Yes, it's been ages since I've updated. My mom was here for two weeks, and the second of those two weeks was our half-term break.

Things are going ok. I keep finding little things about the British system and curriculum that just make me scratch my head and go, huh? But the kids are pretty awesome, and I'm having a ball when I'm working with them. I've had mostly success with everything I'm doing. I need to work a bit in one area, making my lesson a bit more structured. But I think I'm getting through to that group well. :D

One thing I'm really proud of is a lesson I did. My lesson, entirely. But my cooperating teacher was being observed, because it's his first year here. We were doing my lesson that week, but since the secondary head was coming in specifically to see him, he had to do the teaching that day. That day rolls around, and Kraig's sick. Voice is almost gone, fever, sweating, the works. But he still had to teach it, though I ended up doing more than we had originally intended. Not the ideal situation at all. But he got a really good review- as did the lesson in general. And he wrote some good comments for me in there as well. I'm pleased!

I got the new Battlestar CD- LOVE LOVE LOVE. Peeved about this April thing- I'd really like to know what is going on in the brains of The Powers That Be over at SciFi and NBC Universal. A 14-month hiatus? Are they high, or insane or something?

I somehow have to go to Laos or Singapore or someplace NOT Cambodia this weekend. I really dislike that part of my experience here.

Tonight's goals-
1. Make midi files of the accompaniments for choir things
2. Write, or at least start, my unit plan for the 11s- musical theatre.
3. Watch Heroes!
4. Finish paperwork. I hate paperwork.
5. Write a more comprehensive update for this thing!

I'm sorry I'm such a horrible communicator. I'd give my spleen for decent internet access- getting a better signal here, or getting internet at my apartment AT ALL. It's just not time or cost effective to call people, or write emails to everyone I want to write to. And it's driving me INSANE, because I do like communicating with my friends and family, ya know.

*dances, sings*

Oh, I had a generally lovely day!!!

I gave a lovely guitar lesson this morning with my new guitar. My student is not as advanced as I thought she was- I think her previous teacher didn't know what they were doing- but she's an awesome girl and I'm excited to see what we can accomplish. I need to get a beginner guitar book, and fast . . . . but that will be all good.

I then gave a double clarinet lesson to two boys. One had a lesson last week, and the other was just starting today. I miss my clarinet, but it's not logical for my mom to bring it here- it's big and there are other things I'm making her bring me! I got really good sounds out of both of them, and we got to playing and I think they're getting it. They're having a bit of issues with reading the notes, but not too bad.

Again, I do not understand AT ALL the logic in NOT teaching students elementary note reading. They don't have to learn how to read something nasty with 32nd notes and chords, but they need to know the notes on the staff, and what a quarter note is, and what an eighth note is. Whoops, sorry, a minim and a quaver.

Choir was lovely, I'm doing Once Upon A December with them- I may not be in Ripon, but the spirit of the Choraliers is alive and well here! And the girls really like the song, so hooray. And they're getting the harmony!! We got through the entire song today- it took them two days. It's still a long way off from being performance ready, but they're doing great.

I'm also happy because my weekend just got a lot easier. I have to get another visa soon, as mine expires on the 12th. I don't want to miss school again to do it, so that leaves the weekend. I thought I could only go on Saturday. One of the ESL teachers here, her birthday was the other day, and she's having a party on Saturday night. Going to Cambodia all day on a bus, and then going to a party was not my idea of fun. But I can go on Sunday now, so that's perfect! The party has a masquerade theme, so I'm going to do a little shopping. It's hard to come up with a costume without A. the Goodwill and B. my closet. :D

Girls want voice lessons. Hooray- I'm more than happy to give them! I'm really really enjoying the year 13s, and the boarding students in my choir. Some of the younger ones are really awesome as well.

I need to email my mother- and tell her to bring more of my music books! They don't have much here, and I need SOMETHING to have them sing if they're doing voice lessons.

Dinner is calling to me . . . .

I have Heroes to watch tonight, and episode 3 of Sarah Jane . . . it's almost the weekend . . . the kids aren't looking at me like I have two heads anymore . . . well, at least not most of the time. :D Life is good.

*facepalms*

We've been doing elementary notespelling and such with the KS3 kids for the last month. Since school has started.

I gave them a quiz today- note naming "what is this note" and rhythms "how many beats does this note get'. Simple.

I had no less than 5 kids answer a "what is this note" question with 'H'. H! I kid you not!

I'd like to know how one plays an H on a piano. I think you have to be inside the piano with the strings, perhaps. Or maybe in the Twilight Zone. :D

More pictures!

Here's a set of pictures from my Visa run last month, and then from Saturday's adventure to the Grand Palace.

Friday night we went to the Esplanade, and had sushi buffet. YUM! And then we saw Resident Evil, which was of course full of blood and gore. And not enough Oded Fehr. But good, for a movie based on a shoot-em-up video game.

Saturday night I went to the cultural centre and saw Swan Lake, the Portugese national ballet. It was lovely. The last time I saw Swan Lake, I was IN it. My dance school did it when I was 12- a much more dumbed-down version, of course, but the choreography was basically the same. I got a 600 baht seat, and the program was 150 baht- which I probably didn't need but alas. Nosebleed seats, but still good. :D

Sunday I went on an expedition to Siam. I bought a guitar, so I can now give guitar lessons! It's a lovely guitar, and it sounds good. It was 4400 baht, around $128, and the case was 1500 baht, around 40-something. Expensive case! But it's a hard case, which will come in handy when I have to ship it home! I asked my mom how much we paid for my guitar in 4th grade, and she said around $300. Eek! :D Coming home on the train with a huge guitar case strapped to my back was FUN. :S

Also on the ground floor of Siam Paragon is a gourmet grocery store. I found baking powder, which is impossible to find anywhere else. Baking soda, sure. Not baking powder. There was a lot of food there I was dying to eat- real cheese, for instance. But expensive- I don't need it. Also vanilla. I can cook more things now. I was going to bake cupcakes for this apparent bake sale tomorrow . . . but there's no oven. ANYWHERE. I had heard there was one here at school, but Lea checked and apparently not. It makes me sad that I bought the self-rising flour for NOTHING. Oh well, I'll put it in my pancakes, and maybe it will make them fluffier or something. :D

It's gonna rain soon . . .

First day in primary. There's a reason I don't want to teach primary music. I love little kids, really I do, but I don't think I could teach a lot of them day in and day out. Give me small groups, sure. And this one bunch, it was like they'd regressed into monkeys. They couldn't sit still for 30 seconds.

I'm gonna go write a few emails. And then walk home and make dinner!

Hey Uncle Pat- leave me a message with your email- I can't find it, and I want to write you back sometimes!

And Dad? Way to call me this weekend.