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.
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