Volzhsky Orphanage


	Children’s corner

Hello dear friends!

Another summer passed. The school year is upon us. Two kids left the orphanage this year, both to learn a trade at tech-schools. Masha I is going to study the trade of a receptionist and a new girl Katya L will study the art of hair styling. We hope they will do well at the new place. We will miss them!

The summer has been a good one. It hasn’t been as hot as it was last year when the smoke of forest fires descended upon Kostroma and stayed for several weeks. Of course we had hot days when everything you wanted was to go to the river and stay in the shade but it wasn’t that bad.

This year the summer was a little different, we didn’t go to the camps right after the school year ended. We stayed at the orphanage for almost a month (till June 24th). It turned out to be quite fun. We got to go to the movies and lots and lots of trip to the river. And of course let’s not forget the orphanage garden where we spent most of the mornings watering and weeding. We had several patches of potatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis and onions.

The preschoolers went to the camp right away though and stayed there throughout the summer. Couple of the kids stayed with guest families.

Then we went to the camp were we stayed till the end of the summer. We thought it would be boring to stay at one place for so long (during the summer) but they organized a lot of field trips for us. We went bowling (which we love). Then we went out to see a movie. We saw Transformers 3. We liked it a lot. There were a lot of team competitions which we usually don’t mind. They let all the Volzhsky kids be on one team so it was fun. And let’s not forget evening discos! We love those!

Then it was back to the orphanage where we had to do a lot of cleaning. Getting the place ready for the school year is a no easy job - lots of sweeping, lots of moving the furniture. Thankfully the weather was still good and we got to play outside some. Then it was time to gather the crops. Good thing we rested so well at the camp. All that saved up energy came in useful.

And now the school year is here. The first month of the fall was very rainy and sad. But it will change. We are ready for another school year!


	Discipler note

The kids really couldn’t wait until the team arrived! They were asking about it for 6 months. They were really very eager to see old friends and make the new ones. They kept asking me about who is coming. I am tried to keep it a secret, but it got harder and harder with every passing week. Also I am looking forward to another year with the kids!


	Caretaker note

With Masha I graduating and Liuba M leaving to live with the foster family our orphanage doesn’t have any more ‘old’ kids, the ones who have been with us since the very beginning of the orphanage. It’s a little sad. It’s something new for us because the orphanage is only 11 years old. I guess we just have to get used to that now.