Vestibular Neuritis

Or that's what the doctor called it on Monday. It is dizziness due to a viral infection of the vestibular nerve (in my ear). I have spent my week in bed and only started to feel better Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, it was the week before half-term and I left my co-workers battling teenagers desperate for a holiday. I am feeling horribly guilty about it all, but what can you do? I was just following doctor's orders...

Is it time for a holiday, yet?

I can't complain too much. This term has been much better than my entire last year, but I am still worn out. Work is keeping my stress level high and I am constantly feeling inadequate. The kids are not as bad this year (they have their moments, but I think the fact that I am not 'green' anymore helps). And I guess with all of the pros of my own classroom, less movement and better kids I can finally start focusing on my teaching. I haven't had to do that much since everything else was an excuse. And I guess I have let myself slip. Oh well, it'll work itself out.

Next Sunday I leave for Ireland. I am psyched!! We'll see: Slane Castle (U2 and Rock concerts), The Giants Causeway, Bloody Sunday Murals, The Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry and get to kiss the Blarney stone. It's a six day tour of the whole island, so I am sure it will be packed full of beautiful scenery and lots of rainy 'wee' walks. Plenty of pictures to come (and other surprisess), I am sure.

Not much exciting news around here. Winter is starting to creep in. Despite the semi-warm afternoons, I can feel the rainy weather and colder temperatures just around the corner. I can handle the poor weather, it's the darkness that I don't really care for. It is starting to get dark here around 6:00. And all I can think is that in a couple of months, it'll be dark when I leave school at 4!! It's all part of the experience... I guess.

On a lighter note, my year 9s cracked me up on Thursday. We were going through Photosynthesis and the parts of a plant, specifically the parts that you eat. They were told to complete a table and we were going over the answers. We said that you eat the root/bulb of a carrot and the stem/leaves of broccoli. One boy raised his hand and said that we "eat the fruit and seeds of a banana." So when I replied, "yes. good, we eat the fruit and seeds of a banana." The kids had a hay-day with the way I pronounce banana. No big deal, I am used to it. So when a boy who sits close to me asked me to "say it again, Miss." I said "Banana... like Gwen Stephani." Boy was that a mistake!!! For the rest of the lesson I had to listen to "Miss is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S." That'll teach me! Although, for as annoyed as I was, it also made me chuckle.

Just finished reading.