This week, it’s been back to work after a 2 week holiday.  I was very anxious about returning this term as I knew they were adding the yr 7 English class to my schedule.  I had visions of teaching all day, without a break.  I didn’t feel I could handle that.  So I ruined my own vacation worrying about how I was going to handle the extra workload and another 29 students, not to mention the 58 students I just got as we rolled a new group of yr 7 French classes in this term.  Surprisingly, when I read my schedule last Saturday, it wasn’t at all terrible.  Actually, it’s almost better than last term as I am moving around less than I was last term and finally getting to know my existing classes.

All in all, the week went well.  Teaching English is not terrible at all.  Better than my Marketing class back in Orleans, for sure.  Once I learn the names, I should be fine.  Leon and I are seeing that we are finally feeling less like tourists and more like residents of Australia.  As I moved through the week, I didn’t feel a rookie anymore, just another teacher, working hard to get a lot of students through school and being involved in a lot of after hours activities. My particular interests lean towards technology in the classroom, so there are never a shortage of professional development opportunities to be in as a learner or a teacher.  As it is, I have volunteered to run 2 different workshops in the coming month.

As far as homelife goes, Earl has been kept very busy painting sets at my school, so I had him up early to come with me each day this week.  Tomorrow, he has to be at the school by 7:30am, on a Sunday!  It will be very busy all week for him.

The other 2 are in Sydney, trying to visit, between the raindrops.  They will be making their way here via Canberra by mid-week.  Then they will be with us until Earl and Nick leave on Sunday, Aug 7.  Ariane will remain and I hope we will get a chance to have some quality mother-daughter time.

Leon and I have been trying to get into an exercise routine, trying to lose the holiday weight.  So far, we’ve walked or started to jog for 5 days running.  Yesterday, we walk/jogged for 4kms, but that wasn’t enough for Leon.  We decided to walk to town today, leaving the car in the driveway, and ended up logging 11.67kms in the afternoon.  Needless to say, I am tired and a bit sore tonight.  A Tylenol went down easy and I am feeling fine right now (ok, I did have a glass of wine too).  Still, we are hoping to keep up this good habit and get in some sort of shape before we leave for Canada in a bit over 5 months from now.  Yes, now the time is flying by.  We are already considering our return route home.  And planning our next vacation in September.  That’s the pace we live at.  Never a dull moment…