And Breathe

The kids are gone and we are all doing the happy dance! I'm glad this week is over, not just because of the trying kids, but for other reasons also. Yesterday was just not a good day. First of all I start the day off with a call from Washington DC saying that they are not happy with the numbers we have been turning in. Every Talent Search Program - no matter where you are or what the circumstances is - has to serve a minimum number of 600 students. We definitely have that many students here that need our program. The problem is we don't get any more money than the other programs. We have no road system between villages. I spent on average $300 per ticket for the students that we brought in. I'm spending $60,000 on room and board for the students, yes $60,000 and that's in the dorm with the dorm cooks cooking. So what does all of this mean you may be asking? Well, it means that they can pull our funding if they don't think we have given them a good enough reason why we haven't been giving them higher numbers. I spent all day yesterday and this morning putting together a report on why we haven't met our numbers and why we deserve to keep our funding coming. Oh, by the way, did I mention that my salary is strictly from the grant? I don't get paid any other way except for the grant funds.

Now if that isn't enough to spoil a day, we've had a girl at camp this week (returning student from last year) that has been suffering from major migraines. Imagine being 12 years old and suffering from migraines. Monday she had a brief 15 minute episode. Tuesday she had another 15 minute episode. Yesterday - a 30 minute episode. Talk about physically/emotionally draining. She gets them so bad that she's yelling, crying, almost passing out. She was using me as a back stop yesterday while holding my hand and squeezing every time she had a bad pulse in the head. This went on almost straight for the half hour. This happened about 1:00 pm. After this, I couldn't sit at my desk and type for a good 1/2 hour. I was so drained last night when I got home.

Okay, enough depressing news. I'm excited to go to Marshall on Monday to experience a whole new world of the villages. I am planning on taking the camera along, so hopefully I will take plenty of pictures and can post some next week. Well, signing off for now.