Glastonbury Tor and Durdle Door

It seriously worries me how fast the weeks are going! I swear this year is flying by so quickly!!Anyway, this week was actually sort of interesting! On tuesday I went to glastonbury with four kids who weren't sitting the exams, and we walked up the Tor which has such nice views! To make it even better the weather was on point so I was sat at the top in my t-shirt, chilling in the sunshine.

The rest of tuesday was pretty much the same as every other week, so the afteroon was spent playing cricket (girls vs. boys) on the astroturf which was so much fun! And of course the girls won!

Yes, that was the hill that I had to walk up!

Cheeky little selfie, because I'm never in my photos..

I think that with every week as the weather gets nicer, I enjoy forest school so much more! Wednesdays session was spent cooking sausages and baked beans on the fire pit, surrounded by the wild garlic which has come into bloom so the ground is white with its flowers. It felt so much like christmas it was a little bit sad (because it's only May :(

That evening for whole house night we all played Capture the flag, with one member of staff on each of the three teams (Go Green!) and everyone got really into it! There were warrior stripes on the face and strict tactics to give us a good chance of winning (which we did!).

I had to make the rhubarb look pretty so they could tweet a photo.  I think that's some of the best looking rhubarb I've ever seen!

Thursday was a little bit dull, considering I had a 2 hour nap in the middle of the day – because the weather was cold and wet (not like the last two days...) But I can't say that I wasn't entertained because while I was supervising the Wifi, I was treated to the girls singing “Let it Go” from frozen... In 5 different languages... All at the same time. It was painful to say the least..

On Friday I finally learnt the rules of rounders (of which there are so many!) So now I think I actually understand the game, although I do think the way I played it at intermediate was a lot better! I also came to realise just how great the people I work with are, especially when one of them pours freezing water down your back in the dining room.. Thankfully he was being kind and didn't pour too much but god I had to stop myself from swearing in the middle of the dining room..

Friday night was a late one for me, because we went to McDonalds at 10pm so it was probably the latest i've been to bed in weeks!

The weather finally cleared up for the weekend, which was amazing because I spent a couple of hours sitting on the field at Millfield school for the Under 10's game of rounders. While the game was good, the highlight was definitley the match tea, because dear god the english know how to do afternoon tea!

It was hard to stop myself from eating it all.. But I did have some of the chocolate cake, and ohmygod it was amazing!

Saturday evening was another train ride down to Weymouth (yay weekend off!). I literally got off the train (greeted by Lucy) and walked into the resturant for dinner where the rest of the family were waiting. The food was amazing, as was the company because Nany and Grandad were there too :)

I don't think I could ever get bored of looking at the sea. 

Sunday was spent tripping around Dorset in the sunshine, and being tourists (such a rare thing for me to be!) We went to Durdle Door again, but this time in nice weather! Then to Tyneham, which was a village that was evacuated in WW2 so the milatry could use the area for training (or something along those lines...), and then we drove past Corfe Castle, and to The Scott Arms (a pub) for lunch, which was amazing!

I know that's not a very in-depth description of the day, but we all know how I feel about rambling on when I can just show you the photos (of which there are plenty) so here ya go!

Spot the tourist..

Trust me when I say this was Sue's idea. (The walking stick was just for added balance..)

Bit of a difference from last time I was there!

I just liked the name Algernon. And the fact that young people had walking sticks..

Our lunch spot had a pretty great view!

That evening we had another amazing roast dinner, and then merangues and cream and fresh berries for dessert. Then we all crashed on the sofa's and went into a well deserved food coma...

And so we return to monday! This morning I had a wonder around Weymouth with Nany and Grandad and Irene, and then I hopped onto yet another train and went back to school.

I know that's a really dull description, but I didn't do any shopping (other than a quick stop in boots) and we all know train rides are incredibly dull, so that's about as interesting as I can make it!!

And there we have it, another week finished! So until next week then.. 

I mean, we're a pretty good looking family, right!?

Reunions and Exploring

Had a pretty fab week despite the weather not being nice. It was properly windy here for the first time since i've been here, and it reminded me why I left wellington. Everyone was going on about how windy it was, but it was nothing compared to a southerly in wellington..

Pretty much what the weather was like most days...

The week passed and nothing much happened really, just the usual games, duties and routines. On wednesday night for whole house night we played some form of long-ball which was hilarious. Everyone got really into it (especially the staff) and to make it even better, all the kids wanted to be on the team I was on – me and another Gap were the co-captains so obviously it was the team to be on- and we won the game!

After the kids have all had dinner they have activities, and this week, other than one evening when I had to supervise their revision, I've been out on the front field playing different sports with the boarders. This week it's mainly been football, and although I really don't enjoy watching it, playing it isn't half bad! And I think i'm actually improving (I can now kick it to the right person, and I even had a couple of successful tackles!)

However because I worked monday, I had friday off which was amazing!

It was made even better because I got to spend the day with my Nanny and Grandad who I hadn't seen since I left New Zealand in December, and Val and Alan who I hadn't seen in ages! Nanny, Grandad and I spent the morning wondering around Bath and looking at all the attractions – the cathedral, and the Roman baths, and of course my inner nerd had a massive freak out at both of them because the architecture and history was just amazing!

Chloe, this made me think of you ;)

The Roman baths were beautiful too...

Coins that were found near the baths. They're like thousands of years old..

Nanny and Grandad in front of the baths. Trust me, it is them. The lighting just wouldn't play fair..

After we had finished looking at the baths, we stopped in a restaurant for lunch and by coincidence we were seated next to Val and Alan who had spent the morning doing other things. Lunch was so delicious, and we had the coolest waitress who was quite fond of Grandad I think.

Grandad and his huge piece of fish

Grandad and the coolest waitress ever!

After lunch we got on the sightseeing tour bus and spent an hour or so getting all the info on Bath and it's history (of which I cant remember anything, except that there was a corset and bra factory that went bust ;D – you have the guide to thank for that little gem)

Rubbish photo, but those houses cost a cool £4.8 million. And your next-door-neighbour could be John Cleese

I think this could be the best idea for a shop ever. Christmas. Every. Single. Day.

A stained glass window shop, where they make the windows.

                           

After we had finished wondering around Bath we drove to Street and did a little bit of shopping (shock) While I wondered in and out of the shops and got a couple of things in the hour or so we were there, Nanny and Grandad spent the whole time in M&S.... I think they must have looked at every item for sale in that shop..

After we had finished shopping we drove back to the cottage they were staying at (which was very nice!) and had a cup of tea, and then they dropped me back at school where I sorted out my new clothes and watched movies for the rest of the night.

The cottage made me feel pretty tall. The ceilings were so low!

Saturday was a pretty good day because the weather was nearly warm! And the sun was out for the first time this week, so I spent most of the day sitting outside watching the kids play cricket (which I have come to realise is a very boring game to watch)

Sunday I went on the boarders activity, which was to play disc golf (which is essentially throwing a frisbee into a metal basket thing) The guy there was very enthusiastic about the sport, and apparently it could be in the Olympics one day (me and the other teacher started laughing at that point, but then I realised that it wasn't as easy as I thought..)

We played 9 holes on the 10 hole course (because we ran out of time) and I didn't do too bad! On par for every hole except for two when I was one over... But it was a good day out!

Not a bad place to spend your afternoon throwing frisbees!

Because I worked during the day I didn't have to work Sunday night, so I skyped my cousin Sarah whose currently in Argentina! We had a good 2 hour chat, and had a good catch up because we hadn't talked since December last year!

And again we're back to Monday! You will be surprised when I say that i've actually done something today! I drove to Tesco and got some stuff that I was running low on (with a detour to New Look which is right next door to the supermarket), and then I had some difficulty finding my way back to school.. Still haven't quite mastered the route back yet..

This week had marked both 4 months in England, and 5 months out of New Zealand which is quite a scary thought!

So until next week then!

Late night McDonalds runs, and Sunday pizza

As per usual I did nothing on monday after the last update.. after my early start I thought I had better catch up on some rest so I spent the day watching netflix on my bed, just for a change..

I feel like when i'm at work my weeks seem to be all the same and nothing new really happens, so I do apologise if anything sounds familiar, but that's what you have to deal with when your week is structured into a timetable..

On Tuesday nothing much happened, except for some rounders practice in the afternoon which I (of course) joined in on. I think since the term has started i'm able to catch tennis balls better now! Which is a very good thing because it makes you look like n idiot if you're on games and cant even catch a ball...

That night I had to sit in the pool area and supervise the kids who were swimming. I think this might possibly be the worst evening activity, because while the kids love it, you have to sit there supervising with the ever present possibility that you might have to jump in and save one of them. Annoyingly I always remember this too late, and so I'm never wearing waterproof mascara when I'm on pool duty, which is not a good thing (as you can see I have my priorities sorted..) But don't worry, I can actually swim, and I haven't had to rescue anyone yet. Hopefully it'll stay that way..

That night I had one of those moments in life when you realise you're growing up. I was talking with some of the boarders before they went to bed, and somehow they got onto the topic of my age which I didn't really mind, until one of them said they thought I was TWENTY-FIVE. Up till now I've always liked it when someone thought I was a bit older than I actually am (I know there will be a point where I find it to be the most insulting thing ever) but I think 7 years older is a little bit concerning. Personally I think it might be because I am very mature for my age (I know some of you will be laughing at that) but there's no way I would have ever thought that someone would age me at 25!

Wednesday was another forrest school sesh, and this time the kids all made instruments from random things, like jars filled with water, milk cartons with shells in them, and empty paint cans. They were meant to perform a nursery rhyme with their instruments, but I couldn't tell what ones they were performing because all I could hear was a lot of crashing and banging and some mumbled lyrics. When it was time for the staff to perform, we nailed it (of course) with our version of Hickory Dickory Dock on the paint cans.

That afternoon was spent by the long jump pit measuring the girl's jumps for over an hour. Trust me, it wasn't as fun as it may sound..

I also managed to skype a friend back home which was nice, as it had been quite a while since i'd talked to her. Apparently nothing much has changed back home – though nothing ever seems to change in Wellington..

The wild garlic at forrest school looks pretty nice! It just smells quite strong..

Now ever since I started working here, i've had to do the lunch register, but it's only been in the last week that I pretty much have all the names sorted! There are still a couple I can't remember straight away, but by process of elimination I get there eventually (or they just end up telling me..)

Thursday after school was a little different because there was an athletics fixture with another school, so I spent most of the afternoon measuring shot-put distances and running odd errands. What I did realise however is that most of the 12 yearolds are better than me at every event in athletics, and that's not much of a confidence boost. Especially when half the boys are taller than me...

After dinner on thursday we had the usual evening activities, and I wasn't on pool duty (yay) so instead I played touch rugby with some of the boarders and a couple of members of staff. Thankfully I was a lot better at touch than I was at football (meaning I could actually pass the ball to the right people) so I didn't completely embarrass myself for a change. Although I was still the only girl, so I thought I did alright!

That night after late duty we went on a Maccas run (they call it Maccies here which sounds silly to me) and oh my god the McFlurrys here are so much better than the ones in NZ! So worth the late night of 11pm (crazy late night I know!)

On friday I went on a school trip with the year 1&2 classes. I think the place was called Claysmoor and it was like a dump and a land fill but it had an education centre that taught the kids about recycling and nature, and they got to built shelters and do a flower hunt and made their own plant pots. It was such a good day and all the kids really enjoyed it, though by the end of it I was shattered and nearly falling asleep on the bus back to school...

That night I did some online shopping because apparently I didn't buy enough during the holidays (I dread to think how i'm going to get everything back to NZ at the end of the year)..

                             

The tyre garden was so cool! But it was more like a maze and I might have had to climb over them because I couldn't find my way out....

Saturday was a really chilled day which was so nice! I supervised in the morning, and then in the afternoon I played some cricket with the boys – because all the girls ever want to do is sit and talk, and that's no fun at all.. I also realised how annoying kids can be, because they spent half the day pushing the boundaries. It seriously made me wonder what I was like at their age. I hope I wasn't that bad...

It's not a bad place to live really.  Unless you want to shop and then it's a bit useless..

Sunday morning I woke up early and skyped another friend back home, who I hadn't seen since December last year. After that it was pyjama breakfast which has come to be my favourite part of the weekend! Because on Sundays other members of staff come in during the day and do activities with the kids, I went to Matrons house for a couple of hours with two other members of staff, because she'd organied a pizza day to raise money for Nepal. Despite the fact that it was pouring with rain and there was a thunder storm, we sat outside under tarpaulins and ate our pizza, which had been cooked fresh in the pizza oven, and was probably the best pizza I've had in a long time! She said that most of the ingredients were donated, and I got an email this morning saying that she'd raised over £700 which is amazing!

My pizza. A-m-a-z-i-n-g.

On sunday evenings the boarders have to write letters, wether it's to their family or friends, they just have to write someone a letter, and dear god they take their time doing it! Basically I sat in the dining hall for 30 minutes waiting for them to finish writing their letters which is as dull as it sounds!

And we're back to monday!! It's been an odd day, because I'm working, and it's the first monday i've worked all year! But I swapped my day off with the other Gap here, so I'll have this friday off instead! But so far today ive done the registers, helped out in the art room, helped the reception class with judo, and it's only 3pm! I think it's safe to say that this is the most I have ever done on a monday (other than in the holidays, but even then not a lot happens)

So I hope this hasn't bored you, but then again no one is forcing you to read it so you only have yourself to blame ;)

Until next week then...