.

The next day he visited, and when we were eating cake i noticed he and his older brother seated himself across the table from me, and that couldn't have been better, from my perspective. I talked to the boys, i noticed how the little brother copied his older brother’s attitude, when he was unsure what to do, so i focused a lot of attention to the older brother, making him feeling at ease, and waited to see how the little brother reacted. Slowly the older brother started to relax, and the little brother as well, i could see the desire to play in his eyes, and in the "faces" he made to the children, to make them laugh, but he maintained seated beside his older brother. I said he could go play if he liked to, the older brother translated it to the boy, and the boy’s eyes just lighten up, he asked (through his brother) "can i go play?!", i said "yes you can, we will stay here if you need us". He ran out to play and i kept talking to the older brother (15 years old). When they left, i was the first person the little boy came running to, to say goodbye, he smiled and hold my hand for a long time while saying goodbye in different ways, showing also he knew some English. The older brother asked me if i was living here, or just visiting this one day, i said to them both, i will be here until May, and (to the older brother) you are welcome to visit here anytime. They seemed both very happy.

Later on, i went out to the cinema, ice-skating and eating pizza, with the 17-year-old boy and Remigijus. Before we met up with Remigijus, we had some time alone, that allowed me to get to know the 17 years old boy more, and we spoke English, so he would also train his English skills. We had much fun, and since he is shy person i found it to be a very successful night. When Remi was there he stopped talking in English, he said (in Lithuanian to Remi) that he was ashamed that he could not speak better English. I told him i couldn't speak Lithuanian, but i wanted to learn, and i still tried to speak, because you can't learn, if you don’t try to use it, and he should not feel ashamed talking with me, i thought he did a good job with his English, and i understood all he had said to me.

It doesn't seem to be a big problem for him to be around other people if he knows them, or interact in Lithuanian, so it mostly "only" his English language skills that seems to make him shy towards me. But i had been told he does speak and write English in his online game, but it is when he meets strangers in person, he gets a bit shy.

This week i have also had some focus on strengthen my colleague relation.

- fix. spending some extra time talking with them about their hobbies, their personal life and at Sunday i went to church with Mr. Gytes and his wife Judita. We talked about what makes us happy, why do we have religions, and after that we went out for lunch, and kept talking about everything we were curious about, regarding each other's lives. They also showed me around "old town" after, and told me the history of some of the buildings. It was heartwarming.

 

Work: 37 hours incl. 5 hours’ social night out.

Special video project: 6½ hour

Homework: 15 hours

Vacation saving: 20 hours

 

 

Week 02; The 11/01 - 17/01 2016.

My boyfriend visited this week, so i spend some of my vacation hours.

This week i began the more structured part of my cooking up culture activity.

I had help from that week's kitchen responsible child, and we made the classic Danish dish called: "karbonader med stuvet grøntsager og kartofler".

The girl is one of the kids, that has the lowest set of skills in English, but because we already had cooked together in week 53, i was confident she would help me, and that the result would be good.

And it was, but due to a misunderstanding in the communication with the chef, i only got to cook at Saturday.

This week i tried to discuss my ideas about making an activity schedule, where the kids were to attend mandatory English workshops with me. All the kids would have one or two days a week, where we would do different kind of exercises with English. But since the kids schedule in school and free time activities variates so much by the week, the most i would be able to, is to make weekly schedules, and not expect them to be able to join every time, because they also had to make homework. I suggested that i would help them all with the English homework in my workshops, but somehow that was not received as a fully productive idea. They said they weren't sure i could help any but the youngest ones, since the older ones had more difficult homework, and i couldn't help translate when i didn't speak Lithuanian. So i canceled the activity schedule, and was asked to adjust my attention to practice English with the kids, in their free time, when they had time, if i was at work.

 

Work: 20½ hour

Homework: 1 hour.

Vacation hours remaining:  10,5 hours

 

 

Week 03; The 18/01 - 24/01 2016

This week i have prepared meal in the weekend with the 14-year-old boy at Saturday, and with one of the 11-year-old girls at Sunday. This week's country was Denmark, like the week before. The boy didn't want to help, so he made a riot against me, and complained a lot, and in the end after finishing about 60% of the meal, i said he could go. Sunday was more pleased with the help from the girl, even though she didn't want to help at first, since they were about to go outside and play, she came around, and was interested in the cooking process.

This week i have tried to discuss my idea with the headmistress and some of the employees, about making a more structured schedule over the punishments given to the children. Also i wrote a place for the adult to sign their name, this way we could asked the responsible adult, if we were in doubt about possible changes to the schedule - like if a kid had try to cheat, by crossing out their name, or if anyone like to change the punishment, due to good behavior.

I have problem finding out, who is being punished and what the punishment is, because i am not informed when it happens. As a result, i sometimes encourage the children to break their punishment, and that is of course, not a very good idea, cause i will also get in trouble if i let them do stuff, they are not allowed to. So i made a schedule that easily show when, who and what. But since the headmistress didn't think they used these sort of punishment very often, she didn't mean it was necessary, and we would just have to handle it, if i helped them broke their punishment, if the children were not honest with me.

 

Work: 31½ hours

Homework: 1 hour

Vacation saving: 12 hours

 

 

Week 04; The 25/01 - 31/01 2016.

At Monday i had some time alone with the 17-year-old boy, the 16-year-old boy and the employee Miss Juste. I wanted to take this time to play games with the two boys, and Juste helped me pick the game called "Alias". There are two version of the game.

 

1. You draw a word-card and try to draw the object that match the word, and everyone else will compete in guessing the right answer.

2. You try to explain in sound and words, the object that match the word-card, without saying directly what the object's name is. You have to choose a "partner" to explain it to. You will have one minute to explain and guess as many cards as you can.

 

To make it more appealing to play for the 17-year-old, when he didn't want to play (and he had said 10 minutes before he did), we told him, he could decide the punishment that the loser was going to perform. So he chose the loser would make 15 push-ups and he chose who he wanted to "partner" up with.  

We played and both time it was the 16-year-old boy who came in last, but since the 17-year-old hadn't made it to goal either, before the dinner was served, i said he also should do the push-ups. Then he and the 14 years old who had come home, teased the 16-year-old, because he had trouble finishing his push-ups, when he already had done 15 from the first game. I said, that i thought he did a good job, and they probably couldn't do 30 pushups in total either. They tried, but they couldn't. I went to the 16-year-old, who was feeling sad, and i "high-fived" him and praise him for his hard work. I felt very happy, when i saw he began to smile again. I was specific in the part, that i wanted the 16-year-old to play with us, since he is suffering from epilepsy, and learning disabilities. He is usually left out of the games, homework sessions and sometimes activities performed outside the house, in case he should have an epileptic attack, and it takes extra time to teach him things.

 

Tuesday i played with beats with the younger kids, and one of them joined me on my "picture", that way i got extra time with her. She helped me find the right colors and sometime set them in the right spot on the plate. She is 6 years old, and have just started in school, so this way she will learn English, learn the colors names, strengthen her eye-to-hand coordination, and her patience. It was a tricky pattern i wanted her to put the beats in, but we got a very good result with a little dragon.

This day i also went and had a more serious conversation with the 14-year-old, about his behavior, since it had been non acceptable for the last two weeks. I tried to use a more constructive criticism sandwich, and adapt my body language to match his at some point, and then strengthen my posture where i found it useful, as a tool to encourage him. The headmistress was also joining us in this conversation, and we were sitting in his room, to meet him at his safe zone instead of talking with him in the living room, in front of all the kids, which would have made him feel exposed. It was very scary for me to confront a person like this, especially when the person is a teenager, that usually have a strong mind and can challenge me in any discussion. So i was relieved that the headmistress also was there with me. During the conversation, i didn't asked him "why" he have been acting out, cause i remember from my teenage years, that i hated that question, and it just made me angry. Because sometimes you didn't act that way, because you intended to hurt, you barely even knew how you were acting, everything inside you, was so confusing. I have also noted, that every time the someone ask him "why"; he reacts just as i did in his age, so i tried to use more nonviolent-communication.

 

In the weekend i made Chinese dishes. At Saturday i cooked with help from "Miss Gab" at 11 years old, and Sunday i got 100% volunteer help from 3 of the younger girls at ages 4,6 and 8 years old. I had to use a lot of energy, to make sure the little kids did not harm himself in the process, since they haven't really tried to cook before, and therefore often held the knife upside down among other things. But i made the two oldest clean and cut vegetables, and the youngest at age 4, got a butter knife, and helped me cut the Chinese mushrooms, and stir in the pot. When the kids started to get distracted, because i didn't have much left for them to do, i said "thank you" and "you can play now". We ended up with a great soup.

 

Work: 31 hours

Homework: 1 hour

Vacation saving: 13 hours

 

 

Week 05; The 01/02 - 07/02 2016.

This week i tried to begin English practice with some “back to basic”, with the 17-year-old boy and the 17-year-old girl. I gave them a paper to fill, with small questions, to enlighten me of their motivation to learn English and how they usually learn. My idea was to talked with them when they filled out the papers, about how they like to learn new things, and how we can cooperate them in their English lessons, and also try to help them feel more motivation for learning English.

But it was clear they didn't take it so serious, since they missed out on our follow-up conversation appointment. So instead i rescheduled for next week, and for the boy, who also missed out on our cooking lesson at Saturday, where he instead went out to some electronic messes, i assigned him to install and begin using Duolingo at Saturday. He will have to gain at least 10 points every day of the week, and i will check up on it every week at least. I also had the 14-year-old boy to install the same app, and starting to use it, with the same quest. His English level is higher than the two kids at 17 years old, and he is already kind of motivated to learn English, therefore i didn't make the same paper "back to basic" with him, though it might could help him in other areas of his learning. The Duolingo app is in English and was set to practice their skills in Russian language, since they learn it in school, but had bad grades in it. So this way they will practice both English and Russian, and can compete with the app, if they like. To make it more interesting, i said i would also try to learn Russian in the app, and then compare my progress to theirs, since they already had an advantage by the school lessons, they could probably do better than me.

Result was, that they both gave it a try, and shortly after they had reach level 3 and level 5, with me still on level 2. I was thinking of asking the 13-year-old girl to try and use it also, since she speak better Russian than English, i hoped this would stimulate her to learn both language better, and maybe i will ask the 17-year-old girl to give it a try also. After all, 10 points can be made within 5-10 minutes a day, so it is not taking up too much of their time.

I also played "memory game" with small English words, with the 16-year-old boy, and every time he got a "set" he should pronounce the word written on the picture. After finishing that, i asked him to match the small "words labels" to the correct pictures, this way he would practice the word, the meaning of the word and the recognition of the letters in the words. When we cleaned up the game, i took some of the pictures and asked him what is the name of what is was showing, and if he remembered he would say, and if not he would get to look at the word labeled shortly, and then i would show him the picture again, and he should remember the word. Along with this, he also learned how to pronounce the words more correctly. He even surprised me with small English sentences i didn't know he knew.

 

To the staff meeting i announced i would start teaching the 16-year-old boy through games, and i told about my plans for the English practice with the previous mentioned, and also i was working on a different form of memory game to the teaching of English, i hoped to finish during my stay, among other things.

At Sunday i cooked with the help of the 17-year-old boy, along with practice English through a memory games with the 16-year-old boy, and the 6-year-old boy.

As a treat i cooked sausage horns at Tuesday, and cupcakes at Thursday and Saturday for the household.

I noticed that Remigijus, the 14-year-old and 17-year-old boy plays "LOTRO" - Lord of The Rings Online together, so since i am use to play similar games, i will try and get into this gaming activity with them.

 

Work: 30 hours

Homework: 6 hours

Vacation hours remaining: 13 hours

 

 

Week 06; The 08/02 - 14/02 2016.

This week i have prepared schedules to track the progress in my English/Russian teaching with the kids. as a part of my activity "make dry learning fun". Sadly, i had two students who had given up on their daily quest, and the 17-year-old boy, deleted the program completely. He said it was too easy, and later same day he said it was because he hates learning Russian, and took too much time of his day. I tried two times this week to talk to him about it, asking how he would like to learn etc. But both him and the 14-year-old boy, said they don't care to learn more English or Russian, and the 14-year-old asks me why i try to teach them, and care about it so much... I told him i care about their future, and if they wanted to get their dream jobs, they couldn't reach the top, if they didn't care about becoming more international in their language skills - you have to work hard, to get your dreams.

The 14 years old and I, have talked a lot this week, and he has asked me questions about my purpose of being here in Lithuania, and about my "family" dreams - "why don’t you have a house if that's your dream?" - i answered that "a house is expensive to buy and keep, so i have to have an education and a solid income, before i buy one." This boy seems to be in wish of a confident to talk to about anything he wants to, and i would like to be his contact person, like we have contact persons in Denmark. This is a person who are specially connected to a child, and the main responsible when the kid has needs like talking about personal things etc. So i talked to a Danish former colleague, who has many years of experience, in how to establish these relationships, cause i feel this could help him to reach his potential among other positive effects.

The 17-year-old girl with whom i also made the Duolingo practice, seems to also have forfeited. I tried to talk to her, asking how she like the Duolingo practice, and she said it was good, so i wonder why hasn't she been doing her homework. As i is right now, none of the kids has fulfilled their obligations, and therefore won't get this week's reward. It seems that motivation by money, is not the right way to go, even though they were extremely happy about the idea, the first couple of days. My theory is, that they are to use to be "pressured" into learning, that they don't have the self-discipline to carry out these lessons, even though it is only 10 minutes a day. So now i have to change the approach, and with the 17-year-old boy i will practice half an hour every Sunday, with paperwork, since he had a choice between that and Duolingo, and he choose paperwork. I will bring him exercises and then there is no excuse.

The 17-year-old girl and the 14-year-old boy, i will make some changes in the "rules" of this learning activity, and see if it helps.

I tried to establish a motivated learning relationship with the 13-year-old girl, with practicing English and getting to play "Sims 3" on my computer as reward. This didn’t work, since she didn't care enough about the game, and already had tried it before. After asking her if there were other games etc. she would like to try as reward, and she just didn't seem to want to learn English, i took the approach the work uses, and said we would practice half hour every Sunday.

This weekend i had help from the 14-year-old boy in the kitchen, with making Italian food. He likes to cook, and i have seen a positive development in his behavior, especially around the time i cook. He has begun to show interest in my cooking every weekend, and sometimes asks to help without it being scheduled, and he has begun to praise the food, and also he asks a lot about the ingredients and recipes. He has even shown good mood and care for my personal "health" after i had full metal braces installed in my mouth this week, and therefore was in pain and could not eat much.

 

Work:31 hours

Homework: 4 hours

Vacation savings: 14 hours

 

 

Week 07; The 15/02 - 21/02 2016.

Update on Duolingo practice:

The 17-year-old boy quit last week, the 17-year-old girl quit this week due to lack of time, since she has many exams coming up, and the 14-year-old has because of technical issues with the phone app not practiced enough to be able to pass any test this week, and will get an extra week to practice.

 

Update on the 17-year-old boys English practice:

Going well. Taken it slowly, and used simple task, like word puzzle and "find words" online. I use the websites, listed to the right of this text. First we do the word puzzle*2 (beginners level), then he does one "find words" and after finding all the words, i asked him to explain what the words means, and what situations they can be used. Like the words: "Hot - can mean something is warm, spicy or some might say you look hot", And the word "Cold; can be used with telling the snow is cold to touch or that you have caught a cold (being sick)." He does not like this practice, since he thinks it is too difficult to explain in English, but given his many years of English in school, i think it is good to push him to use his English in different ways, and i explained to him, that this way i can see what level of English practice we can continue with, and it can help him on his upcoming exams, when he learns how to understand and describe words differently, in case the teacher asks about it.

I also got the paper back with the "back to basic" - i was supposed to have it back the week before, but we just didn’t get around to it. The answers to the questions etc. was surprising to me, since it was not what i expected. He had filled it out in a way, that made it seem like he really wants to learn English, so i was a bit shocked, cause then why would he not be happy to practice to interact with me. In the bottom of the page he gave a sign that he might want to interact with me, by answer "talking with Mia" among other answers, to the question "how do i learn?". I find his drawing next to the text meaningful, since it the picture of a little person, with a flower in one hand, and a reaper knife in the other, with the text upon it: "Mya?".

And he asked me how to spell my name correct, if it was Mia or Mya.

My analysis is that the boy is him, the flower represents his desire to interact or that he sees me as a good person, and the reaper knife the feelings of being forced/passed to much in the relation/lessons.

 

Teaching English with the 14-year-old girl:

No progress. There have been other plans for this girl weekend last week, and this week, i didn't feel i had the serenity of mind, to teach her, at the Sunday. But i did get to meet her new friend, and her friend said she wanted to talk with me in English, but was scared of making mistakes. The fact that this new friend likes to learn English, and wants to know me, could might be a good indirect approach, to motivate the 14-year-old girl to learn more English, and bond a stronger relation to me. But as it is right now, i dare not to pressure the limits, and force the girl to practice English with me every week.

 

Update on the English practice with the 16-year-old boy:

Last week, we didn't get much practice with the app, but this week we have spent some time playing a board game that practice your patience, eye-hand coordination and ability to be cautious. We also played "Uno" with the 6-year-old boy, and even practice English with the "pop quiz" app, also in company of the 6-year-old boy. I have used great attention this week to observe and correct misbehavior during these games, since the kids have some habit of being "bad winners", where you taunt the other players, as soon as there was an opportunity. I tried to be a role model, by showing i was happy for them when they won, and i didn't get mad for losing. I also made sure to tell them no, during the game, if someone started to tease the others, for having bad luck. 

If someone tried to cheat or acted out, i would give one warning, and then end the game, if they continued. I had quite some runs ins this week, with the little kids wanted to play with us, and when they then did, they would misbehave if they didn't win, or had a bad "hand". The 16-year-old boy seems to learn though, since he has been doing the same as me, with ending the game, if the kids kept doing what they were told not to, and he apologized to both me and the kids, if he did something wrong.

This week he has had 7 correct words in a row, on the "pop quiz" app, without my direct help. Good progress.

 

End:

I have talked with Vida about the possibility to focus my attention on mostly two kids, since i feel it is too much for me to be teaching 5 kids, and also try to teach more if possible. I will still come with ideas if wishes, regarding how to maybe teach some of the other kids by motivation of games, but my professional attention i would like to focus on the 14-year-old boy, and the 16-year-old boy. I will continue to teach English with the 17-year-old boy, since i have begun, but he and the 14-year-old girl will be my second priority. If i had the time (like a whole year at least), i think i could make good progress with the 14-year-old girl, but since i only have 3 month left, i don't want to forced anything over her head, that our relation is not mature enough to sustain.

I have begun to play LOTRO this week, but the 14-year-old boy, don’t to play together at this time, and i haven’t asked the 17-year-old yet.

 

Work: 33 hours

Homework: 6 hours

Vacation saving: 17 hours

 

 

Week 08; The 22/02 - 28/02 2016.

Tuesday and Wednesday i went to Denmark, to participate in a focus group interview, with Slagelse city center. We were talking about the development of student attractions and environment. I felt that is one of my key interest in the matter of extra ordinary student activities, and i can also help me build my professional profile towards this line of work. I get to hear a lot of people’s opinion, all in different ages and line og studies, which sometimes gives me new ideas to develop my learning and the learning of those with whom i work.

When i was in Denmark i consulted my uncle, who has been working within this line of social work, i Peru, and he has worked with both children all ages and adults. He gave me useful ideas, and tips about how to continue progressive language development programs. We talked about these program tools, and how they matched Vygotsky´s theory "zone of proximal development".

Monday, Thursday and Friday i asked to be excused, since i weren’t feeling all well in my mental state.

In the weekend the 16-year-old and I made "American food" as country theme for out cooking class. We made burgers at Saturday, chicken and fries for Sunday. I wasn’t feeling so good, so my mood was not at the best. When i was challenged by the 14-year-old boy, by being insulted and criticized on both somewhat personal areas, as well as my cooking, without him actually having tasted the food, i was having trouble with keeping my emotions at low pulse. Although did i succeed to tell the person several times, that i was not feeling very well, and was not in the mood to argue, or being teased, not even with "practical jokes". The house had been busy all Sunday morning, with "spring" cleaning, so on top of my bad mood, i was challenged by the fact, that i could not get space in the kitchen to cook, so lunch was served ½ hour later then it was supposed to, and that just added to my stress, so the 16-year-old boy who was to help me, didn’t get much hand in the cooking process at Sunday. 

This week i/we made burgers at Saturday, and hot wings and fries at Sunday.

 

Work: 12 hours

Sick days: 2

Total sick hours: 5

Homework: 13 hours

Vacation remaining: 11 hours (I used my spare time days a week, in Denmark)

 

 

 

Week 09; The 29/02 - 06/03 2016.

This week i tried a new and more direct strategy with the subject of my "role" in the house. So one day when i realized how well the weather was, and i had been thinking a lot about the kids thought to make homework is boring, i tried to "spice" it up a bit. I arranged a homework-picnic outside, with the help of the 6-year-old girl. We took out pillows, blankets, nuts and water for the picnic. Then Miss Juste and the two 11-year-old girls joined us, to read history homework and practice English. Juste helped with the history homework, and asked me to help the girls with the English, while she went inside, and so i did by making a "pop quiz" where i would say something like: "In what month is Christmas" or "what month number, is your birthdays, and what is the month name?"- and then they would reply. This way i helped them remember the month name, by connecting it to an event they could recognize.

First they seemed disappointed when i explained the game, since they wanted us to go play football instead, but shortly in, they got competitive, and after the "pop quiz", i said i would play football with them, IF they finish their homework right away. They did, and we played football for 1 hour, and after that the two 11-year-old girls and the 16-year-old boy, who joined us at playing football, went to my room, where we talked with "Ares", drank hot chocolate, played cards, played English games on my phone and one of the girls, braided my hair. 

Very productive day for the relations, and my role as educator.

I have not had any further success with the Duolingo lessons, but when i told him i played LOTRO, he added me as his friend in the game, and we also practiced English, where i had given him a small paper with questions to practice some days before, of the subject "aquarium", since he has interest in this subject. So we sat down for about 30 min and talked about this subject, using those questions he had got from me.

I seem to see a progress (maybe) in the 16year old. When we tried to practice with the "English pop quiz" game on my phone, in the Livingroom, we were crowded by some of the other kids, and even when i got harsh, then just started to act out and complain, but still crowding us. Just before i felt like being really harsh, the 16-year-old boy ended the whole thing, by turning off the phone, and putting it away, and said "later". Normally i see him react by shouting or being mad at the little kids, but this time, he made a really good move, and i didn’t predict that.

 

One issue i haven’t figured out, is the one with the 14-year-old, that still ignores me. since Sunday last week. I don’t know completely what the reason is, but he won’t even say "hello" to me, and somedays he stays away from the fx. Livingroom, until i am leaving to another room. I tried to put pressure on him, by talking to him, inviting to go out with some of us, teasing him and sometimes i made him smile a little, but he still won’t look at me, og answer me. None of the employees know why he is acting like this, since it is only towards me of this high intensity. But i refuse to give up, although i might change tactic for the next week.

 

At Sunday i went to meet up with the CEO of Grozio Chirurgija, and his family, and by the end of the get-together, he gave me a sponsorship for the institution. He told me he would like to provide the household with vitamin pills, and sometimes maybe other stuff, like this time he also gave us a package of "Theraflu" and a bottle of expensive cream, to treat the skin issues on one of the little kids. Both I, and the headmistress was very happy to receive this kindness. (After just 5 days with this cream, the skin issues were getting better)

 

This weekend i didn’t cook, since i couldn’t get the ingredients here in Lithuania.

 

 

Work: 31½ hours

Sick days: 0

Total sick days: 5

Homework: 7 hours

Vacation remaining: 12½ hours

Sponsorships: 1