A lazy weekend in Quilmes

picnics on the balcony

Here I am trying to keep up to date with life over here in Buenos Aires. The past week after coming back from our week off in Punta Del Este haven't slowed down. Been very busy with work at school popping out of our ears!

This weekend was the first weekend to not enter the school for anything over a weekend. It has been a blobby stay at home kind of weekend- relaxaing, sleeping in, cleaning up, chris catching up on assignments for uni and me marking and preparing things for school. It's be good!

So instead of a post about some sort of international adventure- I want to share a more normalness within this blog update. And I have been asked a couple of questions lately as to life living abroad and teaching abroad.
So I am going to ask myself the question asked of me a little while ago and answer it for you.

Hoping that my new herbs wont be eaten by bugs or
die in the coming heat!

What is teaching overseas like for you?
Well for me, I can't imagine teaching back in Australia in a school for a long time?!! Teaching in another country and living within a different culture is amazing! I have never learnt so much and travelled so much- As well as building a career and gaining professional experience! Teaching in an international school (just like any school in Australia) has its positives and negatives. I think you are really lucky if you work in a school that is perfect!
Working for myself and starting my own business really really appeals to me and something I plan to be doing in the future- but for now, all the professional development on an international scale that I am learning and stepping into is incredible!!
There are LOADS of amazing incentives that international schools give as part of their contract! I think a lot of young people (or maybe any age) fear being locked into a 2 or 3 year contract- but honestly people- this is normal! you cant float around from job to job- who will employ you if you are a floater?
It's taken these 2 years of my contract to feel that I have made a good mark in my work at the school. Next year will be making all that we have done stable and solid, so that the Music Departments in both Secondary and Primary school continue to grow.
And I don't think you are ever 'locked down and stuck' in a 2 or 3 year contract- you are living and earning money to save or travel with, meeting new people, learning language, being embraced by wonderful change- So step into a contract and go for it! No point being all 'safe' and thinking otherwise... you have to live and earn money anyways- so do something exciting within the next 2 or 3 years of your life as a teacher! Living abroad and being accepted into an international school is an amazing opportunity- we feel so incredibly blessed by it!

I feel Chris and I have totally embraced the international teaching- we look forward to taking on other positions in other countries and to continue developing our skills and meeting new people and learning more languages! woohooo

Hmmm... I don't know if my answer above really captured what teaching overseas is like?! I think my answer would change all the time- I actually think this whole blog is very testament to what teaching overseas is like (well the real positive parts anyways).

Booking stuff for travel! Chillaxin' on the balcony

So, highlights of this weekend have been setting up our picnic spot on our balcony (on the 10th floor) and lying in the sun, browsing the internet and eating all our meals. It is awesome!
Yesterday I spent all afternoon, falling asleep, drinking mate and relaxing like a cat in the sun!
We also have booked in HEAPS of stuff for our 7 week trip booking to the USA and Mexico!
The latest is booking our 2 day park tickets to Universal Studios in Orlando. I am a bit hesitant in booking Disney World tickets... I think it might be all a little kiddy like?!? So we aren't really sure...

Just a gorgeous photo of my man! 

Also been planning how we want to travel mexico- 3 weeks doesn't seem like long enough with all the things that we want to do! We might just have to come back in the future!!! Sooo excited though!

The usual washing up stack...

I have also been doing mountains of washing up and washing clothes.. does anyone else stack their dishes precariously like me?! haha

I have been baking too!! We received an AWESOME box of chocolates and fun things from Australia from my mum!! It was SUCH  a mission to get this box- it was 4.2 kilos of fun and happiness from mum! She posted it in May this year... and I picked it up in October!! ahahahaha... So please don't bother posting anything to Argentina- it is a mission and some things don't even arrive!
But I had to go into Capital (the city) to pick up this box- there was no possible way for them to deliver it.... So I went to the old old run down building and had to wait in ques of 200 people to pick up this box... The whole process of getting there, waiting, picking it up and back to quilmes again was like a 4 to 5 hour mission... so again, please don't send us anything! haha

Yummy Sunday Lunch- served on the balcony

Awesome pie dishes = awesome pies!

Anyways, back to the baking- mum also gave us 6 little pie dishes (can't get aussie pies over here)- and Its THE BEST! Been making cakes in them and meat pies and these wicked quiches for lunch today!! totally in love with it!! So picnic on the balcony was called for!

The Study Muncher

Chris is studying like crazy! He finishes his masters really soon!! End of Nov and he is done! amazing!! but every weekend has been him working on essays and readings etc... while I flit around the house trying not to distract him (but always end up distracting.. poor guy! haha)
So I have forced myself outside, marking and blogging and uploading photos and researching Mexico!

No sure if this captured our lazy weekend... or a normal day here in Quilmes- It is actually mothers day today in Argentina! So Happy Mothers day to my mum and my Nanna and Mama and to all my friends who are wonderful mothers!!! Love to all your amazing women!

There is also an epic futbol game pumping in Quilmes stadium and the weird hushed feeling over Quilmes because it is Sunday- so it is a pretty normal day here where I live.

Love to you all!
Chat soon,
Miki
xo