Adventures Teaching Down Under

Officially Down Under!!

I'm here! I made it safely after a long interesting trip. I've been quite busy with teaching and adjusting but I couldn't be happier with my placement or host "family." I'm living with two women about my age. The principal and a first year teacher at the school, so it's more of a roommate situation. I haven't come across a person in Australia that hasn't been bright eyed and bushy tailed...which is a real change. I'd like to know how they stay that way. Maybe it's the weather.
The area I'm staying is beautiful. It's about an hour drive from Sydney and and is in the rolling hills of the Southern Highlands. It's their autumn right now but it's still plenty warm. It feels like this week has been dragging on a little bit surprisingly, but I'm sure it'll start flying by soon. I'm trying to soak up every bit of it. The kids are adorable and

Differences....

The school is set up a lot different than back at home. It's an open plan with each classroom separate. There aren't lockers but instead the kids hang all their things on hooks outside the door. Their is a central courtyard where the kids eat lunch and run around during breaks...which they have a lot more frequently. There isn't a cafeteria. If it rains they go under the awning to eat. Students don't really walk in lines because they don't really need to. If the kids need to use the "toilet" they grab a friend and go. Things aren't made into rules and written on the walls like back at home, which is kind of refreshing. It's rarely quiet and there's a definite laid back environment...stereotypical as it sounds. The kids love school. They're engaged most of the time...although sometimes I have a hard time managing them because it gets extremely loud with everything that happens. There are oftentimes multiples adults in the room leading small groups and it gets challenging. I'll keep this short so I don't bore the people who aren't all teachers reading this!

Also...my first grocery store experience was fun. Walking on the wrong side of the aisles...getting in the wrong side of the car for the 10th time by now. I don't think I'll ever break that habit. Knowing how many kilograms to buy...that's a hard one. I knew the grocery prices would be bad but I had no idea they'd be three of four times as expensive. For example...a 24 pack of cans of diet coke were on sale for $25. And that was a good deal. Diet Coke addiction officially broken. Teresa will appreciate that! :(

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