The Month of April

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 4^th 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.

But hey, at least I got a certificate! Chile loves giving out those certificates!

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 14^th 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 15^th 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.

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

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!

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!