WEEK Two, back at work

Well, I was rereading my last entry and I have to admit that I sounded stressed, and I was!!! Everyday at work keeps getting better and better as I learn the ropes here at Horbury. I am loving my classes and the staff. I am even leaving my classroom for break and lunchtime without worrying about missing classes. The Senior staff here pop in to observe all teachers all the time. Its only been two weeks and I've had 3 different staff members in to observe. Things must be going OK, seeing as they haven't asked me to go back to CANADA!!

I wanted to send KUDO's out to all England drivers. We Calgarians have a lot to learn about being courteous at the same time as being fast. People here are always letting others merge in without fuss. While driving down a narrow road, with cars parked on the road on either side (leaving room for only one vehicle to squeeze through at a time) the Brits have timed out perfectly who slows down and who goes through without needing to swear or finger each other. They are perfectly British.

Speaking of driving I feel it is time to confess that while here in England I have hit two other cars........(Dad, please don't freak out) nobody was hurt and there was no noticeable damage done to any vehicles. The first accident occured in Scotland. While on a narrow road, an oncoming vehicle crossed the centre line and swiped the mirror off the car in front of me, this mirror hit my windshield. As I was reacting to being hit by a mirror, I didn't notice that the vehicle in front had come to an emergency stop, and I nicked his back bumper in an attempt to swerve into the ditch. (No harm done.) The other accident occured just last week as I simply backing into another car, the handsome gentleman who got out said there was no damage and didn't even want to exchange phone numbers!!!!! My 6 years of being accident free is now finished and my total number of accidents is a bit higher (can anyone guess how high??)

Anyways, I have done more this last week than hit cars. On Friday, John and Amy took me to see the Leeds Rhinos play (Rugby League, not Union) This was lots of fun as the fans were full of cheers and jeers that I couldn't understand. They didn't sell tickets to seats in the stadium, instead you buy a ticket to "STAND" in an area. What a great idea, you make more money as you can fit in more people standing than sitting, and being that close together with strangers keeps you warm if the evening is chilly.
On Saturday Katie and Chris had people over for "tea" (this is supper) and Katie prepared "Fish Pie" . Now while this might sound suspect, it was in fact delicious (see picture in facebook) It was a mixture of salmon, mash and cheese, and a few other ingredients. I plan to learn how to make this dish and serve it to all my Canadian visitors. Sunday, I headed out to Nottingham (1 hour south) to run in the "Robin Hood" 1/2 marathon, the weather was perfect and the course beautiful, this is supposedly the 2nd largest race in the UK at 13000 people. I finished the weekend down at The Abbey (local pub) for quiz night with Simon, Cathy, Becca and Steve, again I did not contribute much to the answers but I am smarter for going.

Well, I've run out of things to say, except that it is my 30th birthday next week and I am planning to have a few people over to help me celebrate. I'll let you know how that goes. Simon asked me to make the rice for the curry that we are having that evening and I had to admit that I've never cooked rice before......We may just be eating nachos and salsa!!!

CHEERS!

THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL

Well, I am truly overwhelmed and inundated with information. While I think that things have gone well, I am really not sure yet. Everyone here at Horbury as been incredibly friendly, allways willing to answer a question (all right maybe like 12 questions) I don't have time for actual conversations, every conversation ends up with me asking how this or that works. I am teaching in the mobile village (portables), each one has two classrooms. My partner across the doorway is Gill, she is my new best friend!!! She is always dropping in after each class to ask questions and to anticipate issues that might come up. I will have to buy her a bottle or two of Canadian wine as an inadequate thank you.

Teaching for 60 minutes has been difficult for me to manage, I am used to 85 minutes.....60 minutes is NOT enough. I have 8 different classes to prepare for, and I don't see them everyday or even at the same time of day when i do see them. The juggling of timetables and start times has me a bit jumpy. My lunch hour also changes depending on my classes that day. (i am not known for my ability to organize and this is testing me). Basically, I am scared to leave my class room, because it has happened twice where I was leaving to go for a break or for lunch when a class arrived for its lesson. AH well, the trials and tribulations of the unorganized.

GOD BLESS Junior High Teachers who juggle this all the time!!

On a different note, I was in London this last weekend. I took the train in, and it is the way to travel, sit back, read a book and relax. I found it easy to get around London. My hotel was right across the street from Big Ben, and beside the London Eye. On Saturday morning my run took me past Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, to mention a few locations. A river cruise down the River Thames took me past a few other sites, Shakespeare's Globe theatre, St. Paul Cathedral, London Bridge, stopping at the Tower of London. The Tower of London was by far my favorite thing in London. It is full of history, tours by yeoman guards and of course the Crown Jewels.

On Sunday, I didn't eat a single meal. Instead I snacked my way down Whitehall St. to Leicester Square, and into Covenant Garden, where I met some of the others and went to see the "Lion King." GOOD TIMES!!!!

Next time I am in London, I am going to have a "proper" tea at the ritz. I am told that it is loads of fun. I'll let you know....