Friday 24 February 2012
Ouch!
Jeff's just owned up to the fact that he was caught for speeding earlier in the week... he was doing 120K in a 100K area: $340 fine (day's wages) and 4 points on his licence. The points will stay on his licence for 3 years and if he racks up 12 points in total: he'll lose his licence. GULP!!! Tough lesson. Neither of us could work in Australia if we didn't have our driving licences, that's for sure. He was late coming home night as he was adhering to ALL the speed limits along the way!
Thursday 23 February 2012
A Week in the Wet Season!
It has rained all week this week! Terrific storms too... on Tuesday, there were 20,000 lightning strikes in the space of the afternoon! I had to venture out to pick up Oli from school and it was soooo scary. Luckily, we suffered no structural damage and the worst is over I think. One good thing is that the temperature has - at last - decided to drop; we're around 24 degrees which is positively chilly to us now. The shops are full of 'winter clothing' too! However, I don't feel like dragging on Ugg boots and a sweatshirt just yet!
Shrove Tuesday this week which is very low key in Australia... none of the classes I have taught this week had pancakes or knew the meaning of eating them on that particular day. I made them write the occasion in their planners for next year and was happy that at least they'd learnt something in my lessons that day!
I have had quite a bit of teaching work this week which is good. It means an early start for me as I must be available for an agency telephone call from 6am each morning and I need to, obviously, ensure Oli is organised and off to school: he has no concept of time at all but he's come up with the goods this week, bless him and hasn't been late at all. I am also enjoying driving some very scenic routes to the different schools,
Relating to school, Oli decided that he wanted to go for the role of Year 7 House Captain at Mountain Creek. Jeff and I were a bit concerned as very few of the 350 kids in the house actually know him and we didn't want him setting himself up for a very hard fall. However, Oli was insistent and wrote his own speech detailing why the students should choose him over the other 9 candidates, delivering it to the students yesterday morning. He was duly voted in by the students and teachers and takes up his role today! We are soooo very proud of him and it's the perfect way for kids at the school to get to know him too. Oli also found out that he attracted 96% of the female students' votes which means that his teenage years are going to be tough for us!!! He's over the moon and so are we. A perfect end to the week.
Shrove Tuesday this week which is very low key in Australia... none of the classes I have taught this week had pancakes or knew the meaning of eating them on that particular day. I made them write the occasion in their planners for next year and was happy that at least they'd learnt something in my lessons that day!
I have had quite a bit of teaching work this week which is good. It means an early start for me as I must be available for an agency telephone call from 6am each morning and I need to, obviously, ensure Oli is organised and off to school: he has no concept of time at all but he's come up with the goods this week, bless him and hasn't been late at all. I am also enjoying driving some very scenic routes to the different schools,
Relating to school, Oli decided that he wanted to go for the role of Year 7 House Captain at Mountain Creek. Jeff and I were a bit concerned as very few of the 350 kids in the house actually know him and we didn't want him setting himself up for a very hard fall. However, Oli was insistent and wrote his own speech detailing why the students should choose him over the other 9 candidates, delivering it to the students yesterday morning. He was duly voted in by the students and teachers and takes up his role today! We are soooo very proud of him and it's the perfect way for kids at the school to get to know him too. Oli also found out that he attracted 96% of the female students' votes which means that his teenage years are going to be tough for us!!! He's over the moon and so are we. A perfect end to the week.
Sunday 12 February 2012
13th: Unlucky for Some But Not For Me
Funny old day today... Oli is off down on the Gold Coast for a school trip all this week. He's due back on Friday afternoon... I was a bit shaky as he's never been away from us for as long before now and it's also his birthday on Thursday! However, it's me who has the issues: Oli is totally cool about it and was increasingly excited this morning. He'll have a very full week by all accounts although Oli's not too keen on getting up at 6.30am for 'morning exercise'!!!
I registered with seemingly every teaching agency in the Southern Hemisphere and last week, went around to a whole heap of schools in the area leaving my C.V. with them and 'showing my face'. One of the agencies advised me that I should be available from 6am for a call if needed (!). This morning, at 6.10am I duly received a call from them advising me that they had found me 4 days supply teaching at Mountain Creek State High School which is, of course, just along the road. YIPPEE!! I was on the 'morning shift' today which meant that I started at 7am and finished at 1pm. What a rush! Virtually pushed Oli on the coach, waved him off and then off to schoolio. No time for tears which was just as well (mine, not his!).
Fabulous to be back in the classroom. I haven't taught since term finished in July last year and have really missed it. What a wonderful day. The kids are definitely 'lively' but in all fairness, they were great to teach and I wouldn't have expected anything different from them on a Monday with a new supply teacher! The classes are smaller too which is good. What's lovely about supply teaching is that you turn up, sign in at reception, deliver someone else's lessons, leave the teacher notes about the kids if needed and then sign out! Great introduction to the Australian curriculum for me as well and relatively very well paid... Celebrations this weekend when we're all together again, eating Oli's birthday cake and I CAN AFFORD THOSE SHOES NOW JEFF!!!
I registered with seemingly every teaching agency in the Southern Hemisphere and last week, went around to a whole heap of schools in the area leaving my C.V. with them and 'showing my face'. One of the agencies advised me that I should be available from 6am for a call if needed (!). This morning, at 6.10am I duly received a call from them advising me that they had found me 4 days supply teaching at Mountain Creek State High School which is, of course, just along the road. YIPPEE!! I was on the 'morning shift' today which meant that I started at 7am and finished at 1pm. What a rush! Virtually pushed Oli on the coach, waved him off and then off to schoolio. No time for tears which was just as well (mine, not his!).
Fabulous to be back in the classroom. I haven't taught since term finished in July last year and have really missed it. What a wonderful day. The kids are definitely 'lively' but in all fairness, they were great to teach and I wouldn't have expected anything different from them on a Monday with a new supply teacher! The classes are smaller too which is good. What's lovely about supply teaching is that you turn up, sign in at reception, deliver someone else's lessons, leave the teacher notes about the kids if needed and then sign out! Great introduction to the Australian curriculum for me as well and relatively very well paid... Celebrations this weekend when we're all together again, eating Oli's birthday cake and I CAN AFFORD THOSE SHOES NOW JEFF!!!
Wednesday 8 February 2012
Day to Day Stuff...
Oli now back to school and seemingly joining up for every sporting activity going. We have both joined the Mooloolaba Tennis Club too. It's brilliant as, because of the Queensland climate, we will be able to play throughout the year. Tennis is fast becoming Oli's favourite sport and we're treating him to a new racquet as it's his birthday next week. His other racquet is now too small for him as he's shooting skyward at a rate of knots! He's off on school camp for the week on Monday down on the Gold Coast. It'll be strange without him but I know that he'll have a ball. It'll be good for him to mix with kids out of a school environment too.
I went to a 'parents meet teachers' evening this week at his school. As I mentioned on Facebook; I can't get used to seeing teachers in shorts and flip-flops (oops, 'thongs' here in Oz). Very relaxed atmosphere. Oli really enjoys school though and the teachers seem to really know the individual students which is good. His school morning break is called 'morning tea' in Australia and he plays 'Tiggy' at lunch time ('tag' in the UK!). He's also started to pronounce words as an Aussie: 'yoe-gurt' for yoghurt and, instead of 'no thanks', he now says, 'I'm good thanks'. Lordy.
Jeff was given a whole tray of mangos last week by the owner of the farm where he was doing some electrical work. They have to be one of my favourite fruits: just as well really this week. There are supermarkets here in Oz as in the UK, but you find that the majority of people use the supermarkets for their dry goods only and use the fruit shops, butchers and bakers for the rest. It means that you need to make an effort shopping but it's worth it. The fruit and veg shop where we are is soooo cheap compared to the supermarket. Some things are difficult to find. For example, I couldn't find a fabric softener I liked. I was told by the shop owner that fabric softener will damage our washing machine (problems with lime-scale here) and I was advised to use the cheapest white vinegar I could find instead. It bloomin' works too and my towels have never been as soft as they are now! Tip of the Week: I'll have more next time!!
Temperatures seem to be dropping a smidge now (phew!). I have just been for a run along the promenade in Mooloolaba after waving Oli off to school on his bike and it was around 25 degrees: fabulous. We are so very lucky living here and there's not a day goes by when I don't think that! Wished that I had done it years ago.
I went to a 'parents meet teachers' evening this week at his school. As I mentioned on Facebook; I can't get used to seeing teachers in shorts and flip-flops (oops, 'thongs' here in Oz). Very relaxed atmosphere. Oli really enjoys school though and the teachers seem to really know the individual students which is good. His school morning break is called 'morning tea' in Australia and he plays 'Tiggy' at lunch time ('tag' in the UK!). He's also started to pronounce words as an Aussie: 'yoe-gurt' for yoghurt and, instead of 'no thanks', he now says, 'I'm good thanks'. Lordy.
Jeff was given a whole tray of mangos last week by the owner of the farm where he was doing some electrical work. They have to be one of my favourite fruits: just as well really this week. There are supermarkets here in Oz as in the UK, but you find that the majority of people use the supermarkets for their dry goods only and use the fruit shops, butchers and bakers for the rest. It means that you need to make an effort shopping but it's worth it. The fruit and veg shop where we are is soooo cheap compared to the supermarket. Some things are difficult to find. For example, I couldn't find a fabric softener I liked. I was told by the shop owner that fabric softener will damage our washing machine (problems with lime-scale here) and I was advised to use the cheapest white vinegar I could find instead. It bloomin' works too and my towels have never been as soft as they are now! Tip of the Week: I'll have more next time!!
Temperatures seem to be dropping a smidge now (phew!). I have just been for a run along the promenade in Mooloolaba after waving Oli off to school on his bike and it was around 25 degrees: fabulous. We are so very lucky living here and there's not a day goes by when I don't think that! Wished that I had done it years ago.
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