Today was my last day in school as tomorrow is 'rice drop day'. Most of my morning class didn't make it in due to the absolutely torrential rain which started around 5 yesterday and didnt stop until today around 11 this morning. I have never seen rain like it - it was totally impossible to ride home from school last night so we all had to leave our bikes and wait until tuk tuks came out to New Hope. It was a real experience driving home let me tell you!! - sitting in a tuk tuk driving through a potholed river isnt the most comforting experience I have ever had! It was definitely an experience though, thats for sure. I felt sorry for all those who got stuck on a bike - it just poured down and within an hour the roads were totally flooded! Didnt think we would get out for Tapas night last night, but those tuk tuk drivers sure are hardy and turned up on time despite the weather. They are probably used to it and need the money, so guess needs must! I love thunder and lightening, but I have never heard it so loud, was pretty scary at 2am, wondered what on earth was happening! So, back to this morning - I took in lollipops and sweets for my two kindergarten classes and I was really upset when they left - the morning class wasnt so bad as most of them couldnt get in so we only had around 15 in the morning - peace, perfect peace!. By afternoon the rain had stopped so most of my afternoon class got into school - I only gave them a lollipop and you would have thought I had given them the most expensive present ever - they were so happy and grateful, even although I know they are used to it as most of the leaving volunteers bring in sweets. I wonder how pleased 5-9 year old UK kids would be with that - not very I would say :). I got some nice photographs to remind me of them, so chuffed about that. We have to be really careful about posting any photographs of the kids for obvious reasons, but I can show them on my camera when I get home. I'm chuffed that I have (only now) stopped worrying about the head lice - dont even check now. I bought myself a de-lousing kit so just thought I've probably got it by now so no point in worrying. Dont think they noticed me checking out their hair or at least hope they didnt:( Actually pretty sure they wouldnt have known or cared what I was doing - they are so happy picking them out of each other's hair, its just a way of life here and I'm glad I am now ''over it'''. Although, it was sad to leave the ''kindy'' kids, felt worse with my teenagers, I am so impressed with them, they work so hard and are really focussed on improving their English and want to talk to me so that they can get better. I will miss them and they were so nice to me when I left - one of them made me a leaving gift last night when she heard today was my last day - I was so touched. They are also used to volunteers coming and going, so its nice that they seem to express genuine emotion and gratitude for the help we have given them. They are so focussed that makes it even more embarrassing that I have forgotten most of the grammar I learned at school - well it was over 35 years ago after all!!!??. Hopefully I managed to blag my way through the classes though. At 4pm there was an awards ceremony where all the leaving volunteers received a certificate in front of the whole school - pretty embarrassing (you all know how much I hate public displays of affection) and totally emotional as my class were all really cheering when I got my certificate. Feel like crying again thinking about it, but thats possibly due to the beer I am drinking whilst writing this in the reception of our guesthouse !! :}. Ive decided not to go out tonight, which will be a novelty for me and save myself for our leaving night tomorrow. Friday nights are half price cocktails and free nibbles at the Victoria Hotel (the 4 star hotel with the fancy pool), so that should be fun - guess its Siem Reap's answer to fish and chips at the Ferryhill! Looking forward to tomorrow as we spend the morning dividing out the rice and sauces into appropriate amounts and get it all sorted out before the sponsored families come to New Hope in the afternoon to collect their monthly allocation of rice and sauces. I'll get to see my sponsored family again and hope I can meet the grandsons as they were at school when I visited them. I have asked that my bike goes to my sponsored family, so at least I know where it is going. I really can''t believe where the time has gone and that my time here is nearly over - I will certainly never forget it and it'll stay with me for a long time.... So to avoid getting emotional again I best go now and have a shower - the thunder has just rumbled again and power cuts are pretty common! Thanks so much for your messages, they are appreciated -nice to ''talk'' to people from my other (real!??) life....:) xxxxxxxx ps sorry for the use of quotation marks when it should be an apostrophe, but cant get the stupid keyboard to type them when I want them now - hmm think that last statement makes me really anally retentive, but anyway - sorry if it is bugging anyone...:) Speak soon....xxxxxxxxxxxx