Rainy Days and Mondays...

Just in case you thought it was all fun in the sun over here in Rarotonga, it isn't!  Sometimes it's fun in the rain!  These photos are taken at our house after a day of heavy rain.  Thankfully the ground drains very quickly.  I did start to get worried when the septic tank got pongy and the toilet backed up.  But all was well in the end - if you excuse the pun!

Just enjoyed Easter Weekend.  A very special service on Sunday at St Josephs!  It was packed, standing room only in fact but we were graciously given seats in the second peer from the front - was was unsettling given George and Emily's previous behaviour at church.  But they were great and the lady behind us kindly kept fanning Emily for us to keep her cool.  The singing was awesome!

The in-laws arrived 1.00am Saturday morning and were greeted with torrential rain on our drive back from the airport.  It has since fined up and they are now enjoying the beautiful Raro weather.  It was actually cool this morning and I need to wear a second layer on the scooter as I rode to work. 

Spoke with a close and long time friend, David Huxford, on Monday via Skype.  He now lives in Rio De Janiero in Brazil.  Amazing what technology can do these days (does that make me sound old?!).  It was great catching up.  We compared tales of how hot it is in both places.  All the while back in NZ the bad weather is hitting hard and winter is on its way.

Noticed on the latest New Zealand Education Gazette:

PRINCIPAL ALERT AND BORAD ALERT

In print 26 Apr 2011
The Ministry newsletter keeping principals and board members up to date PRINCIPAL ALERT MITA additional payment of $1,000 a year The recently promulgated Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement (PTCA) provides for …

I always find it amusing to find errors in educational literature - not that we shouldn't expect it!  We are but human after all... (some may beg to differ).  Anyway, I'm just wondering if Borad is any relation to Borat?!  Now that would make education a whole lot more interesting!

It's a small world after all...

Just had some visitors from NZQA visiting and at our introductions the woman, Coralie, said "Oh, I know some Fiebig's, I used to go to school with a couple"  Turned out to be Phil and Geoff at Wainui College.  I had to quickly dissassociate myself from their past sins!  (I'm well capable of conducting my own!).  Small world.

Here's my darling little boy wearing Daddies helmet and raring to go biking!  Like father like son!

An email circulating around work at the moment is offering staff the opportunity to attend a seminar on Time Management.  Now seriously, in a country that operates on Island Time a seminar on Time Management is a dead duck in my books!  I mean, the only good such a session could do in Raro is provide advice on how to fill the time we have rather than how to try to find more!  My wife would no doubt disagree but I feel the facilitator of this seminar hasn't done her market research!   It's a bit like Gordon Ramsay going to India to do a seminar on how to cook curry!  Needless to say I won't be attending - I simply don't have the time!

It was confirmed today that the Teaching & Learning Advisory Team, of which I am one, will be visiting Aitutaki in week 2 of Term 2 for a week of providing professional development to the schools there.  If you don't already know Aitutaki has long been considered one of the most beautiful places on earth - the lagoon is spectacular - apparently.  I can't wait to find out!  While my days will be busy I'm sure I'll find time to enjoy the surroundings.  Wantch this space for photos.  Only wish I could take Janine but the costs are prohibitive at this stage.  But definately before we leave. 

Incidentally, Janine woke last night, or rather woke me by punching me hard in the arm and crying out about things crawling on the bed.  Of course I awoke and consoled her after such a horrible dream!  To which she replied "You brought me to this horrible place!"  Seems wife hasn't sorted out her irrational fear of centipedes?!  Or perhaps the bad dream was just a ruse...!

Janine's come down with a cold.  As she said, "How can I possibly get a cold in a place like this?"  I suggested that in Rarotonga they may call them "hots"?!
I've managed to resist the bugs until now but felt myself getting a sore throat and runny nose so went to the pharmacy by work.  I bought some night & day cold capsules and the pharmacist gave me $4 off the price because they had expired in January!  I still happily bought them for $15.00.  I noted they were loaded with psuedoephedrine but no one took my name or number!   

Noted on the bottom of our power bill;
"FEES (VAT Excl.): Reconnections $130.00. Special Readings $10.00. Meter Reader chased by Dogs $20.00."  They don't actually say whose dogs and with the number of strays around that could be a worry - and quite expensive!  I don't know why they don't add "Bitten by centipedes. $50.00"?!


I did some actual teaching of children last week!  Great fun to be back in the class.  I was modelling a Differentiated Teaching technique for writing to a Grade 3 & 4 class (Year 3 & 4).  A really wonderful bunch of kids.  I was filmed by one of the other Advisors and we will edit the footage and record comments etc and use as a model to send to other schools.  So also had fun editing it in the 'studio' back at the office.  


I'm ashamed to say I picked the Bulls to beat the Hurricanes in our work SuperXV sweepstake.  Whilst still a Hurricanes fan I had to go with my head not my heart as there's money at stake!  I was thinking I'd be a winner either way as if they lost I'd be correct with my pick, and if they won, well - they won!  But both my head and heart tells me they're poop this year, and I don't know why that is with all those All Blacks in the backline?


And much sporting excitement on the rugby league field next to our house yesterday as our team - the Arorangi Bears - lost in the final minute and after the final whistle had gone a big brawl broke out!  They take their sport very seriously here!


Till next time,  ka kite