So, another week in Catania, full of fun and games, gin and playing pool but today I am not going to talk any more about my drunken weekends, instead I will fill you in on my school days! Yes, I do actually do some work here and I am enjoying it almost as much as the time off!
My week is pretty hectic, I work in the mornings except Mon and Wed at state schools, and the afternoons, at the English Study Centre. Most days I work from about 9 or 10 in the morning til 8 or 9.30 at night but I have a break in the middle for lunch and checking Facebook!
I work at two state schools, the first Lombardo only on a Monday, and I am glad about that! The classes I teach have no teacher present just me, and as I speak no Italian and the kids speak little English we have some fun! The Italian schools are nothing like in England, I thought I used to talk a lot in class but they put me to shame, at least I tried to be a bit quiet... they shout! My first lesson in Lombardo was hilarious and the second, terrible but they did manage to speak some English so at least I made an improvement!!!
The second class I have there are better, they don't speak at all so I get over my headache in the hour and a half of painfully drawing teeth - or making them speak English!
The other state school, Galileo is much better, there are teachers in the class who control the noise levels (a bit) and the kids want to learn a bit more so listen to me and speak. I have met all of my classes just once but they are all really nice and have funny kids and some really interested kids too so much more interesting for me.. I can talk about just about anything I want so we will hopefully have some good lessons in the future.
In the afternoons, I teach at the English Study Centre and really like it here, I have a very small classroom so have to swap about a bit for bigger classes, by big I mean more than 6 (I have a few classes of 8 students). I have 4 kids classes and I love them, there are some naughty/cheeky kids but they make it entertaining, my fave kids are always the cheeky ones, I can't help it! Most of them don't speak much/any Enlish and so it is a lot of games and drawing and sign language, but they are all nice kids.
I also have teenagers and adult classes which is when have to be slighly more serious as they want to pass exams, lots of questions aout grammar and pronunciation and I enjoy it as they ask really varied questions and make me use my brain a little bit (so better try not to destroy all of my brain cells at the weekends...)
So, that is my working week, I like it, I like the variety of ages and abilities, the differences between the different places I work, from a class of 28, 14 year olds who can't listen, to a class of 14 girls who won't speak; to teenage boys who ask if I will try on horse masks in class... yes he had a horse mask in his bag!
It has been good so far and now I have met them all I can get down to real work and help them all which is what I love doing.
Monday, 15 February 2010
Monday, 8 February 2010
my long weekend of festivities
Wow, there is just so much to write about I don't quite know where to start, but I will try and keep it a bit shorter than last time and just write more often! OK Salvo!
I have been here in Catania for 11 days and I have to say they have been 11 brilliant days. I could not have hoped for more from this experience so far, well maybe a bit more sleep! I have had so much fun, and if you have facebook you can see some photographs of some of the fun I have been having...
This weekend was a religious festival in Catania, the feast of Santa Agata (I think that is spelt incorrectly!) the partron saint of the town. The story goes something like she was here in Catania at the time of the Romans, an important Roman 'wanted' her but she would not give in to him, so he cut of her breasts! They sell cakes called Agata's breasts, they are round with cherries on the top!
Her remains are kept in the cathederal and on this festival they are paraded through the town with hundreds if not thousands of followers, many who wear a white outfit which shows they have been helped by the saint. They carry huge candles so the streets are now covered in wax, as are my boots!
As part of the celebrations the state schools were off for 3 days, and we were also off on Friday. That meant Thursday night food and drink and dancing, Friday night food and drink and dancing and watching a big fireworks display at 4 or 5 in the morning and then saturday night food and drink (and then home as too tired for any more celebrations!)
On sunday we, the teachers and staff of the English Study Centre, were invited to a military base, as two students at the school are helicopter pilots... they cooked us lunch, a big affair with meat and cheese, two pasta dishes, a meat dish, fruit, tiramisu and cakes, and a lot, and i mean a lot, of alcohol!! all served by men in uniform! NICE! I mean for most of the day I had no idea what was going on as everyone was talking Italian but I had fun watching the singing and dancing and may have sung a song or two myself, no photographic/video evidence I am glad to say!!!
All in all a VERY good weekend...
I have been here in Catania for 11 days and I have to say they have been 11 brilliant days. I could not have hoped for more from this experience so far, well maybe a bit more sleep! I have had so much fun, and if you have facebook you can see some photographs of some of the fun I have been having...
This weekend was a religious festival in Catania, the feast of Santa Agata (I think that is spelt incorrectly!) the partron saint of the town. The story goes something like she was here in Catania at the time of the Romans, an important Roman 'wanted' her but she would not give in to him, so he cut of her breasts! They sell cakes called Agata's breasts, they are round with cherries on the top!
Her remains are kept in the cathederal and on this festival they are paraded through the town with hundreds if not thousands of followers, many who wear a white outfit which shows they have been helped by the saint. They carry huge candles so the streets are now covered in wax, as are my boots!
As part of the celebrations the state schools were off for 3 days, and we were also off on Friday. That meant Thursday night food and drink and dancing, Friday night food and drink and dancing and watching a big fireworks display at 4 or 5 in the morning and then saturday night food and drink (and then home as too tired for any more celebrations!)
On sunday we, the teachers and staff of the English Study Centre, were invited to a military base, as two students at the school are helicopter pilots... they cooked us lunch, a big affair with meat and cheese, two pasta dishes, a meat dish, fruit, tiramisu and cakes, and a lot, and i mean a lot, of alcohol!! all served by men in uniform! NICE! I mean for most of the day I had no idea what was going on as everyone was talking Italian but I had fun watching the singing and dancing and may have sung a song or two myself, no photographic/video evidence I am glad to say!!!
All in all a VERY good weekend...
Monday, 1 February 2010
Travel update!
Wow, so I am in Sicily! Where do I start to tell you about my adventure so far? It has only been a few days but it feels like so much has happened already, I will give you a quick synopsis of events! Today (Sunday 31.1.10) I am writing at home and will take this to school to post.
My journey here was very smooth; I flew on time from Newcastle and did not have to pay for the extra 8kgs of luggage I had, found out when I got on the plane that was probably because the other 10 or so passengers were all business people with only hand luggage! Arrived in Brussels and eventually found my way to the gate, the airport is like the metrocentre with loads of floors and shops and weird art and sculptures everywhere. I slept most of the way, only waking for food and a lovely view of the Alps and then as we were descending I woke and got a fantastic view of Mount Etna, covered in snow with wisps of smoke coming from a crater! So cool! I am looking forward to being able to see it again close up, you can get a train or a cable car up it and I really want to do that while I am here.
A lady in black came to collect me, she spoke no English but was being very friendly, her car temp said 16.5* so I was happy! Her driving was scary to say the least, my foot was on the brake the whole journey, but, as she was chatting on her phone and overtaking, I noticed that everyone else was worse, cutting each other up, driving over two lanes... but we made it to my new flat in one piece.
At the flat I met Helen, I was to replace Helen at the school and also in the room she was renting, so I was staying in the spare room until she left. The flat is very basic! Photos on Facebook asap! I have a room with two single beds together to make a double, a desk, sort of drawer thing and a wardrobe (a lot more than the flat in Devicka in Prague!) it also has a door out to a large balcony; then I share a bathroom and kitchen (they say kitchen....) with two women. The worst thing about the flat is that the road outside is very noisy, all day and all night with people tooting their horns at every possible opportunity! I am sure I will get used to it, or as Mam suggested, get earplugs!
I then went to the school to meet my colleagues and learnt that another new person was arriving the same day as me, two people are leaving and so two arriving! The school is nice, a lot of classrooms, a listening lab, a staff room and reception with two lovely Italian secretaries. I met a few classes I will be teaching and then headed back to the flat for a sleep! When I returned to the School I met Mark, the other new teacher and we all went out for drinks and food... there is Lisa, Jacqueline, Diana, Stuart, Luisa, Valeria and Tiziana who work at the school and Duncan and Helen who have now left and we met some students, former students, partners and brothers too! It was a great night, we went to a nice little bar which plays English music, serves nice, cheap, white wine and gives us lots of free snacks!!! Then we went to the restaurant next door which called Saloon and had food (more food I should say!).
On Friday Mark and I went to the state school where we will be teaching to meet the staff and get our timetable sorted, it is like any other secondary school except the kids all arrive on mopeds! And have fashion sense! Then we got our timetables and all of the info we need from the teachers who are leaving and then we went out for more drinks and free food! Oh yeah, somewhere in there I also went to get food, tea and a new SIM and number which I have if anyone wants it!
Saturday was a more relaxed day; I swapped rooms and unpacked then I went for lunch and a look around with Lisa - in the rain. We went to the market and we both bought some boots! Well, I was very sad that I couldn’t bring as many pairs of shoes as I wanted!!! Then I went to Lisa’s for a cup of tea! She is from ‘up north’ too, Cumbria, and is pleased to have a fellow Northerner with her at the school!
When I went home my house mate Tamara, who is Romanian but speaks Russian and Italian too (NO English!) tried to have a conversation with me, which, quite frankly, was hilarious! She showed me how to use the cooker and washing machine which I got but then we spent about 20 mins talking to each other and not having any clue what the other was saying! She tried again today and we established each other’s age; she is 47 and has two children, a son in the Military and a daughter in Moldova at university! She is religious and goes to Church! See my Italian is improving already!!! She is very sweet and hugged me lots! I am hoping to learn some Italian anyway and Luisa is going to give me lessons so hopefully by June we can have a conversation that we both understand!!! Maybe....
So, I am having a nice time settling in, I walked to the sea today and it was gorgeous, clear blue and surrounded by volcanic rock! I am looking forward to starting work at the school and the people I have met are all really nice.
I think that I will be ok here.
My journey here was very smooth; I flew on time from Newcastle and did not have to pay for the extra 8kgs of luggage I had, found out when I got on the plane that was probably because the other 10 or so passengers were all business people with only hand luggage! Arrived in Brussels and eventually found my way to the gate, the airport is like the metrocentre with loads of floors and shops and weird art and sculptures everywhere. I slept most of the way, only waking for food and a lovely view of the Alps and then as we were descending I woke and got a fantastic view of Mount Etna, covered in snow with wisps of smoke coming from a crater! So cool! I am looking forward to being able to see it again close up, you can get a train or a cable car up it and I really want to do that while I am here.
A lady in black came to collect me, she spoke no English but was being very friendly, her car temp said 16.5* so I was happy! Her driving was scary to say the least, my foot was on the brake the whole journey, but, as she was chatting on her phone and overtaking, I noticed that everyone else was worse, cutting each other up, driving over two lanes... but we made it to my new flat in one piece.
At the flat I met Helen, I was to replace Helen at the school and also in the room she was renting, so I was staying in the spare room until she left. The flat is very basic! Photos on Facebook asap! I have a room with two single beds together to make a double, a desk, sort of drawer thing and a wardrobe (a lot more than the flat in Devicka in Prague!) it also has a door out to a large balcony; then I share a bathroom and kitchen (they say kitchen....) with two women. The worst thing about the flat is that the road outside is very noisy, all day and all night with people tooting their horns at every possible opportunity! I am sure I will get used to it, or as Mam suggested, get earplugs!
I then went to the school to meet my colleagues and learnt that another new person was arriving the same day as me, two people are leaving and so two arriving! The school is nice, a lot of classrooms, a listening lab, a staff room and reception with two lovely Italian secretaries. I met a few classes I will be teaching and then headed back to the flat for a sleep! When I returned to the School I met Mark, the other new teacher and we all went out for drinks and food... there is Lisa, Jacqueline, Diana, Stuart, Luisa, Valeria and Tiziana who work at the school and Duncan and Helen who have now left and we met some students, former students, partners and brothers too! It was a great night, we went to a nice little bar which plays English music, serves nice, cheap, white wine and gives us lots of free snacks!!! Then we went to the restaurant next door which called Saloon and had food (more food I should say!).
On Friday Mark and I went to the state school where we will be teaching to meet the staff and get our timetable sorted, it is like any other secondary school except the kids all arrive on mopeds! And have fashion sense! Then we got our timetables and all of the info we need from the teachers who are leaving and then we went out for more drinks and free food! Oh yeah, somewhere in there I also went to get food, tea and a new SIM and number which I have if anyone wants it!
Saturday was a more relaxed day; I swapped rooms and unpacked then I went for lunch and a look around with Lisa - in the rain. We went to the market and we both bought some boots! Well, I was very sad that I couldn’t bring as many pairs of shoes as I wanted!!! Then I went to Lisa’s for a cup of tea! She is from ‘up north’ too, Cumbria, and is pleased to have a fellow Northerner with her at the school!
When I went home my house mate Tamara, who is Romanian but speaks Russian and Italian too (NO English!) tried to have a conversation with me, which, quite frankly, was hilarious! She showed me how to use the cooker and washing machine which I got but then we spent about 20 mins talking to each other and not having any clue what the other was saying! She tried again today and we established each other’s age; she is 47 and has two children, a son in the Military and a daughter in Moldova at university! She is religious and goes to Church! See my Italian is improving already!!! She is very sweet and hugged me lots! I am hoping to learn some Italian anyway and Luisa is going to give me lessons so hopefully by June we can have a conversation that we both understand!!! Maybe....
So, I am having a nice time settling in, I walked to the sea today and it was gorgeous, clear blue and surrounded by volcanic rock! I am looking forward to starting work at the school and the people I have met are all really nice.
I think that I will be ok here.
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