Thursdays are for Pubbing

Ahoj hoj all,

'sup? Yes indeed, what IS up - in Canada, the US, Germany, and wherever else y'all might be who are reading? I hope you're having a good week. My week? Well, it's been up and down (as I'm sure you've realized already) but it's back on an upswing, and I imagine that the rest of today will be quite enjoyable.

My class this morning went really well. I have a class list of 8, but generally only about 4 show up. 2 come most of the time, and the other two spots have a kind of rotation. It's weird, and makes things like lesson planning and homework a bit tricksy, but it's doable. Mostly, you don't assign homework. ;) There's only one man who shows up all the time, and he is BAD. He sits there and natters away in Czech, making all the women laugh, and totally distracting them from what is going on. However, his nattering is generally on topic; he's explaining something, or commenting on the reading, or asking a question... it's just that he never stops! I've started teasing him that I'm going to make him sit in the corner by himself. I could never do it, though - he's what makes this class so great. Everyone laughs, and asks lots of questions, which I love. We make it through about half of the material that I expect to, but that's Ok. At least they're trying to understand English on their own terms. They stop me to ask what you call a couple who have lived together for a long time but never married (common-law). Then we have to discuss the legality of being common-law in Canada vs. in Czech. Then we have to find out what the noun of the verb "divorce" is (it's "divorce"... just the same!) All of this is great, because they want to learn how to use English to talk about what THEY want to talk about. You cannot accuse this class of wanting to be spoon fed!!

I hit up the grocery store on the way home. Yes, I can eat out cheaply - mostly for between $2.50 and $5.00 a meal. However, that just isn't cheaply enough anymore. I know this little grocery store in a metro stop waaaaaaaaaaaaay out from the centre that has good stuff for cheap prices. So I picked up yogurts (7 Kc or $0.35 each - and they're a good size single serving), lunch meat (18 Kc - $0.90 - enough for 3 lunches), bread (10 Kc - $0.50 - enough for 3 or 4 meals), and these dried Knorr soup mixes (20 Kc - $1.00 - each one serves "four" unless you're like me and planning on eating the whole thing and calling it supper). Hopefully, if I eat meals like this most of time, and only eat out at my favorite cheap places every now and again, I can have a few more krowns for things like socks. (Hey dad, if you want to you could bring me socks. Any color. Beggars can't be choosers, and all that). Oooh socks. And maybe a new bra (my other victoria's secret one died! it died!! *moment of silence*). Thicker mittens and a toque would be pleasant. Being able to afford a trip to Salzburg would be magnificent! Presents for my family at Christmas, presents for Lucy and her family for Christmas... well you get the idea! I am finally learning what it means to actually have to live on a budget. I would like to take this moment to officially state that:

I don't particularly like it.

Ahahaha - as if anyone does! :) And I haven't succumed to the ramen noodles just yet. So I must be doing alright for myself.

This afternoon I'm going to meet the student that I'm doing the 5 day intensive course with. It's just a chance for us to get introduced, and for me to get a sense of where her strengths and weaknesses are. I also have to meet her director. This is his chance to grill and tell me exactly what she needs to be taught, and how. ;) This is all tongue in cheek people - I'm sure the man is perfectly nice, it's just that my superiors/coworkers at Skrivanek have struck fear into my heart by telling me how I need to look professional (skirt and button down, check), take notes on what he says (pad of paper and pen, check), ask questions (ideas for activities and strengths and weaknesses, check), and generally make him very confident in my abilities. I think he may be VIP client - or would that just be a VIC? Anyhoo, I need to make him love me - or at least admire my obvious (*snorts with laughter*) teaching skills. Here's hoping I ace it!

Then it's - dun dun dun- Thursday night pub night! Hurrah! I love going to the pub and visiting with all of my friends and meeting new people and having my weekly black beer. (Remember, I only like dark beer. Do we have dark beer in Canada? I didn't ever drink beer before I came to Czech, so I don't even know. Can someone please fill me in? And dark beer DOES NOT EQUAL Guiness, so don't even go there!!) I'm curious to here how the new TEFLers are doing, and what all they've been up to, so it should be good.

Tomorrow I have two classes (one is new - wish me luck!), and then at about 10:30 I'm done for the day. The plan is to mock out most of my lessons for the week of the 14th (when my dad is here *squee*), and note down exactly what materials I need to photocopy. I'll do the photocopying on Monday, and spend Tuesday planning those lessons. Then all I have to do is attempt to plan at least a bit of the week that comes after dad leaves (oh no! he has to leave! not cool! not cool at all!), and ta-da - no lesson planning required for the 9 days that I have with my dad. Just daddy-daughter time. How excellent is that??? :D

Well, my foot's gone dead (British slangism for "fell asleep") and I've nothing else to say. Just one small request:

Please comment or email me with any fun English slangisms you can think of. One of my classes just loves them. I've already taught them "more fun than a barrel of monkeys" and "she think she's all that and a bag of chips"... but I need more! Thanks in advance!

Loves you,

Elizabeth