Aug 2008

Generally I go to the gym in the morning unless I have class. Then I go at night. I was at the gym one day and finished my workout and they had a step class that had started. I joined in.

They do basic moves. I did the moves from Oz, which is just the same, but with a little more spunk in the step. The next thing they've got me doing the class. Fortunately they can't understand me so I didn't have to speak. Well I can't anyway cause I'm too busy gasping for air!

Last week I had just finished my workout and they had an attack class. I joined in but fortunately I wasn't asked to lead the class.

I received a phone call this morning from Barbara advising me that I was meant to be at the office having school photos taken. No one had told me. It was 7.30 am and I had just got out of bed. I wasn't going!

I thought I had got lucky and missed out on the school photo until I received an email to say that some of the students missed the school photos and that photo shoots would take place on 24 July at 4.30 pm. Couldn't get out of this one!

So off I went for the school photos. This time only the 3 female teachers turned up.

The school hosts a Summer School each summer. Summer School this year was to run for 12 days from 14 July 08 - 25 July 08.

There were 2 classes and 3 foreign teachers assigned to each class which ultimately meant that we had to teach every third day. Class went from 8.30 - 12.00 & 2.30 - 4.30 with a 10 minute break every hour. Most I've worked in any given day since I've been here!

I had Junior middle school students. These students are aged between 12 - 16. I had 16 students. They were a delight. I enjoyed my classes.

Being that it's summer and I was wearing sleeveless tops, testosterone boys saw my biceps. This will make Trina laugh because they had a similar reaction, to what Trina did, and couldn't believe my muscles. However Trina never challenged me to an arm wrestle - thank god. I had to explain to these boys that it was not lady like to have arm wrestles!

I survived the 12 days although under great pressure without an arm wrestle!

By Friday 11 July 08 the campus is a ghost town because all the students have finished the school year and are now on Summer Holidays.

On Saturday 12 July 08 I went to go to the gym and couldn't believe the the number of guards on duty, people lining the streets, cars parked on foot paths. It was madness.

I rang a leader from the school to find out what was going on as I was concerned that it might have meant the Olympic torch was coming today and nobody had told us. No, these were all the people taking the entrance exam to start the new school year on the 01 September 08.

Hope I get some freshmen. They are keen to learn in their first year.

The students have their end of year exams in the week from 07 July 08 - 13 July 08. When they have finished their exams they are free to go home and see their family and friends.

By Friday 11 July the campus was like a ghost town.