On Monday, Nancy left me while I was at work. She arrived safely in Sydney and then on Tuesday made her long journey back to Canada. It was really great having her with me. She’s always good for some laughs yet a good ear for me when I’m frustrated or angry. She’s a true friend and it was so nice to have her see a little of my part of Australia.
Also on Monday the school computer support person made an emergency visit to pick up my laptop. It was up and running again early Tuesday evening. I was still at school at the time so I took it home, finished my reports and uploaded them to the school server first thing Wednesday morning. My assistant principal has them for editing and apparently they are just fine this time around. Few... not sure I could gather the strength to write them a third time. Heck I should have only written them once in the first place. But it’s done, dealt with, and time to move on.
On Wednesday I lost another student. He headed back to Sudan for six months. He should be returning to the school next July, but I’ll be long gone by then. It was great having him in my class and I already miss his big smile. I’ve lost a couple of students this term and after losing three on one day last term my class has shrunk dramatically. I guess in some ways it is easier to say goodbye to them one student at a time because I know it will be really sad on our last day together December 18th.
Thursday after work I headed to the hairdresser to have my “silvers” removed. While sitting in the chair I asked if anyone could blow dry my hair straight. I left the hair salon with straight hair. I couldn’t believe how long it had gotten. Needless to say the curl didn’t stay away all that long.
Me with straight hair.
Friday night was the official goodbye dinner for the International Teacher’s Federation. Many of the other exchange teachers came and it was nice to catch up with people. I’ve included pictures of the exchange teachers that were there.
Danielle and Zane (from Edmonton)
Barbara and Michele (from Switzerland)
Monica and Ake (from the lower mainland)
Chuck and Barbara (from the USA)
Roy and Sue (from Edmonton)
Steven and (yikes I forget Steve's wife's name)
(from the lower mainland)
Jen and Chris (from Ontario)
Karen and Cliff (from Ontario)
Hamish (from Scotland)
Melodie and Mario (from B.C.)
Ian (Cas) and Lu (From England)
Early Saturday morning Danielle’s husband Zane dropped her and I off at the airport. We headed to the Gold Coast for a much needed mental health break. In addition to the stress I’ve been under most of the year, these past couple of weeks have been brutal on my asthma. Like clock work I’ve been up every thirty minutes gasping for air and coughing like crazy. I typically cough so much that it’ s like I’m choking or gagging. I was in need of some rest.
Danielle and I after a day in the sun - yes, I know I'm pretty red but thankfully it was gone the next day)
What Danielle and I didn’t know when we booked our trip was that it was the second of three weekends of “Schoolies”. Schoolies is where highschool students from all over Queensland (or New South Whales, or Victoria ...) descend on Surfer’s Paradise for a wild week of partying. We saw a lot of very drunk kids walking around town as well as a private party being held for them on the beach. Saturday night our hotel neighbours had a little party of their own in the middle of the night. Thankfully Danielle slept through it and I’m pretty sure the hotel security got involved because all of a sudden our neighbours became real quiet.
Signs up all over the beach
Danielle and I shopped a bit, enjoyed good food and wine, and took in some sun. We also purchased these totally cute mini Koalas which became our boyfriends. They were good for many laughs.
Me and my latest Aussie boyfriend.
Me and Danielle enjoying a nice dinner in Broadbeach.
On our final day we hired a car and checked out some of the other beaches along the gold coast before we flew home from Collongata.
Broadbeach looking back towards Surfer's Paradise
My boyfriend enjoying the view.
By boyfriend hanging around above Burleigh Heads Beach.
Sunset from the airplane (my last Australian domestic flight of this adventure)
It was a great little trip away and I’m glad we did it. Although I'm still not feeling 100% I know the rest was good for me. Last night was also my last domestic flight in Australia. The next time I head to the airport it will be to fly off to Hong Kong before heading back to Vancouver. Can you believe it??
Unfortunately in the process I ended up missing the official thank you from the Department of Education. I was really sad to have missed it because it was the last opportunity to have all the teaching fellows (ie exchange teachers) in one room at the same time. The Minister of Education gave everyone their certificates and a group photo was taken. (Maybe someone can photo shop me in?)
Anyhow that’s the week in review. Sorry it was so long and hopefully I haven’t bored you. This Friday is the school sleepover for the grade one and two classes. I’m not able to sleep over as I’m leaving early Saturday morning on a trip to the Grampians. I’ll help out for most of the night but I just won’t be able to spend the night. Right now I’m frantically trying to get everything I want to do done before I leave town. I’m no longer on a one year exchange, I’m on a three week trip to Aus. Time is going by very very quickly.
Oh and how could I forget.... December 1st is the first day of SUMMER here in Australia!! Bring back those warm temperatures.
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