Saturday, March 9, 2019

Two months in....

So.... two months in! In some ways it feels like years, and in others, just days. So after two months, what is life like?

In terms of work, it's been very interesting. I've visited 16 local schools (some private, some faith, some state) to drop off my CV, as well as using the Catholic team's app and the state relief line. I've now done 4 days' supply (teaching everything from English to History to Snorkelling - I kid you not, thankfully it was theory!!) in two state schools and I have found it fascinating. Here are some of the differences in learning I've spotted so far:

- Students are expected to have their own pens, pencils, scissors, exercise books; school does not supply any of this.
- Students are expected to have their own electronic device (tablet, laptop mobile) in order to access the curriculum
- Much of the curriculum is electronic on MyLearning or ELearn; I have seen only a couple of textbooks in all of the rooms I've worked in
- Teachers mark work electronically and send it back to students for corrections
- Lessons are 70 mins long, with a longer morning break (40 mins) and a shorter lunch hour (30 mins)
- Playground duty is HOT!!! And you need a hat and sunglasses
- Calls from school admin start at around 6:30am, so you need to be awake!!
- Most floor surfaces are concrete which means your shoes aren't absorbing the shock, so your feet will hurt way more than normal!
- Every room has a fan or an air con or both - find the way to switch them on quickly as you walk into the room!
- You walk much slower, to conserve energy and reduce sweating!
- Early start to the day (8:30am) means an early finish (2:30pm)
-Sites are really open (no fences) and so "lockdown" procedures are vital
- Because all doors are open (to create a draught) there is no shouting, it's all quiet voices
- There are lots of Teacher Aides (like teaching assistants)
- Salaries are paid every 2 weeks ... so no great big gap between payments into your bank

One of my relief schools has offered me a 3 week contract doing English and Humanities for Year 8, so I'll be doing that for the last 3 weeks of term. Yay! And I'll get to plan and deliver lessons, assess work, use the school's reporting system - fabulous. I'm also applying for maternity covers and other short contracts, so that I get more experience of the QLD system. All good for me continuing to work in the classroom.

On my non-working days, I'm walking to the gym (new one, 24 mins' walk from home), doing a pilates or yoga class or the exercises the personal trainer lady has set me for my triceps, then walking back. I try and do this early because if I leave it to lunch time or later, it's super hot. I'm also beetling into Caloundra to the library - I've got a favourite parking spot and then a little walk. And of course visiting the beach, the walks and just revelling in the climate.

It's great having family nearby too - having dinner, going for a walk/swim, borrowing an iron - all great for me! And being able to do things for them is also great, like giving a lift somewhere. I like being useful!

So in the last month, I've been.....

... receiving birthday cards and gifts and texts, thank you everyone! ... at a retirement planning seminar held by the library - really interesting, as I knew nothing about superannuation and what to do with it, when, etc.
... to the cinema in Caloundra, which is air conditioned, yay - saw "The Mule" (terrible, don't make any more Clint please) and "Green Book" (brilliant, glad it won at Oscar time)
... taking part in the Clean Up Australia Day with the BELLS group near me
... for coffee after the clean up!
... to Pilates and Yoga at least twice a week at my new gym near me and made friends in my classes
.... researching giving blood here, as I've done 50 donations in the UK - would you believe it, that as I've lived in the UK between 1980 and 1996, I'm not allowed to give blood here as I might have mad cow disease?!!
... watching the weather to see where Cyclone Oma went - thankfully veered away from our coastline
... visiting the laundromat twice a week ($6 per time) as my washing machine is still on the ship.. I was in charge of closing the windows last week, I'm so trustworthy!
... contacting the removal people to see where my ship is!! It got caught up in the Cyclone and had to sail to Sydney not Bris. Now my belongings are being examined by the Customs crew and the Quarantine crew. I have no idea when they'll get to me!  Everything was packed up on 2 Jan.... it will be nearly 3 months when I unpack stuff!!
... using Ebay AU and Amazon AU... :)
... registering for the Lott (like the lottery) online
... ordering wine online (thank you son and daughter-in-law for birthday vouchers)
... learning how to use my own Esky (thank you cousins for birthday gift)
... face-timing the TAG group on Friday night for me (afternoon for them) to hear about progress etc
... using my Fitbit to check on steps and sleep (thank you daughter and son-in-law for birthday gift)
.. acclimatising slowly - not having the fan on all night!
... paying bills - $48 for a month's electricity, even with the aircon on.. great to have solar power here!
... made contact with former primary school schoolmates
... sent and returned my bowel cancer kit
... received my "you have to vote" letter from the Electoral Commission - it's compulsory to vote here, which I think is excellent
... getting loyalty cards for all the shops I go into like Dan Murphy's, Woolworths, IGA


So overall, I'm thinking that's a pretty successful two months. I can't wait to see what happens next!