Two More Days
I leave Victoria on the 4th of July. My crazy flight - purchased by my wonderful uncle on his Air Miles - goes like this:
Victoria --> Vancouver
Vancouver --> Chicago
Chicago --> Newark
Then I stay overnight in New York with my aunt. The next day (the 5th), I fly
Newark --> Frankfurt
Frankfurt --> Chennai (Madras)
Then I stay overnight in the Chennai airport - the flight gets in very late at night (on the 6th). In the morning (of the 7th), I get the first flight out:
Chennai --> Madurai
And at last, in Madurai I am (hopefully) picked up by a taxi sent by the school, which will take me on the winding, treacherous, nausea-inducing, dehydrating, absolutely-beautiful-but-I'll-be-too-exhausted-to-notice, three hour trip up the mountain to Kodaikanal. Where I will arrive, collapse in a heap at the doorstep of Jeanette (the human resources director, I met her in New York when I went to get my visa), and pass out for several hours. Or stay up, manic from jet lag and unable to sleep. Who knows! Adventures of almost 4 days of travel... Hurrah!
I weep for my circadian rhythms.
Currently I'm savoring the last few days at home in Victoria. A family friend who helped develop the Manitoba school curriculum met with me and gave me a huge stack of official art teacher materials, so I've got something to work from - you have no idea what a relief it is to have a big, authoritative binder of project ideas, child psychology, development guidelines, and so on. I didn't realize how little I knew about teaching art until she started to flip through those beautiful, beautiful books. I think I'm going to be learning far more than the kids are - kind of unfair, but can't be helped. KIS tries to integrate the curriculum across all subjects, so I'm looking forward enormously to sitting around with the other teachers and making up projects that tie in with what they're teaching. Hopefully I can bring in some biology stuff - perhaps even some zebras! - and take them on nature walks for inspiration. I'm sure I'll be going bonkers trying to take in all the new flora and fauna; ideally, I can get some of that enthusiasm to carry over to them!
My vaccinations are up to date. I have a year's supply of deodorant. I've transferred eight zillion cds to my ipod. I'm heartbroken that I don't have more time in Victoria... I'm not sure why I keep leaving, actually! (To go see fabulous places like southern India, of course - still, I'll miss Victoria a lot.)
My semester starts July 18th!
Victoria --> Vancouver
Vancouver --> Chicago
Chicago --> Newark
Then I stay overnight in New York with my aunt. The next day (the 5th), I fly
Newark --> Frankfurt
Frankfurt --> Chennai (Madras)
Then I stay overnight in the Chennai airport - the flight gets in very late at night (on the 6th). In the morning (of the 7th), I get the first flight out:
Chennai --> Madurai
And at last, in Madurai I am (hopefully) picked up by a taxi sent by the school, which will take me on the winding, treacherous, nausea-inducing, dehydrating, absolutely-beautiful-but-I'll-be-too-exhausted-to-notice, three hour trip up the mountain to Kodaikanal. Where I will arrive, collapse in a heap at the doorstep of Jeanette (the human resources director, I met her in New York when I went to get my visa), and pass out for several hours. Or stay up, manic from jet lag and unable to sleep. Who knows! Adventures of almost 4 days of travel... Hurrah!
I weep for my circadian rhythms.
Currently I'm savoring the last few days at home in Victoria. A family friend who helped develop the Manitoba school curriculum met with me and gave me a huge stack of official art teacher materials, so I've got something to work from - you have no idea what a relief it is to have a big, authoritative binder of project ideas, child psychology, development guidelines, and so on. I didn't realize how little I knew about teaching art until she started to flip through those beautiful, beautiful books. I think I'm going to be learning far more than the kids are - kind of unfair, but can't be helped. KIS tries to integrate the curriculum across all subjects, so I'm looking forward enormously to sitting around with the other teachers and making up projects that tie in with what they're teaching. Hopefully I can bring in some biology stuff - perhaps even some zebras! - and take them on nature walks for inspiration. I'm sure I'll be going bonkers trying to take in all the new flora and fauna; ideally, I can get some of that enthusiasm to carry over to them!
My vaccinations are up to date. I have a year's supply of deodorant. I've transferred eight zillion cds to my ipod. I'm heartbroken that I don't have more time in Victoria... I'm not sure why I keep leaving, actually! (To go see fabulous places like southern India, of course - still, I'll miss Victoria a lot.)
My semester starts July 18th!
posted by Jenn at
2:53 AM
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