...working hard for the money...

...Thursday and Friday saw my fellow Teaching & Learning advisors and I lead our first workshop.  This one was for Trainee teachers and it was a huge success with positive feedback allround.  It was on Lesson Planning, something experienced teachers don't tend to do anymore, but being newbies they need the foundations from which to be able to adlib and fly off the cuff.  I really enjoyed teaching adults. 

And in other news... I managed to husk my first coconut over the weekend!  We bought a cane knife and I took to one of the many coconuts lying around our property.  It wasn't pretty but we got the juice and the flesh so that's all that counts.  I wasn't helped by Janine offering support by saying "The man on the tv does it with his teeth!"  I didn't think of it at the time but I should have said "Yeah, but I'm sure he had to start somewhere!"  What I did keep saying was "We need to sharpen this knife"  There was much chest thumping and muscle flexing afterwards as I brought my family the fruits of my toil - Ah the great provider! 

There wasn't much chest thumping however as I tried to get a wayward geckho off our bed Sunday morning.  I managed to send it scurrying into my pillow case so I held it daintily with fore finger and thumb and took it outside where I carefully removed the pillow and shook it out onto the lawn.  One day I'm going to brave enough to have one on me...but not just yet!  For now they still give me the shivers!  And last night was spent trying to chase a big moth out of the bedroom with Janine.  God only knows what crawls over us during the night because I certainly sleep on top of the covers because of the heat.  Best not to think of that I guess.

We had a filter put on our water inlet to the house, which is nice, but I'm having to go out and clean it every few days after a heavy rain as it gets clogged.  And when it clogs the water pressure drops to nil.  Twice now I've had to go outside mid shower in my towel and flush out the filter so I can finish my shower.  All part of the experience!

Had a great get together with all the recent expat arrivals on Saturday on the beach.  A very good time had by all.  The kids are loving the water and both show no fear of leaping in head first.  We need to be very vigilant!  Sunday was also spent at the beach as it was a suprisingly fine weekend.  I'm training for a mini triathalon on the 26th Feb so have enjoyed getting the swimming in.  Trying to convince Janine to join us.

Janine and I hired a babysitter on Friday night and went out for a lovely meal to the Kikau Hut.  Really nice setting and beautiful dinner.  We had raw fish and Baked cambert for starters and kebabs and a curry for mains.  Despite one of Janine's kebabs being raw it was still a most pleasent, relaxing evening!  We were both discussing how we thought we recognised the waitress.  Turns out she is also the office administrator at Nukutere College - Josh's school.  It is not uncommon for people, especially teachers to have several jobs.  The cost of living is slightly higher than NZ but salaries are much lower.  Our babysitter seemingly didn't want to leave when we arrived home so we had to make some subtle hints!  Josh advised us that she went around the house taking pictures!  Her explanation was that as a relative of the landlord she was admiring the work they had done to the place!  Wierd. 

The TV adds here are hilarious - real home jobs!  TV is the equivalent of a local news paper back in NZ with seemingly any Tom, Dick, or Harry able to put anything on.  So we get adds for their equivalent of our 4 squares, unvailings of someones headstone, what seems like a private car sale etc.  And the spelling is often incorrect - very funny!  Sugar Bowels!  Dinning Sets...  All good fun.

As the TV One news is the only TV program we watch, apart from sport, we have taken to watching the Breaking Bad series on computer.  A great show!  Otherwise we have been playing various games, with Janine often kicking my arse in speed!  But I get my revenge in Buzz!

Well the clock on the wall says...  well it actually says 9.30 but it is actually 12.49pm and I must get back to work.  As for the clock, knowing how things get done around here, it will be sometime before a battery is sourced to get it going again!  Incidentally, I've learnt over the course of our workshop that if want punctuality you need to specifiy 'papa'ha time' (spelling?),  that's 'white man's time', otherwise those 15 minute teabreaks drag onto 30... Not that I'm complaining.

Kia manuia to you all until next time.