GREECE TASTER

Santorini

Hello faithful blog readers whoever you may be, I am back from Greece a little more tanned, more relaxed but with a sore throat-bound to happen after all those late night discos (yip discos, you read it right). I'm still trying to recover from a severe lack of sleep because of late nights and early mornings to try and get as much from the holiday as possible. It's time for bed nearly but I thought I'd upload some photos so you could be jealous and then read more when I've blogged properly.

Our first stop after we left Athens, Mykonos. The very first thing we saw was this boat with the night's dinner being prepared...sundried octopus.

Here I am standing outside the first white-washed wall blue-domed church I saw, of course being Greek islands they were everywhere but the first one is always special. This was also at Mykonos.

We were on Mykonos for most of the afternoon until the late evening of the first day. We had cocktails on seaside restaurant balconies (the strawberry daiquiri in Mykonos was excellent, a very close second to Frankie's), wondered around eating crepes and trying to not buy everything we saw, it was only the first night. After all the islands Mykonos is one of my favourites, the other 2 I really really liked were Rhodes and Santorini. Come and read more in a day or two.

Here Sarah and I are sitting on the marble steps on the Acropolis. The are so slippery, it's safest to be sitting. The Parthenon is further up but I'll post more photos as soon as I can, come visit again soon!

GREECE

Hi everyone, I've found an internet cafe on the Island of RHODES. So to all those Rhodents out there here is a very warm Rhodent hello from the greek island of Rhodes. I'm off to the beach now and to do some shopping and of course to find something extra yummy to eat. As soon as I have orgnaised myself when I get home I will be posting photos and telling you all about it. I hope you are all fantastic. Adio.

EVERYONE'S LEAVING THE UK!

We're all going on a summer holiday.

No more working for a week or two.

Fun and laughter on a summer holiday.

No more worries for me and you.

For a week or two.

We're going where the sun shines brightly.

We're going where the sea is blue.

We've seen it in the movies.

Now lets see if its true.

Everybody has a summer holiday

Doing things they always wanted to.

So we're going on a summer holiday

To make our dreams come true

For me and you.

(courtesy of good old Cliff Richard)

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

So, here I sit on my bed, sun streaming through my bedroom window, Nina Simone singing away and I'm quite content. I am officially on holiday. Yesterday was my last day at Oaklands School and it must be said it was quite a good one. I was taken out to lunch as a thank you for all my hard work (quite unheard of behaviour towards supply teachers), I watched videos all day and got paid for it and one of the girls painted a henna tattoo on my arm while we watched videos, something I've always wanted. She was doing one on her friends arm so I decided I'd ask her to do one for me and she did. It was a really lovely day, kids wishing me a happy summer holiday... 'hey safe Miss, have a fun summer'. I've really heard it all here are somethings they say to me:

Miss, wanna go toilet.

Miss can I go bring myself back from toilet?

Miss you're doin me head in!

I'm not bovvered, do I look bovvered? Well I'm not f@*$ing bovvered.

hey don't worry she's safe, hey Miss you're safe right?

You get used to it all, and I am sad/proud (?) to say I understand it all now. I was so glad that I ended my supply teaching stint at a happy school, with lovely staff and apart from a teacher-shoving year 9 class and a speaker-stealing year 8 boy, supply-friendly students.

So, no more horrifying teaching stories. I have been asked to work at Oaklands permanently but I had to decline, SA is calling (apparently the offer will stand if I return to the UK in the near future which is always interesting to know).

Yesterday I also found someone for my room, it was making me anxious because if I didn't find someone before I left for home I'd loose a lot of money so at least that's not hanging over my head anymore.

Other than that, I now have 3 weeks to chill. I have places I want to see and things I want to do in London when I get back from Greece, basically just enjoy this place that has been my home for this year rather than get bogged down by the negativity that can consume you when most of the children you teach every day have no manners, are violent, can be vicious and just drain you emotionally every day. It's holiday time!

See you all soon.

LA DI DA

Morning!

So only 1 and 1/2 days left of school, my trip home is growing closer and so is GREECE. Tonight I am going to the Opera, la di da hey? A teacher in the staff room was giving away tickets so I thought what the hell. I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to watch but I don't really mind, afterall if it's crap I can just leave. No news otherwise, I'm desperately trying to find someone to move into my room but am having little luck at the moment. Today is blisteringly hot, 37 degrees and rising. It's manageable in an airconditioned room but underground in the tubes it's hellish and as the tracks expand due to the heat all the trains are driven extra slowly to ensure none of them come off their tracks, so we're stuck down there even longer than usual. Tomorrow should start cooling down after this "phenomenal" heat wave England is having, it is once again the hottest day of the year so far, you begin to wander why the Englsih are always amazed when it's hot in SUMMER.

OFF ON MY TRAVELS AGAIN

Howdy howdy howdy (only some of you will get that so don't feel left out)

So as the end of the academic year in pommie land draws to a close, bringing with it the uncontrllable desire to perform a happy jig at all possible opportunities, I look forward to another exciting adventure- GREECE. Oh yes, next Sunday I leave for a 6 day trip Island hopping around the greek islands with a little bit of toe dipping in Turkey. I get to see Athens as well which I thought I was going to miss out on by booking an island hopping excursion but apparently not, cool hey? Oh course there will be photos, and hopefully by the end of the trip I no longer will be reflecting the light with my translucent English skin, but will be looking gorgeously tanned (NOT BURNT), and more like the Durbanite I am.

Anyway enough about that...for now. Today (everyone in Durbs) I saw Hayley. It was such fun. We sat around on the deck chairs in Hyde park chatting and people watching, then went off to find some lunch near Piccadilly. After that we explored some of the smaller streets and found, a first edition vintage magazine store, soho-home of ladies of the night, and China town, ducks hanging in the restaurant windows and all. Her wedding's getting pretty close which is very exciting but unfortunately I'll miss it. So when I am back from Greece and have no work because it's school holiday's I'll have someone to play with! Yay, you see I set some time aside to just enjoy London but now at least when I get bored of doing stuff on me lonesome, I'll have some to entertain me.

That's it really, of course I'll keep everyone updated. The dog bitten finger is nearly it's normal size and the wounds are closed but they really aren't pretty but far less unsightly than they were. The bruise on my knee is finally disappearing and there's only a faint purple tinge to it now (yes it's been 2 weeks since the little devils abused me and it's only going away now). And there really are only 4 more school days, I'm hoping I can last without further child induced injury, actually...no injuries at all, touch wood, I am after all GOING TO GREECE.

4 MORE SCHOOL DAYS

NO WORK TODAY

Hi everyone

Not much news, I'm trying to keep myself entertained this morning because there's no work today, the schools are very quiet because it's nearly the end of the school year (7 more school days, YIPPEE). So I'm at home, waiting to see the doctor later for my bitten hand and organising admin things that I need to do before I go home! No one said they were up for Strawberry Daiquiri's, I'm very disappointed I hope I won't be the only one enjoying them, I suppose if I am it'll really be everyone elses loss because they really are delicious. So enjoy the rest of the week, and I'll see you all in August.

Hello almal

Yesterday I spent the day with the Woods, Graham is visiting from SA and even though he's not visiting me it really is so good to have someone from home to hang around with! The y picked me up and we drove to Sissinghurst in the south east of England to see the garden of Vita Sackville-West. Our plan was then to go to Knole and see the house Vita grew up in, the house she was forced to give up as being a girl meant that at the time she was alive she was not allowed to inherit her father's house and a male relative became the rightful owner instead of her. Anyway we saw the house after the gardens but did not manage to get there in time to go inside, which may have had something to do with the fact that I decided to say hello to a very old dog at the gardens and came off worse for it.

So when a dog is whining and crying for it's owners I decide it's a good idea to comfort it and say hello. It was tied to a bush and as I walked up to it it wagged it's tail and panted at me, I put out my hand for him to sniff and he did and continued to wag his tail and then out of nowhere (really and truly-a man was bringing his baby to say hello because the dog looked so friendly) it BIT me good and proper. It's canine bit my index finger on my left hand (quit eproblematic being left handed and all), my middle finger and my thumb. I am happy to report I have clean and white bones in my index finger and I didn't faint when I saw my bone, instead I walked calmly up to Graham and told him not to worry but I've been bitten by a dog and then I burst into a mixture of tears and giggles. I went to wash my hand and then told Clare and Patrick about it. I was still quite relaxed though it was bloody sore. I decided to rinse it once more before we left for Knole, so there I ws running water over my mutilated hand when I felt rather queasy and promplty fainted. What a pain, now the whole place was up in arms, I had to do an accident report and be escorted off the premises to ensure I left safely (bollocks-to ensure I didn't cause any more problems). Do you know that in the UK you are not allowed to give anyone any meds or antiseptic cream etcetera in case you have a reaction and sue, tough if you're dying hey. So I wrapped my bloody hand in tissue and we left.

When I got home yesterday evening I went to the hospital, on the encouragement of my mommy, and got antibiotics and dressing. It is quite (understatement) sore but hey what can you do. I must admit though it is bloody difficult to type with one hand, especially when it's not your dominant one, so appreciate this post people!

A VERY interesting 24 hours

3 July 2006
18:00- 20:00

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest premiere Leicester Square.

A very exciting evening, the largest premiere in London in the last 10 years. It was packed. Orlando Bloom, Johhny Depp, Kiera Knightley, Bill Nighy and all sorts of others were there. Bill Nighy and Orlando Bloom came pretty close but Johnny Depp stayed in the distance, BUT I DID SEE HIM. I also so Mischa Barton from the OC. So the list so far goe something like this: Will Young in the street on Portabello Road, Robbie in concert, Martina Navaratilova and Andy Roddick at Wimbledon, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Bill Nighy, Kiera Knightley, 3 dudes from lost (including Sawyer, I don't watch so don't know their names), and Mischa Barton. Not bad for an unseasoned celeb spotter who isn't actually even nearly obsessed with celebrity.

3 July 2006

22:30-23:45

So I was in my bed trying to do some work at about ten thirty last night when there was this blood curdling scream, and it did not stop. There was banging and a girl screaming and crying "No, Mommy, no, no. Oh God oh God. SOMEBODY HELP US PLEASE!" Surprisingly this didn't make me calm and relaxed and want to go to sleep. Sarah heard it too and she phoned the police. It didn't stop. It was possibly the the msot chilling thing I've ever heard. The police came and did nothing that we know of. The screaming continued for a while but now the doors were closed. We went to bed feeling quite nerve wracked and giggly and in our musings on all the possibilites we found a sickenly appropriate song:

TRACY CHAPMAN - BEHIND THE WALL

Last night I heard the screaming

Loud voices behind the wall

Another sleepless night for me

It won't do no good to call

The police

Always come late hey

If they come at all

And when they arrive

They say they can't interfere

With domestic affairs

Between a man and his wife

And as they walk out the door

The tears well up in her eyes

4 July 2006

11:15

Today I worked at an all boys school near the Lords cricket Oval. It was quite a refreshing day without the bitchiness and emotional undertones when teaching girls. However one boy definitely made his place in my memory. Today I was sexually harrassed by a 15 year old boy.

Now, now, don't get all stressed about the whole thing, he couldn't pass up the opportunity of me leaning over a desk to help another student and so opened his hand very wide, placed it on my bum and slowly and deliberatley squeezed. Everyone at the school is mortified and he's being suspended for a few days but to be completely honest I had to stifle giggles when I worked out what the hell happened and I've been laughing about it all day. That child must have one big ego, well he did I don't think it's still in tact.

So now I'm home, it's been a boiling hot day, 33 degrees celsius, sweltering in the tube and most unpleasant. I made friends with a South African guy at the school whose surname is van der Merwe :) and he made me laugh. Now I'm looking forward to relaxing this evening, eating some supper and doing the work I didn't manage to get done last night, hopefully without interruption. I hope everyone is good.

WIMBLEDON

It's Wimbledon time again and I am very happy to say I have a sticker as evidence to say "I'VE QUEUED AT WIMBLEDON." On Thursday after school Hayley, Sarah and I went to Wimbledon. In a line of 11 000 people I must admit you don't hold out much hope of seeing the inside of the lawn tennis club and it's quite entertaining just standing in the line. But we did get in after 2 hours and had such a lovely evening. Andy Roddick walked past us within touching distance but if I'd tried that his 8 bodyguards would probably have removed me and I'd have been forbidden to set foot in Wimbledon again in my life time (they get a bit over zealous). I watched him play for a bit by standing on a handrail and peering into court 2 from court 3 (we bought cheap tickets, I really don't have the cash to pay 100pounds and up to go to the main courts). Then as we sat down in the stands of court 3, just to watch some real tennis, Martina Navratilova appears to play a doubles match, lucky hey! We also sat on Henman hill and watched Andrew Murray on the big screen, it was buzzing. I've put up one photo and I'll put others up as soon as I get them from Hails, so keep reading.

Okay, so this may seem a bit random to some but over the last 5 months or so I have been injured by children on numerous occasions and it's very tiring now. Yesterday I had an art class from hell, they were little shits and only were quiet enough to be given the instructions for the lesson after 30 minutes! Anyway they were to be kept in when the bell went for lunch to finish the work that had been set. When the bell rang they sprinted for the door pushing and shoving anything and anyone as they went...including me. I got my foot caught in one of their bag straps, was shoved from behind and went flying across the floor into a cupboard, the result of which can be seen above. Oh and what did the "children" do you may ask? They laughed and ran away. Children? No! More like little devils.

KEW GARDENS

One of the flower beds and Clare and I outside Temperate House (look at the size of this green house!)

Last weekend Clare, Patrick and I went on a boat trip down the Thames from Westminister to Kew Gardens. It was so lovely to be in wide open spaces and just relax for the day. We had a pub lunch and then wandered around the gardens, museums, and greenhouses (one was a subtropical climate and felt just like a good ol' humid Durban summer).