Tuesday 10 November 2009

I cant be astronaut it would never work out

No its not another of my random titles this has a more deep meaning surprisingly. The idea that I could be astronaut I don't think is all that far fetched, although the likelihood is. However, lets all pretend we could go to space for a weekend and float about and see the most stunning view and scenery in the world. Earth. Could you honestly say that you could return to normal life, cook dinner and wash the dishes straight away and settle into routine life again?
I would hope the answer is no. This is the same thing I have found returning from Thailand. I have yet got back to a normal routines at work. My desk is a mess, the files are not up together and my mind is elsewhere, mainly next year, christmas and teaching. I am currently teaching 25 hours a week which is a lot of hours out of my 45 hour week and even more fun is that 11 of those hours are overtime for me so I am earning while they are learning. However this is severely preventing me from doing what ever it is I do at work. Also the fact the electricity company keep turning off the power ( more on that later ) and I am having to be at school from 9 to 7 every day and teach 3 hour classes is draining me for now. It will change and then off we go again.

So getting back from Thailand was good. Work was surprisingly still there and not a single feather ruffled and nothing but praise for the teachers which was a relief for me. Friday was back to the wonderful world of oh I dont need this and so I why did I return. It has since died down and life is back to normal. Teachers stressing me  out and doing dumb things and the school busy and getting better all the time. It was kinda good to be back.

I have to think about my future and what I plan to do in 2010. I am not the quietest person when it comes to my plans next year. Ideally I will stay with EF as I enjoy it and it is overall a good place to work. I do have my doubts and they are not for printing but speaking and when I have my meeting to discuss next year I will discuss them.  The other thing is that I will need to consider moving out of the apartment and looking for somewhere else to live in March so I will have to start thinking about that.

Nothing else has happend at school, I did placement interviews for a telephone communications company and that was for 35 prospective students. That took all day but hopefully it will generate some business and some teaching needs and fun for my teachers. I have also been teaching IELTS which is a exam that non western people must take to work and study in Western countries and it is damm hard and I feel sorry for those that have to take it. I am currently teaching 3 hours every morning IELTS writing only and that is a reqarding but useful challenge as I am learning and the student is improving. Also I have been teaching a another student all areas to help her get to Singapore to keep studying. It has been hard work and I spend almost as long planning as I do teaching.
I am trying to get back to the gym but I am too tired come 7.30pm and so by the time I leave I just go home eat and then watch some tv before sleeping. Once I am not teaching in the morning I will be back on it. Man boobs and big belly need to shrink.
The weather is changing, it is getting hotter and then the rain falls, the thunder roars and the wind howls and then it goes back to normal. It is predicted to get worse so that is something to look forward too. I cant wait. I think the rain at night is worse than in the day as I am prepared for it in the day. Getting on the bike knowing you will be drowned by the time you get home is not the best thought. Not only the rain, but the traffic slows and they are putting a gas main into the road out side the apartment causing no end of more traffic and mess, the strange thing is that they have just resurfaced the road. This must be a global thing about resurfacing and then digging it up. Still they will have that done in a fortnight I hope so it will be all ok again.
The other issue is the power supply. With the local electric plants being serviced and a couple more breaking down West Jakarta is suffering huge power outs through the week and days. Last week it was every 2 days. Saturday was 13 hours and today was 1am to 11am.
To describe it. Hot and Sweaty and miserable. It is predicted to go on until December which is about  23 days away so only another 11 power cuts all lasting at least 7 hours long. Fantastic.
Now todays finished at 11. The power came on and the AC cut in and everyone smiled. The maintenance man turned up and switched all the power off to test the system to make sure it was ok. This went on for an hour right up to 3pm when I finally decided that I had had enough and got it all switched back on.
Thats it really for Jakarta at the moment. The crazy clerics of Bandah Aceh have now banned women from wearing trousers and jeans but I dont think that they can be stoned to death for that. There is big noise about corruption people being framed as they are doing a good job. Thats the key news here.
The internet has become decidedly worse over the past few weeks with it cutting out and disconnecting more often than connecting, like now.

So its not been the most exciting time since getting back but I am happy to be back home and at work. Always plenty of work and lots of things to do and see.

So best get to it

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