I am sitting here at the half-way point of
my holidays, finally with time to be still and update my blog. As this blog
serves as both an informant to the people at home it also serves as a memory
bank for me. The aim is to reflect on my transition here in Chile using the
information of how it was in the moment, and not the memory through the
distorted glasses of hindsight. This inevitably means writing super-long
entries with several topics within each one.
School Cross Country
After the 4th week of school,
our school had their annual Cross Country event held on a Saturday (of all
days). I had to wake up early and get a lift with a colleague to the middle of
nowhere where the school community gathered for their races.
The younger children started racing from
8:30 in the morning. The excitement was evident in the faces of the children as
they nervously approached the starting line. When the starter’s gun went off,
two sports prefects ran ahead of the students showing them the path to run, not
unlike a stuffed rabbit for the greyhounds. As children crossed the finish
lines the teachers congratulated them with a medal and they made their way back
to their families. Each race was over in the space of 10 minutes!
After a few more races we made the journey
back home and I prepared to enjoy the 1.5 days left in the weekend.
The Foot Saga
The following day on Sunday I started to see
some swelling in my right ankle, and by Monday it couldn’t be walked upon. The
school noticing the pain I was in sent me to the infirmary who promptly
recommended sending me to the Emergency Room on the School’s insurance. The
Doctor observed a sprained ankle and suspected tendinitis. An exam was scheduled
for the Thursday, and a follow-up appointment for the following Tuesday. I was
sent home with an 8 day medical licence meaning I had a week off work.
The scans showed some fluid around my Achilles
tendon but nothing torn and broken, so I was cleared to go to work after my
week of bed rest. I arrived to school in a sea of hugs from my students, who
barely left my side during my first day back. I then heard from parents that
the children had rumoured it to be a broken foot and other more serious
conditions. It was heart-warming to hear that the children and parents care for
my well-being after a short time with them.
A Second Saturday of School Work
Returning to school on a Tuesday from my
Medical licence did not ensure a 4 day week. That Saturday I attended a
full-day Educational Conference listed with some entertaining, and some
not-so-entertaining Guest Speakers from the US and the UK. I had the pleasure
of meeting a new friend, and spending the day with Mae who I knew from our many
Pizza Evenings. I’ll let you guess what kind of mood we were in with one
impeccably bad Speaker from the photo below.
Easter
Easter was spent as a quiet day at home.
Rubén organised my first-ever Easter Egg hunt in the apartment. He hid 5 eggs
in the house and I got to look everywhere for them while he just watched on
smiling at my incompetence. After finding my 5 eggs, we celebrated by eating
the other 45 that came in the packet! Isn’t that the best part of being an
adult?
The Dreaded Cold
For about a week after returning to work, I
caught a chest infection courtesy of the other teacher I share my classroom
with. Cough, light-headedness, bad mood – bring it on! It was an excellent
opportunity to buy some winter slippers. Please welcome to the family Cows2.0!
One weekend I had NO voice, much to Rubén’s
delight. However, being the loving husband that he is, he took care of me and
cooked me lunch on the weekend. How can seeing something like this not bring a
smile to you face?
My Second and Third Birthday of 2015
On the 14th April, 2015, the
teachers at my school celebrated my birthday with a surprise cake, card and
song. I had to laugh at the absurdness of celebrating two months after my real
birthday, but it was very sweet. I received this handy travel cup which was
used three times daily as my cold became worse!
On the 15th April, 2015, the
students of my class celebrated my birthday with a *not-so-surprising* cake and
song. The parents also chipped in and bought me this oversized handbag. It was
funny arriving at school in the morning and have kids tell me all day they have
something special for me, others telling them to be quiet, students walking
sideways around the building with things behind their backs! I definitely feel
very welcomed and accepted as a part of the community at the school
What My Students Think of Me
Every Friday I write a class newsletter
informing the parents of the week that has passed. This involves informing of
upcoming dates and appointments, writing blurbs and anecdotes of the week,
taking photos of the students and cropping them into a reasonable sized
document. On Friday afternoon, whilst the students have Structured Play, I
finalise the newsletter and send it off to all of the parents. One student used
her time to draw me and a not so subtle message to come and play!
The students often use me as their muse in
their artwork. When given the choice to make a puppet, there were three “Miss
Staceys” and one “Miss Stacey in a Bikini”. Drawing time often results in
various orange-haired figures being depicted and little love notes often come
my way.
Apartment News
I am pleased to announce that our apartment
is a hole. Literally, it’s a big massive hole in the ground. But it’s exciting
to know they are building the foundations for our new place. Rubén and I picked
up the promesa for our building
during the past month. That means that we promise to buy the place when it’s
built, and they promise to sell it to us. It’s wonderful to have that is
writing considering we’ve already paid 5% of the future property value and have
handed over cheques for a further 15%!
My Niece’s Chilean Doppelganger
Each week, Rubén and I go grocery shopping
and see this three-metre high advertisement of clothing. We constantly comment
how it looks like our niece, but we never really realised how right we are
until showing the image to her Mum who sent this one back in return!
Book Week
Our School went all out for Book Week! The
theme for the week was Witches and Wizards. Parents constructed massive
displays from popular stories, Parents and Grandparents came in to read to us, parents
organised recess activities with the kids each day, two professional theatre
companies came to the school and performed plays, we shared stories with upper and
lower grades, a band performed and dancers danced, there was a costume parade
and even a magician!
On Monday we all wore our pyjamas to school, as the best time to read a bed-time story is in your PJs! My Cow slippers made their public debut that day. On Friday, we all dressed up as our favourite book character or something mystical and magical. All of the Year 1 teachers dressed up as black cats.
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| Someone couldn't let me be the only pretty one :) |
Gringa Catch-ups
I've also continued with the Pizza nights, and celebrated a birthday with one of our Gringa friends :) I'll have to make sure we take photos next time to give it pride of place in these blogs!
TV and Internet
I've also continued with the Pizza nights, and celebrated a birthday with one of our Gringa friends :) I'll have to make sure we take photos next time to give it pride of place in these blogs!
TV and Internet
For the past two months, we’ve been
receiving intermittent internet, and spending a lot of time complaining about
it. Rubén, fed up, decided to cancel the contract with our supplier this
leaving us with no TV, Phone or Internet. The rival company came to install a
package, though upon arrival realised that he provide a service to us. This has
left us without TV or Internet. No news yet on to what the step forward will
be. The timing couldn’t have been worse as service was suspended on the first
day of my break – the perfect opportunity to research and get everything done.
Air Quality
As I settle in for the holidays, I have
thought about going for a nice walk to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. But
unfortunately this does not exist at the moment. This is the view of the city
at the moment – and we’ve been assured it is NOT affected by the recent volcanic
explosion in the south. The meteorologists call it ‘fog’ and ‘haze’ – I call it
ew! Please bring on the rain soon!
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| Thanks Mae :p |
Holiday Craft
Yesterday I enjoyed my first day of
holidays getting back to basics. Feeling like a new teacher, I spent my day
drawing and colouring a variety of displays for my upcoming ‘Splash’ unit next
week. There is something therapeutic about colouring and something very
satisfying about making your own displays vs. printing something off!
Visiting the Dermatologist
Today I headed down to the clinic to get a
wart removed from my finger.
In Australia it is a simple process:
1. 1. Go to General Practitioner and
show problem.
2. 2. Doctor sprays it with liquid
nitrogen.
3. 3. Patient goes home happy paying
little to nothing.
In Chile, it is slightly more complicated.
1. 1. Make an appointment with a
Dermatologist at a private hospital.
2. 2. Pay the Dermatologist the
balance between what your health insurance will cover and the fees the doctor
charges. Patient keeps receipt to receive a further reimbursement of 60% from
employer’s insurance at a later date.
3. 3. Visit Doctor and show problem.
4. 4. Doctor sends you away to go and
buy a bond for the procedure.
5. 5. Walk to nearest Health
Insurance counter and buy the bond. Pay the balance between what the health
insurance will cover and what the procedure costs.
6. 6. Return to Doctors office and
pay to visit the doctor again.
7. 7. Doctor Sprays with liquid
nitrogen
8. 8. Doctor signs a form so patient
can claim a part of all the parts paid with her employer’s insurance.
9. 9. Patient goes home annoyed at
having to pay three separate fees in the space of 1 hour and confused how much
money will actually be reimbursed by her employer.
Catch-up with my Deputy Head
Isn't it nice when your Deputy Head invites you out for coffee for the morning? We did just that yesterday. We ordered a tea, cold juice and a pastry. Only downside was, when it came time to pay, she realised her wallet had been stolen whilst in the coffee shop! Grrr.... gotta watch your valuables in Chile!
Picnic
I also visited Rubén at work yesterday and we had a lovely picnic in the park during his lunch break. Awwww.
The End
I have finally reached the end of this
blog. Let me assure you that typing it with 9 fingers has been a laborious task.
Have a wonderful month of May everyone!
