Qax Düşərgə: Wrapping it all up

Final games, making friendship bracelets and picture frames brought us to Saturday. It was a nice wrap up day and I think the kids agreed that 6 days was plenty. We ran through all of our favorite games, relaxed and some new friends spent a bit more time together right before school began.
Here I am looking all Peace Corps like with the kids, getting ready for a new game.
This is a picture from Day 2 as the lovely France's were heading home to get ready for a conference. Everyone is completely exhausted since we just finished our sports day.
Final Day, They all have certificates, candy and are ready to go home. I'm dead tired as are all of the wonderful PCV's who came to help. So many lists of things to do differently for next year. The kids all promised they'd come next year and said they would be on the look out for my flyers.
I've decided to start a new theme, I will stamp any success as "developed". Not to be cocky because I know I have not developed anything, it's more or less mocking myself. So as opposed to a success stamp, I will give myself little jab and write developed. So, Qax Düşərgə 2010 is officially:

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Qax Düşərgə: Relay Races

Just as Flag Football was a success, Relay Races quickly became a go to activity. We set up a course with cones and had many variations including: running, hopping, crab-walking, spider-walking, piggy back, wheel barrow, criss-cross, skipping, linked elbows, holding hands, and all of these in reverse.

Baton races were a part of these many races. They look so intense. So much screaming and look at her face. She is in it to win it.She picks up quickly. I teach them how to brag well. The winner of one of our many races.

Representing for tiny Georgians everywhere. Megi hops along to finish out the race.
Unfortunately this wheel barrow was too heavy for the operator. It made for a great round.

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Qax Düşərgə: Dancing

We needed something for Surprise Day and as the Russian, Georgian and Azeri's all have their own National dance, I decided it would be a great time to share cultures. It ended up having an abrupt end with some slurs being said and some campers asked to leave. But before it got that far most of us were having a great time. I even had a chance to teach them the basic steps for salsa!

The tiny ones getting their latin grooves on.
Brother and sister bonding time. She slows it down for him so he feels included.
Teaching teh basics with my little dancing queen.
Random group dancing
Finally a video of the Salsa dancing. Watch the tiny little nuggets shake their bums. It is so adorable. *If you hear the kid yelling something to me at the end he's telling me that there's a fire in the stadium. I check, and sure enough they're burning leaves and trash. It was really cute that all of the kids got excited and said we needed to save the eggs! yay for remembering.

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Qax Düşərgə: Theatre fun

For theatre day we played some games and made sock puppets. Everyone paired up and either by hands or hand to face we mirrored each others movements. Then it was time to make sock puppets and do little performances. My favorite was the girl who discovered her mom wasn't her real mother, met her mother the gypsy, the dad left his wife for the gypsy and the girl meets her brother. Such happiness.

Here are the girls stretching each others limits all the way to the floor.
Stephanie testing out this kids spine. Pretty flexible, he probably does yoga just like Steph.
Hey Romiko! Way to make that kid flip around.Diana spent most of these games laughing and barely being able to keep up. It was just so funny that she was doubled over laughing.
Socks on hand, imaginations and markers at the ready.A Turkish drama of love.
A re-creation of a Russian fable. I was so proud of this group. The only group to combine Russian, Georgian and Azeri kids. They even chose themselves.
Here they. The Drama King and Queens present The Gypsy Drama.
The whole group showing off their art.

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Qax Düşərgə:Egg Drop

Guys we have a problem. There a big fire and all of the chickens left their eggs. We have to sell those eggs at the bazaar tomorrow. But they have to be dropped from very high up. You have to make very secure box to protect these eggs because I have to thrown them before they cook.

Thus ensued the egg drop. 4 girls teams and all of the boys ganging up together for the 1 boys team.
2 boys team representatives holding their pride and glory. Unfortunately it was the only one to break.
One of the girls teams looking very proud and ready to win.
Looking sassy and posing with their winning Egg Drop Box.
Finishing up the last minute touches on a very sturdy, parachuted piece of equipment.
Jessi and I dropping the kids creations off a ledge from about 2 stories up.
Expectant faces! So much excitement.

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Qax Düşərgə: Hike to Qum

It was the perfect day for a hike. With food and kids in tow we headed off through the valley, as the mountains had too many branches and dangerous pokey's to lead a group through.

Here's the first shot of the day, leaving the village to the trail at the foothill of the mountains.
Quite a few stops occurred so we could see all of the frogs, and the boys even attempted hitting them with rocks. Oh joy.
Our big one hour in break. It took a good 10 minutes to get everyone together, as the girls were happier strolling as opposed to actually hiking.
Re-juvenated and ready to see the river. We are already in Qum but have about 6 more kilometres to get up the hill.
Break on the road. It's a slow incline but it takes it out of you.
Sweaty but happy to be sitting.
The boys did not want the break so they found a friend to give them a joy ride while we all took a break.
In Qum at the river. We just finished eating. The boys are all swimming in the river. We are pretty far away from them as they all stripped down to their tighty-whiteys as soon as they saw water. We ran ourselves to this beautiful little sitting area and ate away.
After lunch we went to the Georgian/Albanian Church ruins. Here's a shot of just the PCV ladies. At least those of us who were present on Wednesday.
Last up, a group shot of the troopers who worked their butts off. The return trip had a bit more drama. It was the longest amount of time we were together so it was expected. Luckily we all look happy here. This picture is how I remember that day.

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Qax Düşərgə = Flag Football

Flag Football became the theme of the camp. It was requested everyday and I gave the kiddles what they wanted. The kids got crazy competitive and everyday, try to explain as I might, they couldn't get it. So much shouting and going on as if each game was life or death. It may have been a tad annoying at the time, but it's hoot now!

Here's us being poor examples to being a team player and encouraging showing off and mild smack talking.
The cutest player on the field! He's 4 and had to come to camp otherwise his older sisters wouldn't be allowed. I was helping him but frankly he was holding me down!
The sprawl. We have all been freed from jail and are booking it to our side so we can return for the counter attack.
"Okay... we're in the safety zone, we have the flag, now when I say go you run for your life."
Jess played a bit nicer than I did. She slowed down and played all cutesy. Good thing she did.
This is my game face. In case you were wondering, yes I always play with my game face on.
Unfortunately my intense game face and smack talking led to many arguments. Every time I was surrounded by a group of shouting kids, I looked over to Stephanie and saw this. I have a game face, she has a "you're too much for me right now" face.

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Qax Düşərgə 2010!!!

Gakh Summer Camp 2010 was a lot of fun. I had help from about 10 other PCV's who came out to help me blow these kids minds away with summer camp fun! It was at the end of August for 6 days from 9a-1p at the Kids Sports Stadium in Gakh. The days went as follows:

Monday - Welcome Day: loads of games
Tuesday - Sports Day: Capture the Flag, Kickball, Soccer and Volleyball
Wednesday - Hiking Day: Group hike to Qum (the closest village)
Thursday - Theatre Day: Theatre Games, Sock Puppets, etc
Friday - Surprise Day: Water balloons, egg drops and dancing
Saturday - Carnival Day: Think 5th grade Field Day

First off we played games...lots of games. Here the kids took my grossly over-sized clothing (2-3 sizes) and relay raced in teams across the field. It was hilarious. The clothing was bright and fun which made the kids excited and made the Americans laugh even harder when the kids thought they were clown clothes. Thank you Target PJ's!
Then we played Red Light Green Light, Simon Says, What time is it Mr Fox?, Sharks and Minnows, and many other classics. Here are the kids waiting for the green light to come.

So much happiness up front - that's because she made it. However in the back those girls were a bit terrified. This game was taken way too seriously.
Now they're asking permission to advance. Aren't they adooooooooorable?Now we can see Stephanie overseeing Mr Fox himself. The kids cheat so much we had to have at least one judge to keep every player honest. I love the looks on their faces when you catch them and they're deciding whether or not to argue. Last up, Ninja! I love this game. Everyone gathers in a circle and one by one you get a chance to karate chop another players hand (you can move if you're being attacked). It's a very quick and intense game beause people can be coming at you from all sides. Here you can see the Qax Star (ME!) and Romiko battle it out for the win! If I remember correctly, he kicked my butt.

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