When will it end????

Officially one week that I've been sick and there's no end in sight. I went through the sore throat stage, the runny nose stage, the dry coughing stage and now I'm back to the runny nose and sore throat stage again! What is going on? Somebody please tell me! Have I started a new cold or is the other one ending?
Also the kids are getting sick with the 'gastro' which makes you vomit and have diarrhea at the same time so I am REALLY hoping not to catch that....AND there's a big poster up on the front door at our school explaining how to treat head lice. I have no comments about that one!
Well gotta run to class....poor kids....I hope I get better soon before they ALL hate me.

We're the best tour guides in Paris

I survived a week at the school with a horrible cold. I must admit that I was quite mean to the kids but they kind of deserved it too cause they weren't overly productive last week (maybe that's because I've only worked in highschools and with adults so perhaps I over-estimate the children's abilities).
Anyway Dana and Romas were here on Saturday. I was SO happy to see them. We picked them up at the airport and went directly to our place. Then we walked to the Sacre Coeur and from there we took the metro to the Eiffel Tower. We had lunch near the Eiffel Tower and then took the metro to the place Concorde. We walked up the Champs Elysees and ended by the Arc de Triomphe. Then we went back to our place and got their stuff and drove them back to the airport. I think we completely tired them out. Already they hadn't slept for hours upon hours and with all the walking we did they must have slept the whole way to Greece (if they made the flight....I was afraid that they'd fall asleep while waiting!). It was fun to show them around and to have family here. They brought me May Wests and all sorts of Reese's products....yummy yummy!
Well I guess I should get ready for work. I've slept maybe 3 hours because I coughed all through the night! The poor students are going to hate me soon! It's the last parents night tonight and then I don't have to do this ever again...Thank the Lord!
P.S. Katie might be coming to visit during the Christmas holiday! YAY!!!

I love when family and friends come to visit

I survived a week at the school with a horrible cold. I must admit that I was quite mean to the kids but they kind of deserved it too cause they weren't overly productive last week (maybe that's because I've only worked in highschools and with adults so perhaps I over-estimate the children's abilities).
Anyway Dana and Romas were here on Saturday. I was SO happy to see them. We picked them up at the airport and went directly to our place. Then we walked to the Sacre Coeur and from there we took the metro to the Eiffel Tower. We had lunch near the Eiffel Tower and then took the metro to the place Concorde. We walked up the Champs Elysees and ended by the Arc de Triomphe. Then we went back to our place and got their stuff and drove them back to the airport. I think we completely tired them out. Already they hadn't slept for hours upon hours and with all the walking we did they must have slept the whole way to Greece (if they made the flight....I was afraid that they'd fall asleep while waiting!). It was fun to show them around and to have family here. They brought me May Wests and all sorts of Reese's products....yummy yummy!
Well I guess I should get ready for work. I've slept maybe 3 hours because I coughed all through the night! The poor students are going to hate me soon! It's the last parents night tonight and then I don't have to do this ever again...Thank the Lord!
P.S. Katie might be coming to visit for Christmas! YAY!

Phobia: A persistent, abnormal, and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it

Did you ever notice that when things are going well and you're all settled in your new school they decide to throw a parents night at you....and then another one the next week....and another one the week after?
Last week I had my first parents night in Paris for my grade 5 class. Here's the thing, I have one phobia in life (just one) and it's public speaking. I don't know when it started but I developed it somewhere between the end of highschool and the beginning of university (you might remember that I once excelled in 'speeches' that we had to do in elementary school and even made it to the gym). It's actually been said that some people would rather die than have to make a presentation, well, I considered slitting my wrists but I didn't want this to be the end of me. Anyway long story short, they decided to throw 30 parents at me at once to explain my program for the year. Problem one: the phobia, problem two: I don't know what I am doing for the year! So, the parents attacked me with questions and I had to bullshit my way out of it. I survived! I had another one last night for the grade 3 class and it actually went better than the first one. Now my last one is next week and it's for the grade 4 class and it has to be in French seeing as they are a low level class (so I guess they figure the parents are dumb too!).
Anyway as Elyse would say parents night is my 'big beef' of the YEAR!
Gotta run....

Monday = Dictation Day ....my favourite!

I survived my first week of teaching and one parents night so far (I have two left over the next two weeks). Things seem to be going well. I am confused cause we don't have a library or a gym so I don't know how the kids get exercise or how they do projects...I guess I will figure that out soon enough. Of course like every year you'll have the good ones and the bad ones. My grade 3s and grade 5s are very fun but my grade 4s are little pains in the bums (I think because there are 14 boys and 3 girls in that class so it's difficult to split up the talking boys).
Other than that, I've mailed in my papers to the ministry and now I just have to wait and see if they give me a permit. If not...well I don't know what will happen.
Dana and Romas are going to be in Paris on Saturday (stop over on their way to Greece) so I get to see some family...YAY!
That's it for now....gotta go lesson plan!

Let's Rock'n'Roll

Thanks for all the Birthday cards/emails and presents everyone! I appreciate the effort and the thought.
I started my new job on Friday (without papers...shhh!) and it seems like it could be a good job. This year I am teaching at a private international elementary school (yes, they wear uniforms!). I will be teaching grades 3-5 so working with way younger kids than I am use to...should be fun! I get to give stickers and decorate three classrooms....yay! Right up my alley! The kids arrive tomorrow and I am excited. Am I the only one who loves back to school time? It's the most wonderful time of the year (referring to 'Office Depot' commercial). Anyway, I'll keep you all posted on the paper situation. Everything should be settled by October.
Other news, the little one went off to University this weekend. (Ema, even though we are already living far apart, I miss you more! Have fun at Carleton!).
So, that means that my parents are all alone now in Sarnia (please visit if you are in the area, they would probably appreciate the company!)
Well that's all I got for now.