Many Things

HI!

I will start my entry off with a minor apology. I'm a bit overtired because I woke up at 5AM to watch the Men's Finals of the US Open (YAY, the US Open made me SOOO happy this year) which you probably don't want me to babble about (I shall try not to, but YAY). This entry will probably have a lot of babble anyway because I'm tired, but I can't sleep until my laundry is done, such is life (and it wasn't even worth it really to get up because the US Open Live wouldn't stream here and because of the rain delay it wasn't anywhere else, so I was stuck listening to the radio. So sad, I wanted to see the beautiful backhands that both of my boys were hitting MAJOR winners with).

Anyway. Sadly, Lori and Petra have left us to go on their next big adventure. I know that they will have fun, but I miss them. I didn't get as close to them as Hannah did, but that's to be expected. The only two up sides to them leaving are that I now have my own apartment and am unpacked, settled in and finally calmer. AND Britton is back too, and I missed him so that's awesome :) (I totally had to say that because he read this :P just kidding, hehe). Anyway, a huge plus with Britton here, he got my Grade 7s, I DON'T HAVE GRADE 7S ANYMORE! YES! I mean, I am happy I no longer have to deal with the two classes that gave me the most stress. Now I only have one really bad class, and I think I scared them enough today (-10 pts for Korean, -5 pts for speaking at all without being called on) that they will be a little better.

I am ridiculously happy to have my own apartment and no longer be living out of my suitcase. I am completely unpacked, decorated (there are ducks EVERYWHERE) and if you are interested I will either post pictures here later (if you ask) or you can check out my facebook page where the four pictures are. I am absolutely in love with almost everything about the apartment for the sole fact that it is awesome, and it is mine. The only thing I have a problem with are the knives, but Britton will come fix them tomorrow (they are sad).

In more school news, because last week was Rosh Hashanah, I did a New Years unit with my Grade 6 and 7 last week (then Britton save the Grade 7 class from the King Arthur unit I had planned, because really? They didn't know who King Arthur was? Blasphemy!). The Grade 6s loved it, the Grade 7 girls were interested, the boys should be wacked repeatedly with a notebook so they stop sleeping in my class (seriously, two of them fell asleep). This week I was going to do the unit with the other Grade 7, but Britton has them, so YAY. My Grade 6s are learning about the founding of Rome (don't judge me!) and my Grade 5 class, because the next book for them was sold out, is doing an inpromptu lesson on the Greek Gods. However, the class is so out of control all we've gone over is who the 14 Olympians are (I count Hades and Hestia, not everyone does) and the myth of Hades and Persephone. I was going to do birth myths, but decided not to (didn't want to get into Dionysus and Athena). Anyway, out of a class of 19, only 7 did their homework today, so I lost my temper and scared them (see above about taking points). Other than that class, I love my classes. This weeks Grade 6, and the other Grade 5 are a bit rambunctious but they are cool kids. I'm starting to hit my stride teaching I think.

Because I don't have the Grade 7s I have an extra Recording period. I like recording by myself. It's fun with someone else, but by myself is a bit more fun. I don't know why. Maybe I just really love talking to myself. Maybe I'm crazy. Hm.

In other news, Hannah and I are also students! We had our first Korean class today. There were three other foreign teachers there (I think all three were from CA) and one older woman who was French, but lived in Australia for a number of years (and that's where her husband is from) so she had an Aussie accent. She's here because her husband is here (teaching?). Anyway. The teacher we had today is apparently not our teacher, she was filling in because our teacher was busy. However, she was Lori and Sandy's teacher! This made me (and maybe Hannah too?) nervous because both are very smart and good at languages, and I'm only half one and it's not the language one. I spent a lot of the class trying very hard not to parallel things with Japanese and any other language I know. Which was kinda hard. But, I really really want to learn this language so I shall persevere! I will probably complain a lot about how Hannah is better then me at it, I am not good with modern languages, give me a dead language any day. The Korean alphabet seems like something I can pick up though, so that's good.

Speaking of dead languages, I have been in contact with UMass Amherst about the Masters in Teaching Latin program I want to get into. So far, sounds good. And the prof that I was e-mailing seemed to think I'd be very good for the program, so happy thoughts!

I can't think of anything else to say that doesn't relate to tennis (YAY NADAL) so I shall end my entry here. I think I wanted to say more about Korean class, but the thought has now passed out of my brain.

L'Shana Tova
~Lyn~