Superwoman

went to school Open House and found that Roma has turned in 0% of U.S. History homework. He missed not only first period today (I knew about that), but also two and three. Several of his teachers told me he is wonderful, social, intelligent and participates well in classroom discussions. He just doesn't do the damn homework! He told me tonight he is not going to school tomorrow.... I told him he is going if I have to drive him and walk him in and I will call every period and make sure he has not left! He said he wants to get kicked out of the program and go home. I asked him to try to give it one more month, until the end of September. That maybe in that time we can find some resources so he will feel like he can stay and have the cultural experience, yet still be prepared for his exams. We live in a town with a LARGE international community, a physics department and about a gazillion people with PhDs in sciences and math and probably also Ukranian language and history he needs for his exams.

Cathy, the exchange coordinator, is meeting with him tomorrow right after school to talk about his issues.

I told Roma that we really want him here with us and that we will be really sad if he leaves, that even though I have been angry and upset with him sometimes I want to work it out. He says it's not us, it is that he is losing a year of education because school is too easy here and he won't be ready for his exams to go to university.

My goals tomorrow are: get his ass in school. Call Yelena and see if I write a letter to his parents if she will translate it. I want to find out how his parents feel about him quitting the program, or if they will support me in asking him to try one more month.

Happy today for: getting some piles off my desk and some work complete, and a trip to Chocolate Moose for ice cream that gave us good ice cream AND a public place to have a very serious discussion surrounded by people so nobody became overly excited, loud or emotional.