OK.. I tried to make this blog work.. but it didn't. So I'm done. I don't like the direction it was going and I just wasn't feeling it.
Thanks for reading my drivel.
~Jessie~
Thanks for reading my drivel.
~Jessie~
Monday, February 12, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
Don't "do it" in the basement
Today I was leading a class discussion on The House of the Spirits and we were talking about some messages and themes in the novel. The novel is brilliant and can be analyzed for hours upon hours. The kids were getting into some pretty heavy topics. Then-- a character in the book had a problem with bronchitis and so when asked what the significance of that was, a student replies:
"All it goes to show you is: don't do it in the basement!"
He makes an excellent point...
"All it goes to show you is: don't do it in the basement!"
He makes an excellent point...
***
This has been a crazy week with the flooding and school being closed for a couple of days. It's strange because even though we haven't been operating as a full school and I've only had 3 actual teaching days, I'm really glad it's Friday.
Could be because I have been staying up stupid late.. for no good reason most nights. Or the fact that I think I need a holiday... soon! Good news is that MK and I are going to Bali for Chinese New Year next weekend! Should be good.. and hopefully a chance to escape all this rain!
The flooding has been pretty extreme and at times a little bit scary. I was only actually feeling a little nervous when I woke up on Tuesday morning, without power, rain pouring down and floods outside and told that school was canceled because of it. It just made my mind go into "worse case scenario".. being stuck without food/electricity/water... getting flooded out and how in the world do I get out of this country? A mind wanders... but then the power came on a few hours later and it ended up being a lovely day. World disasters can be scary though...
Could be because I have been staying up stupid late.. for no good reason most nights. Or the fact that I think I need a holiday... soon! Good news is that MK and I are going to Bali for Chinese New Year next weekend! Should be good.. and hopefully a chance to escape all this rain!
The flooding has been pretty extreme and at times a little bit scary. I was only actually feeling a little nervous when I woke up on Tuesday morning, without power, rain pouring down and floods outside and told that school was canceled because of it. It just made my mind go into "worse case scenario".. being stuck without food/electricity/water... getting flooded out and how in the world do I get out of this country? A mind wanders... but then the power came on a few hours later and it ended up being a lovely day. World disasters can be scary though...
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
No School Today
Flood Day Today! School is Closed! This is a bad thing for the city but a good thing for me.. since I had no idea what I was going to be teaching today. This day off is a good thing. I didn't have power for most of the night and so the thought of a day home without power.. seemed a little unsettling.. but it came back on and so I'm snug as a bug...
I also need to admit my new addiction.. facebook. What a fun way to waste time yet keep in touch with people from all over the place. Plus it's a nice way to stalk people.. perfect for nosey people like me! haha
Anyway I had a big chat with my dad last night. I told him how I'm somewhat disillusioned with so many aspects of Christianity. I told him how I have been thinking a lot lately how it's really tragic that it seems so many of my church friends are walking away from it and not many people are being drawn in. I told him that something needs to happen, something needs to change. Then I told him something else.. I told him that when I sit in my school chapels and look around.. I have no desire to be part of any of it. And the cool thing was.. my dad wasn't shocked. (My father is a "man of the cloth" and so this could be a delicate issue) He basically said that its okay that I'm disillusioned and that I see that it isn't working and to take notes of it all and figure out what I can do to change it in little ways.. and see it as a way of preparing me for when I move on. I was surprised at his reaction. But my dad said that he had experienced a similar thing and that is what he did. And so knowing that its okay that I find some aspects of this whole thing rather repulsive is okay.. as long as I am set to figure out a way to change it.
And so.. while it rains.. I think...
I also need to admit my new addiction.. facebook. What a fun way to waste time yet keep in touch with people from all over the place. Plus it's a nice way to stalk people.. perfect for nosey people like me! haha
Anyway I had a big chat with my dad last night. I told him how I'm somewhat disillusioned with so many aspects of Christianity. I told him how I have been thinking a lot lately how it's really tragic that it seems so many of my church friends are walking away from it and not many people are being drawn in. I told him that something needs to happen, something needs to change. Then I told him something else.. I told him that when I sit in my school chapels and look around.. I have no desire to be part of any of it. And the cool thing was.. my dad wasn't shocked. (My father is a "man of the cloth" and so this could be a delicate issue) He basically said that its okay that I'm disillusioned and that I see that it isn't working and to take notes of it all and figure out what I can do to change it in little ways.. and see it as a way of preparing me for when I move on. I was surprised at his reaction. But my dad said that he had experienced a similar thing and that is what he did. And so knowing that its okay that I find some aspects of this whole thing rather repulsive is okay.. as long as I am set to figure out a way to change it.
And so.. while it rains.. I think...
Monday, February 05, 2007
Thinking in the Rain...
Lately it has been raining a lot.
It has also been flooding a lot.
I haven't gone anywhere.
I have been doing quite a lot of thinking lately but my thoughts are too undeveloped for this. They are not ready.. yet.
But it is raining and I am thinking....
It has also been flooding a lot.
I haven't gone anywhere.
I have been doing quite a lot of thinking lately but my thoughts are too undeveloped for this. They are not ready.. yet.
But it is raining and I am thinking....
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Sick, Sandwiches, Sanity
It seems that in a time when I desperately need to be reminded of all the perks of living in such a place as this, I am made fully aware of all the reasons I want to leave. So between immense periods of incredible boredom and my bed turning into a houseboat amidst the floods, I am hit with the oh so lovely SEAsia tummy thing. Last night, had a snack after school, felt fine.. went to MK's to watch a hot boy break out of prison and then suddenly had to leave. Spent the night being sick from... well at one point I had puke coming out of my nose! Awesome! So felt a little "off" all day... the random sick thing is really irritating!
Anyway enough of that.. although I could describe and basically told my homeroom all about it. They get that for describing their diarrhea to me in full details nearly every freakin morning!
Alright I'm done....
Today I was walking home from school and there was a student walking in front of me. No I was not following teenage boys home from school... Anyway fortunately we were walking at similar paces and so I never caught up to him and had to have the awkward moment of passing him and making small talk and then wishing he wasn't staring at my bum.. but no, that didn't happen.
Anyway the kid was one of the coolest kids in Senior School.. athletic, westernized, smart, funny, popular.. you know but walking behind him, made me kind of sad. He looked like a little boy in his baseball cap and school uniform untucked, his big backpack weighing him down. There was something sort of sad about him, maybe it was because he kind of looked vulnerable or something. Or maybe I'm just a freak for feeling sad as I watched this kid walking home by himself.
There are a few things that do that to me. I remember when I was in high school my history teacher was a priest.. Father T. He was such a sweet old man but being a priest meant he lived alone. I remember him telling me about how he spends Christmas Eve (with a couple former students and some other priest friends, not a big deal, just kind of sad) and then I tried to tell my family about it and burst into tears in front of them. Anytime anyone talks to me about Father T, I get teary.
Or there are little things like this guy who told me the other day that he was sitting at his desk eating a cheese sandwich. It made me feel sad for him. I don't know why a guy eating a simple sandwich could make me feel sad... but there is something about sandwiches that have always made me sad. Like sandwiches made by kids moms and brought in Tupperware to school. Oh man! Something is wrong with me! It could be that there is something simple and innocent about a sandwich... oh dear.. I'm losing it... never mind! Just sometimes little things make me sad.. I'm a unique individual.. sandwiches make me sad. There I said it...
And seeing as this post doesn't have anywhere else to go.. I'm done!
Anyway enough of that.. although I could describe and basically told my homeroom all about it. They get that for describing their diarrhea to me in full details nearly every freakin morning!
Alright I'm done....
Today I was walking home from school and there was a student walking in front of me. No I was not following teenage boys home from school... Anyway fortunately we were walking at similar paces and so I never caught up to him and had to have the awkward moment of passing him and making small talk and then wishing he wasn't staring at my bum.. but no, that didn't happen.
Anyway the kid was one of the coolest kids in Senior School.. athletic, westernized, smart, funny, popular.. you know but walking behind him, made me kind of sad. He looked like a little boy in his baseball cap and school uniform untucked, his big backpack weighing him down. There was something sort of sad about him, maybe it was because he kind of looked vulnerable or something. Or maybe I'm just a freak for feeling sad as I watched this kid walking home by himself.
There are a few things that do that to me. I remember when I was in high school my history teacher was a priest.. Father T. He was such a sweet old man but being a priest meant he lived alone. I remember him telling me about how he spends Christmas Eve (with a couple former students and some other priest friends, not a big deal, just kind of sad) and then I tried to tell my family about it and burst into tears in front of them. Anytime anyone talks to me about Father T, I get teary.
Or there are little things like this guy who told me the other day that he was sitting at his desk eating a cheese sandwich. It made me feel sad for him. I don't know why a guy eating a simple sandwich could make me feel sad... but there is something about sandwiches that have always made me sad. Like sandwiches made by kids moms and brought in Tupperware to school. Oh man! Something is wrong with me! It could be that there is something simple and innocent about a sandwich... oh dear.. I'm losing it... never mind! Just sometimes little things make me sad.. I'm a unique individual.. sandwiches make me sad. There I said it...
And seeing as this post doesn't have anywhere else to go.. I'm done!
Monday, January 29, 2007
"I don't find this stuff amusing anymore"
Sometimes I hates it here! I mean I really really hates it! Take for instance yesterday afternoon... it started to rain, as it seems to do a lot during rainy season (surprise, surprise). So I take advantage of the "cozy factor" and take a book and my laptop and go lie on my bed.... the rain is pouring down and it's dark outside and quite nice for Sunday afternoon coziness. Well then I decide to look outside for a minute and I see that the back outside area of my house is filling up with water... it would hit me mid shin if I was standing out there.. but still not flooding into my house. So I am partly unsettled but get back to my book. Then a few minutes later I look out there again and the water is right up to the door and what do you know... starting to seep in. So I go into the kitchen to look and yep.. there's water everywhere! So I stupidly open the door... I don't know why... just to make sure or something... rush of water down the door and from the mini pool I now have attached to my house. So I slam the door.. put towels in place and whine over msn to JC who tells me it's ok.. I just need more towels. Then somehow the AC starts raining.. water is pouring out of it! All onto the living room floor... so many swears and curses later... and I have towels down there too. (I can swear and curse on Sunday because I did the church thing on Saturday night...) At this point the towels that I put down in the kitchen are floating around the floor! More swears! So then I just get everything important to me and hang out on my bed... waiting for the rain to stop... which it eventually does.. and the water all goes away.. and I'm left with 500 pounds of sopping towels...
Why do I live here???
Book I'm reading: How to be a Canadian - Ian Ferguson and his brother
Song I like: Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Why do I live here???
Book I'm reading: How to be a Canadian - Ian Ferguson and his brother
Song I like: Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Friday, January 26, 2007
I Had A Dream...
a most unsettling dream...
I was living at my parent's house, although they were not living there and I was apparently back at University. So somehow I meet some nice tall blond guy (note: I don't really like blond boys) and I think that in a way we kind of match, and he's kind of cute and he would probably be good for me. Plus he was kind of hot. So we make out for a while and it's great. Although he has these crazy boundaries and keeps saying things like: "I refuse to touch you above your knee". It was kind of funny but it's play and its good. Then he goes home.
Then this other guy, who kind of looks like my friend PH but isn't PH, [verging on short, brown hair, kinda cute] comes over and for some reason he and I start making out. (yeah.. haven't gotten any in a while.. can you tell?) So for some reason he is still there in the morning and says he'll walk me to the bus and take it with me to uni. While we are walking to the bus I start to have this feeling that this new guy isn't all that great, in fact he seems to be a little bit creepy. I start to feel like maybe it's going to be harder to get rid of him than I thought. This is not merely a one night make out session and it could be messy.
So we get on the bus and I'm sitting and he is standing by the back door. I'm starting to feel rather creeped out by this guy and I look back at him. He is looking at me and suddenly but slowly he pulls a gun out of his pocket, raises it to his head and blows his head off!
What is more disturbing about this is what was going through my head.... I saw him slowly doing this and I didn't stop him. I had time to shout or run at him or prevent it from happening but I didn't... I remember thinking that if he did this, I wouldn't have to worry about dealing with him anymore. I didn't stop him because I was morbidly fascinated by the ordeal and I was thinking that it could make my world simpler! I am evil! I let a guy kill himself and I didn't stop it!
I am so glad that dreams aren't real! Well in this case I sure am!
So what does that mean?
I was living at my parent's house, although they were not living there and I was apparently back at University. So somehow I meet some nice tall blond guy (note: I don't really like blond boys) and I think that in a way we kind of match, and he's kind of cute and he would probably be good for me. Plus he was kind of hot. So we make out for a while and it's great. Although he has these crazy boundaries and keeps saying things like: "I refuse to touch you above your knee". It was kind of funny but it's play and its good. Then he goes home.
Then this other guy, who kind of looks like my friend PH but isn't PH, [verging on short, brown hair, kinda cute] comes over and for some reason he and I start making out. (yeah.. haven't gotten any in a while.. can you tell?) So for some reason he is still there in the morning and says he'll walk me to the bus and take it with me to uni. While we are walking to the bus I start to have this feeling that this new guy isn't all that great, in fact he seems to be a little bit creepy. I start to feel like maybe it's going to be harder to get rid of him than I thought. This is not merely a one night make out session and it could be messy.
So we get on the bus and I'm sitting and he is standing by the back door. I'm starting to feel rather creeped out by this guy and I look back at him. He is looking at me and suddenly but slowly he pulls a gun out of his pocket, raises it to his head and blows his head off!
What is more disturbing about this is what was going through my head.... I saw him slowly doing this and I didn't stop him. I had time to shout or run at him or prevent it from happening but I didn't... I remember thinking that if he did this, I wouldn't have to worry about dealing with him anymore. I didn't stop him because I was morbidly fascinated by the ordeal and I was thinking that it could make my world simpler! I am evil! I let a guy kill himself and I didn't stop it!
I am so glad that dreams aren't real! Well in this case I sure am!
So what does that mean?
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Because I'm Better Than You!
Brothers are interesting people to talk to. Mine is for sure. We've gotten a lot closer over the years, and appreciate the fact that we both grew up across the hall from each other and both have our own insights into why we are/act/behave/think the way we do. During one of our brother/sister conversations I mentioned his ex-girlfriend and how basically, he was better than she was. Anyway that got a major response and turned into this whole conversation about whether or not you can say someone is better than you or you are better than them. I don't mean in the sense of someone's worth as a person.. but in the sense of quality.
I think because in dealing with break-ups I tend to tell myself: "I'm too good for him." translation: I'm better than him. I don't know if this is true or not. I know I'll have friends who will tell me: "You're too good for him. He doesn't deserve you," and other nice things that good friends are supposed to say. So in this conversation I mentioned to my brother that both he and I were too good for our X's. My brother is actually extremely intelligent and so took the moment to not only make me feel like total shit about myself but state all sorts of things that were contrary to that idea.
I suppose it comes down to how we measure "better" or maybe that is the wrong word. When thinking about the X.. well I was taller, older, more educated, funnier, from a more mentally stable family, had more opportunities... He was shorter, younger, less educated, but nicer than me and more 'street smart'... So perhaps its a losing conversation... I mean does "nice" outweigh "education"??? Anyway because I was so comfortable in that relationship, I was able to be lazy. I wasn't Jessica at Full Potential at all. But whose fault is that?
I would say that in an ideal relationship setting it is important for two things to occur. First of all, it is important that you like who you are when you are with that person. Second, I think that person brings out all of the good things in you and make you strive to be better.
However in order for that to happen, someone usually needs to be better... the better man/woman brings out the best in his/her girlfriend/boyfriend. But maybe it's not a matter of having someone be better. It's a matter of each being excellent in certain things.. each being able to bring out the best in certain areas of each other. There is equality when it comes to excellence.
So maybe that's it, with both my brother's X and mine, we weren't being pushed and driven towards excellence, we weren't pushing and driving the other person towards excellence either...we were both in comfortable relationships... so maybe in those kind of relationships, there isn't a "better" man at all. Everyone loses in a way.
I think because in dealing with break-ups I tend to tell myself: "I'm too good for him." translation: I'm better than him. I don't know if this is true or not. I know I'll have friends who will tell me: "You're too good for him. He doesn't deserve you," and other nice things that good friends are supposed to say. So in this conversation I mentioned to my brother that both he and I were too good for our X's. My brother is actually extremely intelligent and so took the moment to not only make me feel like total shit about myself but state all sorts of things that were contrary to that idea.
I suppose it comes down to how we measure "better" or maybe that is the wrong word. When thinking about the X.. well I was taller, older, more educated, funnier, from a more mentally stable family, had more opportunities... He was shorter, younger, less educated, but nicer than me and more 'street smart'... So perhaps its a losing conversation... I mean does "nice" outweigh "education"??? Anyway because I was so comfortable in that relationship, I was able to be lazy. I wasn't Jessica at Full Potential at all. But whose fault is that?
I would say that in an ideal relationship setting it is important for two things to occur. First of all, it is important that you like who you are when you are with that person. Second, I think that person brings out all of the good things in you and make you strive to be better.
However in order for that to happen, someone usually needs to be better... the better man/woman brings out the best in his/her girlfriend/boyfriend. But maybe it's not a matter of having someone be better. It's a matter of each being excellent in certain things.. each being able to bring out the best in certain areas of each other. There is equality when it comes to excellence.
So maybe that's it, with both my brother's X and mine, we weren't being pushed and driven towards excellence, we weren't pushing and driving the other person towards excellence either...we were both in comfortable relationships... so maybe in those kind of relationships, there isn't a "better" man at all. Everyone loses in a way.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Missing
Today I was in the canteen and while I was in line I was watching a PE guy skimming the big outdoor pool. It brought back memories of my lifeguarding days and I realized that I really miss those days. I started thinking about this and realized that there are certain parts of my life that I really miss...
I miss riding my bike to the pool in the somewhat cool summer morning air, nothing but quiet for a bit before the rowdiness begins and doesn't stop.
I miss meeting up with other lifeguards after a long day at work.. we're all showered and clean and the best tanned people in the bars. It was a fun club to be part of.
I miss waking up stupid early in the winter and getting a ride to the pool with my dad, stopping at Tim Horton's for big coffees or teas before being dropped off.
I miss walking home on cold rainy days from the bus and entering a house that's warm, happy and filled with the sounds of my family preparing for dinner.
I miss those insanely long days working at Camp, breathing fresh air every morning, running around crazy all day, hanging out with different people, falling in love with various boys, feeling healthy and pretty.
I miss lots of different things, different little routines I was in for a time, different situations that were special for a time but I know won't happen again. I know this is life and there are other nice things ahead of me, but sometimes I stop and really miss the past. I think that's okay.. it must mean that I have a good one. It's also a lesson to really appreciate the present and enjoy it while it lasts...
I miss riding my bike to the pool in the somewhat cool summer morning air, nothing but quiet for a bit before the rowdiness begins and doesn't stop.
I miss meeting up with other lifeguards after a long day at work.. we're all showered and clean and the best tanned people in the bars. It was a fun club to be part of.
I miss waking up stupid early in the winter and getting a ride to the pool with my dad, stopping at Tim Horton's for big coffees or teas before being dropped off.
I miss walking home on cold rainy days from the bus and entering a house that's warm, happy and filled with the sounds of my family preparing for dinner.
I miss those insanely long days working at Camp, breathing fresh air every morning, running around crazy all day, hanging out with different people, falling in love with various boys, feeling healthy and pretty.
I miss lots of different things, different little routines I was in for a time, different situations that were special for a time but I know won't happen again. I know this is life and there are other nice things ahead of me, but sometimes I stop and really miss the past. I think that's okay.. it must mean that I have a good one. It's also a lesson to really appreciate the present and enjoy it while it lasts...
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Budget Blues...
I hate money! I hate everything associated with money! Ok scratch that.. but I hate how money controls so much! I am particularly upset about this subject since being home at Christmas. Had to have a little bit of a sit-down-convo with the parentals in regards to my shameful financial state. The main problem being that they co-signed my credit line loan and hence are technically allowed a bit of a say... and the problem is that while one of my main reasons I came here was because I thought I could save a lot of money, pay off some debt while gaining job experience and traveling around... I haven't exactly saved money and paid off debt. In fact I think... my debt might be a little bit bigger... oops!
So Jessica is on a budget! Yes for real! I hate that word!
Granted I budgeted in spa/salon treatment, the occasional nice dinner out and a few other things that make life a little sweeter.. but in terms of just spending cause I feel like it... those days are no more!
Now-- problem being I might have booked a ticket to Bali for Chinese New Year.. a non-refundable ticket... I mean to cancel it would be a waste of money.. so in keeping with the budget I think I'd better go...
So Jessica is on a budget! Yes for real! I hate that word!
Granted I budgeted in spa/salon treatment, the occasional nice dinner out and a few other things that make life a little sweeter.. but in terms of just spending cause I feel like it... those days are no more!
Now-- problem being I might have booked a ticket to Bali for Chinese New Year.. a non-refundable ticket... I mean to cancel it would be a waste of money.. so in keeping with the budget I think I'd better go...
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Saturday Morning
This week was insane! I was on a Grade 11 Retreat up in the mountains for a couple days and it was quite the experience. 86 kids, 11 other teachers, 1 semi-odd speaker and moi!
It was gorgeous where we were... surrounded by mountains, fresh air, cool breezes... felt like a beautiful spring morning.. all the time! It was nice to hang out with the kids away from all the pressures and structure of school.
I ended up having a lot of really serious and deep discussions. You know when people ask you those questions that have no real answer but you feel like you owe them one? Lots and lots of those! Lots of crying girls and sorting out different problems... but it was good! We also had a ton of fun and played stupid games and just chilled. I like things like this because inevitably I gain new appreciation for kids who usually slip under the radar. So it was nice for me to be able to get my focus back and realize that I need to be there for them on more than an English Educational level.
For the last while I felt rather dead in a spiritual sense but then going home at Christmas, talking with my parents and a few other people.. really helped me get my focus back. I think it was great that I came back from holidays strong because I needed to be when I was on this retreat. It's cool how God works these things out.. and His timing is perfect.
I have been really struggling with whether I stay or go next year. I know I signed the contract but I signed it, pretty sure I was going to break it. But I haven't been feeling at peace about it at all. I haven't felt at peace about any decision I've been making.. but I think I'm starting to realize and accept the fact that I need to stay here for one final year. That means 18 more months.. well closer to 17.. which means I'm actually halfway through the entire time I think I'll be here. But I know I need to learn contentment.. I know that I need to be here and I know that I need to trust that God knows what He is doing about this...
Besides, if I stay a final year.. beginning next year I can let it be known that I'm planning on leaving.. hence I'll be able to get excellent reference letters and put together a solid resume and application package for other schools. I won't be doing this sneaky ... under the counter kind of thing.
Also, I'm on a budget. And I need some time to learn to live on it. If I move somewhere ... like HK right away.. I'll probably jump into greater debt and who knows... this way if I can be careful with my money, I can build up a bit of a bank, pay some debt and be better equipped for what is next.
Another thing is the career confidence aspect. I feel like this year I understand what in the world I'm supposed to be doing. I feel like I'm a better teacher overall and that is exciting. I would like to be able to continue to develop it.. instead of start over in another school. I think I spoke with some of you about how an English teacher from America was supposed to come back again and most likely he would take my A1 class back... and how I was prepared to fight for it but would definitely leave if they gave it to him... well as of Monday, he isn't coming back this year.... so that is another good sign and reason to definitely stay!
And another reason is that MK and I still have lots of days of fun ahead of us! It'll be nice to have one final year together before she moves off to some remote area and marries some rich Ambassador or something and starts having lots of babies..... (it could happen!)... but knowing I have someone like her here... makes the thought of staying that much more bearable!
Ok that's it for now...
It was gorgeous where we were... surrounded by mountains, fresh air, cool breezes... felt like a beautiful spring morning.. all the time! It was nice to hang out with the kids away from all the pressures and structure of school.
I ended up having a lot of really serious and deep discussions. You know when people ask you those questions that have no real answer but you feel like you owe them one? Lots and lots of those! Lots of crying girls and sorting out different problems... but it was good! We also had a ton of fun and played stupid games and just chilled. I like things like this because inevitably I gain new appreciation for kids who usually slip under the radar. So it was nice for me to be able to get my focus back and realize that I need to be there for them on more than an English Educational level.
For the last while I felt rather dead in a spiritual sense but then going home at Christmas, talking with my parents and a few other people.. really helped me get my focus back. I think it was great that I came back from holidays strong because I needed to be when I was on this retreat. It's cool how God works these things out.. and His timing is perfect.
I have been really struggling with whether I stay or go next year. I know I signed the contract but I signed it, pretty sure I was going to break it. But I haven't been feeling at peace about it at all. I haven't felt at peace about any decision I've been making.. but I think I'm starting to realize and accept the fact that I need to stay here for one final year. That means 18 more months.. well closer to 17.. which means I'm actually halfway through the entire time I think I'll be here. But I know I need to learn contentment.. I know that I need to be here and I know that I need to trust that God knows what He is doing about this...
Besides, if I stay a final year.. beginning next year I can let it be known that I'm planning on leaving.. hence I'll be able to get excellent reference letters and put together a solid resume and application package for other schools. I won't be doing this sneaky ... under the counter kind of thing.
Also, I'm on a budget. And I need some time to learn to live on it. If I move somewhere ... like HK right away.. I'll probably jump into greater debt and who knows... this way if I can be careful with my money, I can build up a bit of a bank, pay some debt and be better equipped for what is next.
Another thing is the career confidence aspect. I feel like this year I understand what in the world I'm supposed to be doing. I feel like I'm a better teacher overall and that is exciting. I would like to be able to continue to develop it.. instead of start over in another school. I think I spoke with some of you about how an English teacher from America was supposed to come back again and most likely he would take my A1 class back... and how I was prepared to fight for it but would definitely leave if they gave it to him... well as of Monday, he isn't coming back this year.... so that is another good sign and reason to definitely stay!
And another reason is that MK and I still have lots of days of fun ahead of us! It'll be nice to have one final year together before she moves off to some remote area and marries some rich Ambassador or something and starts having lots of babies..... (it could happen!)... but knowing I have someone like her here... makes the thought of staying that much more bearable!
Ok that's it for now...
Monday, January 15, 2007
A long boring story about the Internet
Today was a strange day at work. The school was divided into two groups: the manically happy group and the bad mood gang. I was part of the latter. I actually yelled at 3 out of my 5 classes today. And it wasn't nice. I was actually insulting them... the worst was one of my English classes... It's my largest class and of all the classes I teach, it is my least favourite. There are a few bright, funny boys but the girls are all quite annoying, giggly and whispery and NEVER shut up! So I lost it on them today when I heard them speaking something that wasn't English. I told them if they can't handle speaking English for 50 minutes then maybe they should quit Diploma, leave the school and either go to a local school or better yet, get a job at Hypermart (you have to live here to know how insulting that is) and just give up hope for a bright future. That sort of thing...
It's funny though... when I moved here everyone told me that living in this culture it's all about "saving face" and being polite and you can't expect results if you yell and swear and throw your weight around. Well after 18 months here.. I have to disagree....
I will use the story of my absent Internet connection as an illustration. So I come back from holidays in beautiful Canada to find that I do not have my beautiful wireless Internet connection anymore. I am no longer able to watch YouTube videos in bed... Anyway I figure it's because I haven't paid my bill and so first thing Monday morning I go to the bank and pay it. (The bank is another extremely frustrating experience.. if you live in North America... kiss your local banker.. or the pamphlet that offers you online banking)
Anyway I get home from school and what do you know? No Internet. So I call the number and get put through to some guy who says: "Sorry Miss Jessica. We have no record of your bill payment". I inform him that I paid that day at lunch time and so I should have access. He says his computer shows no record. Then he tells me that I need to fax my bank statement to him to verify. I say that would be lovely if I had my own 1990s fax machine in my house.. but that isn't the case. And so eventually I decide to go back to the bank and make sure the payment went through.
Well this little drama continues on ALL week! Everyday I go to the bank and then go home and call the Internet people. My payment apparently left the one bank, got transferred to the other bank but then the guy at the Internet place lost it. Even though they know that they had it.
So by Friday afternoon I have had it! I call and they say they will try and fix it and will call me back in an hour. I wait an hour and no call. So I call them.. it goes like this:
ME: Hello?
INTERNET GUY: Oh hello Miss Jessica
ME: I still don't have Internet
IG: Let me check your file. (at which point horrid foreign choir music plays loudly into the receiver) Sorry Miss Jessica but your bill has not been processed.
ME: No! That is not true. I paid it on Monday. That is 5 days ago!
IG: Maybe if you send a fax....
ME: NO! I did that on Tuesday
IG: I'm sorry Miss Jessica...
ME: You'd better be sorry! This is unacceptable. I received another bill today and I refuse to pay it because I have not had Internet all month and it is your fault.
IG: Miss Jessica I will look into your account.
ME: You said that last time and you did nothing! I talked to one of you people one hour ago. Have you been sitting there doing nothing for the last hour? I don't think anyone is doing anything to help me! Are you just sitting there lying to me?
IG: Miss Jessica...
ME: Don't "Miss Jessica" me! Fix my Internet! All you have to do is flick a switch. The other guy said that. So do it! Do your job and fix it!
IG: Miss Jessica I can't...
ME: I know you can't! Find someone who can! This is ridiculous! Your motto is that you are committed to me as a customer and you pull this on me?! It's unacceptable!
IG: Sorry Miss Jessica...
ME: I don't care if you are sorry or not. I want my Internet back in one hour! Do you understand?
IG: Yes Miss Jessica but...
ME: Don't "but" me! You have one hour to get my connection back! I have waited a long time for something that is YOUR mistake. Not mine! So get it back!
IG: Ok Miss Jessica, I will try
ME: You will try or you will?
IG: I will
ME: I will have Internet in one hour?
IG: Yes Miss Jessica. You will have Internet in one hour!
ME: Ok I will wait one hour!
And exactly two hours later... I had Internet!
I'm not overly proud of this little episode but I think I have realized that if I freak out.. I'll get service. Odd. My brother says its the same in Shanghai. If he needs something he freaks out in English and will get his way. Otherwise he doesn't stand a chance.
I going to try and be nice and calm and serene for the rest of the week though. All of that took a toll on me! But I have my Internet back! And fortunately the kids still like me... its good to instill fear once in a while anyway...
Ok now I'm going to eat pizza and watch Ally McBeal....
It's funny though... when I moved here everyone told me that living in this culture it's all about "saving face" and being polite and you can't expect results if you yell and swear and throw your weight around. Well after 18 months here.. I have to disagree....
I will use the story of my absent Internet connection as an illustration. So I come back from holidays in beautiful Canada to find that I do not have my beautiful wireless Internet connection anymore. I am no longer able to watch YouTube videos in bed... Anyway I figure it's because I haven't paid my bill and so first thing Monday morning I go to the bank and pay it. (The bank is another extremely frustrating experience.. if you live in North America... kiss your local banker.. or the pamphlet that offers you online banking)
Anyway I get home from school and what do you know? No Internet. So I call the number and get put through to some guy who says: "Sorry Miss Jessica. We have no record of your bill payment". I inform him that I paid that day at lunch time and so I should have access. He says his computer shows no record. Then he tells me that I need to fax my bank statement to him to verify. I say that would be lovely if I had my own 1990s fax machine in my house.. but that isn't the case. And so eventually I decide to go back to the bank and make sure the payment went through.
Well this little drama continues on ALL week! Everyday I go to the bank and then go home and call the Internet people. My payment apparently left the one bank, got transferred to the other bank but then the guy at the Internet place lost it. Even though they know that they had it.
So by Friday afternoon I have had it! I call and they say they will try and fix it and will call me back in an hour. I wait an hour and no call. So I call them.. it goes like this:
ME: Hello?
INTERNET GUY: Oh hello Miss Jessica
ME: I still don't have Internet
IG: Let me check your file. (at which point horrid foreign choir music plays loudly into the receiver) Sorry Miss Jessica but your bill has not been processed.
ME: No! That is not true. I paid it on Monday. That is 5 days ago!
IG: Maybe if you send a fax....
ME: NO! I did that on Tuesday
IG: I'm sorry Miss Jessica...
ME: You'd better be sorry! This is unacceptable. I received another bill today and I refuse to pay it because I have not had Internet all month and it is your fault.
IG: Miss Jessica I will look into your account.
ME: You said that last time and you did nothing! I talked to one of you people one hour ago. Have you been sitting there doing nothing for the last hour? I don't think anyone is doing anything to help me! Are you just sitting there lying to me?
IG: Miss Jessica...
ME: Don't "Miss Jessica" me! Fix my Internet! All you have to do is flick a switch. The other guy said that. So do it! Do your job and fix it!
IG: Miss Jessica I can't...
ME: I know you can't! Find someone who can! This is ridiculous! Your motto is that you are committed to me as a customer and you pull this on me?! It's unacceptable!
IG: Sorry Miss Jessica...
ME: I don't care if you are sorry or not. I want my Internet back in one hour! Do you understand?
IG: Yes Miss Jessica but...
ME: Don't "but" me! You have one hour to get my connection back! I have waited a long time for something that is YOUR mistake. Not mine! So get it back!
IG: Ok Miss Jessica, I will try
ME: You will try or you will?
IG: I will
ME: I will have Internet in one hour?
IG: Yes Miss Jessica. You will have Internet in one hour!
ME: Ok I will wait one hour!
And exactly two hours later... I had Internet!
I'm not overly proud of this little episode but I think I have realized that if I freak out.. I'll get service. Odd. My brother says its the same in Shanghai. If he needs something he freaks out in English and will get his way. Otherwise he doesn't stand a chance.
I going to try and be nice and calm and serene for the rest of the week though. All of that took a toll on me! But I have my Internet back! And fortunately the kids still like me... its good to instill fear once in a while anyway...
Ok now I'm going to eat pizza and watch Ally McBeal....
Friday, January 12, 2007
R.A.P Update
Remember the Rich Asian Playboy?
I forgot to write the update about my return home and him at the airport. Actually he wasn't at the airport but came online the next night asking how I was and getting more and more suggestive. So I got a little freaked out and blocked him. THEN I noticed his MSN name changed to a website address so I clicked on it.. and guess what? It's his Wedding Website! (don't get me started on those...)
Yeah.. the creep is engaged! Has been the entire time I've known him... Has been since he was very forward in Ko Samui, very forward over msn and in emails.. the entire time! Now call me old fashioned but if someone is happily engaged to be married... I don't think it's right for him to ask blonde girls he met on holidays for sexy photos... do you?
I feel really bad for this chick! And what's the deal with it? MK verifies that he was seemingly interested in me to an embarassingly obvious degree.. so what's with that? How does this happen? First the married Korean dancing dentist in Bali and now the engaged RAP. I don't mean to be a "home-wrecker"! eesh!
However, of course I checked out the wedding website.. and she's not very pretty at all.
I know, I'm immature...
I forgot to write the update about my return home and him at the airport. Actually he wasn't at the airport but came online the next night asking how I was and getting more and more suggestive. So I got a little freaked out and blocked him. THEN I noticed his MSN name changed to a website address so I clicked on it.. and guess what? It's his Wedding Website! (don't get me started on those...)
Yeah.. the creep is engaged! Has been the entire time I've known him... Has been since he was very forward in Ko Samui, very forward over msn and in emails.. the entire time! Now call me old fashioned but if someone is happily engaged to be married... I don't think it's right for him to ask blonde girls he met on holidays for sexy photos... do you?
I feel really bad for this chick! And what's the deal with it? MK verifies that he was seemingly interested in me to an embarassingly obvious degree.. so what's with that? How does this happen? First the married Korean dancing dentist in Bali and now the engaged RAP. I don't mean to be a "home-wrecker"! eesh!
However, of course I checked out the wedding website.. and she's not very pretty at all.
I know, I'm immature...
Change in Attitude
It is Friday morning and I'm at school crazy early again! Supposed to be working on report cards but... have some things to say so will do that later.
I am feeling a million times better about things now than earlier in the week. I know I go on and on about how important it is to fill your life with nice things that bring you comfort and happiness and how happiness is a choice and all of that. Somewhere between the Toronto Airport and here I forgot that. And now that I sit here and think about it.. there are some great things about being back here.
For starters it has been absolutely beautiful outside. I have seen the blue sky every single day since Sunday. Perhaps you don't understand what a big deal that is but usually its covered with pollution so there is always a greyish air quality. Not this week. The sky is blue, the sun is shinning, it's not too humid, just nice and hot. The trees and grass are particularly green and beautiful... The sunrises and sunsets are phenomenal.. awesome colours.. reds, purples.. it's gorgeous!
That's a little thing.. but a big thing at the same time.
Secondly, I love my job 97% of the time. I don't dread going into work and I like the time I spend with my students. Overall the rest of the staff are great and other than the usual "office politics".. it's a pleasant place to be. Not many people can say that.
Thirdly, I have some really great friends here and at home. MK and I hung out last night for our Thursday coffee and dinner and it was great just to be able to talk through things... I also am able to keep in touch with friends from home and that is really important to me. The world is only as big as you let it be... sometimes.. but its nice that we can all still be involved in each others lives.. even with a 10,000 mile geographical gap...
Also, my Dad was telling me before I left that even though he feels this huge sad gap in his heart when I'm gone, it's a good thing that we miss each other so much. That we love each other enough to be really sad to be apart. I mean, it's so obvious that God brought me here and has this planned out and so we must be content and confident in that.. and grateful that our family is a loving one... where we actually do miss each other.. don't run across the world to escape from one another.
And then there are all the little things that make life nice:
a) good strong coffee
b) as much asian cuisine as I could ever want
c) my fantastic bodywash from JC
d) new running shoes (although I kind of forgot to use them after Monday morning)
e) wearing sandals everyday
and the list goes on...
Ok so basically the point being.. I'm not going to wallow and feel sorry for myself.. but I'm going to get on with it... live each day and go from there!
I am feeling a million times better about things now than earlier in the week. I know I go on and on about how important it is to fill your life with nice things that bring you comfort and happiness and how happiness is a choice and all of that. Somewhere between the Toronto Airport and here I forgot that. And now that I sit here and think about it.. there are some great things about being back here.
For starters it has been absolutely beautiful outside. I have seen the blue sky every single day since Sunday. Perhaps you don't understand what a big deal that is but usually its covered with pollution so there is always a greyish air quality. Not this week. The sky is blue, the sun is shinning, it's not too humid, just nice and hot. The trees and grass are particularly green and beautiful... The sunrises and sunsets are phenomenal.. awesome colours.. reds, purples.. it's gorgeous!
That's a little thing.. but a big thing at the same time.
Secondly, I love my job 97% of the time. I don't dread going into work and I like the time I spend with my students. Overall the rest of the staff are great and other than the usual "office politics".. it's a pleasant place to be. Not many people can say that.
Thirdly, I have some really great friends here and at home. MK and I hung out last night for our Thursday coffee and dinner and it was great just to be able to talk through things... I also am able to keep in touch with friends from home and that is really important to me. The world is only as big as you let it be... sometimes.. but its nice that we can all still be involved in each others lives.. even with a 10,000 mile geographical gap...
Also, my Dad was telling me before I left that even though he feels this huge sad gap in his heart when I'm gone, it's a good thing that we miss each other so much. That we love each other enough to be really sad to be apart. I mean, it's so obvious that God brought me here and has this planned out and so we must be content and confident in that.. and grateful that our family is a loving one... where we actually do miss each other.. don't run across the world to escape from one another.
And then there are all the little things that make life nice:
a) good strong coffee
b) as much asian cuisine as I could ever want
c) my fantastic bodywash from JC
d) new running shoes (although I kind of forgot to use them after Monday morning)
e) wearing sandals everyday
and the list goes on...
Ok so basically the point being.. I'm not going to wallow and feel sorry for myself.. but I'm going to get on with it... live each day and go from there!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Back at it...
So I'm back here and almost finished my first week back at school. I am still somewhat jetlagged I think.. although I managed to stay up until 8:30pm last night (much better than the usual 7pm) and got up at 4:20am this morning instead of 3:30am. So I suppose I'm recovering.
The flight home was BAD.. it had its points and its low points.. the lowest being me throwing up and then passing out in my seat. MK is a good person to deal with all of that! Although I wouldn't be surprised if she "accidentally" books herself on different flights home from now on...
It is sort of nice to be back here... a lot of my stuff is here, my job is here, I have friends here but I always seem to have a bit of a hard time coming back here after any holidays.. especially Canadian ones. So hopefully I can shake this feeling and get on with things...
The flight home was BAD.. it had its points and its low points.. the lowest being me throwing up and then passing out in my seat. MK is a good person to deal with all of that! Although I wouldn't be surprised if she "accidentally" books herself on different flights home from now on...
It is sort of nice to be back here... a lot of my stuff is here, my job is here, I have friends here but I always seem to have a bit of a hard time coming back here after any holidays.. especially Canadian ones. So hopefully I can shake this feeling and get on with things...
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
New Year's Resolutions...
And a very Happy New Year to you too!
So here we are in 2007! Wow! Hard to believe really.. but isn't that the way with life.. it just keeps going and going and going... Had a nice "tame" New Year's Eve.. so feel well and coherant this morning.
As a girl who likes to have a mental 5 year plan, making New Year's Resolutions comes easily to me.. keeping them on the other hand.. a bit more difficult. However, I am thinking that if I put them online.. maybe I'll be a bit more motivated to make sure they happen... so here we go...
1) Spend a lot more time with God..
2) Lose an insane amount of weight.. get fit and trim and toned... this will be done more easily when the gym opens...
3) Write something and publish it. I'm serious about this one..
4) Save money. Not "more" money because that would imply that I have been saving "some" but I actually need to create a financial plan and start living it out.
5) Read more...
6) Figure out 2007-2008
7) Stand up for myself more... be stronger and not so silent...
Ok I think 7 is a good number.. hopefully I can work on these things..
I can't believe I leave Canada on Friday. Time has really flown by. When I got off the plane a little less than 3 weeks ago, I really didn't want to ever go back... but I think I'm slowly starting to look forward to going back where it's warm.... (more about that later)
Alright.. well Happy New Year!
So here we are in 2007! Wow! Hard to believe really.. but isn't that the way with life.. it just keeps going and going and going... Had a nice "tame" New Year's Eve.. so feel well and coherant this morning.
As a girl who likes to have a mental 5 year plan, making New Year's Resolutions comes easily to me.. keeping them on the other hand.. a bit more difficult. However, I am thinking that if I put them online.. maybe I'll be a bit more motivated to make sure they happen... so here we go...
1) Spend a lot more time with God..
2) Lose an insane amount of weight.. get fit and trim and toned... this will be done more easily when the gym opens...
3) Write something and publish it. I'm serious about this one..
4) Save money. Not "more" money because that would imply that I have been saving "some" but I actually need to create a financial plan and start living it out.
5) Read more...
6) Figure out 2007-2008
7) Stand up for myself more... be stronger and not so silent...
Ok I think 7 is a good number.. hopefully I can work on these things..
I can't believe I leave Canada on Friday. Time has really flown by. When I got off the plane a little less than 3 weeks ago, I really didn't want to ever go back... but I think I'm slowly starting to look forward to going back where it's warm.... (more about that later)
Alright.. well Happy New Year!
Monday, December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas Eve
Just a quick one to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I can't believe it's this time of year again! I'm working hard on trying to "feel" Christmassy since it's been so mild out. This afternoon when KS and I went for our traditional Christmas Eve coffee/tea time, the sun was shining, it was warm.. felt more like Easter Weekend.. but I'm going to try and pretend that it's a snowy crisp Christmas Eve...
Have church tonight, which is one of my favourite times to be at church. Christmas Eve is great; everyone is so happy, and they all look amazing and they all are so lovey and smiley and there is such excitement in the air!
Then we rush home to make sure our presents haven't been stolen.... I mean, to prepare for the evening.... which is the regular Christmas Eve "spread", to use my mom's word. Finger food items and Christmas treats... then once the Grandparents go home, my dad is going to read us this amazing Victorian Christmas story.. it takes a while but I absolutely love hearing my dad read us stories... so it should be good!
It's sad that my brother is here.. he has school on Christmas day! Imagine! But he sent us a big package in the mail with presents and we sent him some. It'll just be strange not to have him here this year.
Alright well I've rambled on long enough...
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!!!
Have church tonight, which is one of my favourite times to be at church. Christmas Eve is great; everyone is so happy, and they all look amazing and they all are so lovey and smiley and there is such excitement in the air!
Then we rush home to make sure our presents haven't been stolen.... I mean, to prepare for the evening.... which is the regular Christmas Eve "spread", to use my mom's word. Finger food items and Christmas treats... then once the Grandparents go home, my dad is going to read us this amazing Victorian Christmas story.. it takes a while but I absolutely love hearing my dad read us stories... so it should be good!
It's sad that my brother is here.. he has school on Christmas day! Imagine! But he sent us a big package in the mail with presents and we sent him some. It'll just be strange not to have him here this year.
Alright well I've rambled on long enough...
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!!!
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Back in the Home and Native Land
And I'm back in Canada! Well I've been here for a week now and it's going along just great! I am freezing though.. despite the fact that there is absolutely nothing that resembles snow around. I'll have to put in my order for a white christmas earlier next year. Ah well.. its nice to breathe clean air and eat good food and be around people who overall speak english as their first language. Its funny cause the busyness of the shopping malls doesn't phase me at all... it all makes sense... it might be crowded but people walk in straight lines....awesome!
So yeah, being home has been a bit strange. Being away for a full year makes it kind of weird at times.. just fitting back in and catching up and figuring out exactly what I've missed. The city doesn't feel all that different.. I think it's just me! But I've been having great times catching up with all my girls! and so that's the important thing!
Today I had a bazillion appointments, and on top of that I found out that I sort of lost my OHIP coverage... oops. So there has been lots of running around. I just feel like I had a million holes poked in me today. Actually its only 4 biopsies, blood work and a chest x-ray but I'll continue to act a bit like a drama queen.. sometimes it works! But now I have had all the appointments I had to go to.. including hair and dentist work! Fun stuff! So unless the biopsies, bloodwork or x-rays show something weird.. I'm in the clear again! And the dermatologist didn't yell at me about my tan lines! Yay! I'm just feeling a little bit cranky cause my stitches kinda hurt... especially the one on my tummy...
BUT I had a great afternoon.. with LT and a big big latte'. We basically got all caught up.. which was great. Funny to talk about old times and we realized that the year we lived together.. was probably the weirdest year of our lives... not cause either one of us is particularly weird (although I'm sure she could vouch that I am) but more about all the strange things that happened to us.. it's all funny now... right?
Ok so I'm off to go pick up my dad and then figure out what to do tonight. Might just be a cozy night in with the family... I did miss those.. so nice to get some and its so rainy and icky out.. its just thee thing!
Alright well if I don't manage to post anything else in the next few days... a Merry Christmas to you!
So yeah, being home has been a bit strange. Being away for a full year makes it kind of weird at times.. just fitting back in and catching up and figuring out exactly what I've missed. The city doesn't feel all that different.. I think it's just me! But I've been having great times catching up with all my girls! and so that's the important thing!
Today I had a bazillion appointments, and on top of that I found out that I sort of lost my OHIP coverage... oops. So there has been lots of running around. I just feel like I had a million holes poked in me today. Actually its only 4 biopsies, blood work and a chest x-ray but I'll continue to act a bit like a drama queen.. sometimes it works! But now I have had all the appointments I had to go to.. including hair and dentist work! Fun stuff! So unless the biopsies, bloodwork or x-rays show something weird.. I'm in the clear again! And the dermatologist didn't yell at me about my tan lines! Yay! I'm just feeling a little bit cranky cause my stitches kinda hurt... especially the one on my tummy...
BUT I had a great afternoon.. with LT and a big big latte'. We basically got all caught up.. which was great. Funny to talk about old times and we realized that the year we lived together.. was probably the weirdest year of our lives... not cause either one of us is particularly weird (although I'm sure she could vouch that I am) but more about all the strange things that happened to us.. it's all funny now... right?
Ok so I'm off to go pick up my dad and then figure out what to do tonight. Might just be a cozy night in with the family... I did miss those.. so nice to get some and its so rainy and icky out.. its just thee thing!
Alright well if I don't manage to post anything else in the next few days... a Merry Christmas to you!
Friday, December 15, 2006
Ready, Set, Fly!
Well I'm all packed and sitting here wondering what I forgot. Nice thing about going home to Canada is that I don't need to bring my summer/everyday-here clothes and all my other stuff is at my parent's house.. so all I am bringing with me is presents and underwear... But somehow it fills two suitcases... ah well!
I am concerned though about the state of my winter wardrobe.. its now quite old.. well this is the second year.. but I only wear it for 3 weeks a year... so doesn't seem worth it to invest in nicer things.. just don't want to look like a missionary.. or worse.. a homeschool mom!
It's always a dilemma when it comes to long flights.. what to wear.. especially when you get on the plane in sandals and off it in boots.. but we're going for comfort this time.. so its all good!
Anyway today was the last day of school.. And MK and I got our hair done and nails done and now I'm on holidays! And I'm going home! And I'm going to see my friends! And I'm going to see my family! And its going to be lots and lots of fun....
I am concerned though about the state of my winter wardrobe.. its now quite old.. well this is the second year.. but I only wear it for 3 weeks a year... so doesn't seem worth it to invest in nicer things.. just don't want to look like a missionary.. or worse.. a homeschool mom!
It's always a dilemma when it comes to long flights.. what to wear.. especially when you get on the plane in sandals and off it in boots.. but we're going for comfort this time.. so its all good!
Anyway today was the last day of school.. And MK and I got our hair done and nails done and now I'm on holidays! And I'm going home! And I'm going to see my friends! And I'm going to see my family! And its going to be lots and lots of fun....
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Shivery Freezing...
This morning I was forced to "play Canada". You see the only hot water in my house comes from a small water heater in my bathroom. Usually I leave that baby on all day and all night and so whenever I want to shower or use hot water... I've got some right there! Smart thinking right?
Anyway for some reason I've been blowing fuses left, right and centre... the power keeps randomly going off and its really annoying because its usually at night or just when I get out of the shower and everything shuts off and then I have to figure out a way to clothe myself properly, in the dark, and manoever across the dark apartment without bashing my leg on the coffee table towards the door where I know my flip flops are scattered somewhere to putting them on and then going outside.. walking to the side of the house and flicking the switch... all the while cursing this country and it's lack of reliable power!
So I figured.. after the power going out many many many times for many many many nights in a row, that if I had less turned on, the chances of it going off will decrease. (smart girl, I know) So I've started turning the waterheater off... This has worked out fine because when I get up in the morning I turn it on and then go for a run and such and when I'm ready to shower.. there is plenty of hot water! Beautiful system!
But today... I forgot to turn it on when I woke up.. and so had an icey cold shower... The other problem is that I used different shampoo and conditioner from my regular and so by mistake used the conditioner as shampoo and then was alarmed at the soapiness of my supposed conditioner... so had to add an extra rinse and conditon in there.. It was COLD I tell you.. shivery cold...
And really, it was nothing like "playing" Canada. In Canada I get to have long hot showers! The longest my showers go here with a full tank of hot water is approximately 4 minutes... enough to get shampooed, soaped and partially shaved legs.. It's awesome! Gotta love the cold water "refreshing" rinse...
Ok but do you even know how excited I am to be going home?? Less than 1.5 days of work... only 2 sleeps... and a little less than 48 hours til flight time!
Anyway for some reason I've been blowing fuses left, right and centre... the power keeps randomly going off and its really annoying because its usually at night or just when I get out of the shower and everything shuts off and then I have to figure out a way to clothe myself properly, in the dark, and manoever across the dark apartment without bashing my leg on the coffee table towards the door where I know my flip flops are scattered somewhere to putting them on and then going outside.. walking to the side of the house and flicking the switch... all the while cursing this country and it's lack of reliable power!
So I figured.. after the power going out many many many times for many many many nights in a row, that if I had less turned on, the chances of it going off will decrease. (smart girl, I know) So I've started turning the waterheater off... This has worked out fine because when I get up in the morning I turn it on and then go for a run and such and when I'm ready to shower.. there is plenty of hot water! Beautiful system!
But today... I forgot to turn it on when I woke up.. and so had an icey cold shower... The other problem is that I used different shampoo and conditioner from my regular and so by mistake used the conditioner as shampoo and then was alarmed at the soapiness of my supposed conditioner... so had to add an extra rinse and conditon in there.. It was COLD I tell you.. shivery cold...
And really, it was nothing like "playing" Canada. In Canada I get to have long hot showers! The longest my showers go here with a full tank of hot water is approximately 4 minutes... enough to get shampooed, soaped and partially shaved legs.. It's awesome! Gotta love the cold water "refreshing" rinse...
Ok but do you even know how excited I am to be going home?? Less than 1.5 days of work... only 2 sleeps... and a little less than 48 hours til flight time!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Your Age is Enough...
Tis the season... for candy grams. Yes, in light of school spirit and some fundraising commitee.. students were selling candy grams. Usually a nice thing to do this time of year... always makes me feel a bit sad for the loser kids who don't get any... but even the kid who I would consider the world's biggest geek got one.. so we're all happy.
Anyway I got a bunch today and one was from one of my students. It reads:
Peace and Love to You... Ms. Jessica, once again happie b'day to u... I will pray for you so you can get a boyfriend faster and married faster also.. hehehe... now, your age is enough for that...
Gotta love that... at last! My age is enough!! I've got student approval! Now on with the task of figuring out how to get a boyfriend in conditions such as these....
Zero attention span today... I mean zero, zip, zilch, nada.... If I wasn't making my kids do presentations.. well I dont know what I'd be doing.. probably telling them long winded stories about Christmas in Canada... but they ARE doing presentations and most of them are SO boring... I can't concentrate and I'm meant to be marking these things... At least I've taught myself not to stare out the window at the passing world while they are up there....
Another kid wrote me one that says: Merry Christmas Miss Jess! You've been a cool english and homeroom teacher. have fun at canada. Now you won't have to "play" Canada at home.
Yes my students know that I "play" Canada... I blast the AC and put on a hoodie and drink hot tea or hot chocolate and almost feel like I'm home... Do you think its unprofessional that my students know I still play make-believe games? I like playing Canada... there is a reason my classroom is one of the coldest most fridge-like rooms in the school.. I'm proud of my heritage! Let's be honest... most of the time the temperature in my classroom has less to do with the fact that I'm forcing kids to "play" Canada and more with the fact that as a white girl.. I sweat a lot in this country!
Trying to write reference letters so these poor kids can get into college! I don't know why it's so hard to write 500 eloquent words about a student.. its just like a big ass report card... so what's the problem? I don't know... probably because I've been emailing, writing this thing, chatting, talking to real people ... I got no brain left! Lucky kids!
Ok so 2 days and 1.5 hours of work left and I'm a free woman!
Anyway I got a bunch today and one was from one of my students. It reads:
Peace and Love to You... Ms. Jessica, once again happie b'day to u... I will pray for you so you can get a boyfriend faster and married faster also.. hehehe... now, your age is enough for that...
Gotta love that... at last! My age is enough!! I've got student approval! Now on with the task of figuring out how to get a boyfriend in conditions such as these....
Zero attention span today... I mean zero, zip, zilch, nada.... If I wasn't making my kids do presentations.. well I dont know what I'd be doing.. probably telling them long winded stories about Christmas in Canada... but they ARE doing presentations and most of them are SO boring... I can't concentrate and I'm meant to be marking these things... At least I've taught myself not to stare out the window at the passing world while they are up there....
Another kid wrote me one that says: Merry Christmas Miss Jess! You've been a cool english and homeroom teacher. have fun at canada. Now you won't have to "play" Canada at home.
Yes my students know that I "play" Canada... I blast the AC and put on a hoodie and drink hot tea or hot chocolate and almost feel like I'm home... Do you think its unprofessional that my students know I still play make-believe games? I like playing Canada... there is a reason my classroom is one of the coldest most fridge-like rooms in the school.. I'm proud of my heritage! Let's be honest... most of the time the temperature in my classroom has less to do with the fact that I'm forcing kids to "play" Canada and more with the fact that as a white girl.. I sweat a lot in this country!
Trying to write reference letters so these poor kids can get into college! I don't know why it's so hard to write 500 eloquent words about a student.. its just like a big ass report card... so what's the problem? I don't know... probably because I've been emailing, writing this thing, chatting, talking to real people ... I got no brain left! Lucky kids!
Ok so 2 days and 1.5 hours of work left and I'm a free woman!
Monday, December 11, 2006
Fear of Commitment..?
I have my contract for the 2007-2008 school year sitting in a drawer in my desk. I haven't signed it yet and while I have been telling myself I will... I'm not so sure...
I thought I knew what I was going to do. I thought it would make perfect sense and I would feel at peace about it. But now, I just don't know. Lately the thought of another year and a half makes me panic and worry and wonder how I can hack that much more time? I can tell myself that when the gym opens, it'll be better... that with even more career confidence, I'll be okay. That I can try and publish a book and spend the next time working on myself even more... but really? That doesn't fix the fact that I have no real life here... that I'm bored and spend a lot of time convincing myself that I'm not...
I don't know... I really don't. I look at that thing and I can't bring myself to sign it. Especially now since I checked the website of my dream school in HK and they are hiring for a position that I could in fact do... a position that would give me more experience and would pay me a heck of a lot more money... So what do I do????
Is this fear of commitment? Are my panicky feelings for a reason? Am I just experiencing "grass is always greener" syndrome? What do I do?
Well my boss said I could sign before Christmas and then break it when I come back in the New Year. Where's the logic in that? I don't know.. but I guess I shouldn't panic yet... Things could feel different when I come back here in January...
I thought I knew what I was going to do. I thought it would make perfect sense and I would feel at peace about it. But now, I just don't know. Lately the thought of another year and a half makes me panic and worry and wonder how I can hack that much more time? I can tell myself that when the gym opens, it'll be better... that with even more career confidence, I'll be okay. That I can try and publish a book and spend the next time working on myself even more... but really? That doesn't fix the fact that I have no real life here... that I'm bored and spend a lot of time convincing myself that I'm not...
I don't know... I really don't. I look at that thing and I can't bring myself to sign it. Especially now since I checked the website of my dream school in HK and they are hiring for a position that I could in fact do... a position that would give me more experience and would pay me a heck of a lot more money... So what do I do????
Is this fear of commitment? Are my panicky feelings for a reason? Am I just experiencing "grass is always greener" syndrome? What do I do?
Well my boss said I could sign before Christmas and then break it when I come back in the New Year. Where's the logic in that? I don't know.. but I guess I shouldn't panic yet... Things could feel different when I come back here in January...
Interval Flowers
Despite my self-proclaimed Jaded status, I'm still managing to help kids find/impress/woo loves of their own. And boy are they successful... the couples around school right now are rather odd.. but they're happy.. so I guess it all works out.
My favourite one going on right now is one involving one of my students Big R. He's a stalky kid with a really cute smile and one of the kindest hearts I've seen in a boy in Grade 11. He is totally in love with this girl and so on Friday said to me, "Miss I need your help. I want to make P my girlfriend."
"Ok well that's exciting," I say.
"Yes," he replies. "And I want it to be a serious girlfriend. I was reading in my bible and I think God was telling me that I need a serious relationship and so I really want this to work."
Interesting interpretation of scripture.. not sure I've read that passage.. but whatever...
So he continues, "Yes I really like this girl and I don't know how to ask her."
"Well when do you want to do it?"
"Tonight."
"But tonight is the concert and you don't want to ask a girl out at school."
"I know but I have to do it soon," he says.
"Why?"
"Because I bought 60 red roses and they are at my house and they'll die if I don't do it before Sunday."
60 red roses! Just to ask the girl out! Imagine this kids wedding proposal?!?
So we come up with this plan. At 9am he sends his driver to her house with 10 roses. (It's nice to have personal staff who can assist in such situations) Then the driver goes back at 10am with 10 more. Then 11 and then 12 and then at 1pm she is given an invitation to meet him for lunch where he gives her the final 10 and asks her to be his girlfriend! That is how you give a girl 60 roses!
Today he comes bursting into my room and gives me this huge hug (surprising) and says: "She said yes! I am so happy Miss.. I just... I'm so happy.. It's just sooo good Miss!"
Ah young love!
I told him he needs to make sure he keeps doing nice things so he doesn't lose the account. She's heading to the US so he's making up letters for every day she's gone... too cute! I love my ideas!
Then this other boy comes in this morning and asks for more help. The girl he loves is having a birthday on Wednesday and she has 6 classes that day.. so he wants to send anonymous roses to her in each class.... I have taught Indonesia the art of interval flower giving!
Anyway it's all rather cute... but makes me kinda wish I was getting interval flowers from someone dreamy...
My favourite one going on right now is one involving one of my students Big R. He's a stalky kid with a really cute smile and one of the kindest hearts I've seen in a boy in Grade 11. He is totally in love with this girl and so on Friday said to me, "Miss I need your help. I want to make P my girlfriend."
"Ok well that's exciting," I say.
"Yes," he replies. "And I want it to be a serious girlfriend. I was reading in my bible and I think God was telling me that I need a serious relationship and so I really want this to work."
Interesting interpretation of scripture.. not sure I've read that passage.. but whatever...
So he continues, "Yes I really like this girl and I don't know how to ask her."
"Well when do you want to do it?"
"Tonight."
"But tonight is the concert and you don't want to ask a girl out at school."
"I know but I have to do it soon," he says.
"Why?"
"Because I bought 60 red roses and they are at my house and they'll die if I don't do it before Sunday."
60 red roses! Just to ask the girl out! Imagine this kids wedding proposal?!?
So we come up with this plan. At 9am he sends his driver to her house with 10 roses. (It's nice to have personal staff who can assist in such situations) Then the driver goes back at 10am with 10 more. Then 11 and then 12 and then at 1pm she is given an invitation to meet him for lunch where he gives her the final 10 and asks her to be his girlfriend! That is how you give a girl 60 roses!
Today he comes bursting into my room and gives me this huge hug (surprising) and says: "She said yes! I am so happy Miss.. I just... I'm so happy.. It's just sooo good Miss!"
Ah young love!
I told him he needs to make sure he keeps doing nice things so he doesn't lose the account. She's heading to the US so he's making up letters for every day she's gone... too cute! I love my ideas!
Then this other boy comes in this morning and asks for more help. The girl he loves is having a birthday on Wednesday and she has 6 classes that day.. so he wants to send anonymous roses to her in each class.... I have taught Indonesia the art of interval flower giving!
Anyway it's all rather cute... but makes me kinda wish I was getting interval flowers from someone dreamy...
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Manic Musings... 6 days left!
Amazing how a little Starbucks and an hour of reflexology can make almost everything okay again.
6 days... I can now play "This time next week, I'll be home!" It was the first thing I thought of when I woke up this morning! Yippee!
Got all my Christmas shopping done except for one small thing I have to buy in Canada! YAY!!!
Got myself almost liking this place again then started re-reading an email from the travel agent and it looks like she didn't book MK and I beside each other from HK to TO... grrr! This woman is seriously giving me grief! Ah well.. it'll sort itself out... I just want to make sure I'm sitting with MK and not some snorting, hoarking, noodle slurping old guy... that guy exists.... ask JC or even my mother and I've sat beside him or close to him plenty of times before... OK gonna try for happy thoughts again!
Went for sushi last night... it was exceptionally good or else I was exceptionally hungry... either/or. Then went to see that World Trade Center movie... too bad about the whole Nicolas Cage factor.. I don't know how that guy is so famous.. he's wrecked more movies than I could shake a stick at... (where did that expression come from?) Ok being negative again.. sheesh! The internal optimist seems a bit broken...
Ok let's try again... so yes 5 days of work left and this week should be good.. hopefully will go quickly and I think I'm on top enough of my work that I won't have to do any over the holidays unless I want to... well other than reading Dante's Inferno and trying to figure out how to make it interesting... but even then.. I don't really have to...
I have 2 books ready for the plane... one is Blink that MK gave me... seems like a very good "smart people" book... and the other is Perfume by Patrick Suskind.. Heard about it at my Singapore Workshop. But most likely I'll just watch movies...
I'm off to a Christmas concert tonight. MK has kids singing in it and I have them playing in the orchestra... we are such good supportive teachers! Yay us! Maybe I'll even get in the Christmas spirit.. then I'll be happy and bouncing off the walls with holiday cheer!
One Christmas concert....5 days of school.. a little packing.. a ginormous plane ride.. and I'll be there!
6 days... I can now play "This time next week, I'll be home!" It was the first thing I thought of when I woke up this morning! Yippee!
Got all my Christmas shopping done except for one small thing I have to buy in Canada! YAY!!!
Got myself almost liking this place again then started re-reading an email from the travel agent and it looks like she didn't book MK and I beside each other from HK to TO... grrr! This woman is seriously giving me grief! Ah well.. it'll sort itself out... I just want to make sure I'm sitting with MK and not some snorting, hoarking, noodle slurping old guy... that guy exists.... ask JC or even my mother and I've sat beside him or close to him plenty of times before... OK gonna try for happy thoughts again!
Went for sushi last night... it was exceptionally good or else I was exceptionally hungry... either/or. Then went to see that World Trade Center movie... too bad about the whole Nicolas Cage factor.. I don't know how that guy is so famous.. he's wrecked more movies than I could shake a stick at... (where did that expression come from?) Ok being negative again.. sheesh! The internal optimist seems a bit broken...
Ok let's try again... so yes 5 days of work left and this week should be good.. hopefully will go quickly and I think I'm on top enough of my work that I won't have to do any over the holidays unless I want to... well other than reading Dante's Inferno and trying to figure out how to make it interesting... but even then.. I don't really have to...
I have 2 books ready for the plane... one is Blink that MK gave me... seems like a very good "smart people" book... and the other is Perfume by Patrick Suskind.. Heard about it at my Singapore Workshop. But most likely I'll just watch movies...
I'm off to a Christmas concert tonight. MK has kids singing in it and I have them playing in the orchestra... we are such good supportive teachers! Yay us! Maybe I'll even get in the Christmas spirit.. then I'll be happy and bouncing off the walls with holiday cheer!
One Christmas concert....5 days of school.. a little packing.. a ginormous plane ride.. and I'll be there!
Saturday, December 09, 2006
10 Reasons Why I Can't Wait to Leave in 7 Days
There are many reasons I am excited to go home for Christmas but a main one today, has to do with the fact that I need a break from SEAsia... not just this country but the whole area! I've had it for a while..
I need a break from:
1) Giant cockroaches that appear out of nowhere and are somehow hanging out on my bathroom ceiling, which I find after school much to my horror and then have to creatively dispose of without completely traumatizing myself...
2) Smelly creepy men... who stare and stare and stare... I know I have boobs.. stop looking! Stop staring at me! I know I stand out but at home I don't.. and I miss blending in...
3) Going into stores where there are about 37 employees working in one tiny shop and not one can actually help you find what you need.. they do however suggest greasy hair shampoo, weightloss pills, cellulite cream, whitening cream....
4) Slow walkers... you don't know slow until you get stuck in the mall, needing to get to the other side and hardly any possible way... slow and rude.. it's awful! Large amounts of people in small spaces.. so so crowded...
5) Bugs, bugs, bugs....
6) Weird times in the bathroom... (refer to earlier posts) but seriously.. have no idea what its like to be "normal" when it comes to that...
7) Smells.. odd odd smells... (has nothing to do with number 6)
8) Air.. bad air. The kind of air that I find I can choke on. The fact that I haven't actually seen the sun since Bali. The kind of air that is so polluted that I almost think it would be better if I breathed through a cigarette.. at least there'd be a filter...
9) Having absolutely nothing make any sense.. trying to do simple things like pay a bill turns into this huge deal where you end up cancelling what you were trying to pay for... and then needing to spend weeks trying to sort it out...
10) Heat... its so freakin hot and steamy here all the time.. hot heat.. not nice heat.. hot heat. The kind where when you leave your house you know you have exactly 30 seconds before you are going to break into a full blown sweat (I know, I sweat...)
Ok so I just got home from the mall with MK and I'm pms-ing... can you tell? Needless to say.. I just wanna come home now! I'm done here for a while...
7 days
I need a break from:
1) Giant cockroaches that appear out of nowhere and are somehow hanging out on my bathroom ceiling, which I find after school much to my horror and then have to creatively dispose of without completely traumatizing myself...
2) Smelly creepy men... who stare and stare and stare... I know I have boobs.. stop looking! Stop staring at me! I know I stand out but at home I don't.. and I miss blending in...
3) Going into stores where there are about 37 employees working in one tiny shop and not one can actually help you find what you need.. they do however suggest greasy hair shampoo, weightloss pills, cellulite cream, whitening cream....
4) Slow walkers... you don't know slow until you get stuck in the mall, needing to get to the other side and hardly any possible way... slow and rude.. it's awful! Large amounts of people in small spaces.. so so crowded...
5) Bugs, bugs, bugs....
6) Weird times in the bathroom... (refer to earlier posts) but seriously.. have no idea what its like to be "normal" when it comes to that...
7) Smells.. odd odd smells... (has nothing to do with number 6)
8) Air.. bad air. The kind of air that I find I can choke on. The fact that I haven't actually seen the sun since Bali. The kind of air that is so polluted that I almost think it would be better if I breathed through a cigarette.. at least there'd be a filter...
9) Having absolutely nothing make any sense.. trying to do simple things like pay a bill turns into this huge deal where you end up cancelling what you were trying to pay for... and then needing to spend weeks trying to sort it out...
10) Heat... its so freakin hot and steamy here all the time.. hot heat.. not nice heat.. hot heat. The kind where when you leave your house you know you have exactly 30 seconds before you are going to break into a full blown sweat (I know, I sweat...)
Ok so I just got home from the mall with MK and I'm pms-ing... can you tell? Needless to say.. I just wanna come home now! I'm done here for a while...
7 days
Friday, December 08, 2006
She ain't skinny...
"It's raining, it's pouring.
My love life is boring me to tears..... after all these years" (true story!)
I love it that MK learned the Donna part to that song.. Enough is Enough.. It's ENOUGH!!! Someday we're gonna perform...
It really is raining.. pouring... and now it stopped.
RAP (rich asian playboy) is seriously freaking me out.. I can just see him doing something retarded like showing up at the airport when I land... trying to explain this to my parents would be interesting... The stupid thing is that I knew the guy for 3 hours, 3 daylight hours, 3 hours where my friend and his friends all were. And the even stupider thing is that if I was into these kind of guys... I would have totally picked his friend instead. How wicked awesome is this???
Today he says: "I think you're really hot. I mean sometimes you sweat but I think its because you are so hot." What??? Who says stuff like that??? Of course I was sweating... I was in Ko Samui, over-sunned and drinking coffee in an un-airconditioned cafe'.. show me someone who wouldn't be!
I got my contract for next year.. now the question is whether or not to sign the darn thing. At least I got one though.. always nice to know I'm wanted back. Supposed to sign it by December 15th.. last day of classes... day before I leave. Hmmm..... I think I'm experiencing a mild fear of commitment.
I also booked my actual seats on the flight.. I mean seat.. I get a window, MK gets an aisle.. and 26 hours later... we'll be in Canada! I'm trying not to think about the flight... the long long flight...
I just bought this huge brownie for charity! Can't say I don't have a heart. CF and I just ate some... it was good.. but reminds me that yet again, am not the waif I wanted to be when I stepped off the plane this time. So just to let you fine Canadian folks know... no Jess did not get skinnier... she tried.. she really did... but to no avail.. blame gin, blame rye, blame indian, blame rice, blame lonely nights, blame slow metabolism, blame laziness... blame something.. but she ain't smaller... *sigh, weep, tear*
Just letting you know cause I know whenever I know people are coming back from far away lands.. I always wonder if they'll be skinner and that's one of the first things I'll comment on. I did this to myself...
Ok well one final weekend in this land.. and then I'm off... in the air.. on my way back to the Home and Native Land.
My love life is boring me to tears..... after all these years" (true story!)
I love it that MK learned the Donna part to that song.. Enough is Enough.. It's ENOUGH!!! Someday we're gonna perform...
It really is raining.. pouring... and now it stopped.
RAP (rich asian playboy) is seriously freaking me out.. I can just see him doing something retarded like showing up at the airport when I land... trying to explain this to my parents would be interesting... The stupid thing is that I knew the guy for 3 hours, 3 daylight hours, 3 hours where my friend and his friends all were. And the even stupider thing is that if I was into these kind of guys... I would have totally picked his friend instead. How wicked awesome is this???
Today he says: "I think you're really hot. I mean sometimes you sweat but I think its because you are so hot." What??? Who says stuff like that??? Of course I was sweating... I was in Ko Samui, over-sunned and drinking coffee in an un-airconditioned cafe'.. show me someone who wouldn't be!
I got my contract for next year.. now the question is whether or not to sign the darn thing. At least I got one though.. always nice to know I'm wanted back. Supposed to sign it by December 15th.. last day of classes... day before I leave. Hmmm..... I think I'm experiencing a mild fear of commitment.
I also booked my actual seats on the flight.. I mean seat.. I get a window, MK gets an aisle.. and 26 hours later... we'll be in Canada! I'm trying not to think about the flight... the long long flight...
I just bought this huge brownie for charity! Can't say I don't have a heart. CF and I just ate some... it was good.. but reminds me that yet again, am not the waif I wanted to be when I stepped off the plane this time. So just to let you fine Canadian folks know... no Jess did not get skinnier... she tried.. she really did... but to no avail.. blame gin, blame rye, blame indian, blame rice, blame lonely nights, blame slow metabolism, blame laziness... blame something.. but she ain't smaller... *sigh, weep, tear*
Just letting you know cause I know whenever I know people are coming back from far away lands.. I always wonder if they'll be skinner and that's one of the first things I'll comment on. I did this to myself...
Ok well one final weekend in this land.. and then I'm off... in the air.. on my way back to the Home and Native Land.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
That Kid and Swears
Ok more random weird things... so I'm in my room at lunch and talking to a student about.. I don't remember.. some sort of teenage/growing up thing.. and then this other student comes in.
She's this perky american girl and I think she's a little odd... thankfully I don't have to teach her.. yet. Anyway she comes in and says: "Oh my gosh, I have to tell you a big secret." So we ask her what she is talking about and she goes on, (this is in her overly cheerful perky annoyingly happy chirpy voice) "Just now I had PE class and we were running and I was doing really well and I had to pee, but I didn't want to stop running and so I didn't.. I just peed my pants. And I don't have a change of underwear or anything. Oh well." Then she bounced back out of the room and the other student and I just stared at each other, did that actually just happen?
This girl is 16 years old and she is the Kid Who Smells Like Pee... you may remember that girl from Grade One. Yeah... it was so weird! So then I eventually got her friend to go tell her she needed to go home because that was disgusting.. and she refused... so she spent the afternoon wearing wet undies. Gross eh?
Oh and my school is pretty uptight about swearing, although I guess swearing in front of kids is both unprofessional and un-classy. Anyway today I slipped. I was telling them about how the X was a plumber for a while and they asked what plumbers talk about at parties and before I knew it a said: "Oh all they do is talk about pipes and say things like 'wow a lot of shit came out of that pipe'". It just flew out of my mouth. I'm supposed to give my kids detentions if they say ass or bitch or call me Jess instead of Miss Jess... At least I stopped before anything else came out.
I need holidays... 9 sleeps...
She's this perky american girl and I think she's a little odd... thankfully I don't have to teach her.. yet. Anyway she comes in and says: "Oh my gosh, I have to tell you a big secret." So we ask her what she is talking about and she goes on, (this is in her overly cheerful perky annoyingly happy chirpy voice) "Just now I had PE class and we were running and I was doing really well and I had to pee, but I didn't want to stop running and so I didn't.. I just peed my pants. And I don't have a change of underwear or anything. Oh well." Then she bounced back out of the room and the other student and I just stared at each other, did that actually just happen?
This girl is 16 years old and she is the Kid Who Smells Like Pee... you may remember that girl from Grade One. Yeah... it was so weird! So then I eventually got her friend to go tell her she needed to go home because that was disgusting.. and she refused... so she spent the afternoon wearing wet undies. Gross eh?
Oh and my school is pretty uptight about swearing, although I guess swearing in front of kids is both unprofessional and un-classy. Anyway today I slipped. I was telling them about how the X was a plumber for a while and they asked what plumbers talk about at parties and before I knew it a said: "Oh all they do is talk about pipes and say things like 'wow a lot of shit came out of that pipe'". It just flew out of my mouth. I'm supposed to give my kids detentions if they say ass or bitch or call me Jess instead of Miss Jess... At least I stopped before anything else came out.
I need holidays... 9 sleeps...
He's Ba-ack!
Most random thing... I'm sitting at my desk and staring at the wall per usual and suddenly the Rich Asian Playboy from the summer starts IM-ing me. He says: "You are coming home soon? I went to the casino again. Won the mini jackpot.. enough to take you to dinner." Then he goes on asking me when I'm home, if I have a ride home from the airport and tells me that whenever he thinks of Samui, he thinks of me... ain't that weird, I mean creepy, I mean special?? Well it's just random... haven't heard a thing from the guy in who knows how long... now he's trying to pick me up from the airport. ODD!!! Must put "Operation Dodge Rich Asian Playboy" into place immediately... yikes!
Other random thing... an 18 year old boy is currently lip-synching and dancing to Mariah's "All I want for Christmas is you" for me. He's actually quite good at it... has now incorporated back flips into it... however his attempt at the splits didn't go off as planned...
Other random thing... an 18 year old boy is currently lip-synching and dancing to Mariah's "All I want for Christmas is you" for me. He's actually quite good at it... has now incorporated back flips into it... however his attempt at the splits didn't go off as planned...
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