Laughter that makes your stomach hurt

Hello,

I just want to start this by saying that the worst week of my life turned into one of the best weekends in recent history...so life is on the up and up. (I don't want to be TOO negative to start this blog off!)

Basically, the week started off really roughly. Clearly, I didn't sleep much on Sunday night because I was worrying about my family and everything happening at home. The car accident put into perspective the reality that I am so very, very far away. My parents reassured me that "everything was going to be okay and everyone was going to be fine" but that didn't change the fact that this is the first time I have encountered the realization that choosing to live far away means being completely and utterly helpless. There is absolutely nothing I can do if anything bad happens in the United States. It is really hard to be this far away, and this past week was the first time I have felt that in the year that I have been gone. Of course I've wanted to be near my friends and family and have missed them, but put in perspective, it has all been rather superficial: "Oh woe is me. Woe is me. Boys hurt my heart. Wah Wah Wah." That's all been nothing compared to this past week.

On Wednesday I finally lost it completely, and called Regina in hysterics. I can honestly say that I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. Being far away from my family was getting to me, work was rough (a student of mine is going to juvy for assault and he is taking his anger out on everyone, myself included), and there was some other stuff going on here that was causing me a lot of stress. It proved to be more than I could handle. I considered calling my mom but I didn't think she could handle me being so upset, so far away. (sorry mom!) I'm so thankful that there are people I can always count on regardless of the time of day that I call them and the fact that I'm blubbering into the phone and they can't understand a word that I'm saying. Also, I'm seriously thankful for my housemate Jason, because he has now seen me cry, and has taken over the James role in my London life. (The James role = Boy that awesomely lets me babble on about girl things and supports my nonsense even if I am being a "crazy girl.")

After four nights of hardly sleeping at all, I woke up on Thursday feeling worse for wear, to say the least. Apparently, a naturally happy person can only be miserable for so long. (I'm currently thinking my absolute maximum is four days of hell.) I woke up from a tortured sleep, and though overtired, I had the feeling it was going to be a good day. The day did not disappoint. Some things here that were going poorly straightened themselves out, I got an email from my mom telling me that things with the sis and the smirky-monster were doing well, I taught a brilliant poetry lesson at work, and then Hanne came to town! Thank you to everyone who has been keeping me in your thoughts. Life is very much on the up-and-up right now, and all the emails and telephone calls have been so much appreciated.

Friday at work was a write-off...not the best day, but Friday noneless. After work I met up with Jason, Hanne, and our friend Milena, who was also staying with us. I would just like to say that my housemates are ROCKSTARS who constantly cook amazing meals, and I get to eat them! Lucky me! Anyway, we went out to Adam's leaving do. I'm sooooo sad he's gone, because now he is the last of my two lovely Irish friends here, gone forever.

Here you can see my amazing art skills. We all had to draw ourselves for his leaving card. This photo is a clear reminder that I.Am.Awesome.

On Saturday I braved Oxford Street with Hanne, who is a shopping fiend! We got a fabulously 20's dress for my birthday party, which I'm SO psyched for! Have I explained that the Brits LOVE their "fancy dress" parties? Basically, they love any opportunity to dress like it's halloween (except for halloween, which they don't really celebrate). Anyway, we went to a "double denim" fancy dress at Dan's house (my american friend from the Israel trip) on Saturday night. Double denim, for those of you that are unaware, is also called a Candian Tuxedo.

We didn't look ridiculous...at all...did we? I think I had a very serious J-Lo thing going on...

It's always nice to have guests around, because it is the perfect excuse to be a tourist in your own city. On Sunday we went to the Globe (which I've been dying to do!!!) and saw Troilus and Cressida. First of all, it was only 5 pounds in (what a steal)! Second of all, it was Brilliant. And third of all...I had no IDEA there was so many attractive men in London. The entire cast was made up of scantily clad, handsomely chisled men. Who would have thought?! Every single person in the audience was seriously giddy. It was pretty hilarious.

That pretty much sums up last week...and I know we are playing catch up...but I'll get this week up soon.

I'd love to get some comments. What happened to comments???

Love,

Sarah

Freaking Out

Two blogs in one day, aren't you all lucky!?

No, seriously though, I'm just writing this blog to let everyone know that just after writing my blog about how I'm going to vow to make England my home for the year, I found out that Mal and Maela were in a very serious car accident (involving being hit by a truck) earlier this past week. My parents had been (unsuccessfully) trying to contact me to tell me, so I found out today.

My sister is seven months pregnant (surprise, to all of you that don't know), and she was life-starred to the hospital, while my niece was taken by ambulance. Miraculously, Mal escaped covered in blood, but with only very painful whiplash. The doctors thought that Maela may have broken her neck...as she could not move, but her neck is not broken. She does, however, have a fractured skull and lots of stitches. Shockingly, she is now up, moving around, and talking a lot. She is in high spirits and does not appear to have any brain damage.

At the moment, it just seems like an ocean is too great a distance between myself and many of the people that I love. I'm not relinquishing my vow to be happy here this year, but I am feeling so, so far away. My parents didn't tell me immediately because they didn't want to worry me about things that I could do nothing about. If I were closer, at least I could have been there with them. It is a very frustrating experience, one that I know many people deal with every day, and one to which there is no solution.

I hope everyone is enjoying what my parents tell me is a beautiful, sunny Sunday in New England, and I am thinking of all of you, and missing you horribly.

Love, Sarah

Indian Summer

Hey everyone!

Sorry it's been so long! It seems that the only free time I have these days is spent running ridiculous amounts on blistery feet. I noticed yesterday, as I was scarfing down a bowl of risotto that someone in the house had the kindness to cook and then share with me, that I have sat down to eat a leisurely meal only ONCE in the past ten days (dinner on Wednesday). Anyway, apologies.

I've been back in London now about three weeks, and it has been an absolutely spectacular three weeks. Basically, I didn't want to be here last year. I wanted to be in Ireland. I could not stay in Ireland (stupid visa), so I vowed to be miserable in London. What a stupid thing to do to myself. I spent so much time complaining about this city, that I rarely genuinely enjoyed it. Point being, this year, I have made a pact with myself to love London. I am going to put a smile on and go out and meet people. I'm not going to say "no" to any opportunities, and I'm going to make an effort to "put myself out there" and be social. I'm going to be the Sarah Hammer that I always have been, that I absolutely REFUSED to be last year in this country. The moral of this mini-diatribe is that, it's working. These three weeks have been some of the best I've had out of the nine months I have lived here.

I got back and tried not to be too bummed that my two closest friends here, Jill and Adam, were both moving back to Ireland. Jill is already gone, and Adam is having his going away party next weekend. I'm staying positive about that, and trying to meet lots more people. The weekend that I got back, I played Dodgeball for charity which was set up by the company of a woman on my hockey team. I THOUGHT that I would get to the pitch and know lots of people...but when I showed up...my dodgeball team was made up almost entirely of people I didn't know! As it turns out, my team was made up of people from the field hockey club that I just didn't know. They kept saying things like, "Really? You played last year? Where have you BEEN?" It was a bitter reminder that I didn't try at all last year to get to know anyone. I think dodgeball was a jumpstart to turning over my new "I love London" leaf, because it was a HUGE amount of fun, and the people on my team were just great. Since then, I have seen them nearly every weekend, either at the hockey club, or out in the city.

We had to "fancy dress." In case you are wondering...we are "No Shit." Clearly, I had no say in the matter.

That following Monday (August 24th), work started. I was unsure what to expect, because I knew that the students weren't coming for another couple of weeks. Basically, we spent the two weeks leading up to school just planning for the year. I have my English lessons planned until the end of the term (in December!!). I will also be teaching Science, but someone else is planning those lessons for me. (Thank goodness, because I'm a science idiot!) I was supposed to be teaching Drama, but no one signed up for it, as it is an elective, so I think I'm going to be helping out in the teaching of P.E! We will see how that goes!

I guess I should give a little bit of background now about the new place that I work, since I haven't really mentioned it to many of you. I am working at a place called The Parent Pupil Partnership (The PPP). The PPP is a non-profit organization that has been around for 14 years. It was created to fill a gap in the London school system that lets "troubled" kids slip through the cracks. Basically, my "school" is for behaviorally and emotionally disturbed 15 and 16 year olds who have been kicked out of school for various reasons. When they get kicked out of school, they get referred to us. The PPP is not just a school. It is actually, primarily, a therapeutic and holistic environment for students with behavioral issues. The staff is made up of Group and Family Workers (social workers), mentors, and teachers. Part of the week the young people spend working out their issues, and part of the week they spend learning. The idea is that they can't really get ahead academically if they are emotionally stilted in some way.

Here is a picture of some of the staff at the residential we had during our second week of planning. (Left to Right-Ketorah, Li-Shan, Eliza, Me, Lisa) We went away to a beautiful hotel in Windsor. We worked really hard, ate really well, and bonded. The bonus was that I got to go running outside of London for a change!

The students started this past Wednesday. I think it is a little bit early for me to attempt to explain my job to you, since it is just getting started, but I will be honest in saying that I was prepared for the absolute worst students ever (in terms of their behavior), and I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, I feel like they will eventually talk back to me and swear and take out their cell phones, etc., but is it anything worse than anything I've already experienced? No, I don't think so. One of our students has already been arrested since the school year started three days ago (for attempted robbery), but, in terms of their behavior actually in the building, I am well pleased. The PPP has 4 different sites around the city, though, and not all of them have fared as well as we have. On the first day at one of the sites, some kids were throwing knives around. So, yea. There is no doubt in my mind that it is going to be tough, but it is also certainly a worthwhile experience (not to mention that fact that having a permanent job here, instead of being a substitute teacher, is REALLY going to improve my quality of life).

Now back to the fun stuff. It would have been hard to hate London these past few weekends (if I had still been trying) because the weather has been absolutely, uncharacteristically beautiful. We are talking sundresses and flip-flops here. For England in early September, this weather is unprecedented. I know global warming is going to kill us all, but I've been thoroughly enjoying soaking up the British sun.

Here I am with Jason and the twins, Michelle and Teresa. We are at Notting Hill Carnival...the biggest street party outside of Rio. The Carnival was complete with scantily clad Brazilian dancers, Capoeira, LOUD music, delicious Caribbean food, and lots and lots of Rum.

I've also been seeing a LOT of free/almost free music. I just discovered The Locke Tavern in Camden, because Chris Richter's friends from Glastonbury, CT were playing there (didn't get to see them cause they went on too late on a school night :( ) Bands play there for free every night of the week. Last Tuesday Eamonn and I went to see Vampire Weekend DJ. They weren't playing a set, but it was cool that they were DJing, for free! I also was recently introduced to The Dublin Castle. I went with some friends from hockey, and the bands there are consistently great. Kate Nash and Blur played there before they were big...to name a few.

Speaking of hockey...the season just started last weekend, and we played our first friendly match yesterday. A loss...but we scored one goal. This one goal is a big deal because it TIES the amount of goals we scored in the ENTIRETY of last season. Yes, we were that bad. I expect bigger things from us this year!

Here's a picture of our first hockey social last weekend. It was Hawaiian themed...clearly. I know I've said this before, but I'm SO happy that I play a sport. If it weren't for the hockey team, I think I would spend a lot of time in this city being very, very bored.

Alright, so, that is the abridged version of what's been going on in London since I've been back.

And now, back with the Top 5--Top 5 upcoming events to look forward to hearing about:
1. Dan (my friend from the Israeli trip) is having a "Double-Denim" fancy-dress housewarming next weekend.
2. Hanne is coming to visit from Norway.
3. School and my crazy kids are getting into full swing.
4. Jaz and I are throwing a 1920's fancy-dress birthday party.
5. 27 is going to be a really, really good year.

Love, Sarah