Being Killed by Cuteness

The kids I teach are so cute. I have such a hard time trying to be strict with and making them focus on the lessons because when they get up and start dancing around the room or speaking to eachother in Russian it's just adorable. Today, two of the girls started saying they were vegetables in Russian (speaking Russsian during English class is forbidden). I had to control myself in order to not laugh and give away the fact that I understood what they were saying (it's best that they don't know that I know a little Russian). Instead of speaking back to them in Russian and saying, "No, you're not cabbage! I'm cabbage. You're an onion!" like I wanted to, I had to be stern and say, "No Russian!" (in English, of course). While it would kind of defeat the purpose of having them in English class, I just think it would be so much more fun I could just joke around with them in Russian all of the time and let them dance around the classroom whenever they feel the urge.

While I was standing up at the beginning of class today, one of the girls snuck and hid down behind my feet. I was looking around for her and literally could not figure out where she'd gone to until she let out a giggle as I called her name. When I looked down at her in surpise, she busted up laughing. I think it's a good sign that they're comfortable enough with me now that they like to play with me like that, instead of just going crazy and ignoring me the whole time like they did when we were first starting out.

With the quartentine, I haven't even taught a full three weeks worth of classes yet, but I already don't know how in the world I'm going to survive having to leave these kids in June. Even on the days when they're being super bad and hard to control or get focused I fall more in love with them. The fact that I'm not going to get to watch them grow up any more after I leave makes me sad.