First Day Back

I am finally back at school. My posts can begin again. (Who actually wants to read about my 7 weeks of vacation?)

Being that its the first day of school, I don't have to teach. Now all I have to do is find out if that extends to the rest of the week. Some teachers already know that they won't teach all week. I can only hope that my co has yet to tell me this glorious news.

This morning she came over and said "Because it's the first day back, you don't have to teach. You can prepare for the semester."

My response, "Ok, but I already prepared last semester."

So now I am finished the work I needed to do. I hole-punched name cards, made a 2nd schedule of my classes to glue into my notebook, created three more games, and made a Co Teacher/Class Index so I will always know what teacher will be there with me.

All I have to do is print it out, but the printer doesn't work.

In other exciting news, I have a new co. I don't know her name (do I really know any one's names?) but she sits across from me. The woman who sat across from me moved somewhere else this semester (maybe the back of my head looks less angry and for the record I was never angry, just thoughtful). I feel a bit sorry for the new co since she is new and everyone is already in their little cliques. I know exactly how she feels, but she has a chance to fit in here. She speaks Korean, lol.

Today I had a 'light bulb going off' moment. I figured that out that I wouldn't be so bored at lunch if I had something to distract me. So I put my IPod underneath my clothes like the kids do and ate lunch with Sheryl Crow, Rain, and the Wicked cast. It was highly interesting.

In case anyone was wondering, Taiwan went well. It was hot and humid as usual, but the food was great. People remembered me from certain stores and restaurants. My style got many positive reviews from people (I would always respond with "Well, now I have time to dress myself instead of throwing on the first thing I see.") My students all remembered me (they better after two years of teaching them). The funniest moment of FuHsing came from CT (Crazy Tommy) and Josh, 2 Ai of course:

I am standing outside of the classroom at the end of the school day and Josh sees me peeking into the room while the homeroom teacher is yelling at Tommy (as usual, haha).
Josh: Miss Juliaaaaaa! (He is waving his arms like he is landing an airplane.)
Me: Hi Josh. (While holding a finger to my mouth to make him listen to his teacher and not run to me.)
Josh: Look its Miss Julia!!! (Grabbing kids and pointing at me, obviously I hold no authority, lol.)
Tommy looks over with a dazed look on his face at me. I wave at him and he waves back in a drugged out fashion. I figured he was sad from being yelled at. They all come out of the classroom a couple minutes later and gather around me.
Me: Hi CT!
Tommy: Huh?
Josh: Haha, CT, Crazy Tommy. That's your name, remember?
Tommy: Oh, yeah. Miss Julia what are you doing here. (Starts to sniffle, tears welling up in his eyes.) Didn't you go back to to to America? (Points his finger in a direction I guess is where America lies.)
Me: Yes, I did. Now I am on vacation here and I came to see you. I missed you.
Tommy: (still sniffling) Ok. (shuffles away)
Me: Bye CT.
Tommy: (he just puts up an arm to signal that he heard me. I guess he was still mulling over my appearance.)

So cute. The kids were all fabulous. Some kept staring at me until I said hello and then they would say "Oh, Miss Julia. Hello!" My hair has changed drastically I guess with my new Korean bangs, but I was always changing my hair at FuHsing. Theresa told me that every time I came in with new hair (which was about once a month), the kids would say to her "Miss Julia changed her hair again!" She would reply "Well at least it isn't blue!" haha.

I didn't realize how much weight I had put on while working at that school until one of the homeroom teachers that I saw at least once a week for two years came up to me. She pointed at me, waved both hands and then made the "you lost a lot of weight" symbol with her hands, lol. In front of her entire class. Doesn't get much better.

Seeing all the teachers again made me miss that place. Seeing the new foreign teachers' haggard looks did not make me miss it. I was even nervous before I got on the plane about going to the school. As I climbed the stairs to the office I almost puked my Starbucks scone. Theresa said, "Julia, just remember you don't work here anymore." That helped a lot.

Some memorable quotes from that day:
Me: I do about 10% of the work that I use to do here.
Dorcas: That doesn't sound good. You are going to lose your edge.
Me: It's a nice break from the constant stress that was this school. (Oh, yes I did, lol)

David: Here comes trouble. (And then when no one was around he hugged me, haha.)

Maggie: Julia, come back soon.
Me: No.

Jack: Want to record?
Me: Nope.
Maggie: At least look at the computer screen.
Me: I am too lazy to take my boots off.
Jack: Because today you are back, you don't have to take off your shoes. (So sweet.)

The rest of the vacation was spent with Viki and Chris at the Dinosaur Restaurant, Batch at Casa, and doing all the eating and shopping one could possibly do.

I also got my hair cut by accident. Obviously my skills are not what they use to be when explaining my need for a trim. Instead my guy (who I saw once a week to get my hair conditioned, because let's face it, I barely had time to shower working at that school), who finally got a chance to cut my hair, took it for all it was worth. He gave me a whole new look and I was scared as cobra near a mongoose. So far it looks ok. He didn't know like Ting did that I never do my hair. I just let it go, let it flow. I am going to grow it out, I am feeling a longer look right now.

Now to my purchases: I bought (really stole it since it was on sale majorly) a new video camera, three new purses (which were all on sale), paintings, a new ring, and presents for my co teachers (which I just realized at this moment that I forgot at home). Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

One last quote. It came from a dinner that Steph had with her friend Luke. She asked him if his new girlfriend was pretty.
Luke: "In my heart, she's the most beautiful."