Two months to the day...

And I FINALLY have my own computer up and running. This may not seem like much, but it really means a lot to me. I purchased the laptop back in August. I had been needing to replace my old desktop for over a year - the modem died right before I moved in to the apartment with Krissie. At that point, I couldn't afford much and I started to think about going abroad. Obviously, going abroad would have affected my decision between desktop or laptop computer, so I put it off, waiting for a green light on my future residence (among other things). When I ordered my laptop I really didn't think about HOW I would use it, only that I wanted one. (A decision made in haste, now that I think about it). Arriving in England, I was disappointed to find that there was no phone line in my bedroom - not for a phone, but for my computer. So, it has been a long two months of only using my own computer to play music... And, finally, I am up and running with my Yahoo! Messenger and my Microsoft Outlook... I am such a happy girl.

France

We have just unpacked the car from our trip to France. It was late last night and we figured things could wait. We left the house at 8:00 yesterday morning and drove to Dover to catch the train. We had to line up (like you do for the ferry) and drive on to a double-level train. Once all of the cars were on, they closed the doors to each section so that it looked just like a subway train. It only took 35 minutes to get across the Channel (it would have taken 1 1/2 hours by boat) - it was cool!

Once we arrived in France, we drove to St. Omer (approx. 45 km) to wander around the town. Driving was neat, we mainly passed small villages and lots of farms. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of back roads I've been on at home. However, at home they do not have fresh game - rabbits - hanging outside of Butcher shops! Agg! That was a shock!! Once in St. Omer, we walked through the Cathedral and had lunch at a nice little café. Then we drove to Arques, to the glass factory, ARC International. There were so many beautiful pieces and all I could think was,"I wish I could carry these home with me!!" Of course everything I liked was either too big or too heavy to take on a plane - grr!! After Arques, we drove to Boulognes for some grocery shopping at Achaun (think Super Wal-Mart, only bigger) and then into town for dinner. I bought some beer and some stuff to make Taco Salad for dinner (I've been craving Tex-Mex and that is the only thing that I know how to make). The town center in Boulognes was beautiful, I wish we had time to explore. There is a wall around the city and cobblestone streets. :) The streets were dark and they had soft yellow bulbs in the street lights - it was amazing, I felt like I was in a movie.

On the way back to Calais (for the train) we drove along the coast. The moon was almost full and the sky was clear- you could see everything!! We stopped at this one spot, had to drive up a hill to get there. There was a monument, a large cross, and you could see England across the Channel. I can't remember the name of the place, but I am sure it had something to do with WWII. I'll have to look into it more...

I enjoyed the day-trip to France. There is so much more I wish I could have seen - guess that means I have to go back... :)

Not your typical Sunday afternoon...

I have two new favorite places in London, both involve shopping. How sad am I?

I took my time getting out of the house this morning (the sky was gray and the streets were wet), but as soon as I walked out the door, the sun started to come out. Of course, I was dressing in full wet-weather gear (including a warm sweater under my parka and a scarf in my bag - in case it got even cooler). I knew I had made a huge mistake when I passed several people in town wearing t-shirts, but I had no interest in turning around, so I shoved the parka in my messenger bag and rolled up the sleeves of my cotton sweater. I was determined to get out of this town today!

Camden Market is an absolutely wonderful place - crowded, but wonderful!! Where else can you find fetish booths right next to hand-knitted sweaters and jewelry that spells out your name? It is this huge market of absolutely EVERYTHING and caters to every sort of client imaginable. If I took my grandmother and the Goth kid next door, we'd all be happy campers, finding all that our different tastes desired. Oh! And the food was amazing, imagine every ethnic cuisine you could possible think of - Mmm!! I don't really know how to describe it other than UNCC's International Festival meets hippy festival meets any UK town market and multiply it by 1000. Needless to say, I was in heaven. I didn't really buy much, just a few Christmas presents, but I loved the atmosphere and the people-watching. There were moon boots and purple hair galore, and scattered between the London postcards and "Mind the Gap" t-shirts were fuzzy handcuffs and crotchless panties. My favorite product was the "Magic Mushroom." There were several booths that were selling these fungi. They had varieties from Thailand, Hawaii, and many other exotic places, but they were packaged like the mushroom you'd buy in the grocery stores and all I could think was, "What poor sucker bought the magic mushrooms, hoping for something 'exotic' and got the fancy pizza variety?" Because they can't really sell the 'exotic' kind on the street corner, or can they? A place like that, they probably could, maybe... I'm really not giving this place justice - it really just blew me away!! The ONLY draw-back was the crowd. It reminded me of Adams Morgan (remember Robert & Ashley?), just massive amounts of people everywhere!!!

When I left Camden Market, I found my way to Covent Gardens (which I have been trying to find for some time now). Covent Gardens was much quieter than Camden and not nearly as quirky, but I have a feeling (considering it is so close to the Tube Station that I frequent) I will be making it a permanent "when-I-go-into-London" stop. There were many street performers, as I have been told there would be, and most of the shops were of the Bluewater variety, but it is still a WONDERFUL place to visit.

I made it home in time for dinner. A German assistant that stayed in my room last year when she was here, was in town and had dinner at the house. She invited a friend that is teaching at one of the other schools in town. Both girls were extremely nice and I REALLY enjoyed meeting both of them!! We've exchanged numbers, so (for those of you that are worried that I have no friends here) my social life may actually start to pick up soon.

If you get a chance, check out this artist's work: Tina Maas. I saw her booth at Camden Market and her photographs are really amazing! I especially liked her polaroids and the effect she uses - it almost looks like the image is projected on a silk scarf or a piece of fabric - really cool!!

I love NOTHING days!

I have done nothing all day and it has been wonderful! I slept in until noon, finished reading another book and have been daydreaming about how to spend my holidays. [They don't call it a vacation, here.] Around 2:00, when I finished my book, I wandered into the study to check my e-mail and see what has happened on the other side of the Atlantic (I read Krissie's site daily, along with other favorites). To my surprise, her journal entry was a message to me, "Please send e-mail with number so that I can call you!" It made me chuckle. We chatted this afternoon - I'm afraid we chatted for much longer than we should have, but is was so nice to talk that I didn't want to hang up. We used to talk everyday, multiple times a day (and that was BEFORE we became roommates!) - I miss you, K!! All-in-all, it was a very relaxing day.

Tomorrow I am going to London. I was thinking about Canterbury, but the weather was so nasty today and at least in London, there are lots of places (out of the rain) to explore. I'll save Canterbury for a nice (i.e. dry) day. Tuesday is my day-trip to France - Yea!! I'll probably spend Wednesday or Thursday at school trying to get myself organized. And, Friday morning I leave for my tour of Wales - :) !! I should have lots of pictures by the end of the week.

I watched "A Night With Rod Stewart" on BBC1 tonight (that's the second-most exciting thing I've done today). I'm such a lazy bum!

Just in case you didn't know...

I'm a bitch! Or at least that's what I was told today in class. It doesn't phase me, really, I've been called a lot worse. He did it in a quiet classroom, just called out "bitch" because he didn't like the way I was handling a particular situation his friend was involved in. I had a sneaking suspicion it was him, but didn't have proof, so I played it cool, moving on with the lesson. When I made mention of the comment in passing to the class, he was one that started questioning and just wouldn't let it go, "... Do you mean when I coughed, Miss?" After about the fifth time, I sent him into the hall. As soon as I got out there, he said, "I said it. Don't get the other boys in trouble." So I asked him if that's what he called his mother or his grandmother? By the time an administrator got to the class, he was already starting to change his story. Weak little prat! This is why I am pissed... I've been called a bitch before, but never did the story change. Two administrators stopped me today to investigate the situation saying that the student says that he "just coughed" and that I mistook what he said. I am a twenty-eight year old woman who KNOWS the difference between a cough and the word "bitch," it was clear and it was loud. There was NO coughing going on in that room and some snide little prick thinks he can get out of calling his teacher a bitch in a classroom! Arrggg!! Hell, if you've got the guts to do it why change your story at the last minute? Did you really think you could get away with it? Have you gotten away with it before???

That wasn't the end to my day. Let's just say that something metal came flying at me from across the room in my last lesson. Call me a bitch all you want, but don't try and cause me physical harm. Hell, if you're going to do that, then BRING IT, don't hide behind the rest of the class!!! The joke at my old school was, "go ahead and hit me, it'll give me some time off from this place!"

(In my head, I keep seeing Kirsten Dunst and that stupid movie, "Bring It On.") I've got too much aggression built up right now. I need to go find a wall to climb or something physical to do. Sex would be nice, but sadly it is not a possibility at the moment...

If I spend all of my time complaining, I'll just put myself in a horrible mood, so I'll leave things on a positive note. I had an observation today that was not-so-horrible. Of course, as someone in the department said, "that observer is always positive." I know she may have meant it as encouragement, but that kinda took the wind out of my sails as far as feeling good about what the observer had to say... Oh well, only two more days before half-term!! And, boy do I need it!!!

Happy Days Are Here Again...

I can't really say that the "skies are clear again" because that just doesn't seem to happen much this time of year in the UK, but I am feeling much better (both physically and mentally). I have spent a lot of time this week on the phone, probably doubled the number of calls I've made since August, but sometimes you just gotta reach out and touch... Ya know? I've tried to keep myself from feeling too lonely here, but I've been on a downward spiral and it finally hit hard this weekend. My grandfather went into the hospital early in the week and had a pace-maker and defibulator put in to his chest. He's fine, but it made me realize exactly how far away I am right now. I caught a nasty British bug that knocked me on my ass for a few days. I'm better now, but those are the times I wish I was in familiar territory - I know the right drugs to buy at the store to get better, I know the good television programs to watch when I am laying on the couch and bored, I can hop in my car and run to the store without it taking much work (instead of packing a bag with an umbrella and rain coat and trekking into town), I also have a box of movies that I like to watch when I am bored or sick, but they are in an attic in Tennessee... You get the point...

So, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I have spent the weekend thinking about Holidays and vacations and trying to prepare for this trip to Wales. Today, I bought good trekking shoes and a larger pack. And now I have a list of a few smaller items that I "need." The most important being flip flops for nasty hostel showers. In December there's a bus tour that leaves from town and goes to Brugges. The French assistants (Catherine and Claire) and I are talking about joining that tour. It's only one day, but I've never been to Belgium before... Then, there's a Half-Term break in February, which I may have some company that week, can you say "Krissie and Andrea take Paris by storm?" I am also looking at a big trip in March (I have 18 days between Winter Term and Summer Term) and there's a company called Contiki that has these GREAT itineraries: Barcelona, Nice, Florence, Rome... I can't remember them all, but it sounds wonderful!! They are a little on the expensive side, but it includes all accommodations and some meals... Can't hurt to look (and start saving now!) In May my parents are talking about coming to visit and they've mentioned an interest in visiting Scotland. That leaves the summer, which depending on what happens I may or may not be packing a suitcase to head back to the States... Either way, I have found a tour of Morocco that I am just dying to join, so I may have to stick around long enough to travel to Northern Africa... Lots of ideas, lots of possibilities, who knows what I'll actually follow through on there's a lot of time between now and the end of July.

This Sucks!

I have spent the last three days in bed and miserable. I was miserable with a cold on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday I was miserable for being stuck in the house for so long. And now I am facing the same dilemma that I do every weekend: I want to get out of the house and do things but I also have about 12 hours of school work to do. Do I work today so that I can enjoy a Sunday afternoon out and about? Or do I go out today (because the thought of staying in just one more day irritates me) and just hope I can get everything done tomorrow? The problem is that I usually choose the later and I never seem to finish all that I need to do... Ugh!! This sucks!!

Half-term break is coming up. It's the week after next. If I can just make it through next week, I'll be a happy girl. The couple that I am staying with have invited me to go on a day-trip to France with them on Tuesday. The next Friday I am leaving for a "backpackers tour" of Wales. There's a pretty jam-packed itinerary for the three days, but it should be fun.

Day 1 London - Caernarfon : We leave behind the hustle and bustle of the big city and fill our lungs with fresh air en-route to the quaint little town of Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare was born and finally laid to rest and where historic and medieval English history comes to life! Then we head straight for the Mountains and Valleys of Britain's only Principality, the majestic Wales. We'll wander along the spectacular Pontcysyllre aqueduct, stop off for a walk in the forests and hills, and even try to teach you a bit of Welsh along the way -some say Europe's oldest language! After passing the magnificent monument of Conway Castle, we'll take you to the famous ''Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch', arguably the longest place name in the world, get your passport stamped and we'll not be leaving until all of you can pronounce it perfectly! We end an action packed day in the walled town of Caernarfon, which sleeps in the shadow of one of Britain's most spectacular castles, built by the invading King of England, Edward I and where the original and current Prince of Wales was inaugurated.

Day 2 Caernarfon - Abergavenny : We leave the amazing castle town behind and head into the Snowdonia national park, home of Wales' highest mountain, Snowdon. We'll take in the spectacular (and eccentric!) village of Portmeirion, home of many television shows, the spectacular coast-lines of the Cardigan heritage coast with its long golden beaches, and tiny mountain railways. Lunch is in the ruined Castle y Bere built by the last Welsh Prince of Wales, Llewellyn the Great. We then enter the Brecon Beacons National Park, which contains some off this country's most dramatic scenery. Tonight we stop in the historic town of Abergavenny, where we'll hear about the Ogre,and the brutal murders he committed. You also have the chance to try some traditional Welsh food!

Day 3 Abergavenny - London : Before we start making our way back to London, we'll stretch our legs and hike around the Brecon Beacons, then drive down some of the industrial valleys of Wales where the coal and steel industries once thrived. We then head for Caerphilly, home of the largest ruined castle in Europe, with its famous leaning tower. We'll then explore the Wye valley and visit the romantic Tintern Abbey, inspiration to poet William Wordsworth and one of only six cathedrals to survive the wrath of Henry VIII during his battle with the Church. We then drive up the border through the Forest of Dean and cross over into England arriving back in London at approximately 5.30 - 6.00pm.

I'm excited about Half-term and want to find something to do the first weekend, before we leave for France. I am also starting to worry, when will I find the time for the 12 hours of school work I'll have do before we start back...

I had every intention of going to the Rugby match today.

I went out last night!! Woo-hoo!! God, I miss that! There were about 6 of us that went to a pub close by. Two were French, two were British, one was Swedish - we were the International table in the pub. We drank five bottles of wine, ate bags of crisps (potato chips) and just talked and talked. It was wonderful! Afterward, we went to one of the girls' flat (which was right across the street) and had late-night chips (French fries), more wine and some SALSA dancing lessons. Catherine and I stumbled home around two in the morning. I don't think I could do that every weekend, but it was nice to get out of the house on a Friday night. I should have taken a B12, though.

This morning I slept in until 11, or so. Then decided to march myself to the infamous ASDA. ASDA, it seems, has been bought-out by Wal-Mart (and I love aimlessly wandering the aisles of Wal-Mart, so it could have meant trouble). I'd heard so much talk of this UK version that I had to see for myself. ASDA does not compare. Its main focus is groceries (which is never my main focus), so I was disappointed. The electronics aisle is about 6 feet long - that's it!! I looked at the signs labeling each department and they were right on top of each other, not miles and miles away like in Wal-Mart. Meaning, there is little to no selection of anything (other than food). I used to spend hours walking up and down the aisles, contemplating life and whether or not I really needed the microwavable egg poacher. The stores in town close at 5:30, the Pubs close at 11:00. Guess it is probably a good thing that the ONLY 24 hour place in this town sucks. I'll have to find somewhere else to contemplate the meaning of life.

In my running around town this afternoon, I missed a second opportunity to see a Rugby Match. One of these days I'll make it. There's always next Saturday...

Follow Up

Thursday I asked to speak with the (acting) Head of Department and asked her for some feedback. I explained that she is the only person that has spent any time in my classroom and was just wondering how things looked from her perspective. She was positive and didn't mention anything about subject knowledge, but I also don't feel she was being completely honest with me. Instead of feeling miserable about it all, I wanted a chance to confront her and say "I hear a lot of talk about this other teacher, if there are issues or concerns about me, please bring them up now." I don't like to be talked about, I'd much rather have someone in my face because, hopefully, things can get worked out that way. At least I said something... Maybe it will open a door.

More Happy Mail!

Got a package from Krissie today! :) She sent two Dexter Freebish CDs. The live one I have been listening to all night. Thanks, K!

It has been a rough few days. The kids have not been especially bad, they are who they are and you can't exactly fault them for being kids. Unfortunately, adults can behave like kids and that's where I have issues.

The problem starts with the fact that I am not the smartest individual in the group. I know enough to get by, but I don't know (if I had grown up in the UK) if I would have been accepted to a University here. Only a small percentage of students go on to year 12 or year 13, and those are the students who are considering college. A-Levels and GCSEs, I'm not sure what all is involved, but I have doubts as to whether or not I would make high enough scores. I have a degree in Middle Grades education, which allowed me to take a variety of classes within my two concentrations: science and social studies. I did not major in Biology, Chemistry or Physics which makes it difficult to be a "subject expert" in any of those topics. My most-recent experiences in Science were in Environmental Studies and Geology (which I won't get to teach here).

One of the other new Science teachers is having some real difficulties in the classroom. It started to become the topic of conversation in the break room whenever she was not around. Now, while her problems have mutiplied in the classroom, that is about the ONLY topic of conversation in the break room. Being a new teacher, myself, I can sympathize with her problems, but in all honesty she is really making some BIG mistakes. Kids are out of control in her room, and while I feel that way about my room, I know that it is not the same. We are now into Week Four of school, and the complaints in the break room have turned to subject matter knowledge. I understand that I may be a little sensitive to this issue, but I draw the line at citing her for that! Number One: Subject matter is the last of your worries when you are trying to manage classroom discipline and lesson planning, etc. Number Two: Sometimes people know more than they realize and only experience and confidence will let that show through.

It finally dawned on me last night what was happening in the Science Department. There has been so much talk about this particular teacher, but I am starting to wonder if (when I leave the room) my name doesn't get replaced for hers. It's sad, really, we are all adults and yet we are acting like children. Last night at Open Evening I met the new Head of the Science Department (she'll take over in January) and her first question to me was, "So how are you feeling about this subject content?" Hello and it's nice to meet you, too. If that didn't give it away...!!! I went home furious, but can I really fault them? I am not a subject expert... Of course, I've never claimed to be one, so why should I be made to feel stupid?

Surprises in the Mail

I absolutely adore my sister!! She is so amazing, and funny, and smart, and just wonderful! I woke up this morning to a package outside my door from my sister - that silly girl! Her birthday is in three days, and yet she's sending ME packages! It was full of all sorts of goodies: blister band-aids, pencils that say "I'm cool," lots of snacks, two CDs (UK bands, I believe, I didn't recognize the names), Starbucks coffee, an announcement for a show that she's been helping the artist prepare, and two magazines (People & Time Out New York). I spend my morning drinking Starbucks coffee and reading People magazine cover-to-cover while listening to the Postal Service. I can't remember a time when I've EVER read a People magazine all the way through, but when you're away from it it's fun to catch up on all of the celebrity gossip. Later, I ate a bag of Cheetos with my lunch while reading the TONY (Time Out NY) and listening to The Streets. It was a good way to spend the afternoon. London has its own Time Out magazine that I am going to pick up tomorrow - they have a pretty comprehensive list of all of the "happenings" in town.

I had planned to see a Rugby Match today, but the weather was nasty, so I chose to load some pictures instead (it too much longer than I thought it would - I have been spoiled by a cable modem!). I have not linked them here, but if you would like to see pictures of the house where I am staying, my trip to Greenwich, or my weekend in London, just shoot me an email and I will gladly pass them on.

I spent yesterday running errands. I had a pretty extensive list of things I wanted to do and was able to complete most everything on the list. The National Insurance appointment only lasted about 15 minutes (they make it sound SO bad, like going to the DMV in Charlotte). Then I tried to find something interesting in Dartford, but didn't have much luck, so I hopped a bus to BlueWater.

I splurged on a hair cut. Funny how the littlest things make you feel so much better... a haircut, a beer and a cheesy movie on a Friday night (not to mention sleeping in past 10am the next morning) equals one happy girl!

A Very Strange Week

It hasn't been the easiest week. Not that it's been bad, just more and more crap that in the end is really not important, just extremely frustrating.

I've had two dreams about Rob in the last week. Once at the B & B, and now again last night. I'm really not sure what they mean, considering I haven't spoken to him in three years. And, frankly, I'm a little weirded out that this has been happening. The one last night was even more disturbing because we were sitting on scaffolding, watching a concert, when the top began to tip forward and at first I thought it would stop, but then it just kept going and hundreds of people began falling in front of us. We were somewhere in the middle (like maybe there were five levels and we were on the second or third) and didn't actually fall, but it was pretty scary. I woke up when I was being attacked by a dog...

Today is my Friday. I am not going into work tomorrow. Instead I am taking the train to Dartford for an appointment to get my National Insurance Number. This should be interesting - they've asked me for about a million documents. It was quite an ordeal to even get the appointment, I had to call the appointment line almost every day for two weeks. Finally able to get through, the guy on the other line was quite entertaining... "You came all the way from the States to live THERE?!" Let's hope the people at the Job Centre in Dartford are as much fun!

We had a New Teachers' meeting yesterday and I sat in that room listening to a man speak about observations and lesson planning, and I thought, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I am really here." It's only taken a month for the reality to hit that I am in another country, living out a dream!

Just when I think I have it under control...

I've mentioned how hard work is here, haven't I? Well, I guess I can't really say it's hard because I think I was pretty spoiled last year and didn't have a whole lot of outside work to do for school. Anyway, in addition to the four preps that I need to have ready for each lesson, it was brought to my attention today that I need to be grading notebooks regularly, giving homework regularly and basically eat, sleep and breathe school... Ugg!

On a happier note, the French Assistant arrived yesterday. She seems very nice. Her friend from Brittany is working at a school the next town over - she seems nice, too. They are both pretty young, but the other girl says that she is staying with a Geography teacher who is closer to my age, and she mentioned going out and hanging out together. Of course, with the pile of work from school that I will be buried under, I won't have much time for a social life. Forget weekends, or at least both days of the weekend... boy does this suck!

A Weary Traveler

I have learned quite a bit from my night in London:

1. Don't plan to use money that you [technically] don't have. (I forgot that checks take time to clear - I've been spoiled with direct-deposit for so long! So when I left town on Saturday, I had no money in my account - thank goodness for credit cards.)
2. Have SOME idea where you are going or what you are trying to find. (Walking in circles around Victoria Station, looking for a particular street should not take an hour and a half!)
3. Don't leave your "London A to Z" at home! (Despite what you think, you really do need it!)
4. Don't be too proud to pull out your map and use it! (You look silly walking in circles for an hour and a half!)
5. Always carry a book with you when you are alone for dinner (staring at the wall sucks!)
6. I SUCK AT READING MAPS!!

I won't call it a bad trip. I really did enjoy myself... Just learned a lot in the process!! Saturday I took the Bus Tour - you really do see a lot of the city that way! By the time I got off the bus, I was starting to get hungry, so I thought it'd be smart to find a place to crash for the night and freshen-up for dinner. I knew Belgrave Road was on one of the sides of Victoria Station, but as I walked around the perimeter, I could not for the life of me find the street! I found lots of neat shops that I stopped in, but no Belgrave. Finally, after an hour and a hour of wandering, I took a long, hard look at my map and found the street. Now, as you walk down this street in London, there are hundreds and hundreds of hotels, B & Bs, even hostels. But, if you walk down the street on a rainy Saturday at 6:30 in the evening, you MIGHT have a hard time finding a room for the night. I walked about 8 long blocks until I got to the end of the street, thought I'd try the opposite side of the Road and finally found a place. It was a cute little B & B. The catch was that the room, nicknamed the "closet," was tiny! It was literally the size of a full-size bed (with a twin and a small television table - that's all that would fit!). It did have a bathroom en suite, so at least I didn't have to stumble down the hall in the middle of the night.

I had dinner at a pub around the corner. I was so happy to have a beer and a hot meal, but when you're eating alone, you can only look at the menu for SO long. I had just bought a book at Victoria Station when I was wandering around earlier, WHY did I not bring it with me!? No matter how much fun you think you want to have, always carry a book with you, just in case the place is dead. Instead, I finished my meal and stopped in the corner market for a bottle to drink while I watched the tele, laying in my tiny bed, in my tiny room. Now, mind you, I am not complaining about any of this, because in all honesty I was as happy to watch TV as I was for a wild evening in a London Pub!

I woke up this morning (7 AM) and had a nice Continental Breakfast at the B & B (met some nice Tennesseans that shared a table with me - Nashville), then found the Radical travelers Office. I hopped on the tube and found an Arts Festival at Trafalgar Square, then found Oxford Square (lots of shopping) and Piccadilly Circus, then took a bus to the millennium Bridge where I walked across the Thames to the Tate Modern Museum. The bridge was really cool, as was the museum. By the time I finally found the London Bridge Train Station (around 5 PM) I was ready to come home. My backpack was starting to feel heavy on my shoulders and I was ready to sit for a while.

It was a definite learning experience. Would I do it again? Hell yeah - that's what I'm here for, mistakes and all!! I couldn't have spent more than £100 this weekend (including £45 for the room). For as expensive as London is, you can get around here pretty cheaply, if you try. I also took lots of pictures with my new camera - I'll share them soon.

This morning, waiting to check out of the B & B, the owner made a comment about "what a nice day" it was going to be. I looked out the window and I'm sure the look on my face must have said it all - the skies were gray and there was not a spot of sunshine. the guy next to me leaned over and said, "In England, this time of year, a day without rain is a nice one!"

10:30 Greenwich Time:
Happy Friday everyone!! I've had a pretty decent last-few-days and am feeling extra chipper - or is it the coffee that I just drank?! Either way, it's Friday and that's all that matters.

Things are starting to make more sense at school. I still don't feel that I'm at the top of my game, but at least now I feel like it is achievable. Another week under my belt and things are starting to feel more comfortable. I also observed a seasoned teacher's class today and it made me feel better about the chaos that takes place in certain classes of mine. I still have a lot that I want to work on, but I'm okay with that.

I got my long-lost package from my mother on Wednesday - Yea!! She shipped it on the 1st of September and I didn't get it until the 22nd. I'm very thankful to have my fleece and some sweaters, it's getting colder here. Today, I got the digital camera that she sent for my birthday. Perfect timing, too, I am heading to London for the weekend tomorrow morning! I'm not entirely sure what I am going to do or even where I am going to stay, just figured I'd get myself there and worry about the rest later (of course, if worse-comes-to-worse, it's only an hour on the train to get back here for a place to lay my head)... I know I definitely want to do the cheesy Bus Tour (that way I can get some of the things out of the way - the things I know I'm not really going to want to see other than a quick, "look kids, there's Big Ben..."). I also want to see the Tate Modern Museum: Monet, Matisse, Dali, Picasso - it sounds like heaven. Other than that, I figure I'll let the weather and my mood guide me.

I found the coolest website - www.radicaltravel.com. They have tours throughout Britain, Scotland and Ireland. They call them "backpacker tours," advertising anywhere from 3 to 7 day tours across the countryside. The prices cover travel but do not include accommodations, however, they guarantee you a place to stay (you just pay for the Hostel when you arrive -usually £13-16 a night). They have itineraries that seem pretty packed and sound like a lot of fun for people looking to travel without too much expense. They have holiday specials - "Spend the night in a Scottish Castle" over Christmas and some others that sound like a lot of fun. They have an office in London, so I think I may check it out and get more information tomorrow, since I'll be in the area. I'm also tempted to try a three-day trip before I sign up for a big 7 day one. Anyway, it sounds like a lot of fun and I have a half-term break coming up soon!

Oh! I also found out that there's a group that goes to the Pub on Fridays after school. I was shown the secret meeting place, but could not go with them today (I had to run to the bank and deposit my first pay check), hopefully next week... Yea! I may actually start to have a social life here. :)

Have a good weekend, all. I'm off to get some shut-eye for my big day tomorrow.

8:45 Greenwich Time:
I have come home the last two days absolutely exhausted... Those kids are wearing me out! Never again am I allowed to complain about student behavior in Charlotte - the kids here have them beat!! Ugh!

I had a conversation this morning about a certain class' behavior with their Head of Year. Do you know what he said to me? He said, "well, if you have them after lunch, that's when you pop in a video or give them a word puzzle to do!" So my smart ass said, "So if I have the class five times in a fortnight, and three of those lessons are after lunch, you want me to give them a word puzzle?! How are they supposed to learn?!" He blew me off with some comment about how, I'll learn... Prat! If I had wanted a job babysitting in the UK I would have applied for one of the many nanny positions I saw online!!

I tried an old trick that worked today in one of my crazy, after lunch classes. I can't say it will work EVERY time (they're smart and will catch on quickly), but at least they were slightly manageable today.

I got paid today and now I am trying to figure out how I want to spend my earnings - forget savings, my goal here is to do and see as much possible (and that takes £££)!! Maybe I'll spend the weekend in London. I'd be nice to pamper myself with a hotel room. Last night I started looking at Guided Tours through certain cities. I kept thinking about "Under the Tuscan Sun," but at least it would be a good way to see Italy or Greece on my own. I wouldn't go until spring, anyway, so it's something to think about...

The new girl will be here on Monday. She is driving from France... I hope she's cool.

8:30 Greenwich Time:
Greenwich was nice on Sunday. They were having a "Car Free Day," so it was very crowded, but I hung in there (I really can't stand crowds - unless I am distracted by a good band at a crowded show) and I'm glad I did. They have preserved the town to look old and reflect its history. They have a great Maritime Museum and an old ship you can climb aboard and wander through. (I didn't have enough time for either of those attractions, but in case you ever want to go - I've heard they are nice.) There is also a foot tunnel that takes you from one side of the Thames to the other - under the river. My focus was the Observatory and finding the Prime Meridian - So I walked past the Old Royal Navy College that the Queen had built in two parts so that it did not block her view of the River to the Greenwich Park. And, then up a HUGE hill to the Observatory. The view from the top was breath-taking, and all I could think was What was this like in the 1700s? The original house was built in the 1670s and there were Astronomers recording the sky from even that early on, scientists like Halley... It really was something else to be there and know that there is just SO much history. This whole country is full of history, the "before 1492" kind of history that just makes me feel miniscule (in a good way) and remind me that there's so much more to life than just my day-to-day drama... Anyway...

After the Observatory, I found the Market and spent the rest of my day there. They had some really great booths - lots of jewelry, crafts, foods, sculpture, etc. Mostly I bought notecards and things to send in the mail. Speaking of which, if you would like a postcard or something in the mail from England, send me your mailing address and I will gladly post something your way. They just had such nice things at the Market and in the town shops - very unique things. I guess there is a strong artist community there. On my way out of town I stopped for "Fish & Chips," wrapped in the brown paper - it was very nice with vinegar and salt. I think next time I'll skip the chips - the fish was much better...

All-in-all it was a nice day. No such luck on finding the picture in the US textbooks with the Prime Meridian cut into the town sidewalk and street. The part of town I was in is a little west of where the Meridian passes. I did get some nice photos of the millennium Clock at the Observatory, and they had the Meridian drawn there... Of course, if I can make it back to Greenwich this year I'd like to find it. Call me silly, I know...

10:15 Greenwich Time:
Well, this week has not been entirely horrible - my lesson have sucked, but at least I didn't spend all of my time running back and forth between the two buildings. This next week is another story, though, back to the marathon schedule. Let me just say that it is very hard to complete a lab practical in a science class in 50 minutes. And, it is very frustrating to set up a lab practical, get almost ready to start, then look at the clock and have to ask the class to pack everything up because we don't have enough time. Luckily, I didn't have many Geography classes this week, but it is entirely too much to expect a Science teacher to do practicals in 50 minutes AND have her classroom cleaned up so that she can RUN to the other building in time to start her Geography lesson on time - AGG!!!

Enough about school! Friday night I played trivia with the people I am staying with. Their church, every once in a while, puts on a "Quiz Night" and a bunch of people get together and play. It ended up being very similar to RiRa's "Pub Quiz:" tables, answer sheet, picture round, very obscure questions, alcohol... I felt like I was at home. I even answered some to the questions - correctly! They had a handful of American questions - "Name the four states that begin with the letter 'A', Who was Ronald Reagan's VP?" I really had a good time. Plus, it was my first Friday night out in forever!! Oh - and we WON (I forgot to mention that) - a bottle of wine each!!!

Yesterday, I had planned to go to Greenwich, but when I woke up the sky was nasty, so I stayed in bed until noon. By the time I got out of bed, the weather had completely changed and it was a nice day. So, it was too late to go to Greenwich, but not too late to hit the mall, so I hopped a bus to BlueWater. It's one of those things that if I am bored, I go to the mall. I can spend hours and hours there and not spend a dime (pence), just wandering around. I found the Cinema and watched "The Terminal." It was a very cute movie. How about they assign seats in the theaters here (or at least the one I went to)!? I sat in K 17. They also sell two kinds of popcorn - sweet and salty!! I had gotten a Coke and forgot that fountain drinks are FLAT here (the bottles/cans are "fizzy," but the fountain drink are not). I'll have to remember to get an Icee next time - wonder what they'll say if I ask for one instead of a "frozen drink?"

Today, I've decided to try Greenwich again. It is a very beautiful day outside and I am curious to see whether or not the Prime Meridian really is drawn on the sidewalk through the town.

11:11 London Time:
I got my first two pieces of mail here today: a letter from my sister (posted Sept 10 - not bad for snail mail) and something from my bank here. School's school... Not a horrible day, but not a great day either... Gotta go plan for a busy day tomorrow. God, I wish my life were more exciting!!

Yesterday I rode the train in to London to meet the other Americans here. The trip to London was nice. I started off around 11 am (so that I could have some time in London before lunch) and made it to the train station without a problem. I bought my round-trip ticket and had a seat to wait for the 11:37 train. At about 11:45 (when I hadn't seen the 11:37 or the 11:40 train), I found a notice board that explained there was work being done on the tracks September 12th and that I would need to catch the bus to Dartford, then catch the train the rest of the way into London. I wandered outside and found the bus and the rest was smooth sailing, it just made the trip twice as long.

I made it to Charing Cross Station without a problem, but when I got off the train I realized that I had forgotten my "London A to Z" and wasn't sure how to find the pub. I did have a smaller, less detailed map, so with some help (the street vendor at Trafalgar Square) I found the pub with no problem... A little late,but I couldn't help the train problem. [See, even when I try to be early, something happens!]

There were about 15 to 20 people at the luncheon. Everyone was really nice, and most of us had similar first week experiences, so it was nice to talk to people going through familiar situations. Because I was late, I took the only empty seat I found - which happened to be across the table from two people from Charlotte! The guy even lived right down the street!! Too weird!

It's funny how you exchange emails with a person and talk with them on the phone and you expect them to look a certain way. I had my recruiter pegged as a much older man (I even gave him a family in my mind)... I thought of him as a "father figure." Dude! He's my age (if not younger) and could be even called "cute." Not at all what I had imagined!!

One of the other recruiters' girlfriends was there - she was really nice. She is an actress and is about to start filming a mini-series with Luke Perry about the end of the world - the sun is supposed to be crashing into the earth. She'll play Luke Perry's wife, so keep your eye out for the show (and tell me how it is)...

Overall, it was a good chance to meet others who are going through some of the same things.