The strangest weeks!

Hey!

I will try to keep this RELATIVELY short (haha) because I have no pictures to back up all the writing...I have been lazy with my camera lately...I'll start taking it out again...I promise!

I don't know where to start! But firstly, I want to give a special shout-out to my momzers for sending me the most amazing package which is now fueling this blog. (Thank goodness for mini-pretzels and WHY do they not exist in this pretzel-forsaken country?!)

To keep things interesting, let me start out with a fun list:
Top 5 weirdest/most unpleasant/strangest things that have happened to me lately:
1) Ran into Eamonn on the tube. (What are the chances?) Apparently, we are trying to be friends again, or something like that.
2) Got pooped on in the pre-school. I'm pretty sure I did NOT sign up for that.
3) Taught a class full of kids with lice. (School sounds AWESOME, doesn't it?)
4) Got a RAW chicken leg dropped on my head by a SEAGULL (again, what? I'm PRETTY sure I don't live by the sea...)
5) I still had/have? bed bugs...even after the extermination...but, the exterminator came again last week, and I feel pretty confident (fingers crossed) that they are gone for good this time.

Alright, and now for the chronological order section of the blog...

I started my new teaching job 2.5 weeks ago...and I think it is the toughest school I've ever worked in. I mean, it is a primary/elementary school, so it is different then the toughness encountered at DHS and NHS, but, tough nonetheless. I scream, a lot, everyday, which I loathe doing. The kids are wild, and unruly, and slightly disrespectful (though some of them are angelic), and so so soooo far below grade-level. Sound familiar NYC teachers? The thing is...I have no contractual commitment, but for some reason, I have decided to stick with it.

In all honesty, it's a hard school to be in, but 3 out of 5 days I enjoy myself. The other teachers are young, intelligent, and caring, which really helps. And, to be honest, the kids really love me. (Some of them don't seem to respect me very much....but they are extremely warm, ironically.) And, of course, they are needy...which I think is the main reason why I don't want to leave the school. I already feel "sucked-into" their world of neediness, and I don't want to give up on them. (Again, NYC teachers will know exactly what I'm talking about.) They do suck a lot of energy out of me, and I'm tired a lot, but I enjoy going to the same school everyday and having those bonds that you have with students when they are "yours." Because I teach the same students on a schedule (same students every Monday, every Tuesday, etc), they are used to me, and they ask me when I'm teaching them next when they see me in the hallways or canteen. Friday is Red Nose Day so I will be proudly wearing my red nose and doing a relay race for charity during lunch. I guess you could say I'm getting involved in the school :)

In other teaching news, the truth is, I'm still not sure where I'm going to be next year, but to let the cat out of the bag, I've been sending out applications to schools/jobs of interest in London/Surrey, Portland and Seattle. Basically, it's time for me to move somewhere green. New York City is also on the radar, as is Denver, CO (Kirstin--Here's your shout-out!), but I haven't actively sought out jobs in those places, yet. However, neither NYC, nor Portland OR Seattle are hiring teachers for next year. I know that sounds like complete hyperbole...but check their websites...it's the truth. At least in the public sector. They, and many other school systems, have "put a cap on new hires" and are going to be "re-circulating" people around the system. In other words, I have no chance. Which leaves private schools, and other jobs. (Any thoughts on other jobs? I'm thinking...truck driver...lunch-lady...chaiwalla?) So...I'm going to avoid recession talk for the rest of this blog, but, according to my sources ;), I should just stay put if I have a job here, because I'm not going to be able to find one in The States. (My mum is worrying about my lack of benefits, but right now, I feel like the fact that I don't have a pension plans seems better than not having a job at all, right?!)

Okay, so let's see then, besides the new job...I guess I should blog a little bit about social things, right? Fat Tuesday, otherwise known as Mardi Gras, otherwise known as Shrove Tuesday, is ALSO otherwise known as PANCAKE Tuesday! Basically, the tradition in the British Isles has it that on the last day before Lent, people used to make pancakes (really more like crepes) to get rid of all of the things they wouldn't be eating for lent...sweet jams, sugar, eggs, butter, etc. It has become a British/Irish tradition to have pancakes on the day before Lent...and EVERYONE does it. It's practically a national holiday. Needless to say, I decided it was time I put myself out there and finally threw my first dinner party in London. It was more of a "breakfast for dinner" party, but it was a huge blast. (I know enough people now to throw a dinner party, yay!) We had savory AND sweet pancakes...American style AND Crepe style, and lots and lots of Mimosas (also known as "Bucks Fizz" here in England). I wish I had pictures, because we all had an awesome time, and the kitchen was a DISASTER. It's nice to be able to have a dinner party with a reasonably sized kitchen now, though. It makes such a difference (and damn, do I sound horribly domestic)!

Hockey has been another really important part of my non-work life lately, as well. It has been keeping me in shape, and the girls are really great. We had a Rugby social two weekends ago (because, for the lot of you that don't follow Rugby, it was the Six Nations Tournament--big deal) and the clubhouse was filled with people. There are 6 girls teams and 7 guys teams, so there are just so many fun people to hang out with. I won't go into too much boring detail, but I will say that, though the clubhouse closes at 11pm, there was plenty of time for me to have a Zoolander style dance-off with a total stranger. If I were slightly more shy, it could have been mortifying.

I guess that pretty much sums up anything half exciting that has been going on here lately. I had the best night that I have had yet in London this past Saturday. My team had gotten completely annihilated (we've yet to win a game) and I was feeling pretty down, but I ended up going out dancing with a couple of my housemates and Jill. We ended up staying out way too late and finding this really awesome unpretentious place to dance. (They played IDLEWILD. Who DOES that?!!!) London has its redeeming qualities...and great dance venues is certainly one of them!

Anyway, I'll take more photos for the next blog, and I'll keep everyone posted about any future returns to the states (as well as anything else half exciting that's going on).

Comment? haha.

Love Sarah