I great fun telling my students horror and ghost stories especially about mirrors and not to look into them at night with out the lights out. It kind of scares them. Nothing like some good old creepy stories to settle the mind. Something which I seem to endure on occasion at night. Scary, startling, dreams that totally ruin your sleep. Still thats my demons entering and leaving my mind and sorting the problems out for me, however badly they do that.
I was just thinking as I stood on the balcony looking out over the swimming pools and looking at the other blocks. I was thinking, where was I 4 years ago, 3 years ago 2, 1 year ago. And the answer came back somewhere different every year.
In 2005 I was living in Susie's cottage in Bradford on Avon. I had already told my family my desire to travel and had also started to think about doing it. Tony had sorted out stuff for me and he was planning to go out to Asia before me.I was working in Frome Somerfield and drinking far too much.
In 2006 I was sending christmas cards from Christchurch New Zealand. I was sat in Starbucks drinking coffee and writing cards.
In 2007 I was planning to fly home in a couple of weeks and was just a teacher in Cengkareng, although I had decided to stay for another year already.
In 2008 I was in Puri as Acting DoS and living in the teachers house quite unhappily as I was a the boss living with my teachers and walking or riding the bike to school.
This year I am in apartment, planning my trip to Bali and Lombok and thinking about the future and what 2010 has in store for me here.
I have already signed for next year, purchased a new motorbike, planning a break in contract holiday and looking to move out of the apartment to save cash and also live somewhere slightly cheaper and different to this. But some of these are just plans and so I need to sort them out. I do want to return to the UK for a visit and see the family as I do miss them and recently even more so. I guess agreeing to another year has made the UK distant and again and after Thailand, many great and fond memories of friends and family have come back. My friends and family in the UK I am sure feel the same but I do want to stick it out here and see what I can with my career and the options it gives me.
I will also get a new passport. I eventually got the forms and cash sent to the embassy and I have a reciept and note asking me not to contact the embassy and ask about my passport as they will contact me when they are ready. How British. How totally unhelpful! Still it should be all ok by next Saturday and my new one will be with me and that is that sorted out. Then I can leave it in the cupboard for another year or until Immigration want it again.
My rental motorbike is good. I have almost managed the clutch and only stalled it 3 times this week mainly at the parking huts when I am sorting out the tickets. It seems to go fast and the noise is far too much to hear but its ok. It is a rocket machine thats for sure but the best thing is that it has taught me to be more aware of the bike and the traffic around me as I have to consider the speed and gear I am in now.
The heavy rain today flooded huge parts of the road and so it was the first time and first test for the bike and using the clutch in deep road water. Luckily for me it passed and the apart from some wet shoes the trip was ok and the bike was fine. It either means I am not used to the bike or I am lucky. I hope the first one really.
Tomorrow I get to see my new bike as it has arrived into the show room but I cant have it yet as I have to wait for the paperwork and plates and when i do I have to ride it slowly for a few weeks to bed the engine in so that will be torturous but ok. I need to make sure it is ok so will comply...
My teaching staff has just shrunk by 2 as the 2 that are finishing at christmas have taken holiday that is outstanding and wont be back for another 7 days. Cant say I am impressed with that decision but I do support it. However it will make the teaching hours and the scheduling more tight and now every teacher in the school has over time and so will be earning and working more towards Christmas and then will carry on with that routine until replacements arrive. Which is at then end of January.
The teachers will survive and the focus for me to get them to the 17th and then they can go and travel for over the holiday.
Currently I am having to produce 2 reports. The annual report of academic achievement in 2009 and then the academic plan of things I want to achieve in 2010. It is a time consuming activity as I have produced much work and also had a lot of things change and happen this year. Also the plan for next year is such that I have to ensure I cover all the bases to allow for growth, change and the dynamics change within the teaching team and the school itself. It is a big report and takes a lot of planning. However, I can only hope someone actually challenges me about it next year as this year, nah no one did but it was an impressive plan.
I am coming down with the flu, I think the change in weather is not helping and so I have stayed away from the gym this week. It is actually torture to go and to also stay away but when I am there it is great. I will get better and then go.
Damm horrible having a cold out here, it normally quickly turns into flu and then knocks you over for a few days. I hope it goes before Bali as I dont really want a repeat of what happened last year. I dont want to be sick again on holiday as it will just upset me.
Thats my thoughts for now. Nothing really happened this week throughout the week. Just a quiet heads down, teach alot week and keep things under control. The way I like it.
I am sure that after the weekend I will have a few more stories
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