Is it really 6 weeks since I last posted? How time flies when you are having fun!
I'm not sure if fun is the right word as work has been full-on since returning the first week of January. Being robbed of a weeks holiday to endure a week-long Professional Development programme left a sour taste in our mouths. And that was without eating the food.
Being lured into submission with the promise of breakfast and lunch being provided, we duly arrived at the appointed hour. No lie in for us or shorter drive. No! Just early starts and days that dragged. But back to the food (our staple conversation piece here). Disappointing doesn't really do justice to the picture I want to paint. Not enough of it sums up the mad rush to grab whole plates of food, just to leave most of it half eaten or untouched on the tables while others go without. Repetitious comes to mind to describe how the same food was served day after day. I'm sure some it sat in the storeroom and was brought out as required as I didn't know bread rolls could be so stale. And that's not even mentioning the pasta that was off! I know... I hear you... Pasta! Off? How so???
But we endured and returned to work in much better frames of mind than if we'd been lying on the beach somewhere. I feel a Tui add coming on... Yeah! Right!
Needless to say the top administration spent the week without us dreaming up work that needed to be done by us, the staff. So it was back into it at a full run. No easing ourselves back into work mode. No, not for us.
So my feet have hardly touched the ground yet and the term only has 5 weeks left to run before we have our next, well-needed, break.
Still, lucky for me, and you the reader, that life has many pleasant distractions outside this realm.
The weather continues to be wonderful but is quickly warming up into the 30s by the afternoon. We had a cold snap and I mean cold. I nearly purchased a jacket to wear to work but desisted. We had a blanket drive at work to send new blankets to the refugees in Syria due to the harsh cold snap that struck the region. They were suffering not only under war conditions but freezing conditions on top of it with snow piling up in the refugee camps.
And then there's the rain. I love it when it rains here. It is so otherworldly! By that I mean we, the westerners, stand around and look on in disbelief (and often laughter) as events unfold. First, it's the driving and the multiple crashes on the way to work. This happens in the fog also. But back to the rain. Then there's the schools that are ill equipped to deal with rain. Roofs leak, electrical circuits blow out, fire alarms ring, and in our case we had the full emergency response team arrive at school while we stood out in the rain, freezing! Cameras are snapping photos, we are all open mouthed, kids are screaming, the fire alarm rings incessently, men in uniforms trapse around the school accompanied by security guards, women are hastily covering their faces while taking photos of the proceedings. Then we all go back to class and try to teach without power, water, while we hope and wait for the buses to be called early to take the students home.
Lately I've been to a few BBQs. One was out in the desert and I returned to the same spot (aptly named Camel's graveyard because of the camel skeltons there) with the same group of people last weekend. We planned to camp but the evening ended up with some of the vehicles returning to town and the decision was made for us all to return around midnight. As there was only two vehicles left we didn't feel it was safe enough if we got stuck when trying to return. If the second vehicle gets stuck trying to get the first one out, then you're stuffed! On our previous evening trip we did get stuck as we were leaving and the thought of a day spent out in the sun without adequate provisions wasn't something we wanted to happen.
I've also been out to many dinners at outside restaurants while the weather holds. The beer garden continues to be our regular Thursday night fish & chip venue. What intrigues me is the wonderful array of people you meet each week when you share your table - this week it was a British couple who had been here for 13 years then later it was a couple of Aussie copter pilots. Always someone new to talk to. People watching continues to be a passion of mine and finding out what everyone does or why they came here fascinates me.
This weekend has been quiet due to a raging sandstorm which has lasted two days already so plans for getting some sun down at the pool were put on hold. Today it's been catching up with family back in NZ via Skype, catching up on sleep, catching up on washing, and now perhaps catching up on paperwork!
I've also been trawling the internet (before it went down for many hours due to a security glitch) looking at holidays - another conversation staple here.
Spring break is fast looming and I'm heading to Sri Lanka. Once again, the powers that be have taken a week of our holidays for PD so we're all over the moon about that. So that only leaves a week of what is traditionally a big trip for most teachers. I've booked my flights - 5 nights only. Now the choice remains whether I do a beach trip to relax or head for the inland hills and some walking and maybe adventure in the hilly tea plantations. I'm leaning towards the second option at the moment and looking at a tour as I'm traveling alone. With only 5 nights I don't want to waste time trying to find my way around and getting from A-B.
Then I have the real biggie coming up two weeks later. For those Kiwis & Aussies reading this will strike a chord! Gallipoli for the 100th Centenary. Wow! Yes, my son was lucky enough to win ballot tickets so him and I are flying over for a four day weekend to take part in what will be another once-in-a-lifetime event. Me and 10499 others! So the planning for that and what to take in my tiny backpack (no camping gear) to overnight in the open in cold temperatures continues. Any advice from those that have been is welcome.
Needless to say that I'm working so I can holiday...
I'm not sure if fun is the right word as work has been full-on since returning the first week of January. Being robbed of a weeks holiday to endure a week-long Professional Development programme left a sour taste in our mouths. And that was without eating the food.
Being lured into submission with the promise of breakfast and lunch being provided, we duly arrived at the appointed hour. No lie in for us or shorter drive. No! Just early starts and days that dragged. But back to the food (our staple conversation piece here). Disappointing doesn't really do justice to the picture I want to paint. Not enough of it sums up the mad rush to grab whole plates of food, just to leave most of it half eaten or untouched on the tables while others go without. Repetitious comes to mind to describe how the same food was served day after day. I'm sure some it sat in the storeroom and was brought out as required as I didn't know bread rolls could be so stale. And that's not even mentioning the pasta that was off! I know... I hear you... Pasta! Off? How so???
But we endured and returned to work in much better frames of mind than if we'd been lying on the beach somewhere. I feel a Tui add coming on... Yeah! Right!
Needless to say the top administration spent the week without us dreaming up work that needed to be done by us, the staff. So it was back into it at a full run. No easing ourselves back into work mode. No, not for us.
So my feet have hardly touched the ground yet and the term only has 5 weeks left to run before we have our next, well-needed, break.
Still, lucky for me, and you the reader, that life has many pleasant distractions outside this realm.
The weather continues to be wonderful but is quickly warming up into the 30s by the afternoon. We had a cold snap and I mean cold. I nearly purchased a jacket to wear to work but desisted. We had a blanket drive at work to send new blankets to the refugees in Syria due to the harsh cold snap that struck the region. They were suffering not only under war conditions but freezing conditions on top of it with snow piling up in the refugee camps.
And then there's the rain. I love it when it rains here. It is so otherworldly! By that I mean we, the westerners, stand around and look on in disbelief (and often laughter) as events unfold. First, it's the driving and the multiple crashes on the way to work. This happens in the fog also. But back to the rain. Then there's the schools that are ill equipped to deal with rain. Roofs leak, electrical circuits blow out, fire alarms ring, and in our case we had the full emergency response team arrive at school while we stood out in the rain, freezing! Cameras are snapping photos, we are all open mouthed, kids are screaming, the fire alarm rings incessently, men in uniforms trapse around the school accompanied by security guards, women are hastily covering their faces while taking photos of the proceedings. Then we all go back to class and try to teach without power, water, while we hope and wait for the buses to be called early to take the students home.
Lately I've been to a few BBQs. One was out in the desert and I returned to the same spot (aptly named Camel's graveyard because of the camel skeltons there) with the same group of people last weekend. We planned to camp but the evening ended up with some of the vehicles returning to town and the decision was made for us all to return around midnight. As there was only two vehicles left we didn't feel it was safe enough if we got stuck when trying to return. If the second vehicle gets stuck trying to get the first one out, then you're stuffed! On our previous evening trip we did get stuck as we were leaving and the thought of a day spent out in the sun without adequate provisions wasn't something we wanted to happen.
I've also been out to many dinners at outside restaurants while the weather holds. The beer garden continues to be our regular Thursday night fish & chip venue. What intrigues me is the wonderful array of people you meet each week when you share your table - this week it was a British couple who had been here for 13 years then later it was a couple of Aussie copter pilots. Always someone new to talk to. People watching continues to be a passion of mine and finding out what everyone does or why they came here fascinates me.
This weekend has been quiet due to a raging sandstorm which has lasted two days already so plans for getting some sun down at the pool were put on hold. Today it's been catching up with family back in NZ via Skype, catching up on sleep, catching up on washing, and now perhaps catching up on paperwork!
I've also been trawling the internet (before it went down for many hours due to a security glitch) looking at holidays - another conversation staple here.
Spring break is fast looming and I'm heading to Sri Lanka. Once again, the powers that be have taken a week of our holidays for PD so we're all over the moon about that. So that only leaves a week of what is traditionally a big trip for most teachers. I've booked my flights - 5 nights only. Now the choice remains whether I do a beach trip to relax or head for the inland hills and some walking and maybe adventure in the hilly tea plantations. I'm leaning towards the second option at the moment and looking at a tour as I'm traveling alone. With only 5 nights I don't want to waste time trying to find my way around and getting from A-B.
Then I have the real biggie coming up two weeks later. For those Kiwis & Aussies reading this will strike a chord! Gallipoli for the 100th Centenary. Wow! Yes, my son was lucky enough to win ballot tickets so him and I are flying over for a four day weekend to take part in what will be another once-in-a-lifetime event. Me and 10499 others! So the planning for that and what to take in my tiny backpack (no camping gear) to overnight in the open in cold temperatures continues. Any advice from those that have been is welcome.
Needless to say that I'm working so I can holiday...
