Still alive...

On Monday night, I thought I was a goner for sure.  There was another huge storm, and the thunder was SOOOO big this time.  i have NEVER heard it that loud.  I felt like a little kid who needed to go sleep in the parents bedroom.  I was just praying and praying for it to be over.  It was weird though because since it was so loud, i thought it would be super close, but it took longer than i thought for the thunder to happen after the lightning happened.  So every time the sky lit up i was DREADING the thunder.  for about 6 seconds. it was horrible!  But I made it through the night and was able to go to the LAST day of orientation! woo hoo!  Our last meeting was a "newcomers" meeting where we talked to "Shrink Lady" (as my principal calls her which i just found out today and think is hilarious) aka the school counselor.  She asked us what our frustrations and needs were at the time.  Everyone was going on and on about how they were frustrated about this and that... and i just wasnt saying anything so shrink lady said "lauren, what about you?" and i felt guilty to say that i was doing fine.
I finished up my classroom and went to the grocery store to buy dinner things and found some CHOCOLATE!!!! and it was on PROMO (french word for sale... im doing good!) i thought that it had hazelnuts in it, but they turned out to be just regular old peanuts (okay maybe im not doing so good).   but i also bought some kinder chocolate.  YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. i think i deserve it.  and, i hate to admit this, but im actually starting to kind of like the powdered milk.. i just make it with mostly powder and just a little bit of water so its so creamy and kind of sweet.... yum.  so after getting my chocolate fix, i made some dinner.. i really dont understand how some women are teachers AND mothers... or even just wives, props to them!
and TODAY was the first day of school!!!! it went so well! all the elementary kids and parents met in the auditorium at first, and then we went to our classrooms. i just have to say, my kids are adorable and i love them. we had so much fun.  now i just have to figure out what we are going to do tomorrow.. BUT the good news is no school on Monday! because of some muslim holiday called corte or something.  they have to see the moon.. i dont really understand it.  but either way, monday=no school.  im sure i will end up there anyway, but it will be nice to have some prep time.
Also, i am SO thankful for things like p.e. and art and music. 30 minutes of pure joy baby.
the director and his wife had all the new people over for dinner tonight.. it was SOOO yummy something with peanut sauce that their house help made. i ate sooo much.
sad fact of the day: i heard mangos are going out of season soon :(
ok so, this post was mostly about food, so i guess now would be a good time to tell you that i have gained 32 pounds in my time here.  but thats okay.. my students won't know me as any different!!
Also, all the parents are SO nice. like extremely nice. speaking of parents, here is an embarassing story... one of the moms introduced herself to me after school and said "Is it meees or Mrs.?" (she said mrs. without an accent.) she is from brazil.  So i said "its mees... i mean miss." her accent threw me off! and i think she noticed.. ughhhhh. oh well! told you im a freak! :)