Today I walked into Avonside Girls’ School for the first time. I was immediately surrounded by students and parents who were tying up their accounts, fitting uniforms, and (one might assume) eagerly anticipating the beginning of a new school year.
I found myself thinking about all the things that had to occur for this experience to unravel. Not only all the things that it took to complete the majority of a University degree, but also to find my feet on NZ soil, and more specifically to find myself sitting in a desk in the English department at Avonside Girls’ High School. “Good on ye” as any Kiwi would say.
It takes approximately 20 minutes for me to walk from my house to the school, and it is a lovely walk along the banks of the Avon River. Honestly, this country is bursting with unreal photo opportunities. The flowers are in bloom, and on my walk I get several opportunities to smell the aromatic lavender and hydrangea blooms, and the school has a magnificent magnolia tree that survived campus renovations.
I’ll be spending the weekend wrapping my mind around NCEA guidelines, levels, hierarchies, and a whole new staff directory. The English department has been very accommodating, and I will start my teaching life on Monday at my very own desk in the communal workroom, among a pleasant staff and resources abound.
I will have more to post about the school after next week rolls on, including my part in the Powhiri celebrations. Don’t worry – I’ve started planning another vocabulary posting!
Thanks for reading.
L.
4 comments:
Larissa,
Just beginning to read your entries. This entry from me will be a little brief but nonetheless, I'm sure it will put a smile on your face knowing that all your entries have not gone unnoticed. Things here in Lethbridge are fine, PSII is winding down already. Just a hint of snow on the ground. Today is Superbowl Sunday..I am curious to know if the land down under will carry any coverage at all about NFL football?
I'll send a longer message in a bit..gotta get some breakfast here for the twins.
David
Hi Riss
I'm sorry I haven't taken the time to read your blogs for awhile. I'm sure enjoying your experiences. I would have been so freaked if I had a room like you did in the Cook Islands -- experiences like that do make for good stories later.
The students at your school have no idea how lucky they are to have such a wonderful teacher. Good luck. I promise to keep checking your blog more often.
Love, Auntie Sue
Well, this blog is starting to inject a little envy into my day. Not the toddler-sized cockroaches, but definitely the location and daily life bits. Glad to know that everything is going so well! I'd almost consider abandoning my collection of 4th graders to wander around NZ - particularly on days that it dips to 20 below. Thanks for providing such vivid descriptions and anecdotes!!
I stumbled on a quote that I'm including just for kicks:
"There are four kinds of readers. The first is like the hourglass; and their reading being as the sand, it runs in and runs out, and leaves not a vestige behind. A second is like the sponge, which imbibes everything, and returns it in nearly the same state, only a little dirtier. A third is like a jelly bag, allowing all that is pure to pass away, and retaining only the refuse and dregs. And the fourth is like the slaves in the diamond mines of Golconda, who, casting aside all that is worthless, retain only pure gems."
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Hello Larissa,
I thought you had been slacking on keeping up with the entries but I should have known better. 4800 words! I'm in business, we don't do that kind of reading. For some, that may be fine but I am very busy pretending to be busy and therefore don't have time to plug through all these entries. I am disappointed that my suggestion of a section entitled "A Summary for Troy" is not featured anywhere on the blog. Good to hear things are going well and I most certainly feel sorry that your time in the Cooks was so brief and you know must return to what everyone else likes to call the "real world." I must go back to my pretending now. Take care.
Troy
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