Big day. Big Week. This is a big life

And so, it has been a little while since my last blog. Chris and I have indeed been very very very very busy! We start at 8am and did not leave school today till 7pm. big day.

So where to begin? well the last account from us left us at our Sunday adventure into Quilmes, where I found myself making my way home (all by myself as Chris played futbol) from Palermo. So I caught a taxi..and in very broken Espanol tried having a conversation with the driver, he was so lovely! Actually Argentinian people in general are very very friendly and lovely! They welcome you with a kiss. Even the men do this, Chris is getting a bit of this action! haha its so cultural and cool and normal here!! I go around kissing everyone! haha.. you can imagine.. and its a friendly kiss on the cheek..you know, like the italians do.
Well, got to la constituccion estacion (BA city centre train station-like central station in sydney kinda thing- train terminates and all that jazz) and got on my train no problems for 90 centavos, which is 20c in AUD! So its bum cheap and its a half hour train trip...and sure the train floor is filthy, but the seats are good and open windows and doors! haha.. people sit at the open door while the train is flying and hang their feet out!
(no don't worry mum, I would never to that. hehe)
So we were 10mins into the trip from the city back to Quilmes when we stopped at a station and didn't move for 45mins..I managed to ask in espanol what the problem was and figure out that the nice lady was saying 'broken' and I could ask how long it would take and she said less than half an hour!! amazing how much Chris and I have picked up espanol!! I'm absolutely loving it!!
However, we absolutely suck at it too..I feel so muted when in meetings with all the Argentinian staff.. when they start discussing or a teacher is presenting and it's all in espanol, you feel very dumb, and bored...I listen to hard my brain hurts and I still can't piece together a sentence yet...and they speak so fast!!! I am so excited to be able to do that! I'm not really a jealous person..but I'm so jealous of wanting to speak espanol!!

This is my office..it's going to be painted tomorrow!!

1yr old expensive roof.. the kids stabbed it with pens
when unsupervised! It's sooo not happening again!!

Okay, so news from the school front. Well here are some photos of my music department. Now this department is in a very very bad way... it has had no TLC (tender loving care) for a very long time! The roof has got pen stab marks in it.. there are holes in the walls.. it is filthy!! I have mouse poo in my drawers and ants making their home in my floors..Now, while that sounds all so tragic and mortifying (which it is), it has sent Chris and I into a frenzy of culling out the crap.. getting painters in, testing all the instruments.. and doing all that (which is a mammoth job) while attending hour long meetings back to back... grasping a whole new system of schooling..thinking musicals and choirs and being asked to have duties in the girls boarding house..sooo much to bloody think about and I had a melt down today...

And so the ants moved in...

I have been going so strong and confident and diplomatic all week and now Thursday has come and everything is kicking along good and I had a melt down..
Yes there were tears, but it's okay..one little bite at a time and this music department is going to sparkle!!

I haven't even thought too much about what I am going to teach, and I'm not to worried either which is good. It really helps having two full years under your belt. And being in a school where the national curriculum is so far behind that anything I have been teaching in Australia is waaaay beyond and awesome!! so I'm pretty set with tweaking along the way.

Now I dedicate this next part to my awesome husband! I could not have done this music job alone! Chris and been fully hands on when he isn't in meetings with maths or IT or the other amount of meetings everyone goes too (and it seems more for the new international staff). He is in there whenever he can helping me clear out everything and then repairing so many of the damaged instruments by himself. checking which ones are still playable and functioning. I have had no time to even think about doing that stuff!! It just wouldn't have ever gotten done without him!!! my hero

So things are going good. Social wise its been sooo fun! we had dinner at Melanie's house last night and had the BEST empanadas I have had yet.. all the other expats who have been here for years claim they are winners also!! Empanadas are like little pasties with different flavours.. I LOVE the spinach ones and the spicy meet ones are amazing too!! haha!! and they deliver!!
To keep all this food gorging effects away, I have joined a spin class with a months membership! it cost about $20AUD for a 3 nights a week spin class. I have been twice so far only joining on Wednesday! 1st class was free! It is sooooooo fun! and the spin classes are so different! You know how we have a dark room and all the thick driven music.. well here its super small, old rickety spin bikes, all big lights are on and the music is totally latino and catchy and fun! the instructor is so fit, her name is Gloria (I love that name!) she would have to be super fit 50yr old chick!! and I go with Peggy who is a Prep school (primary school) teacher at St Georges. She lives in the apartment above us. I love her!! a bit hippy, travelled the world, open minded and free spirited! She is a lot of fun! Glad to have a girl I can connect with close by. Just so blessed!

will update soon! the weekend is ahead and I think a good chunk of the time will be in the music department continuing to set up! and hopefully we will have bought bicicletas (bicycles)! Mine must have a basket!!

All my love,
Miki
xo