Chapter 10: The Good Life
Trip Start
Feb 11, 2007
1
10
12
Trip End
Jan 18, 2008
Auckland, New Zealand
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
In other news, I am teaching Elementary students all day and I think my IQ is dropping. I hardly ever use words with more than three syllables any more and I speak really slowly and like I'm super excited all the time! My parents are a bit offended (they're still in their 40s) and I have alphabet letters dancing in my head. Last week in my morning class, we spent three days on the apostrophe alone.
In the afternoon I teach teenagers, Koreans with very little English and even less motivation. We went outside to play touch rugby last week and although, confirming my suspicions, the passing-backwards rule was way above the limited thought capability of the seventeen year old Korean girl, so, in fact, was the whole concept of participating in a game involving a ball. When she received the ball (both times) she would immediately scream and throw it towards the nearest living thing, which could be a person from either team, a seagull or a passing dog. Forget the direction, this girl's capabilities were limited to the Korean language and the act of breathing in and out. The concept of the existance of other countries also eluded her. The term 'continent' was not understood in either English or Korean, and I'm not sure the French would approve of their country's name being used to describe the whole of Africa. Anyway, it's amusing, perhaps not for her but definitely for the passers-by who get to be entertained by the looks on my face.
I'm getting very excited to go on my trip! Andy and I are corresponding regularly about where we're going and how we're going to do everything. The main thing for me is not to run out of money immediately. I offered to sand and paint my Grandad's whole house over the Christmas break, which may come to nothing but at least I have options. Speaking of my Grandad, I've been living here with him for awhile now, my aunty went overseas so we were chillin' out here, and now even though she's back, I haven't been bothered to move out. I like it here, it's not my house, I can have privacy and it's local to everything. (I live in the wop wops.) Anyway, there have been many amusing incidents, one of which involved a batch of pancakes, a tortilla, a microwave and a lot of maple syrup, and several others I hesitate to relate at this present time. HOWEVER, there are several amusing things that still happen, for example, I came home this afternoon, talked to him for about an hour, went downstairs and when visitors turned up and I shouted something, he called "Oh! You're home Beck! When did you get home!?" Ah the joyous occasions of my day to day life.
Tonight I'm teaching Palm, who I teach twice a week. He cracks me up, and I have to be grateful for him, he's always consistent. I got two more jobs as referrals from his Mum, so I'm supposed to teach two girls down the road from him once a week, but this week I was doing my presentation at Uni, and couldn't get back from the city in time. Quite sad as I missed out on quite a lot of money from having work off today.
Anyway, I'm thinking about doing the Tongariro Crossing in a few weeks, even though it's expensive ($250) I think it's a good experience and something good for me. I started yoga last week, HOT yoga, it's fantastic and although you want to die when you're in there, everytime I come out I want to go again next time. I'm going three times a week, MWF. Bikram Yoga, Pirana rd, Wairau, Auckland if you're interested! I have to stop eating chocolate...
Hope you guys write some comments, cheers
Becky
