00:05. I called Tanya from the plane while we were still taxiing into our spot. Tanya had booked a taxi to fetch me from the airport and bring me home. What I didn't know is that Tanya had asked the taxi driver to fetch her so she could surprise me with her presence when I arrived. What a surprise it was! I was told to meet Benni outside Steimatsky Bookstore. As I started walking toward the book shop, Tanya came running over! It was a wonderful surprise! ...

The day had finally arrived! I was going home to Israel for the weekend. I must have checked the time a hundred times during the morning and couldn't wait to finish morning classes. As soon as I had finished teaching, I ran up to my room and packed and repacked my suitcase. I tidied up my room, went downstairs for lunch and finally, oh finally it was time to leave. Oleg, our school driver, drove me to the train station at Nachabino. He was really sweet an...

Hustle and bustle so early in the morning! Today the middle and senior groups are putting on a play for their parents. The floors and walls have been washed, the rooms are all spotless and everyone is looking their best! Aphelia has been busy in the kitchen since the weekend, cooking and baking for today. Each child was given a gift bag filled with baked goods to take home. The middle group started off with their play. The room was packed with parents so un...

I woke up once again to minus temperatures which will continue as we approach winter and will be around for quite a few months, I think until at least March, but that did not stop me from piling on the layers to go shopping. Looking and feeling like the Michelin Man, I wobbled through the estate to get to the bus stop and had to stop to take photos as I passed the ponds. They're starting to ice up and have either snow floating around them or big broken pieces of...

All the snow that fell over the weekend melted away with the rain we had the last couple of days. This morning I woke up to new snow showers, another day of a temperature way below zero and chocolate cake for breakfast! I have no idea what the chocolate cake was for but I couldn't have asked for a better start to the day! I also booked my ticket to fly home to Israel just for the weekend! I feel so rich flying home for just four days (lol) but I'm so looking ...