Loosing sight of the beautiful

Loosing sight of the beautiful.  It's sad, but true.  Watching the news it's one thing after the other - hate, war, evil.  I should really ask my landlords to get a digital ariel so I have channels other than BBC news....

It was one of those struggles today at school.  There were some tears.  Then there was a glass of wine with my department head and Henson.  It was one of those "inadequate" days - I was frustrated and angry.  The kids were NOT on my side today.  As I was telling Heather this some of my year 7s walked by and there was a chorus of "Hi MISS!"  Defeated my point...but those year 7s are lovely.  I've turned miserable.  Miserable and impatient.

I've lost sight of the beautiful.  

Is it the end of term yet??

It's TUESDAY.  That means two more days until Easter Holiday.  CAN'T WAIT.  You get to that point where you are just like "Ok...I'm ready for a holiday" - and I am at that point.

I was eavesdropping on two of our PGC students today - well - they were talking quite loud in the quiet work area and I was busy working, but also listening - and one asked the other if she still wanted to be a teacher after four weeks of student teaching.  The girl replied that she was always tired, her feet constantly hurt, her eyes were being held up with matchsticks....she didn't know if she wanted to be a teacher after all.

Come on.  It's a hard job - does anyone really think it's a walk in the park.  Some days I'm ready to throw the towel in - days like today where one thing went wrong after the other - but I don't.  I go home, do what I need to do, and the next day I am refreshed and ready.  It is hard, but I couldn't give up my job.  I love being a teacher.  

Consider - I've come from a completely different lifestyle.  I wasn't raised with the system of education they were raised with.   Just figuring everything out and trying to establish yourself as a part of the community as a foreigner - it's hard work.  Stressful, emotional and downright annoying.   But I do it.  And I think I do it well.  

BUT - as much as I love my job, I know when I need to recharge my batteries.  I definitely need to recharge as soon as possible.  

TWO days....two days.  Then, it's off to...... who knows.

Clutch Control!

Today I had my first UK driving lesson.  WOW.  I have never been so afraid in my life.  I've been driving for what - 9, 10 years?  Holy crap.  Automatic on the Right was a breeze.... manual on the LEFT .... well.  That was a different story.  

My instructor was lovely.  He taught me the gears and told me when to do life up the clutch, put down the clutch, signal, accelerate, break and check my mirror.  I was terrified the entire time - gripping onto my steering wheel - AND crossing my hands, which you are not allowed to do.  

I picked it up pretty fast, and after four or five times around the estate we were driving in I was ok with the gears. Instructor man decided it would be a good idea for me to drive home.  Now....I live on the busiest road in town and it was 1:00....rush hour.  I panicked.  It's like I had never driven before.  I couldn't remember how to break and I couldn't make the turn.  I get to the main light and I have to turn left - but it was busy, so I had to go into 1st and keep my hand break on.  When it came time to turn left,  I couldn't switch and stalled.  I was terrified because I was in the middle of the road!  There were tons of people and I looked like a fool!

I was shaking when we finally reached my house.  I know it takes awhile to pick up, but it's still terrible!  After ten years, I am relearning how to drive.  Oh boy....

Ooo Heaven is a Place on Earth

Severe weather in the UK!  High winds and rain.  Very amusing....except when you have to walk to and fro in it.  I would really like a downpour with thunder and lightening.... that would be slick.  

We have 8 more days of school before Easter holiday!  Hard to believe how quickly things are flying by.  I feel like pumping the brakes sometimes, but then I realize that I'm not driving.  The kids are getting antsy, but more so - the teachers are getting antsy!  I can't wait for a two week holiday - it doesn't matter what I do (and I will be doing something) it just matters that I'm not constantly raising my voice to be heard and nagging students to complete assignments on time.  It will be lovely!

I did a bit of a read through my past posts - just to give myself a little reminder why I wanted to come here in the first place.  Yes, I am conquering the world.  And it's a constant battle - clearly my wording in "the quest for world domination" was correct.  I still feel as though I've made the right choice, and I know I will end up back in back home one day, but I'm happy now to be experiencing something different.  I've learned so much, and I'm grateful for that.

I need to re-read The Secret, just to remind myself how to get what I want.  It worked once, I'm confident it will work again.   To quote "Into the Woods":  If you know what you want then you go and you find it and you get it.

I have a feeling something new and exciting is brewing.  Can't put my finger on it...

"Could it be?  Yes it could.

Something's coming, something good, if I can wait!

Something's coming, I don't know what it is, but it is gonna be great!"

Maybe it's all of this work on West Side Story with my Year 8s.  Reliving that and watching my tape from high school - wow.  That's an experience and a half.... Hmm, something coming.

 Stay tuned.....

Working for the weekend!

Wednesday is the best day of the week.

 Not only is it the halway point to the weekend, but it’s the day that I have two classes and THREE free periods. YES. I am a lazy cow on Wednesdays. And when I say Lazy, I mean I am not in the classroom, yelling at the top of my lungs. Instead, I am working on my quest for world domination.

Speaking of world domination, the man who put that idea into my head was spotted over the weekend. Amy, Gemma, Chrissy and I headed over to Dublin to celebrate Amy’s birthday – lucky for us, our tour guide was the man himself, Mark Daly. We checked out the Guinness Factory and then did a bit of shopping. When the lights went down on Dublin town we headed out to the posh places – Mark and his friend, Brendan lead the way. All I have to say – those two were the luckiest men in the city that night. HOW fabulous are we?

                                                   (Mark, Me, Chrissy, Amy, and Brendan)

The weekend was a success, but now it’s Wednesday and I’m still recovering from my lack of sleep. During my three fee periods I am working on my research proposal for Cambridge. I am incredibly fired up by the political aspects of education and the fact that some US schools are actually cutting fine arts programs due to money issues. Do they not know that we live in a world where creativity and innovation are key skills for success? Do they not know that through studying anything artistic, students are gaining skills in that area?? It burns me up, it really does. And to read articles that it’s happening in my own area? Check out the article …

There goes the bell and I am teaching after my tea break! Oh my! The life of a teacher!

Ciao, bella~

Last week I headed to Sicily to see where the family lived! Fantastic journey!

Henson and I landed in Palermo Saturday night and made our way to our lovely B & B. We spent two days in the city, then met up with Sal and Mary in Milazzo in Messina, where the family is from. They live on a beach - beautiful ocean view from their front door. Loved it! They took us to Tindari to see the black Madonna.

The next day they took us to Novara - where my grandparents were born. It was amazing to see their houses and the streets where they walked. Novara is high up a curvy road in the mountains. STEEP, but lovely. You can feel the air thinner. In August the Fiesta is the highlight of the town's social scene. I think I might have to plan another trip!


We drove down the mountain, looking at the volcano Etna, and then went to Taormina - tourist capital of Sicily. Saw the train station from the Godfather. We went back to Milazzo, passing through Messina. Staying with Sal and Mary was the highlight of the trip. Those Italian drivers.....OH my.

On our last day in Palermo I purchased a pair of shoes (woop woop Italian leather!) and some cheese. Can't go wrong.

In general, I loved Sicily - Messina is far better than Palermo. I wish I spoke the language better - I knew enough to communicate, but I need to learn more. My family is going to be in Sicily for the Fiesta, so I think I might have to rejoin them. I fell in love with my Grandma's house and really want to fix it up. It could be really gorgeous.

Got my hair did

Got my hair did. Should be interesting when I wash it and the curls are back. Looks quite posh though...I feel like Victoria Beckham.