spring?

Apparently Internet is a lot cheaper today than it normally is here at the post office...as in half the usual cost. Unfortunately, my language wasn't good enough to figure out why.

I've just come from a festival to celebrate the arrival of spring, which leads me to think that I live in a highly optomistic country, as there is still quite a bit of snow. The festival consisted of a tug-of-war between two teams of children signifying winter and spring (I believe winter won), pancakes, and elderly women in traditional dress singing. This is my third community event this week: Sunday was the folk music concert, and on Wednesday there was an awards ceremony for people of the year. My director (principal) was one of the people of the year, so most of us teachers went. I personally felt that the most deserving individual was the guy who drives the snowplow. :) I was also quite taken with the recorded instrumental music in the background, which included jazz, the theme to Phantom of the Opera, and "Hail to the Chief".

Update on Tifanni: she was able to stand up yesterday and take a shower. It looks like she's going to be in the US for at least a month recovering, probably at her parents' house. The doctors have been pleased with her progress, so that's an answer to prayer. I'm going to miss her like crazy, but she's promised to bring back various US goodies for us all. :)

Teaching is going well...I can't think of any new stories to share right now.

A quote I read this week and liked: "A children's book that has lasted fifty years has magic in it that will never cease to enchant. This is not always true of adult books; it may take a century for grownups to admit that a book famed for stylistic experiment or boldness of plot is really a bore. Children sniff out literary frauds more swiftly, for they read not to impress or kill time or to fall asleep but for the sheer joy of reading." ~Philip Zaleski in the Forward to The Best American Spiritual Writing (2005 edition)