In my country we have a saying we take out of the closet when we are approaching the final lap of something momentous. Like, in my case, the school year. It is a saying, which goes as follows: "De laatste loodjes zijn het zwaarst". (There! Your very first Dutch sentence! Use it well.)
Translation (literally, not poetically): The last pieces of lead (you have to carry around before you can stop) weigh the most.
And do they just! I am exhausted.
Just an example. Young guy (one of my 430 young guys) walks up to me during my lunch break, confident smile on his face, spring in his step. "Miss! As you know I'll have my final test tomorrow. Can you give me a private lesson - right now - so I will do well?"
Now, this is a guy who never does more than he can get away with and usually a lot less. Needless to say I have pointed him in the direction of my favorite last-minute-lesson-resort-for-young-guys-who-have-been-pissing-about-for-the-entire-year. And warmly wished him luck.
He thanked me politely, although a tad puzzled.
He probably expected me to push away my salad and give him the impromptu English lesson of the year, earning him a high mark tomorrow.
And he is just one of the many, many such young guys (and a few girls) who expect me to do the same.
Is it just me, or do our youngsters have less stamina than earlier generations?
Anyway, I am very tired. And still three weeks to go until my well-earned holiday.
Still, I also have young guys who give me energy, instead of simply draining me of it. One of them, a troubled kid, gave a glowing talk on maintenance which morphed into a passioned declaration of love for off-road motorbikes. I was mightily entertained.
Right. Time for me to call it a day, so that I can have another riveting day tomorrow. Bye.
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