Oh the places...

They'll go. "They" being my students. Between field trips, swimming sports, staff development day, public holidays, surfing days, and work experience I haven't had a normal week with my students in weeks. That's not counting the days when the students just don't come. There is no attendance policy. No truancy. No nothing. If they don't come, then the school can't do anything about it. I have several students in my year 9 class who have missed so many days I can't even begin to fathom how to catch them up. They don't do homework and I have no idea if they will be in class the next time we meet. The students only have English three times a week and last week that meant several year 8's missed two out of three days. And I won't see them again until Wednesday. Where is the consistency? How are students supposed to build on knowledge if they are interrupted every other day? How am I supposed to teach any of them anything? It's been very frustrating. But onto...

Oh the places I'll go. I just spent a weekend in Melbourne and I have to say thank God the weather was nice. I think we walk a bazillion (more or less) miles a day and we did so happily thanks to the sun. Raina, Teresa, and I saw the Aquarium (let down), Moomba Festival (awesome), St. Kilda (fantastic), Melbourne Central (more on this in a second), Federation Square, SouthGate, and the Casino (looked didn't touch). Melbourne is a wonderful city. It was very easy to travel around, either by walking or by hopping on one of the trams. The people are friendly and there is a lot to see and do! More than that, there is a lot to eat!! We packed meals for breakfast and lunch to save on our budget but at every corner there is tempting food. I could go to Melbourne every weekend and eat at a difference place for each meal and still not have experienced them all by the time I leave in April! It's a wonderful problem to have. At the end of a wonderful, yet tiring, tour of St. Kilda, we decided to make a stop in Melbourne Central, a shopping mall. Wandering through the maze of expensive, yet fabulous, fashion, I look up and I see it. The Gap. I wanted to cry. I ran in and took in all of it's colorful cardigan and jean goodness. Who knew that something so little would cause such a big reaction? I surprised even myself. But I guess it's the little things you miss and you don't even realize you miss them, until you do.

If that's how I react to The Gap, I can't imagine what it will be like when I see Chipotle again.
Oh, and all my friends and family :)

'Ta!