No school 'til Tuesday!

'Plop'

I turned to see a bag of humbags land in the bottom of the shopping trolley.

'What are those for?' I asked my sister

'The journey,' she said sheepishly from behind her hand.

This week is a bank holiday weekend which means that, going against current trends, we didn't spend the weekend in Ikea or on the phone to Orange trying to get wireless broadband on my laptop (we got it up and running for about 30 minutes- apparantely my poor PC is to blame). We actually went out for the day.

Penny had done some research into castles in the area- which she later confessed meant typing 'Essex' and 'Castles' into a search engine and waiting. But she came up with the goods. We have spent today at Hedingham Castle- an 850 old year Norman keep in the heart of a pretty village surrounded by gorgeous English countryside.



Not only that but there was a jousting tournament there today- feeling all a bit 'Knight's Tale' but fun we braved the rain and watched the sport.

The sun came out again later and in plenty of time for the falconry.

There was even a jester



and me and Pen were created ladies!

There is a first time for everything I guess! We managed to get rained on and catch the sun all in the one day-- which made it all quite different from the usual Sunday activities.

On Friday I went out with my lovely class

I have had a lot of great students but as a class this has been my favourite- which is no mean feat when you consider that it is also my largest class so far- averaging around 20. This term finishes in three weeks and I have been warning them that they will probably have a different teacher next term. The usual thing is that they don't understand why they have to change teachers if they like the one that they have got at the moment. Neither do I but school policy means that I don't even know what classes I will be teaching next term and probably won't even find out for another two and a half weeks.

Next term is my last one before my three month jaunt to South America!! Yikes! I am lookig forward to it but a little concerned because while I do manage to practice writing Spanish- homework and endless chatting to my Colombian students online (hello Baby Alex if you are reading this!) I have never actually had a conversation in Spanish that has gone beyond roleplays in the class. I just hope that I am able to do it when the time comes!

Until then I shall just enjoy nights like these



though perhaps I should never had told them about the two fingered salute!



Think that I am off to Notting Hill carnival tomorrow- wish me luck!

New Camera!

I got a new camera today and I think that I have already found my favourite new function on it:

Expect lots more photos with all the colours except one taken out:)

Just in case..

..anyone thought that I was in any way a smart person I have spent time today taking photos of my new shoes-



- toys I collected on my travels last year



- my bookcase



- handing spanners to my sister while she put up some new lights



and just watching my new lava lamp.

Not bad.

So far so good

I am having a good week this week- well, it is Wednesday night now so I feel safe in saying that without really jinxing myself.

On Sunday I bought new shoes-hooray! I went into the shop on a whim really, not expecting to find anything in my size. Casually eyed up a shoe and sent the assistant off to try the usually fruitless search for my size. Penny asked me which shop assistant was dealing with me and indicated a blonde one ahead- can't be her, I said, she appears to actually be holding a shoe box rather than an apologetic expression which also conveys an air of disgust that someone with such clownishly large feet should be allowed out in the community at all.

Even better, the weather was cold enough to wear tights on Monday which also lent me the opportunity to wear my new shoes. Then in the evening I went to see 'The Vegemite Tales'- a quite frankly hilarious play about Aussie expats in London- but it could have been any of my expat situations really. It was funny to see so many Aussies after spending most of my free time with Brazilians. On the way back to the train station, an old drunk guy yelled across the road in admiration of my legs. I know that I shouldn't appreciate that kind of thing but I do!

Last night I went to Salsa and finally got to see my student perform in the band there- and by chance really as I had no idea that he was on. A Colombian guy that I had met at the picnic a few weeks ago told me that he had looked into schools in Colombia for me which was cool. When I got home there was an email in my mailbox from my Spanish teacher praising me to the high heavens. And one from the school in Colombia answering some questions of mine.

Today, classes went well. On the way home I discovered a song that I didn't know that I had on my MP3 player- result. And I opened the door of my house to find that my wooden box had arrived from Korea, via Mona-mail.

I have even done my Spanish homework this week.

I am just going to go and bask in the glow of a week well-lived- so far anyway!

I love my job...

Today I mimed throwing a tantruming child off the London Eye, cartwheeling across the room, eating a spider and going to Paris on the Eurostar. Yesterday we had an international picnic in the class.

Any wonder I enjoy my job so much!

Today, I have mostly been...

..staying in bed. Went out for a couple of beers last night in Camden. It is a long time since I went to Camden- apart from a few hours spent there a few months ago when we were looking for somewhere still open and failing. When I was a student I practically lived there- I was clothed in Camden's finest from head to foot. My students rave about the place and one of them works there so it seemed a nice change from the West End.

However, I probably shouldn't have bought those first tequilas and I definitely shouldn't have bullied Sarah into buying the next round of tequilas.

After a drunken argument with several National Rail call centre operatives in deepest darkest India, I was still no clearer as it where my last train would be leaving from or what time it would be going. So I stayed with Sarah and even managed a couple of hours kip before Victor awoke to find himself on Sarah's armchair and thought it best to wake us and leave.

Got home at around nine this morning and my sister was just about to head out to the supermarket. Knowing that it was just a matter of time until I fell into bed and not rise again until Monday, I elected to go with her.

Wish that I had brushed my teeth first though.

Finally settled down to sleep at 11am.

Not a moment too soon.



I love my new room, even more so since I got a new carpet this week and even built some Ikea furniture for the first time.

I guess that staying in bed all day could be considered a bit of a waste of time at the end of a week that has been pretty average weather-wise. We had a picnic in the park a couple of weeks ago and made a telephone with some plastic cups and shoelaces which proved to be a lot of fun.

Also took some more students to the War Museum, we were quite excited to have the whole top deck of the bus to ourselves



Bless.