Loch Ness, Here I Come!

So, I went ahead and booked my half-term break. Fuck the move, I'll survive. I don't want to give up a week's travel time for something that will only take me a few hours.

It should be "well good," to quote my students. Six days of whiskey tasting, castle visiting (and even sleeping in one), mountain climbing, monster watching, and film site viewing (Rob Roy, Braveheart, Highlander and Harry Potter)... I leave in ten days!

I have been having some disturbing dreams lately. Nothing freaky, disturbing because my subconscious is really trying to point some things out to me. Saturday I dreamed that I beat up one of my students. Now, I am not a violent person (I have never punched a person in my life), and while this particular student is really trying to push my buttons I would never hit her. I guess my subconscious is living out it's own fantasies. This morning I dreamt that instead of getting up and hitting snooze in my bedroom here, I was in my bedroom at my parents' house. I woke up this morning feeling very home-sick and on the verge of tears all day. When I was in Charlotte and I wanted a break, I would drive to Tennessee and visit my parents. I am beginning to feel like I need a break, but there's no chance for TN anytime soon. I have to wait for August. In the meantime, my subconscious will just have to keep fantasizing and I will just have to suck-it-up and take my break in Scotland.

Weekly Update...

So, I think I may have found a place to live. I am not entirely ready to stop looking just yet, but I saw a place Thursday that I really like. It is about a 30 minute train ride from work (but that means that I am also 30 minutes closer to London). It's in a cute, residential area that is situated between two major towns - so I am never too far from interesting things, but still feel safe walking home at night. The woman that lives there now is really cool. She is a healthcare worker, here for two years from Finland. I think we could really get along.

I am trying to convince myself that, even with everything that is going on (work permit extension, qualifying teacher status, moving, etc), I should try and travel on my half-term break. There's a six day backpackers tour of Scotland (same company I used when I went to Wales) and I'd really like to go! I am torn between getting settled here and seeing more of the countryside... Of course, I have a feeling I know what I will choose in the end... Isn't TRAVEL the reason I came to this country?!?

The Long Walk

No, really, that's what it is called!

Last Saturday 'the Brit' and I went to Windsor. It was a beautiful spring day (a bit chilly in the shade and a few sprinkles of rain, but this is England!)! Originally a carriage road, this three mile stretch lined with elm trees is spectacular! We started at the castle and ended at The Copper Horse, a statue of George III on Snow Hill. My description would not do it justice and a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's one from the Royal Windsor website...

The Long Walk, Windsor Castle. Isn't it stunning?!?

Leo's Horoscope for today:

You've always been proud of your friends. You handpick them with great care, and it takes time. Anyone who makes it to your inner circle gets there because they're intelligent, witty and entertaining -- the cream of the crop. That doesn't mean you're a snob, however -- only that you appreciate and insist on nothing but the best in all departments. So when a friend surprises you, it's an especially delightful moment. Well, pack some tissues in your lunchbox. One of those moments is en route.

In other news...

There is a work permit extension application in the works... Yes, friends, it looks like I will be sticking around for another year. It feels a bit weird. I have been living the last year with a 'temporary' mind-set: No need for a lot of things, I may not be here long. With another year at school I am ready to settle into a life here, eighteen months is a long time! I am looking for a place to live: one that is a bit closer to London and maybe one with a bit less marital drama. I am also looking at cars... Watch out Britain - it could get scary!!

With everything that is going on, so many things that can only happen 'if', and happen 'when,' I struggled Saturday to find something that I could actually do this weekend. The car will have to come after I save more, the room will have to come after I find one that I like... So Saturday I bought a mobile phone. [I know, I know, really exciting news, but deal!] I have lived the last eight months without one, but they are nice to have in emergencies (or when the trains are delayed - which seems to happen entirely too often), or that's what I keep telling myself. Really, I just wanted some sort of purchase that would cross that 'temporary' boundary and make my life feel a bit more permanent.

The school has also [finally] set up the course I have to take for my Qualified Teacher Status. It's actually not a course, but a program set up through a local university. It sounds a lot like the Initially Licensed Teacher program in North Carolina - submit a portfolio, a few extra observations, etc. The good news is that, if all goes well, I could have qualified status by September!!

Walk of Shame?

I haven't really mentioned much about my living situation on this blog. But I am tired of keeping quiet, besides I am leaving this month and you guys don't know the people involved, anyway.

I live with a very sweet couple that are in their 60's. It started out as a temporary place to live when I first arrived in town and I ended up staying. They cook for me, they do the laundry, it's a lot like living with your parents (except my parents would expect me to do laundry). Granted, it has not allowed for much of a social life, but I've coped and just thought of it as a temporary situation. In January, Chris met me at the airport with news. He informed me that he was leaving Jenny for another woman. It seems that she works at my school and they have been sneaking around town for the last few months. After that, I started to spend more and more time in my bedroom, leaving more room in the house for Chris and Jenny to sort out their business. It was a very awkward first few months and now I guess I am just used to it all. Chris and Jenny have sold their house and we will all go in different directions at the end of the month. Jenny has spent a lot of time away, visiting her children/grandchildren. While she has been gone, the new woman has been spending more and more time here. Okay, fine, the marriage is over, but this is still a bit awkward for me. Anyway, this morning I woke up, had my cup of coffee and was surprised to find the new woman entering the kitchen to make her morning cup of Joe, too. Am I a prude? Isn't this crossing a line?!

Ah! Friday!!

I am a bit awkward with my year 13 tutor group. I don't really know why, probably because I am used to working with children, not 18 year-olds. Still, they are a fun group and I usually walk away laughing about something. I only see them Thursdays and Fridays and only for about 15 - 20 minutes each day. Today, we had chapel prayer. Have I mentioned that I work at a Catholic school? Me, little miss serious supporter of 'separation of church and state' had to lead a prayer today... I chickened out and told them to take a moment for silent prayer. Then I said, "Does anyone have anything to share? Okay, you can go. Have a good day." They left and I had a laugh. I wonder what was going through their heads...

Life, Fear and the C word

I finished reading Life of Pi yesterday. It took me quite a while to get through the first part, but after that, I finished it in the weekend. I enjoyed the book, but what stands out most in my mind is this passage Yann Martel wrote:

I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I know. It has no decency, respects no law or convention, shows no mercy. It goes for your weakest spot, which it finds with unerring ease. It begins in your mind, always. One moment you are feeling calm, self-possessed, happy. Then fear, disguised in the garb of mild-mannered doubt, slips into your mind like a spy. Doubt meets disbelief and disbelief tries to push it out. But disbelief is a poorly armed foot soldier. Doubt does away with it with little trouble. You become anxious. Reason comes to do battle for you. You are reassured. Reason is fully equipped with the latest weapons technology. But, to your amazement, despite superior tactics and a number of undeniable victories, reason is laid low. You feel yourself weakening, wavering. Your anxiety becomes dread.

I have been receiving a lot of forwarded emails lately from a particular person in North Carolina. This woman was an advisor to our sorority and a replacement mom to many of us that lived away from home. Typically, I just look at the subject lines, mumble something under my breath about hogging valuable webmail space and delete the message. In the last few weeks I have started to read the messages. This, in all honesty, has been going on for years. The advisor, a very caring and supportive woman, has been updating us all on the health of one of our own. D was diagnosed 6 years ago with IBC (inflammatory breast cancer), a very aggressive type of cancer and has been fighting it ever since. All too often the emails that get sent around are asking for donations for D and her family and, unfortunately, the sentiment gets lost in the plea for dollars. That was the attitude I took for a long time... Until I started reading the messages in the last few weeks. D is on a trial with Duke University that hasn't been tested on humans before; they are treating the cancer of her lungs and liver. She calls herself 'Patient #4' when the first 3 have been removed from the trail for various reasons. She has had terrible side effects from this treatment, but insists on continuing. She has known many people to die from IBC since she was diagnosed, 60% of the people with IBC are dead within 5 years. Her message today was that she is going to have to go into hospital soon to remove fluid that has formed around her heart. I don't know D very well, really only by reputation, but she is a strong individual. She's lobbied Washington for funds to support cancer research, she is raising a family and she is fighting cancer minute by minute. I have had D in my thoughts a lot these last couple of weeks, especially since her fight is getting more and more difficult. I am not usually one for prayers, but I have found myself saying them for D and her family.

Really, the Martel passage can apply to anything in life. I fear many things: spiders, public speaking, and all sorts of things. But what terrifies me the most, the thing that Martel describes in Life of Pi for me is an end to all that I know. I have lived a very privileged life. I have grown up in a loving, caring household with very large families on either side. I have two sets of grandparents that are healthy and get around without any major problems. Death is not new to me; I have had close friends pass away and family members as well. I do not fear my own death, but I fear the death of the ones I love. I am terrified of a life without loved ones.

What terrifies you?

Ten things that made me smile today

(in no particular order)
10. Bruises on my arm that remind me of a day at a paintball centre. That was great fun!! Wasn't really sure I'd like it, but I had a blast!!
9. Meeting really cool people in Cardiff.
8. Finding my name (or a nickname that always cracks me up) on a certain someone's "These are the Daves I know" list. :)
7. Making arrangements to meet Little A's Sam in London when he is in town.
6. Watching live music at a bar called Callaghan's in Cardiff yesterday - Ha ha!! Everything in that statement reminds me of you, K.
5. Bank Holidays are wonderful!!
4. Spending time with someone who 'gets' the importance of Go-Go-Gadget Arms. (Sorry, Brit, you are never going to live that down.)
3. Road Trips.
2. Huge Burritos that scare school officials. Little A, that was a great article!! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/burrito_lockdown
1. Meeting and getting to chat to Andy and Josie - Hi guys!

I have not been good about keeping up with anyone in the last few months. I have a load of pictures I need to finish labeling and send (the ones from Europe). I have emails in a draft box, just waiting for a bit of time to finish and send (Toni, there's one for you in there). One day I will be able to say that everything on my TO DO list is complete... But then what happens?

What a faux pas!

I thought I had already learnt all of the phrases that do not translate well from British to American English. I have become accustomed to using 'rubber' in place of 'eraser.' 'Trousers' instead of 'pants,' I am still having trouble remembering, though. This weekend I learned a new one. For all of my American friends out there, 'Blown Off' (as in, "I can't believe he didn't show for our date on Friday!") in the UK means to fart or pass wind!! You would use the phrase 'blown out' instead. Not sure if this is one I will be able to get used to, I associate 'blown out' with straightening my hair.

Did someone slip me a Coke?

I am wide awake - this is not good on a school night. I had every intention of getting to bed early, too. Oh well.

I have been feeling very nostalgic lately. Wednesday I pulled out last years yearbook and started thinking about my old students. I wonder how they are doing in High School this year. For as much as some of them drove me nuts, I loved my kids!! I am starting to feel that way about the kids here now. I have some pretty wonderful kids this year. And, well, even the not-so-wonderful kids are still pretty great too.

I've decided that I do not post enough during the week. I used to be better about it. Oh well. So, this is it for now. Tomorrow I will tell you about my weekend.

In a nutshell...

There's been a lot going on in the last few days: I will try and address as much as I can.

My week at school has been exhausting! Granted, I had returned Saturday from a holiday that left me feeling a bit under the weather and completely knackered. However, the kids did not make things any easier. Monday, my last lesson was a 'free,' so I put my head down in the Science Resource Area and napped for 10 or 15 minutes. Sad, I know, pathetic really, but I felt much better when I woke up! Luckily, the cold has all but disappeared and I think I have finally caught up on my sleep.

The house has been sold. I came home from Europe to a 'For Sale' sign in the drive. This was nothing new to me, they have been talking about selling the house for a while now. Of course, I wasn't expecting it to be quite so soon... One week on the market and their asking price!?! Not bad!! Looks like I need to plan on moving by the beginning of June.

R posted a link to a site on her page that has a bunch of quizzes. On the 'What Kind of American English Do You Speak?' Quiz my results were: 65% General American English, 20% Dixie, 10% Yankee and 5% Midwestern. I felt good knowing that Dixie does not dominate my vocabulary. Then I decided to take the 'How Normal Are You?' Quiz... The 20 questions were pretty basic: 'Can you roll your tongue?' and 'Do you button your shirts from the bottom, up or from the top, down?' Based on my results, I am 0% Normal!! I thought it was a joke, so I made The Brit take the quiz, too. He scored 60% Normal, 'a normal amount of normal' according to the website. On the other hand, I am a freak!! Glad my friends know me better than some internet quiz, or do they? :)

I had another wonderful weekend!! There seems to be a pattern happening here. I can't complain. I won't complain, I am really enjoying myself!!

The Brit took me to see the Rugby Powergen Cup Final on Saturday. It was fantastic!! Rugby really is an interesting game and great fun to watch! Nothing against Football (the American kind), but a game where the men tackle without padding and ears get tapped back so that they are not bitten or torn off sounds like a jolly good time! In all seriousness, a game where the ball can only be passed backward can be quite challenging (and loads of fun to watch).

And now for something a little bit different...

I was trying to think of a way to address everything that has happened in the last few days in a way that was not entirely boring or wordy... So, here it goes:

Amsterdam
Sites Seen: Canal Cruise, Tour up and down the alleyways of the Red Light District, evening entertainment at Casa Rosso, the Anne Frank Museum and the Van Gogh Museum.
Favourite Moment: Walking along the beautiful streets and canals of Amsterdam, the houses were very unique (tall and skinny) and very picturesque.
To Make You Laugh: Crossing the streets in Amsterdam wasn't fun. First you would have to dodge bicycle traffic, then cars, then trams, then cars going in the opposite direction and finally the bicycles going in the opposite direction. I felt like Frogger!

There is something about walking up and down alley streets with glass doors exposing half-naked women... It just makes me curious. Then I saw a man (obviously a tourist) stumble out from behind red curtains, adjust himself, pull up his pants in a way that just screams, "I just had sex!" It was at that moment I thought, "Oh, God no! That's about as close as I want to get to the Red Light District!"

St Goar
Sites Seen: Nice view of the River Rhine, Winery in St. Goar (pronounced Go-are) and the Hotel bar.
Favourite Moment: Chatting and getting to know other people on our coach that night in the bar. It was nice to be the only ones in the bar for that reason.
To Make You Laugh: Typical 'A' Moment: Our roommate disappeared with the key, so I was locked out of the room before dinner. I wanted to change before our wine tasting, so I ran upstairs to change clothes quickly. By the time I made it to the meeting place, the group was gone! Luckily, I met up with two other 'late' people and we didn't have very far to walk.

The wines were nice, all white. There was a dry Reisling, a semi-sweet, a sweet and an Eisswine. I like the first one, but the others were too sweet for me. The Eisswine was interesting - very, very sweet.

The Rhine River Valley was spectacular, with vineyards squeezed on every mountain slope, no matter how steep.

Munich
Sites Seen: Marienplatz, Glockenspiel, Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), Richard Strauss Fountain, Preysing-Palais and dinner at Hofbrauhaus.
Favourite Moment: Eating dinner in the Bravarian Beer Hall where we could not read the menu. We ended up just pointing to various plates on other tables.
To Make You Laugh: Was SO excited to learn German drinking songs that Becke and I approached a near-by group singing along to teach us... They were from Montana. They taught us how to mumble along to the majority of the words except "I'm Proosted, I'm Proosted". Funny, I didn't know that Germans used the phrase "I am?!"

We were warned that all of German uses half-litre steins, but in Munich they only used litre-size. It was wonderful!

Hofgarten
Sites Seen: Innsbrook was a beautiful little mountain town! We also stopped at the Swarovski Crystal Centre. The most impressive thing I remember about Austria was the Alps.
Favourite Moment: Finding a bar (inside the hotel) that serves Jaggermeister and dancing the night away.
To Make You Laugh: Getting LOCKED OUT of the hotel and having to throw stones at windows the next morning to find someone to let us in!! I was furious at myself and a bit embarrassed, but my friends had a laugh and decided to give my story a twist. It seems that I spent the night in a barn in Austria with Mel Gibson... Moral of the story: Always stick with the group!!

That night a group of guys on our tour ran through the streets of Hofgarten, completely naked!! I couldn't believe that they did it - there was still patches of snow on the ground!! When I expressed my shock, I was told, "That's just typical Aussies for you!" I think I want to move to Australia next - Aussies are crazy!!

Venice
Sites Seen: Piazza San Marco, Campanile, Basilica San Marco, Ponte di Rialto, a Gondola ride along some of the city's 150 canals and dinner at a quaint little Italian Restaurant.
Favourite Moment: The whole Venice experience was amazing! The town is so quite without all of the motorized traffic and the gondola ride was very relaxing.
To Make You Laugh: I wandered off on my own for a little while, just to take in the city for a bit. I stopped in a glass shop to admire the pieces and the store owner yelled at me for saying "Hello!" I thought I said it in Italian, but he told me that we were "not in France." I guess I should just stick with the "Ciao" that Brad (the tour manager) taught us to say!

Italian public toilets do not have seats!! And, the lunch counters have wonderful sandwiches, but they are such a pain to order (you have to choose what you want, move to the till to pay for your item, then go back to the lunch counter to have the sandwich made)!

Rome
Sites Seen: Colosseo (the Colosseum), Foro Romano (Roman Forum), Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Venezia, Fontana di Trevi, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Vatican City, Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps), Chiesa di San Clemente, San Pietro in Vincoli (Church of Saint Peter in Chains), Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth), Circo Massimo and a few shops along Via Del Corso.
Favourite Moment: Opting out of the Colosseo tour and spending the morning with Toni finding the hidden gems of Rome. San Clemente is an 11 century church that was built on top of 4th century ruins. Under those ruins are 1st century ruins! It was great!! Then we met up with the rest of the group at the Roman Forum and used a book I purchased to make our own tour, 'Then and Now.'
To Make You Laugh: I am not allowed to cross streets when there are attactive Italian men directing traffic... I almost fell in the middle of the street - for approximately 5 minutes! It just kept going and going and all the while I was pushing and knocking into people, unable to steady myself. Finally, I was able to catch myself on the hips of a woman at the front of the group. I think I scared the piss out of her!

I think I was still drunk that second morning in Rome. The bartender at the hotel poured a bit strong and I can't really remember why I needed to drink someone else's wine. Becke and I learned how to say "Fuck You" in Italian. That night I got locked out of my bedroom again, but I refused to leave the hotel, thinking that if worse-came-to-worse I could always sleep on the cushy couches in the reception area. Luckily, someone in our group was smart enough to nic the master key from reception and let us (I wasn't the only one locked out!) into our rooms.

My second night in Rome, I took it easy. We played cards (that was a lot of fun!) and I was in bed early.

Florence
Sites Seen: Piazza Santa Croce, Fontana del Nettuno, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, the Duome, dinner at a Firenze restaurant and dancing at a nearby night club.
Favourite Moment: No particular moment... The whole experience was amazing. I have found my next city... Just need to learn Italian first.
To Make You Laugh: Looking to do some serious Italian shopping, Toni and I decided to hit a market in town. Toni did an excellent job navigating us though the streets, only to find that the market was nothing more than 9 or 10 flea market booths. After that, we combed the streets for jewelry, bags and gellato.

You know it is time to go home when the Italian Night Club plays Bon Jovi at the end of the night. I passed out in my clothes for the umpteenth time because it was too much of a bother to search for pajamas in my suitcase.

Lucerne
Sites Seen: Stanserhorn (a gondola ride up the mountain), The Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge), and that's about it. I spent the rest of my time shopping for Swiss Army Knives, Swiss Army Watches and Swiss Chocolate.
Favourite Moment: The BEST hotel meal we had on the trip!!
To Make You Laugh: Happy Dances in the hotel room when Toni and I saw the size of our suite. It was monstrous and wonderful!!

Paris
Sites Seen: Tour Eiffel, Centre G. Pompidou, Musee du Louvre, Musee Rodin, Eglise du Dome (Napoleon's Tomb), the outside of the Catacombs, Musee D'Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, dinner on the Champs Elysees, drinking the night away at a bar next to the Moulin Rouge.
Favourite Moment: There are too many to name 1) Seeing Jonathan propose to Karen at the top of the Eiffel Tower, 2) Enjoying the architecture of both the Louvre and the Musee D'Orsay along with all of the pieces of art inside, 3) Dinner with friends - that was the BEST way to wrap-up the trip!!
To Make You Laugh: I was SO excited to do something 'different' my second time in Paris. At first I wanted to do the Sewer Tour, but Rick Steve did not give it a good review, so we decided to visit the Catacombs. The write-up says to be sure to bring a torch (flashlight), so I knew that it would be great!! [If anything my chicken-ass would keep the group entertained, jumping at everything in sight!] We made it all the way there to find out that it is closed until May 2005. Maybe next time!

I'm Home!

This has been SUCH an amazing experience!! I am exhausted, sick and am dreading real life. I have seen, touched, tasted and felt things in the last 12 days that I have only seen in textbooks and movies. It's like I have been on this terrific 'high' for two weeks and, some how, setting my alarm for work tomorrow is such a buzz-kill.

Will write more later before reality completely sets in. Below are a few pictures from the trip...

Paris
The Louvre was spectacular! I fell in love with the building as much as the artwork inside.

Lucerne
My tour buddies - a fabulous group of people!

Florence
The tour guide started her lecture with, "This is where Galileo built his first telescope and where Michelangelo built his flying machine." After that, I vowed to come back and send more than just a few hours in this town. Anyone care to join me?

Rome
Too much history to even begin to describe... Remnants everywhere... I have no words to do this city justice...

Venice
My favourite city, by far. How can you not love a place that only allows transport by foot or by boat?!