Holiday Season

In South Africa it is spring going into summer. Where we are it changes a lot. It will be warm one day then really cold the next or even in the same day. So even thought Thanksgiving is next week and Christmas is done the road it does not always feel like it. About half of the days it does so that is great, I put on some Christmas music have coco or cider and love it. Today is one of those days. It is cold and kind of wet and the wind makes it the kind of cold that can only be taking care of by laying in bed and reading a book. Preferably Harry Potter as the movie come out here next week and I ma re-reading them before it.
In science we are learning about the water cycle. I had told my class last time that maybe we would have a kettle and make coco and look at how the water evaporates. I now know what my momma felt on a very small scale of how kids do not forget anything you have ever promised or alluded to promise some time in the distant future. I was reminded today as we went to lunch that I had mentioned the possibility of coco. I decided that it would be fun but realized I should probably let parents know. Luckily we eat each meal with both our students and their parents here so I was able to check with the parents and they all were more then fine with it. More on the crazy community latter though.
During science the kids worked on their water cycle posters and we drank our coco and we listened and sang to Christmas music. There are times when I want nothing more then to be in a normal school where I do not see my students at every meal. Where I do know sit next to them in meetings, where I do not do every single thing with them. But you know when I think about the situation, its great. It is strange and different and perhaps one of a kind but great. I loved that we are able to play Christmas music and talk about holidays. I am still annoyed that this organizations does not celebrate Halloween but thanks to my momma I did.
Our internet has also been down today a pretty much weekly thing here. I had a planning period and no plans to make since last time the internet was down I was supper productive, I begin to look at my flip videos that are on my computer. I was given it last Christmas and saw that there were lots of videos from Christmas. I watched them all and loved them and missed my family so badly and wanted it to be Christmas every day and wished it was December 13th already so I would be home and be where it is Christmas. The videos are completely random and there for completely my family. One, ok I will be honest 4 of padfoot, but he is so stinking cute! There were some of my momma, Tessa, Misty and I cooking. My dad and brothers trying to fly the toy helicopters Santa brought them. It made me so happy! It made me love Christmas more which I was not sure was possible, but it was! It made me love my family so much. I then realized how we celebrated Christmas on like the 19th or something but it was Christmas because we were together. It made the prospect of Thanksgiving happy. I will be here for Thanksgiving and we are gonna make it one hell of a day! It helped me to realize that when you are with family even a created one from all over the world it will be great.
I hope that as the holidays approach you all surround your self with family weather that be the one you were born with or the one you have created and love and enjoy every strange funny moment that comes your way.

Back to my crazy community: I will leave you with this question. In what other school would it not be strange that at 8 at night I stand in a students hall way talking to his mother when he stands there holding a book in his PJ shorts, and this is all done as if it is the most normal thing in the world. I do love this place and the strange circumstances we live in.
Hope you are all well, love you lots.
ang

it makes a difference

In my life here there is such a routine that we get into. I wake up weekday around 6:30 and get ready for the day. I eat breakfast around 7:15 most days at the same table and with the same people, but I like that. Then there is school which as crazy as this year it is still packed with routine. We work till 5 and I will be honest I don’t always do that but if I don’t it is to normally go and read in my room or nap. We eat dinner at 5:00 every night and again at the same table and mostly with the same people, which I still enjoy. It is nice to feel that you have a family here that you eat with and talk with and know what is going on with in each other’s lives. Part of the group that I eat almost ever meal with is a family. I also baby-sit the kids a night a week for an hour. It is a grounding factor in this strange life. Amongst this day-to-day predictability there is also a large unknown that is common and something you have to learn to live in and if you can even thrive in it. Some of those changes are good like today when all the elementary teachers got the afternoon to go out to lunch as a treat but more of that latter. The changes that we deal with more often then not are not necessarily positive ones. Like we don’t know the exact date of when we will be back on the ship. Or when the accreditation team will come. Or that we might have to change vacation time because we will need people to help with the re-opening of the ship. It has taken time to get used to but I am getting used to the fact that everyday is different and that I should embrace those differences and the challenges because they are unique and will only happen once.
         These past two weeks have been semi un remarkable. School has passed crazy fast. We have like 16 teaching days left which is mind blowing and scary to think how you will get it all done but that is a fact. The past two weekends have been a bit more exciting. Two weekends ago a bunch of us went to a church in the area and had a bri with them. It was fun to hang out with other people and do something so normal like play football and eat. We then went to the beach and had a great dinner at an Italian restaurant right on the beach. On Sunday we went to a different church. To be honest we went because the shuttle for it was going to a craft market after and we wanted to go shopping. It was great to see a different church which solidified in me that I love the surfer church. It was still nice to walk around the craft stalls and walk along the beach. The next week passed with out to much notable happening with the expectation of Friday. On Friday we went on a field trip to the marine world it was really fun. The kids loved it and so did the teachers. It was a fun and long day, but always a treat to hang out with the kids in a different setting as well as the other teachers.
On Friday we were able to watch Toy Story 3 for the Friday night movie. It was really cute but definitely made me cry and I was not the only one. I had a hard time sitting there thinking the first one came out when I was in 4th grade. It made me happy. On Saturday I went back to the marine world with some friends. I had only been there the day before but it was good. We ate lunch at a restaurant where you are next to the shark tank it was pretty rad. It was a very different lunch experience compared to Friday which was PB and J’s on the grass with a kid in my lap and steak and wine with sharks. Both great but different. On Sunday we went to the surfer church and then went out to lunch/ brunch. It was a good day! This school week has been ok, I was sick on Monday with a stomach thing and then felt a cold coming on but am trying with lots of Airborne to not get really sick. As a treat for all our hard work our principle was very generous and has arranged for all of us take different afternoons off and go and have lunch. It was great! I am on the Social Studies curriculum team and it was our afternoon along with another teacher who is not on a team. It was much needed and much appreciated. I loved being able to hang out with these girls that I see everyday but rarely spend time with to talk about trivial things and just laugh and talk about anything and everything. It was great! We came back and where full of laughs and at least for myself more relaxed and less stressed about what needs to be done. It is amazing how just taking some time to not talk about work and hang out can make you have a fresh sense of why you are here. It was a great day and to top it off I got mail from home today. My mom is great about sending mail, and I am so grateful. We can get most of what we want here not like in West Africa but we cant get parts of home. And that is what mail is. My mom is so thoughtful there was candy a new Glee cd, US weekly and a picture of Padfoot, all my favorite things! I love it! Thanks Momma!
There is a new blog I have been reading it is called “ the small things” it is a great read. The writer makes a point about finding how it is the small things that create a life and build it full of happy memories. That is what these past experiences are for me small things a box from home and lunch with coworkers/ friends but they can greatly change your outlook on the situation, the day, and even life. It makes me think about what small things I can do for others to make their situation, day, life better? What can you do?