My first week of really teaching went pretty well. It is really hard to juggle three different classes and design lessons to fit all three classes. Most of the time you have to give them all an assignment to work on and then go around to each class separately to do individual work with them. It can be quite challenging at times. I am starting to get the hang of it and trying to prepare the best I can. Sometimes you just have to wing it....thankfully I am fast at thinking on my feet! After being in the classroom for a little while now I have started to pick up some well used Irish phrases. I surprised the whole class on Friday when they were telling me their scores to their Spelling test (in Irish) I replied Good Job back to them in Irish! The looks on their faces were priceless!! I think my Irish vocabulary now consists of Hello, Bye, Yes, No, and Good Job. I am working on perfecting Thank You, but it is a little more difficult. Next on the list is learning the days of the week!
Friday morning I received an email that my flight time for my London trip was changed from the evening to the morning which would mean missing school, which I didn't want to have to do. I was able to get a full refund for the trip so that was positive. I was bummed out but don't fret because that didn't last for long. I strongly believe that everything does happen for a reason and come to find out God had a plan. And his plan is always better than mine! Come to find out the weekend I had planned to go to London was the same weekend as the Autumn Ball here in Sneem and a teacher from the school was having a dinner party. So now I am able to attend both of these events! And it looks like the London trip is being re-scheduled for the last weekend in November. So it all worked out just perfectly! And while I am on the subject of trips...Paris looks to be a go! So not only do I get a fabulous road trip of Ireland but I also get to see London, Paris, and travel some of Germany! I figured I might as well take advantage of everything while I am here! No use in putting it off when it is so close and also very cheap plane tickets!
After school I went to Kenmare to pick up a few things and browse around. I wanted to check on a couple ideas for Christmas. I know...scary that I am actually Christmas shopping! Now I am just trying to figure out how to get a couple gifts home! I don't know if shipping is the way to go or try to find a magical way to get them into my suitcase! I think I am going to buy a hard case trunk and just fill it with Christmas gifts!! I think the hard case is the answer because then I don't have to worry about them getting dented or smashed by the airline! Who's bright idea was it to do their Christmas shopping abroad?!?! I think I may just buy everything online and have it shipped to Mom or Niki to wrap for me!! Now that's a great idea!!
Today was quite the productive day for me! I actually got some much needed sleep after having a very exhausting and draining week. I spent some time cleaning my room and then enjoyed a nice run. I then went up to the family's farm. We had to bag up the turf off of the bog. It is really wet up on the bog so I had to borrow a pair of willies (rubber boots). They are quite the fashion statement!! Every year they cut off some turf and put it into piles to dry out. Once it is dry it has to be bagged up. The turf is used in the wood stove to heat the house. So I was more than willing to help out considering this is how I am going to be staying warm!! It really was a neat experience. This is another reason why I wanted to live with a host family. I think part of being abroad is really embracing the way of life of the culture and people. I really should take a day and do some sheep farming with them. I was once a farm girl....I think I could do it (for a day)!! I found out today that they own over 400 sheep! That is just pure craziness to me and a whole heck of a lot of sheep! Being up in the bog today was a good time and it is absolutely beautiful out there in the real country of Ireland!
I think it is time to get some rest and figure out what I want to do tomorrow. It should be another nice day so I better make the most of it and go out and enjoy it! I am sure I will find something fun to do with my day!
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