Saturday Night and I like the way you move.. pretty baby

I love having my OWN classroom. As much as the responsibility is much greater, I love the bond that is created with the kids. It's Saturday night and I'm at a restaurant enjoying some

Fantastic calamari and a glass of wine thinking about what to teach these little bastards next week. They're loud, take forever to settle in, and drive me crazy. But I love them. They've already corrected their behavior after one week. Even though my desire to have my own kids is minimal, I love kids. I love imparting my vast amounts of knowledge on them and teaching them how to be an effective part of society. I'm a kid at heart. 

We played a literacy game on Thursday. One was boggle style, which they taught me, the other was a story build where I wrote the first sentence of the story and they had to build the story two words at a time. 

Three out of five stories discussed poop. 💩

One actually mentioned a nuclear brown bomb. That's good. I can feel that description. The word jumble happened to turn up the word penis, which, as a biology teacher, I could not deny. However, I had to deny "T-I-T and the same with an 's'"  no slang just anatomically correct biological words. 

I forgot to mention an actual to-may-to, to-mah-toe experience. I think I forgot. I can't remember and I'm on borrowed data right now so I can't check. Maybe I'll tell it twice. Screw you, I don't care. Anyways, I covered lunch for 4 year olds two days. I read them a story and said 'tomayto ' and they asked me why I was pronouncing it wrong. I expressed that I also speak English, but as a Canadian, we pronounce words differently. 

'Will you teach us Canadian?'

'No, we speak English.'

Idiots. 

Haha just kidding. So cute. But I'm a secondary teacher for sure! It's still illegal to strangle children, right? 

Legal Disclosure: I do not want to actually, nor would I ever, Real Life, strangle a child. Kids love me and I love/hate them. 

Super exciting news though... I'm going to Sydney for my 30th!! Going to go visit my dear Sam Boongum, fellow ed grad and expat. We gon' whoop it up like a bunch of teenagers on spring break. But the kind of teenagers that go to bed by 11. 

Or maybe wilder.

Stay tuned.

My favorite day of the school year is pajama day. Hands down. It's SO comfortable. 

Exhibit A

 

I slept in that.

Working at Crocus, I completely embraced 'lazy day.' One lazy day, I had to tend to a parent of a student who I had in my TA group. Midway through our conversation, I realize I'm in a full gray sweat suit. Most of the rest of the staff did not participate. So I look super slobby. Her sons academic future rests in my capable hands.

I stopped her, midsentence, to explain, "I don't normally dress like this."

She was cool though.

Words speak volumes.

So many volumes.

I'm still in awe at the fact that I live so close to the ocean. Went for a walk today to meet a fellow Canadian. I still can't believe that I live twenty minutes from the beach. She lives near, she's near my age, albeit younger, and she's got prior international teaching experience and has provided me with great tips :)

 

It's weird making friends at (almost) 30. Especially as a supply teacher. There for a day and then gone. The contract has been nice and I enjoy the people that I work with. 

It's so strange. 

I could have stayed in brandon and, to

Be honest, probably landed some type of gig for my third term and been guaranteed a permanent position. People have been confused by my position to choose not to do so. 

I thrive in the unknown. 

I thrive under pressure.

I was bored. It was as monotonous. Staying would have been the easy, safe decision.

A person can't grow within their comfort zone. Thus, I broke free. 

Here, I'm new at everything. 

Crossing the street... which way are you supposed to look first? 

Teaching. Commanding control of a classroom and executing curriculum goals. 

Making friends. I have few friends here. I have to push out of my comfortable introverted self.

 I consider myself an ambivert, but the characteristics of an introvert easily overtake my  reluctant urges to be social. Here, I can do that, but I will be alone. 

Everyone is busy. Everyone has a life to live. Prior commitments. I can only crack into these opportunities peoples life's by imposing myself. Something that I'm not comfortable with. So I grow. 

I had an opportunity to lessen my travel time to my new job. Some drunk with sores on his face offered me lodging at his place near the school. He liked my teeth and asked my name 5 times in 15 minutes. Likely won't take advantage of that. 

Routine is great. Until it becomes boring. Change is great. Until you yearn for routine. 

I feel that this is the life I'm destined to lived, should it be lived fully. 

The constant roller coaster of uncertainty. 

Intermittent moments of constancy, flourished by moments on interruption. 

Coulda, shoulda, woulda, 

That shouldn't be a problem for me, if I continue with this lifestyle. 

Consistent, new challenges. In one way or another. 

Serenity now.

Insanity later. 

Next stop: George's Bar. A bar about nothing 

The Week that I Fell Ill

Well, I hate to say it but I have another relatively boring week to describe to you.

Mostly due to me catching some Australian bug, likely while on public transport, that rendered me bed ridden and somewhat useless. Feeling better now. I took the day off today and had another one last week. Hits me right in the pocket book, but I felt a little better about that decision knowing that I have six weeks of work coming up.

Oh right, I secured the 6 week block of work! While the commute is horrible, work is work. The kids liked me! I didn't even know that I had it until the end of Monday last week, when the teacher that I'll be covering for handed letters out to the students explaining that he would be moving up to assistant principal for 6 week a and that I would be filling in for him! My name was in the letter! The kids seemed excited to have me as there fill in! I guess I'm not just a regular teacher, I'm a cool teacher. 

 I have three days this week starting tomorrow. A bit of team teaching and friday will be a planning day. It's an unusual arrangement as the teacher I'm covering for did not teach on fridays he was part of a different program. So it looks like I will be a floating teacher on fridays or be doing planning. I'm ok with that. As much as subbing has reduced responsibility, the uncertainty and short lived bonds you build with the kids and staff take away from teaching as a whole. I miss walking through the halls of crocus plains and catching up with the former brats lovely students that I used to teach/coach. 

I'm looking forward to becoming part of a school community again. The staff seem wonderful and very accommodating. I'm fortunate for the opportunity! 

I was going to attempt to drive yesterday, as I'm planning on buying a cheap vehicle, but when I woke up looking like I'd been punched in both eyes- not kidding- I thought that that might not be the best idea. Getting a vehicle would shorten my commute from over and hour and a half (I have to take a train towards the city in order to get on a train that goes further east, essentially I travel twenty minutes in the wrong direction to get on the right track) to just over half an hour. I planning on using the commute to get back into reading and listening to music, instead of binging Netflix.

Thanks to the suggestion of my lovely friend, Meghan Miller, I've been using Apple Music. It turns out my taste in music is vast and unusual. I've listened to indie music, contemporary blues, and classic rap in the past week. I miss the days of napster and waiting days to download music and burn cds. I don't actually, but the nostalgia is nice. Having only a radio in my car made my music choices pretty slim over the last few years. I do want to tone down my screen time and I think music is a nice way to do that. And my long ass commute is a way to enforce it :)

I did make it into the city Friday and Saturday. Friday I checked out some highly rated dumpling place off of Flinders street, which is the street off one of the main train stations. Walked down a couple semi familiar streets, using google maps, got asked for directions by some guy from Perth haha, and came to this little spot down an alley. The food was awesome! There was some family recipe sauce that I tried and bought and have eaten with almost everything. I don't know what it's called, but it's kind of nutty, mildly spicy, and oil based. 

 

It's a little leaky and I get oil everywhere, but I don't care. It's so good!

It's tough to make connections in the hustle and bustle of a big city, especially without having had a consistent place of work. I've been using the "Meetup" app to attend a few get together. I've done volleyball twice with a good group of (mostly) expats. I'm gonna try out badminton this Friday and there is a pub crawl on Saturday. Maybe I'll try driving this Sunday.. 

After volleyball, I went for Korean BBQ with a new friend. Korean BBQ is cool and delicious. My chopstick skills are kind of improving. Still embarrassing haha. Sunday I was useless and did nothing all day. I did wish my lovely Mama a happy Mother's Day! The woman does a lot for me, even when I'm not in the same country 🇨🇦❤️. And sent her this touching moment from my all time favorite childhood movie:

I miss my little fur babies! Very grateful to my dad for taking  care of them for me. Why is Australia so far away!? 

 

I really can't believe that I've been here over a month already! I'm still dabbling in possibly spending half my time away teaching in New Zealand... 

As of right now, there is a school break coming up July 1-16. I have been looking at a winter holiday. Was thinking Asia, but most places seem to be in their rainy season. So

I've thought about staying in Australia. My most recent searching has turned up a possible travel sequence punctuated by cheap flights. I'm thinking 8-9 days overall. Fly in Sydney for a couple days, from the fly to Brisbane for 5ish days, return to Sydney and fly home. I wish I had the funds to book the flights right now because the Sydney round trip is 98$ and Brisbane 150$. I've also come across some very reasonable AirBnbs! I wish Canadian flights were this cheap. I haven't seen enough of our beautiful country!!

I've actually been very proud to be Canadian since I've arrived. I've actually been thinking of getting a tattoo. Always wanted one, never had anything really jump out at me. Until I came here and realized how much I value being Canadian. A lot! So much! Not that I'm homesick, because I'm not really. Because I Am Canadian. I will always be Canadian. And I love it. 

Next weeks blog should contain more exciting info! If anyone wants to help me design a Canadian inspired tattoo, let me know! My artistic skills stopped developing at 12. I have some ideas, but would like a sort of amalgamation of them. 

A Taste of Rejection

Well, I had a taste of rejection this week. 

Ohhhh my poor, delicate ego...

I had an interview at a large, beautiful Catholic secondary school. The job was 9-11 mathematics. I felt the interview went quite well and feedback from the agency that set me up with the interview was quite good. However, apparently they felt I didn't have the knowledge to teach the grade 11 math. The kicker for me is that I studied the Victorian Grade 11 math curriculum before my interview. I knew the areas of study by heart. 

They did not ask me one single question about the grade 11 curriculum. They actually didn't ask me any curriculum related questions. They asked me to give an example of a year 9/10 math lesson that I'd given.

I cry foul. Maybe that's me being petty. I've been fortunate to have had all of my interviews yield a positive results in the past. All but one, I guess. But the one was a painting company that I wasn't really interested in anyways due to the door to door sales component. I don't count it. However, it sucks to be rejected for a reason that you were never given the opportunity to demonstrate. 

Oh well, live and learn. Rant over.

This week was fairly quiet in terms of activities. A little busier in terms of work. I have a shift tomorrow that's a trial for a 6 week block of teaching. It's a bitch of a commute. One hour and forty by public transport. On the ride back, I saw some Middle Aged guy pick scabs for 15 minutes. I also met 6 lively (drunk) old chaps that were getting back from their weekly booze filled lunch. 

Oh the things you see.

 If I get the trial, I'll look at buying some cheap beater to get me there and back. Fingers crossed!! I've also been looking into advertised teaching positions that Have been posted online. I applied for 4 of them just today. I'm also in the running for some secondary English subbing blocks. 

In other news, I started working at a restaurant called  Sons of Mary. Those old guys told me it was kind of pretentious. So far it's been decent . I make $22 an hour plus tips. Tips are not here what they are at home, but they are more than none. Serving here is different. It's rude to start clearing plates before everyone at the table is finished. They consider it too pushy, while I consider it dirty and inefficient to leave the plates. It's very much a team atmosphere. Back home, I found serving was every man for themselves. The staff seems nice, albeit young. One of the girls is leaving in June and might sell me her car haha. 

Sons of Mary

 

I saw a praying mantis and a huge spider this week. Spider had a body the size of a plum. Praying mantis had insane camoflauge. Got a picture of the mantis not the spider.

 

I've ended up a little under the weather and a little broke, so my weekend has consisted of Netflix and bed. OH! My correct mattress was delivered and now I have a nice flat bed that is not on the floor, like a normal person. Today, I took a 7.5km coastal walk down to the library to fire off some teaching resumes. I signed up for a library card today! Wild right? 

This place really is so beautiful. Though it is getting cold and you guys are getting warm.. but just wait for November. The cold here is a wet cold though, so I've felt a bit of a wuss sometimes. I could see my breath when it was 7 degrees. 

 

Oh, I bought some Kangaroo Sausages for $5. I haven't even seen the animal yet I've bought it's meat. I'll keep you posted when I get the stones to try them. 

 

I haven't tried vegemite yet either. Slow and steady. 

I refuse to call this city "Melb'n." I'm not going to pretend I'm Australian for one name. Like I said in my earlier post, I like exploiting my Canadian exoticism. I have been asked if I'm American (immediate correction occurs,) Irish (?,) and Norwegian. Apparently, I have an unusual accent and the Australians detect a hint of European in it.

I do remember a man, who worked for Safeway back home, ask me where I was from because I have an accent.

To which I replied, "Here."

He then says, "But where were you born?"

"Here." 

So I talk weird and I'm gonna own it. Adds to the mystery right?

I think that's about it for now. Hopefully, next week brings more exciting news. 

Let Real Life Begin!... anytime now.. Round 2: Pictures and Less Typos?

I've now spent just over three weeks in Melbourne. It's starting to feel more like home. 

I'm familiar with the area that I live in and a few others. I now look the right way before crossing the road. It's actually harder than it seems. We are so accustomed to traffic coming from a particular direction that my first few weeks here, my crossing the road happened only after my head had swiveled back and forth a minimum of 5 times. 

I blend in much better here than in Mexico... I've been asked no less than 8 times for directions. Three of those times I actually gave good directions.

Work has been a little sparse to start. Waking up at 6 am for no reason really sucks. Being the semi-motivated individual that I am, I have a few other leads on the go. One of which is working at a cafe near a beautiful beach in the Sandringham suburb. Most hilarious interview ever. The owner did not ask me any questions. 

 

Sandringham Beach

Actually, that's a lie. I asked him if he had any questions for me, to which he responded, "Do you have any questions?" Either way, work is work. I'm hoping next week will be busier for subbing. I make about 2/3 more here as sub. I've only worked 2/5 possible days, but ive been requested back to a school that was an hour and a half  away by public transport. School was really good though! Kids are the same as here except they wear cute little uniforms. Always some bad boys in the bunch. Almost ALWAYS boys. Haha.. this school was worth the commute. So far the schools are very open air with lots of light. 

 

I've found a gym to continue crossfitting. It's more money than home, so I wasn't going to continue. I tried an anytime fitness- which was fine, but I missed the group dynamic. I tried a few Crossfit gyms and have been REALLY impressed with 

Schwartz Crossfit Melbourne. The owner, Ben Schwartz was generous enough to give me a full week trial period. The level of coaching is phenomenal! There have been multiple coaches working with the group each night. I got no repped and corrected so many times. Felt like I took a few steps back, but I think that their strict approach to technique will help me with some movements that I've become stagnated with. (Is that the proper use of stagnated?) The gym has a reputation for sending many competitors to regionals. Very excited to continue my Crossfit journey! 

After sleeping on a mattress on the floor for two weeks, I've been so excited about my bed frame being delivered! So, it get here last night and I assemble the hell out of it by myself, using only an Allen key (which was provided...).  Hour and half later, feeling quite proud of myself, I throw my mattress on top. And..

It. Doesn't. Fit.

I check my bills. Both the frame and the mattress are doubles. I clearly was given the wrong size of one of them- I think the mattress, as I had trouble with getting the sheets on as well. Needless to say, I slept on it anyways. The head end was inclined like a hospital bed, which was really helpful when you're eating Pizza Hut pizza in bed. Bed food is my favorite. I'll keep you posted on how Super Amart chooses to compensate me.

 

 

FUN FACT: There is no Walmart here! They do have Kmart and target. Apparently something to do with not paying workers well enough...

FUN FACT #2: Now, when the Burger King franchise came to Australia, they were not allowed to have a reference to royalty in their business name. Therefore, Burger King is known as Hungry Jacks here. So someone told me.

  

Today, I'm going to see an AFL game, which my roommate attempted to explain to me. After a couple YouTube videos, I think I get what he was saying. I don't understand what he says a lot of the time. For example, I thought he was a "Buddha," for a full day, before I realized he said "builder." Did I tell that story last post? I don't care. I think it's super funny. Anyways the game is rough, no padding, hard hits. And of course, athletic dudes in short shorts. Don't mind if I do. 

Miss you dear sweet friends! My life will become more thrilling once the cash starts flowing! 

Melbourne is a beautiful place to live :)