Back in School

Well, the two week vacation is over, and I am back at the high school here. I wasn't really looking forward to having the next 9 weeks follow essentially the same schedule all the time, it seemed sort of dull compared to the previous 9 weeks. But it turns out that it won't be a problem, because they have redone all the teachers' schedules, and now I have a whole new weekly plan. I think I have it worked out so that I am still seeing the same kids though, which makes me happy. But this week I am still meeting classes for the first time. So if I keep this schedule through Christmas, that will be a break from routine in and of itself.

It was wonderful to visit Berlin with Jason. Rather than make a lot of touristy stops, we mostly just visited the spots of town that I knew, where I had spent a lot of time, and got caught up. It was a great break, because I could talk as much as I wanted to, as fast as I wanted to, for almost an entire week, in English, and not ever have to ask if he had the vocabulary to understand me. We got him to his very early flight, and he should be there by now, getting to see his school and family in Arusha, Tanzania.

The weather must have know it was vacation, because for the last 2 weeks it was amazing. Rarely cloudy, it might have drizzled once, if that much, and some afternoons it was warm enough to go out without a jacket or sweater. Starting Sunday though, the grey rolled in and hasn't left. In a couple of weeks I think we hit daylight savings time, but then it just keeps getting darker and darker until the sun rises around 8 or 8:30 and its dark again at 4. I am looking forward to the fact that even though it will get colder in January, technically the days are already getting longer, and that can only be a good thing.

The kids seem to be holding up pretty well considering they just got back from vacation. Today I heard a presentation on "Billy Jo-el" (like Noel) which was full of some great sentences. "In 1980 he was made the singing disc on his band." Which was aiming for he made an album in 1980 with his band. I can't get enough of constructions like that.

Well, I have the 8th graders now, which should be fun, so I have to go, but I hope you are all well, and that you can drop me a line when you get the chance.