Somewhat settled.... for now.

Brian and I are trying desperately to find some sort of routine to help with getting settled in. It is very difficult. First and foremost we didn't have any sort of office until today. This meant that we were hauling stuff back and forth from 'home' and leaving it in one of the classrooms in our own little "stuff" pile. Today we got an office. It's a sad little spot, with a lonely desk, and is basically the last room, at the farthest part of the school, used for storage.... but it's OURS! It's actually not THAT bad... Our fellow co-teachers that have been here since September are a little more "set-up" with all the co-teacher stuff... Sue Kim Hin (a separate one room building equipped with desks, white boards, and a popcorn maker - all the necessities of hosting kids and teaching them English)... but the school is doing what it can and make-shifting things for us. They've never had FOUR guest teachers at the same time before... so we're all sort of puttering along to the best of our ability.

We are also having a little more difficulty settling in simply because we have no where to do that. We're still living in a hotel room that is not THAT far from the school, but far enough that we have to wake up early, and make sure we don't forget anything. Not having an apartment closer to the school, also means no kitchen.... which means, I can't cook.... which is really starting to get a little frustrating. Sometimes you just want to boil some water, and make some pasta...... can't! Sometimes you just want to wake up and make some pancakes.... can't! But people are searching for us, so we will hopefully be moving soon!!!!

Brian came up with a Space Week idea, pitched it to the English Department Head... and low and behold we're doing it next week. We will be taking students to see a movie at the space museum, doing some games, building a solar system, all the fun space stuff!!!

Between the traveling, lesson planning, co-teaching, tutorials, etc. etc.... we are also looking into our future traveling. Seems we have a LOT on the list of places to go and things to do and see. Easter here is like their spring break I think, so we actually get about 10 days off. Brian and I are thinking about going to hug panda bears on the China mainland. This summer I'm hoping to backpack around Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos for a couple months with Bri... if I don't have to drag him too much! Japan, Malaysia and of course the great wall are also all on the list. It'll be a lot of planning, so I'm going to start looking into it more seriously tonight I think. i'll keep you posted.

The bell just rang, and we have to go teach a space lesson to a class in preparation for next week.

Just some pics

If you read my last blog entry, you'll know that my brother Ben and his girlfriend Katie were just here visiting. We had a blast with them. They have moved onto Thailand, but a couple pictures for you :-)




Us winning third place at Trivia night (again). Ben and Katie were supposed to give us the edge and bump us up to first place, but no such luck.... next week!



Everyone after an AMAZING meal of Dim Sum. From Left to Right: Miriam, Brian, Emily, Ben, Dennis, Lindsay, David and Katie.

Lots of "New".... we're 'new', we have 'new' visitors.....

Brian and I have been here for about 10 days now. We are getting settled, and used to the way of life, but everything is still 'NEW'.

My brother and his girlfriend Katie of come to visit us. They were originally only staying a couple days but Katie seemed to really enjoy spending some time with the kids here at school, so I think they'll end up staying at least until Saturday ( a couple extra days), so that's really exciting. It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to see Ben when we both live in Canada because we live so far away. It took us both coming half way around the world in order actually see each other. He's on a 4 month excursion around the world with Katie. They started in Central/South America and will end up somewhere in Europe. It's nice having them around. They're going to join us and the other two guest teachers for Trivia night tonight at one of the local British Pubs.

Brian and I have been eating "new" food and, well, just walking down the street is a sensory overload.... but it's exciting...and.... well.... "new"!



We went and bought some eye glasses. For $25 you can get your eyes checked and prescription glasses within 3 days. Bri "knew" (hahaha) he needed glasses, but didn't realize just HOW blind he's been. He had his eyes checked and as he took of the giant ancient contraption that holds various lenses, Bri could no longer read the numbers that seemed so clearly laid out in front of him, seconds earlier. I bought another pair (bought a pair from the same guy 2 years ago, and they have been fabulous, so for 25 bucks, I figured why not?!).....

The school is great. I knew this from before, but even Bri thinks so too. The kids are a lot of fun, and some of them are real keeners to learn. We haven't quite settled in completely, we're still waiting for our class schedule (we'll go into different classes and teach a lesson once or twice a week). We are still playing a lot by ear, but it's starting to get more and more 'settled'.

Well we're here, and settled - kinda

This will be a really quick, short post as we're about to meet Lindsay and Dave (the other guest English teachers) for a quiz night at the pub.

We arrived a few days ago, but with the combination of not sleeping for about a week before leaving, a 15 hour flight, a 13 hour time difference, jet lag, and the sensory overload that comes with walking down the street more than 5 feet, we have been off and on again sleeping. We thought we were doing ok, and then one of us would conk out at around 3:00 in the afternoon and we'd both be wide awake at 4:00am.

Hopefully with having a bit of routine (going to the school and working and all that) we may be able to fall into a bit of a better pattern.... hopefully!

We went to the school today for the first time to meet with Andy, we met Lindsay and Dave, and saw some old students. Pretty fun actually. Brian was sucked into playing basketball within about 1/2 hour of being there, and Dave kindly explained that basketball is pretty much all the boys like to do, so it helps to get to know them, gain some smiles and hopefully some faces at Sue Kim Hin (the office building). We quickly found out that basketball will be Brian's new exercise regime, and by the looks of the kids' energy, they'll whip him into shape real quick!

Afterwards we headed over to the grocery store for a couple quick things before getting home, changing and heading out again. I feel the tiredness coming on, but we have to be troopers! Brian managed to find Reese's peanut butter, and ever since has warmed up to Hong Kong quite a lot :-) ....

I will take more pictures, soon, I promise, in the mean time... to tide you over (as I know you're in great suspense)....