My application with the girls school 'didn't go my way' which was disappointing, but I did begin a long-term substitute teaching position in a 4th grade classroom last Thursday, so I've been keeping quite busy with my 1-hour each way commute and trying to keep this classroom running. It has been a wonderful experience so far - the staff at the school have been beautiful with welcoming me and helping me get settled, and the kids are fantastic. It is so interesting for me to experience teaching in another country - interesting/challenging/scary/fun all mixed together. I feel very lucky to be at this school right now.
The kids are really funny in responding to me and my American way of talking. The younger kiddos kind of just look at me weird and then are quick to warm up - I had one boy yesterday straight up say to me, "You talk weird." The older kiddos just want me to keep talking and saying things. They also always ask me if I know any movie stars. One girl asked me the other day if I had met P-Diddy. I think she was genuinely disappointed when I told her no, I had not met P-Diddy in person.
The countdown for Ray & Marcia's arrival has begun - 2 weeks to go! I've got them out purchasing much-needed American things to stash in their suitcases; items such as Beef Flavored Rice-a-Roni and a 20-pack of Irish Spring Bar Soap. You know, the necessities.
Andy and I hosted our little apartment-warming party last Friday evening by serving way too much wine and cheese. We had a random mix of people: a few of Andy's co-workers, one of our neighbors, and Meghan from Seattle. Andy met Meghan last Wednesday night at ultimate frisbee - she was in town for a week for work, and I think she must be an ultimate frisbee addict to be out playing on the night she arrived in town, but anyway they 'made friends' and it was fun to have her join our evening. I had a blast talking with someone so familiar with my home, and when she whipped out her REI credit card, I about had a good cry right there at the dinner table. Amazing how those little things can affect me. Andy and I then came home and decided that we had better drink some more of all of that red wine we had left from the party. Since we've arrived in Australia, Andy and I have had more than 1 night where we just hang around our place, and end up watching the pictures that are on our computer screen saver flash along. Between the red wine and all of the pictures from home, I got a good cry out of my system, a few tears on Andy's shoulder, and then managed to get myself off to bed.
On Saturday night we saw Eddie Bo at a local venue. Mr. Bo is an old-timer New Orleans soul/funk master - the show was packed and impressive.
I can't quite believe that Thanksgiving is next week! I don't have that Thanksgiving excitement feeling going on at all. Of course, they don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia, so neither of us will have any days off work next week, we have no plans for attempting a turkey in our oven, and the days keep getting longer and the weather warmer, so I think it is normal that it just doesn't feel like Thanksgiving. Andy and I have been discussing how amazing it is that we spent Thanksgiving last year in Brazil and this one will be in Australia. I would never have dreamed at this time last year that I would be living in Australia now.
Andy and I are beginning to inch dangerously close to using some local Aussie lingo - I actually said, "I reckon..." last week, and then this week I asked some students at school how they were 'going' with their assignment. I think Andy has already given in to "No worries." I've also succumbed to spelling things at school the appropriate Aussie way, for example organisation and colour. Weird, weird, weird.
Well, that's about it for now I think. I'm going to close with a little bit of writing that I did on Monday morning on my way to work. The students in my 4th grade classroom are in the midst of a Pirate-themed Integrated Studies Unit right now, so Monday was Pirate Day. For a writing activity, I gave them the following writing prompt: If you found a treasure chest, what would be inside and what would you do with it? The following is what I wrote as a model for them:
My Good Forture Treasure Chest
by
Mrs. Sweany
If I found a treasure chest today, and opened it up, my dog, Buddy, my friends, and my family would all jump out! We would hug and laugh and probably cry a little bit in our excitement of being all together in Australia. We would all go to Healesville Sanctuary to feed the kangaroos and to see all of the other amazing animals that live there. Then we would go to the beach and have dinner all together as we watched the sunset and celebrated our good fortune at my finding just the right treasure chest.
I love and miss you all. My heart and my thoughts are with all of you much of the time.
xoxoxoxo
Christy
1 comment:
Fantastic update, Christy. We're in the midst of planning Thanksgiving at Daynia's and we'll give a toast to you!! Miss you, Marnie
Post a Comment