lockstock
2nd February 2008, 09:20 AM
We left the UK a month ago - it seems a lot longer!
We have accomplished so much it hardly seems real. We bought a car within three days of arriving a house within two weeks. We moved from our rental to the new house yesterday. With the container still to arrive (Tuesday) two camping chairs, a TV and a bed weren't too hard to move especially since the house we bought is a the other end of the street we were renting. No we didn't hire a van and yes the bed was carried from one house to the other! Apparently (I don't know, I was at work) a little girl stopped OH and buddy to ask why they were carrying a bed. They told her they were taking it for a walk. Why? Because beds need a walk now and again. Poor kid is probably scarred for life.
I started work at my new school. The first two days were induction days for new staff and were fantastic. First a full Maori greeting on the school's Marae so now I have my own tribe. The training sessions were all held in the Marae, no chairs just mattresses and pillows - and if you fell asleep it didn't matter because according to Maori belief you can still hear while you sleep (not sure about that one). I can't imagine being in a UK school INSET from 8.30 until 7pm (all meals provided) and a sleepover if you want. Five did - I left at 10.30.
Then, yesterday a full staff training day meeting the rest of the staff. They were so welcoming - again unlike any UK school I have worked in. There's an amazing social calendar for staff with an 'expectation to attend! Wine, beer etc at 3.30 on a Friday for us all to wind down. Give me some of that, I say.:cheers
The dogs are much happier in their large fenced garden and we're all off to the Hamilton Kennel Association judge's meeting on Tuesday because no-one has seen a Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla before and they want to know all about them - so I am Tuesday evening's 'turn'.
OH is Melville's new cricket coach and is off all over the place doing what he loves. And being so close to a test match ground is like being in paradise (apparently).
It just goes on and on. All the stress and hassle of visa?/no visa?, when, if, all of it - gone. It's brilliant. It's great. And I even like Pak'nSave- so there!
We have accomplished so much it hardly seems real. We bought a car within three days of arriving a house within two weeks. We moved from our rental to the new house yesterday. With the container still to arrive (Tuesday) two camping chairs, a TV and a bed weren't too hard to move especially since the house we bought is a the other end of the street we were renting. No we didn't hire a van and yes the bed was carried from one house to the other! Apparently (I don't know, I was at work) a little girl stopped OH and buddy to ask why they were carrying a bed. They told her they were taking it for a walk. Why? Because beds need a walk now and again. Poor kid is probably scarred for life.
I started work at my new school. The first two days were induction days for new staff and were fantastic. First a full Maori greeting on the school's Marae so now I have my own tribe. The training sessions were all held in the Marae, no chairs just mattresses and pillows - and if you fell asleep it didn't matter because according to Maori belief you can still hear while you sleep (not sure about that one). I can't imagine being in a UK school INSET from 8.30 until 7pm (all meals provided) and a sleepover if you want. Five did - I left at 10.30.
Then, yesterday a full staff training day meeting the rest of the staff. They were so welcoming - again unlike any UK school I have worked in. There's an amazing social calendar for staff with an 'expectation to attend! Wine, beer etc at 3.30 on a Friday for us all to wind down. Give me some of that, I say.:cheers
The dogs are much happier in their large fenced garden and we're all off to the Hamilton Kennel Association judge's meeting on Tuesday because no-one has seen a Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla before and they want to know all about them - so I am Tuesday evening's 'turn'.
OH is Melville's new cricket coach and is off all over the place doing what he loves. And being so close to a test match ground is like being in paradise (apparently).
It just goes on and on. All the stress and hassle of visa?/no visa?, when, if, all of it - gone. It's brilliant. It's great. And I even like Pak'nSave- so there!