Sorry, Sorry, Sorry for not updating for a while. Been busy....

We've split up all the stuff we've been doing so check out all the new photos and Blog's.

WORK

The last couple of weeks we've been doing quite a bit of work in Schools. We've both been working in a place called Buckley Park, which is a mixed state school only a tram ride away. It's been a bit of a shock to the system to be working again. It's all relief teaching stuff, so we just turn up each morning not knowing what we'll be teaching and get on with it. The kids are alright on the whole but there's a real mixture. They seem to be obsessed with the EPL (English Premier League apparently!) and the first question they ask is who we support - Exeter City of course (suprisingly not many kids have heard of them!)

PE isn't taken nearly as seriously in lessons here, and half the time we seem to be playing things like dodgeball. Although N did get to take a group of kids to Lawn Bowls, taught by a couple of old codgers... Very relaxing. Last week we finished the day 10 minutes early due to a 'Wet Day'! It rained a bit so they shortened lunch and therefore the whole school day. We're gonna try to introduce that back at home if possible. Lot's of interesting conversations with kids about the differences between England and Aus, and in particular the different words for stuff: Doona = Duvet, Zuchini = Corgette, Kapsicum = Pepper, and lots more. The kids also seem to swear a bit more, which is accepted and the staff just turn up in jeans, boardies, T-Shirts, so generally the feel around school is a lot more relaxed.

The job isn't particularly enjoyable because you don't really see any progress in the pupils and really it's just like baby-sitting for the day. But, it's really good money given how cheap lots of things are here, and we leave right on the bell at 3.01, no marking/meetings/planning etc, home by 3.30 and have the whole evening to do what we want. IDEAL! So, I think we'll stick with it for a while.

HOCKEY

Despite Emma Batton's best efforts, we decided not to play for Hawthorn and have ended up signing up for MCC. They obviously have links with the Cricket Club and the MCG and there are lots of perks for playing for them. The last couple of months we've been doing lots of pre-season training, which seems totally unfair as we've already played half a season in England. Just starting up proper training now and the season starts in April so looking forward to it. We did some of the fitness down on the beach at St. Kilda... Pretty inspiring and brilliant surroundings compared to rainy UK.

Right, better go, but make sure you look at the other blogs to see what else we've been up to.

Love to all,

N + Z xx