The halfway mark has passed, and tomorrow I commence the third Term of classes here. I approach it with a renewed sense of optimism as I think I can begin to reconcile the demands of the department I work within with the needs of the students I have observed over the last two terms.
That said, I needed the last two weeks to recover and to refocus.
Two weeks is not a long time, if it is not spent well. This break was spent well.
To begin, April took off to Melbourne to meet up with our friend Jennifer, who flew in to visit us from Edmonton. I took the girls for a few days, and then we drove to Sydney to pick up April and Jennifer. We all spent the next few days exploring Sydney in greater depth than I had previously had an opportunity to do. April and Jennifer went on a Haunted Sydney tour, as well as to Madame Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House, and the girls and I went to the Botanic Gardens. We all also visited the Taronga Zoo and the Maritime Museum. While it doesn’t sound like a lot, it was more than enough for me (especially considering how crazy driving in Sydney is).
After Jennifer left, we went to Cairns (pronounced Cannes, like the film festival place, for my Canadian readers).
That was the break I needed.
Cairns is a beautiful place in the “winter”. It ranged between 25-28 degrees Celsius during the days, and dropped to about 15 degrees at night. Of course, there were still people dressed up in jackets, but it felt like perfect summer day in Canada to me.
We went to the beach. We explored the Great Barrier Reef (a part of it, anyhow). I went bungee jumping again for the first time in 25 years… We unwound in the most amazing way. Most of all, we spent it with friends, as we met up with and stayed in the home of another Alberta exchange family.
We shared homes, we shared stories, we shared experiences, and I came back rested and refreshed.
I spent this two-week break with other Canadians, and it helped to remind me that Canadians are fundamentally similar to Australians.
And then there are the other moments where our differences are highlighted… like today during our Visible Learning Professional Development Day, when one of my female colleagues approached our staff table carrying a cup of coffee in each hand.
"Double fisting, I see," I observed laconically.
"Double parking," another colleague interrupted quickly but matter of factly. "Double fisting is something else entirely."
And so began one of the most uncomfortable work conversations I have ever had. Being the only man at the table, I couldn't make eye contact with any of my colleagues for several minutes. I was the object of much hilarity.
Holding two drinks at a time is now, and evermore shall be, "double parking". If you aren't sure why, ask Google.
Anyhow, with classes starting tomorrow, it’s back to the grindstone. Still, the grind is less daunting somehow, especially knowing that spring is in the air.
That said, I needed the last two weeks to recover and to refocus.
Two weeks is not a long time, if it is not spent well. This break was spent well.
To begin, April took off to Melbourne to meet up with our friend Jennifer, who flew in to visit us from Edmonton. I took the girls for a few days, and then we drove to Sydney to pick up April and Jennifer. We all spent the next few days exploring Sydney in greater depth than I had previously had an opportunity to do. April and Jennifer went on a Haunted Sydney tour, as well as to Madame Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House, and the girls and I went to the Botanic Gardens. We all also visited the Taronga Zoo and the Maritime Museum. While it doesn’t sound like a lot, it was more than enough for me (especially considering how crazy driving in Sydney is).
After Jennifer left, we went to Cairns (pronounced Cannes, like the film festival place, for my Canadian readers).
That was the break I needed.
Cairns is a beautiful place in the “winter”. It ranged between 25-28 degrees Celsius during the days, and dropped to about 15 degrees at night. Of course, there were still people dressed up in jackets, but it felt like perfect summer day in Canada to me.
We went to the beach. We explored the Great Barrier Reef (a part of it, anyhow). I went bungee jumping again for the first time in 25 years… We unwound in the most amazing way. Most of all, we spent it with friends, as we met up with and stayed in the home of another Alberta exchange family.
We shared homes, we shared stories, we shared experiences, and I came back rested and refreshed.
I spent this two-week break with other Canadians, and it helped to remind me that Canadians are fundamentally similar to Australians.
And then there are the other moments where our differences are highlighted… like today during our Visible Learning Professional Development Day, when one of my female colleagues approached our staff table carrying a cup of coffee in each hand.
"Double fisting, I see," I observed laconically.
"Double parking," another colleague interrupted quickly but matter of factly. "Double fisting is something else entirely."
And so began one of the most uncomfortable work conversations I have ever had. Being the only man at the table, I couldn't make eye contact with any of my colleagues for several minutes. I was the object of much hilarity.
Holding two drinks at a time is now, and evermore shall be, "double parking". If you aren't sure why, ask Google.
Anyhow, with classes starting tomorrow, it’s back to the grindstone. Still, the grind is less daunting somehow, especially knowing that spring is in the air.