h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Weekend? What's that?? No, that's not entirely true. Seeing as my parents were away I got to do all the sitting around in front of the TV that I wanted (when I wasn't cooking meals for the spanish student who lives with us, and making sure he was in before curfew!)

The countdown has started - just 3 weeks until the exams start (but 3 months before I go away! )

Sounds like you had a pretty nice weekend. But cooking for the student that lives with you? Can't s/he do that him/herself? Or maybe I'm just being lazy for you, thinking that if you've got a weekend off, you shouldn't have to cook for others if you don't particularly want to....

Cook for himself?? The guy can't even make his own bed!! The idea is, he comes over here, stays with a family and learns English. Of course in reality all that means is he goes to school (a spanish school), comes home and gets fed, and then disappears out with his Spanish friends. Which is so good for his English!! He's also really rude to my parents (although to be fair I think a lot of the time it wouldn't happen if his English was better).

Took a day away from college yesterday. It meant studying at home, so when I was on my break I was able to go out to the garden and sit in the sun. Lovely and warm yesterday here - always a sure sign the exams are on their way!

How old is this guy?? He can't make his own bed? And I see what you mean about improving his English. It's pretty mcuh the same here at work. Some people say that one of the reasons they come here to work from another country is so they can improve their English. But once the get here, they speak their own language when customers call, everyone sits in their own language groups, they hang out with people from the same country as themselves, which means that they don't have to improve their English, because they can get by anyways.

These last couple of days have been great over here as well. Practice on tuesday night was great, mainly because it was not that very cold and it had been good weather all day before practice. First game is a week from sunday.. I'm getting excited. My first ever American Football game.. Can't wait..

the student is 18 (but I think was a bit of a spoilt rich kid!) He got into a fight over the weekend (AGAIN!!) and so there was all sorts of fussing happening on Sunday night. Quite amusing in a way, because we've told him about twelve times that the area he was in is dangerous, but he still goes there. Oh well, some people just won't be told.

Am a little sore this morning - sat out on the patio yesterday reading over some notes and having lunch, of course I didn't realise how strong the sun was - so my back is a little red. No, no sympathy. All my own fault. Won't be doing that again in a hurry

Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while. Been in training for my new job (still am) and I haven't had access to my BBC password and UserID, so I haven't been able to post anything anywhere. This ID is just a temporary one, though.

So, how's things? How's the sun treating you? Have you learned your lesson that you should not sit out in the sun for too long?
And how is that exchange student shaping up? Has he stayed out of trouble lately?

Good day today.. Pay day today...

I had the sun lesson forced on me - it went away!! Of course it came back again and I have to sit inside studying the whole time. So I'm not the chirpiest of people at the moment. But, on a good note (kind of) I got my posting for Japan. I've been given a town about three hours from Tokyo called Kakizaki. I can't find out a thing about it, so it's going to be interesting arriving there, to say the least

The student finished his exams recently, and is generally going mad. I have a feeling he might have gone away this weekend. You get the idea that I don't really pay that much attention to him?

Anyway, I've got a maths student arriving in half an hour and _I_ have to revise a bit (it's a bit hard teaching stuff that you did for the last time about six years ago!!)

I know the feeling about trying to find some information out about a place abroad that you're moving to, and the confusion of not finding anything useful at all. That's what happened to me when I was going to move here. The only information I found was about the local football team, and how to order the annual local council calender. Quite frustrating, I must say.
It's good though that you do know pretty much where you're going, and 3 hours outside Tokyo can't be too bad, now can it?

I don't feel like being at work today. In training, so bank holidays are not days off. Kinda sucks. Especially since I could really use some sleep at the moment.

It's a bank holiday there? so THAT'S why there was weird films on last night. Working a Bank Holiday certainly is no fun! The Irish bank holiday is next weekend which means very little to me in these days of study, study and more study.
and on that note... the library calls again!!

Well, yes, the rumours say that there is a bank holiday here today. But then we have the people that say that the bank holiday is only in England, and not up here in Scotland. I don't know, and I can't say that I'm very bothered about it either. After all, so far, i've been working the Swedish holidays here, and as far as I know, I won't have any public holidays at my new job as it's a helpline, and we need to have cover pretty much constantly.

no holidays??? That's nasty! Half way through the exams now, just two more writtens and an oral exam to go. I don't know who has been setting the exams this year, but they've gotta be evil

Well, the "no holidays" thing isn't as bad as it seems, as we get to add the 8 holidays a year that we're supposed to have to our vacation days instead, so that we can take them whenever we feel like it. Which is pretty good.

Exams are always thought up by evil people. And the more important the subject, the more evil is the person who thinks them up.

The evilness ends today! Or at least written evilness. I'm about to go to the canteen for breakfast and to study for the last exam. Unfortunately I've done very little for it, my lecturer was rubbish and I really couldn't care less anymore. Which all means of course that I'm probably going to do really badly (the one positive thing is that I did so well last year, and did ok in the last few exams that even if I fail this I'll still get my degree).

Right ... am going now ... leaving the computer .... any second now ...... (are you guessing I'd prefer to stay at the computer rather than study )

I know what you mean about the wanting to stay at the computer instead of doing something usefull.

Good to hear that your exams are over. I hope you can have a great summer holiday or at least some time off.
I've started my new job, and I feel like a fish out of water. I have no idea what I'm doing, and I try not to let my customers know that. It's harder than it sounds. But I think I'll do fine here. I just need some time to get settled in.

Well, Gotta dash.. I need to catch up on all the other threads I Haven't read since being intraining. *sigh*

I've been away from the computer for a while. How are things? I'm off to Japan on the 28th - now that's a scary thought, just over 2 weeks to go!!

violagirl

Well, hello there. Haven't seen you aroudn for a while.
Things are good. A bit on the broke side at the moment, but that'll soon be remedied. I was down in London a couple of weeks ago, for the big London Meet-up. It was great. I guess you've probably heard about it. If not, there's a couple of links to threads on my user page that should take you there. If you're interested, that is.

Going to Japan in two weeks? Wow, that must be scary. I remember the butterflies that was wreaking havoc in my stomach just moving one time zone away when I came here. You're moving to the other side of the planet, basically. I guess I'm not helping here, am I? I'm sure you'll be fine. Just bow a lot and smile.

Good hearing from you again.

Phew! Made it! I have now moved 9 time zones, half way across the world to a town where only a handful of people speak English and only one of them (apart from me) is actually a native speaker!

On the other hand there is this lovely internet cafe in the next town down the road (20 minutes by bike) where, provided I buy at least one drink, I can spend as much time as I like on the computer.

My Japanese still doesn't exist, but I'm working on it. I'm off to Tokyo to watch the football this weekend (due to the fact that all my English friends said "what, Ireland have a game this weekend too?" I have decided to pretend that England AREN'T playing at all )

violagirl

So, you've finally made it. It's good to hear that you're settling in and stuff (listen to me, I sound like a granny or something). 20 minutes by bike to reach an internet cafe isn't too bad.

You know, I agree with you on the England game. As a matter of fact, the next footbal game I'm interested in, is the one that will be shown on TV over here next weekend. Kick-off for the National Football League in the US. American football. So, I don't think I'll even pretend to acknowledge that Scotland is playing Croatia in Glasgow tomorrow.

I'm back!! The board of education have given me a computer and set me up with the internet at home (the 20 minute bike ride to the internet cafe lost its appeal after a few drenchings in the hideously heavy Japanese rain). So, big phone bills for me because of time spent online.

Having a great time here, mostly. I've been buried under exam papers and lesson plans for the past few weeks, and I'm really looking forward to my trip home at christmas. Only 2 and a half weeks to go til I'm back home, where squid is not an essential component of lunch!

Violagirl (who is still celebrating becuase Ireland made it to the World Cup!)

Hi, there.
Good to hear that you're still alive and well, although occasionally soaked by the rain. But then again.. Aren't we all?

So you're going back to Ireland for X-mas, are you? How long will you be at home for, visiting the folks?

On this side of the world, nothing is really new. We had another meet-up in Glasgow a couple of weeks ago, where lots of people got very drunk. (do a search for S.M.E.G. and you'll find it, pics and all)
Celtic got beat out of the UEFA cup yesterday (not that I really care as I don't officially watch football, but still) after penalties.
Christmas decorations have been in place in people's homes for about three weeks and, as every year, I moan about people setting up the decorations way too early.

Well, that's about it, I guess. It was good hearing from you. See you around.