done.

today was the last day of school... well, last day of teaching... well, last day of teaching in ZIG... well, for now anyway.

this week has been surprisingly normal. the kids all behaved like it was a regular week. they don't have exams in every class during the last week like we do in america. they don't take a ton of pictures or go crazy getting people to sign their yearbooks or discuss summer plans.

i have a theory about why. the class called "10A" this year will be called "11A" next year. the same exact kids. these same kids were "9A" last year and most have been in the same class since elementary school. they know everything about everyone in the class. they know how many brothers and sisters each classmate has, they know where they were each born and what all of the other kids' parents do. they hang out with each other after school and in the summer, so there's no need to go nuts trying to stay in touch. they're certain to stay in touch... they have no choice. well, that's what i think anyway.

there are some end of school exams, but not for everyone. many students were on trips this week so i didn't see them for our last class. i expected to be sad about leaving these kids, most of whom i really enjoyed getting to know, but i really wasn't. i won't see them again as a class, but i expect to see them in the city some time, so really it's all good.

some students asked me when i'm going home, what i'm doing in the summer, where i'll be next year. a few students were shocked/sad when i told them i wasn't coming back to ZIG next year. it's nice to know i'll be missed, i guess. some students lingered around after class was dismissed to chitchat with me, coerce me into doing stupid human tricks for them, or give me hugs, kisses, presents, and well-wishes. those were the good-memorable kids.

the others, the kids i won't miss at all, were eeeeasy to dismiss for the last time. i perfected my "we'll never meet again, i'm happy to have met you, have a nice life" speech and tried not to beam too brightly when letting them go. my least favorite class didn't even show me the courtesy of coming to our last class (empty classroom pictured above). i mean, it was the last class of the day, the week, and the year so i guess they had better things to do. they are only about 1/2 awful but the bad half makes me not really appreciate the good half. sorry good people. then again, the "good" people didn't come to class either, so deduce from that what you will.

anyway, one year down. overall rating: 8 out of 10.
the 2 points were lost to culture shock and everything that includes, winter, missing home, bad kids, and personal life.
the 8 points were from accomplishing what i've always wanted to do (teaching english in another country), surviving all the stuff the 2 points were lost to, making new friends (like real friends, not just in-passing friends), becoming a real teacher, completing a whole hungarian language book, spring, hungarian culture, and absolute independence.