Time Spirals On and On...

Hiya,

Firstly, I apologize if there are any glaringly ridiculous typos, but I blogged on an iPod...in a hostel...when exhausted, and autocorrect is a terrible thing.

After our return from Amsterdam, time really seemed to pick up and start flying. Lesson planning and taking over started to pick up and I began to fall into a routine. Teaching is phenomenally time consuming; however, it is also rewarding. I spent the ensuing two weeks in school really feeling my knowledge of, attachment to, and responsibility for the pupils grow and grow. My lessons were a mixed bag but I was learning and changing and so were they. It was amazing to feel the change and feel as well my place in the department solidify.

That weekend was one which began without plans and became enjoyably relaxing. On Saturday, the weather in London embodied all that I love about fall. The air was crisp and refreshing; the sun was bright against the blue sky; the leaves were crisp below my feet; I fought back the ensuing cold and took the refreshing air into my lungs.

Walking down the road, I found the nearest cycle hire and took off to find Regent's Park the second my laundry was hanging to dry. The trip looked decently straight forward; therefore, it was actually miserably confusing and took just over an hour to make it. The journey and adventure to find a place to return the bike was well worth it when I entered the gate and found my eyes filled with the neatly ordered greenery before me.

My exhaustion was strong so I grabbed an ice cream and began to snap photographs and people watch the countless people and families that seemed to fill the park the warmer the day became. I filled my day with aimless wanders, taking photos and winding paths as they came. As I began to leave, I stopped for a photo op with Sherlock Holmes' house and hopped on the tube.

 With the ice cream!

 One of the many tucked away bridges over the stream.

The Sherlock Holmes Museum, in the house that the man himself lived!

The day was toor freshing to warrant a complete tube journey so I merely traveled until I knew where I was more precisely. Hopping off at Piccadilly Circus, I wandered over to Hyde Park before hooking up with another bike and continued my travels. Hyde Park and Kensington gardens were as enchanting as ever and only seemed enhanced by the spell of fall. I felt truly joyous and peaceful as I relaxed and was refreshed by nature.

Hyde Park!

Sunday, of course, brought work. It also brought my first chance to do some baking. First though, Errands were done and then I met Emily and her parents for a trip to the London Aquarium!

My work camp...until I got too cold.

We were happily diverted by the fish and sharks that swam before, and above!, our eyes. We arrived just in time to see some penguins being fed. They were adorably active as they flitted about and hopped up to see the Lady With The Fish. There were jellyfish and sea horses and memos...it was magical. Something about going to an aquarium always is...

Fishies!

Feeding time for the penguins! D'awwwww!

The end of the adventure brought reflection writing. It also resulted in the scent of cookies and Bernadette Chocolate Crisp Bars. My domestic spirit was appeased and my deparent was happy. Following the continued professions of crisp bar love, they made a repeat appearance Wednesday. The last week before break results in he need for baked goods!

Tuesday I attended/chaperoned a literature conference for year 12. I learned a lit both as an English Literature student and future teacher. The break also allowed the week to pass that much faster.

My exhaustion was complete and I was ready for break!

On Saturday I attempted to visit Westminster Abbey, but due to crowds ended just having an enjoyable wander. The city is enhanced by the bright fall weather and I felt myself at home out of doors. It was prime weather for exploring and I was content. I unfortunately had to ditch the fun for work and headed home.

 Me, in front of the Abbey!

 A random, special find on my wander home!

The diligence was not without reward, however as I met Lana that night to hang out. We found a wannabe 50's American diner in Soho and had great food and fun laughing at the decor. Dinner was followed by exploring and having an amusing poke about the M&M world shop! It was massive and fabulous to see. Her friends departed as friends of mine and Lana and I went in search of the temptress: an Hagan Das shop! We enjoyed ice cream and further walking and talking until our bodies cried in protest. We needed bed but promised a hasty reunion.

Lana with the London M&M's World Bus!

Me, with the cool M&M!

The tiredness was revealed In both myself and Emily when we struggled to wake up the next day. We did eventually and headed to the famous Mecca: Camden Market! Shops and stalls were open and spilled onto the road with goods for sale. I found, and haggled, for a cute wool dress and we had delicious stall food. The market was alive though a twitch overwhelming.

Camden Market

The afternoon was mostly comprised of working and packing as Monday meant Madrid!

Stay tuned for tales of my break trip adventures !!

Much love from Edinburgh! (yay hostel wifi and an iPod!)
Ciao,
Fallon

 The London Eye and building with the Aquarium

The Rush Until the Break: Biker's City to Blustery Beach

Hiya,

I made it; it is finally half term and I am pulling all of this together (as a lot of it was written a week ago before a traveler from Australia distracted me in the laundromat!) while waiting to leave for a plane to Madrid, Spain! I am so excited to go to Spain after studying Spanish for so long. I am also glad to be on break. Student teaching is absolutely great, but it does take a lot out of ya. Enjoy this highlight of my trip a few weeks ago! More will come after I return...(Photos will be forthcoming after I return.)

Despite feeling like I might keel over on Thursday (October 6th), by Friday I was mostly settled and able to head into school. And what a crazy, busy, important, and mind blowing day it was. Stress began to churn in earnest: I had more to do than I could have imagined. The lesson that day went well enough as we worked our way through the rest of Act One and the action really started to pick up. It was the reflections and the planning afterwards that really wiped my recovering self out.

Friday night was a co-workers birthday celebration, so I was able to head out to a new part of town to meet her and some of her friends for drinks. The bar, Cuba Libre, was cute, quirk, busy, and filled with pictures of everything from liquor bottles to a giant poster of Che Guevara. We managed to arrive while the cocktail deal was still on and discovered a Hemmingway inspired drink that…well, it would have made Hemmingway proud. It was nice to be out with a group of new people – I felt more legitimate. In a lot of ways I was hoping to meet more local people, until I realize that I do not know how. It’s frustrating, really. I can’t join the clubs of the uni next door since with the placement there’s no time and I guess I just never realized how difficult it was to meet people as a young teacher. This night perked me up and was enjoyable, despite knowing they aren’t people I’m likely to re-meet.

After a night out quite late, the alarm clock’s blaring at 5 am on Saturday was most unwelcome. Yet I dragged myself up and checked that my hasty packing from the night before was accurate and got myself ready to go. We were headed out at 6 sharp to catch our plane to Amsterdam! I was a big mix of really, really excited and really, really overwhelmed by the amount of work I still had to do. The tube ride, I admit, was difficult to stay awake for but the second I entered the terminal, my mind knew what to do and where to go; I was on travel autopilot.

 And then we take silly pictures on the plane...

I do not think I have ever experienced two days go by more quickly than our two days in Amsterdam. We went straight from the airport into the city and as we stood on the plane laid out our must-sees: a canal tour and the Van Gogh Museum.

Conveniently, a main canal lie just in front of the central train station – a massively beautiful building that seemed to rocket up impressively in its surroundings, seeming more as a mansion or building of academia than a modern day train station. We took a stroll to see the offers and settled upon a tour by Holland International. They had a 100 Highlights Canal tour for 1 hour and if you went on one of their tours you got a discount on the Van Gogh Museum tickets.

During our tour the sky shifted between angry and gray with bullets of rain hammering the building, water, and oblivious Dutch bikers and as blue as summer cornflowers with sparkles of sunlight glittering the boat’s windows. The canals twisted and turned throughout the small, quaint city. Buildings sloped above us, resting haphazardly on each other for support. Their brightly painted bodies and the million bikes scattered and chained to every scrap of fence gave the city a unique and beautiful character. Above us hung these strange hooks which we learned were used for moving or hauling in goods since the buildings were tall and narrow with staircases too thin and steep to be used. This fact further endeared them to us and we smiled and snapped photographs of them and the millions of stone bridges and houseboats that dot the water.

I would like to live on a houseboat in Amsterdam!

 A junction of two canals, complete with cute bridge.

Looking down the water, complete with swan.

Wandering down a long, straight street trying to avoid the bikes, we headed towards the Van Gogh Museum in the more residential and calm uptown area. The throngs of people – a mix of the Dutch and tourists despite the late season and massive amount of English – lessened and more and more trees began to appear. We passed a massive square where the famous and terrifying Madame Toussouds Wax Museum reigned queen on one side while a strange inexplicable statue dominated the other.

We don't understand...Something biblical or something from Homer? Or somewhere inbetween?

Continuing onwards, we stumbled upon a beautiful large reflecting pool in a wide open plaza. There we saw, quite on accident, the I Amsterdam sign! It was an exciting find, indeed. I feel that it’s one of those things you know exists but forget about. Finding it was akin to finding the TARDIS – an organic find of something I would have been sad to miss. We waited for a large group from Pittsburgh (if the Terrible Towel wasn’t a hint, I don’t know what else could have been!) to clear before claiming our letters and taking tons of silly photographs.

How could you resist when you could climb the letters? (You just can't sue Amsterdam if you're an idiot and fall off.)

The sign was just about a block away from the museum, so we continued onwards and skipped the queue with our pre-purchased tickets. The museum was busy but filled to the brim with paintings of Van Gogh and his contemporaries that I had never seen. While they had a few famous ones - the largest sunflowers, the self-portrait, the blue poster on Berkeley's wall, and the chair - there was a lot more focus on his development as an artist and tracking how his art changed as he moved from Holland to Paris. All this coupled with a few paintings to show how Monet went from realism to his traditional style left me a happy camper.

Waiting for the shuttle (it rains everywhere we go!)

We wandered about aimlessly, tracked down something to eat, and relaxed in the sister hostel while waiting for our ride to Noordjvick. The drive passed quickly as chatter passed between us, some Californian graduates, and a few Canadians on a pre-Uni trip. We had things to share about Amsterdam and about ourselves. The hostel itself was comfortable and had a very relaxed vibe. We curled by the windows with Dutch beers and chatted about the day before slinking off to bed.

The next morning brought more rain and clouds than sunshine, but it was nice enough to permit our walking down the block to the ocean. Shoes came off quickly and the cool sand clung to my toes as we ambled along the flat beach staring out at the gray ocean. Tumultuous clouds ambled menacingly above, splattering us with drop of rain and gusts of wind. We, and the locals walking dogs and themselves, braced ourselves and continued onwards. The water was warm and inviting, so I waded into the waves and laughed at my predicament.

 Piper and I's pale feet covered in sand.

 The beautiful beach!

 Emily and I braving the rain!

 Enchanting waves...

Piper headed back to catch her earlier flight while Emily and I spent a few last moments by the sand. We obediently left to catch a few last hours in the city. The new area was fun and quirky. We stopped by a cafe and I can say, it was all right, but not really my thing. The mix of languages and people everywhere was entertaining and led us into some cool shops and a delicious place to grab a bite to eat before heading to the airport. We waited until it was time with actual Amsterdam Heineken before leaving this beautiful city, its slanted houses and racing bikes, behind.

I was sad to leave and knew I must head back at some point. There are too many places in the world to go, I fear I  will never know them enough...The weekend flew to an end and I was left crawling into bed and rising before the sun to collect my planning and head in to teach.

Post-travel tube journeys are the worst.

Much more to come on my return from Spain!

Hope you enjoyed!

Love,

Fallon

A Look Back Up the Rabbit Hole...

Hiya,

I cannot even believe that I am halfway through my sixth week in London. Time has been absolutely flying, so much so that I barely feel as if I've had time to take a breath. Every time I blink, I'm bombarded by new needs and information from planning to reflecting to museums to going out to meeting people to trying to sleep to...and the list goes on and on!

So, naturally, I have so much to cover in this blog post! Hang on tight...

My first week of teaching was easily my longest week of teaching and successfully managed to both terrify me and make me feel so tiny and unimportant. My mentor is part time and doesn't work Mondays, the department head was out sick, and no one else had any idea what I was supposed to do. I spent a few days being confused (my mentor was out Tuesday due to her son's first day of school and seemed a bit standoffish when I first met her) and feeling rather like a very small ant dropped in a very large puddle having a hell of a time trying to doggy paddle out of it. By the end of the week, however, I had done that with the help of a department that was actually caring, sweet, and lovely, albeit a bit crazy and frazzled. I left with a time table, some observations of the adorable year 8's, and a mind buzzing with excitement and confusion. I was ready to go and see and do...well, sort of.

Looking back, I remember the fear muddled with confusion and, at times, even boredom as I had no work yet. I was trying to get everything under my belt and spent more time than you can possibly imagine with my nose shoved in an AQA exam document trying to memorize every requirement of every unit I might be dealing with. Terms and marking and names and classes and requirements swam in my brain to the point that Saturday was a beacon of utmost desire. I was happier, but I was fried to my very core.

The group of us began our day of freedom, Dr. Who, and the National Lottery's Secret Fortune with a trip to the Dr. Who Experience. All I can say is: nerdgasam. Actual set of Tennet's TARDIS? Check. New episode with Matt Smith to live through? Check. Lots and lots of Daleks? Check and check. Outfits and set pieces galore from new Who to old Who? Check!

Despite nearly being late due to getting lost - thank you for nothing you useless google maps - we made it and it was one of the happier moments of my incredibly geeky existence.

Chillin' with the TARDIS and Matt Smith (well, a wax Matt Smith)

On Sunday I lamented greatly to be up with sun and unable to sleep in, but the prospect of going to the beach loomed ahead! The two hour bus ride to Brighton was filled with our tour guide chatty incessantly as I tried to cram-read The Crucible. As we neared, I felt a change in me; I filled with excitement and longed for the sea air. My lungs and legs stretched as gulls soared and the sun tried weakly to fight out from behind the gray clouds. We headed up hill and through the trees poked the Middle East inspired spires of The Royal Pavilion. Inside this grand palace were the grandest rooms and chandeliers I had ever seen. It was awe-inspiring.

Royal Pavilion

We spent the remainder of the day having a seaside pub lunch, exploring the Brighton Pier, and relaxing on the beautiful stone beach. The waves crashed below a blue-sky sky and when the sun popped up, it's bright rays were warm upon our skin. Even the water sparkled and when it tickled our toes it was relatively warm to the touch. I have always believed that sea air has a revitalizing effect. That and the many charms of that seaside town wormed their way into my heart and brighten my memories of the cute stone buildings craning towards the water.

Emily and Piper edging towards the waves

The weekend was over, but I entered my second week of teaching with more excitement and optimism than I had had before. I was going to get to see all of my classes, start taking register in my form, and teach my first half lessons! It was an exciting and nerve-wracking week. Thankfully I began to find comfort in my department and discovered my mentor to be both extraordinarily kind and amazingly helpful. I can honestly say I had never expected to teach either texting language or website conventions to a bunch of year 10's, but teach them I did. While behaviour wise, they're tougher, there's something fun about teaching the beginning of upper school and the utility of teaching non-fiction due to their exposure to it. The week, once it began, started flying past as I began to have things to plan and the classroom teachers to meet with. The following week would bring full lesson teaching and I had to be ready...fighting with smartboard programs and trying to remember everything commenced...and was only broken by Friday afternoon.

I had sent off my lesson plan ideas to my mentor, had spoken to my year 12 and 13 teachers and had mastered the photocopier. I was ready to Skype three people and pack for my first trip: visiting the family in Scotland! My mind still spun with school planning as I tried to throw things together while speaking to my grandparents, my parents, and Julia. It was whirlwind-like in retrospect, but soon I was off to find Victoria Coach Station.

My thoughts on the bus journeys: super affordable but also super long. I wish the sleeper buses were ready now...8 hours on a bus? Not exactly the greatest.
But, getting to spend the weekend with your family wandering around, relaxing, playing with a puppy, and chatting? The greatest.

Lunderson Bay in beautiful upheavel

The two days felt both like they were gone in 5 minutes and that they had lasted for ages. It was like I was temporarily transported into another universe. A weekend visit wasn't anything I had ever had before; it was a welcome break from the city. I admit that I always love getting to see the beauty of Scotland, but this was particularly special. I had no agenda, no where to go, just family to see and time to do with as I pleased: so I walked, I got real fish and chips and steak pie, I slept in a big bed, I read my book, I played more games of cribbage in a row than I think you should, and I had such a wonderful, wonderful time. I was excited to get back into teaching; however, I was sad to go.

Ruby in chase mode along with a peek at all of the other folks braving the moody weather for a breath of sea air and time with their dogs.

This next week at school sure picked up pace with 5 (7 if you include that 2 were doubles) full lessons and a half lesson with my form loomed ahead. I was busy with planning, reflecting, and teaching. It was a busy, busy week but I felt much more settled in and a part of the atmosphere. I was now just another "Miss" in the English Department who'd glare at stray curse words in the hallway and occasionally shout out "Top button!" to a passing student in disarray. Classes picked up, got more used to me, and got more fun. I remember this week fondly as I struggled and analysed and asked so many questions of my cooperating teachers. I got into The Crucible and so excited to teach it and finally began to wrap my mind around text transformations while simultaneously thinking about filming techniques. It is most humorous, perhaps to me now, to realize how much my mind still swims in reflecting just for the purpose of blogging. These weeks feel like so much longer has passed and yet they have gone so fast. I often find myself wondering just what to think as I drift off to sleep.

I found myself happily looking forward to the weekend. I adore my placement but I also adore getting to experience London with good friends. It is a nice mix: the more productive I am during the week, the more relaxed I can be at the weekend. This weekend; however, was particularly special: it was Emily's 21st Birthday on Saturday!

After some early morning laundry on my part, she'd gotten up and received our gifts with her cereal. The day, overall, was filled with errands and normal person things like, well, okay, I totally and completely went shopping. I also, in my defense, walked/biked somewhere in the nature of 10 miles, figured out the Barclay bike rental system, bought much needed groceries, ended up in Hyde Park, and journeyed with Emily and Piper - after the most difficult attempt at meeting up - to the "place with the postcards" before essentially crawling home to rest/grab dinner. For that was also THE SEASON FINALE OF DOCTOR WHO. I do not endorse spoilers but WOW! It was quite the ending and left much room for debate and chatter as we waited to try and fail miserably in our attempt to win the lottery.

Waiting for the Tube to head out!

Shrugging off our losses we changed our clothes and re-met up for an adventure out to Camden. It was time to brave the bar/club scene again in a new area with a funky and hip reputation. It was much more relaxing this time around as we found a cheap, cute, and small bar/club where we were able to do some dancing! When our feet were protesting, we went for a walk through the bustling and live neighbourhood. The Indian Summer weather had brought out the masses for the end of the warm season. We ended up at an interesting bar situated overlooking the Camden Locks. The view was great, the cover was affordable, the music was fun and eurotrash at its best, and the drinks were tasty. We sat and chatted about who knows what, just enjoying the feeling of being out in good company. It was overall a fine evening.

Piper and I approved! ;)

Sunday morning I was once again up bright and early - the sun and I are becoming the most intimate acquaintances this semester - as I was set to meet my uncle, who I hadn't seen in years, to explore the British Museum. The time spent in the museum passed quickly in a whirl of interesting artifacts from random places around the world from the famous Rosetta Stone to beautiful pocket watches to the extraordinary architecture of the building itself. Our conversation ebbed and flowed from life to the things before us as we found our way through almost every room that we could find. As the afternoon came on, we listened to our grumbling bodies and headed for some tasty Italian food before parting with plans to meet again soon.

Uncle Phil and I in front of the British Museum

With that we have reached this week! Another busy and exciting week of teaching has followed, of course. On Monday, I was able to chaperon a year 8 field trip to Neasden Temple - a beautifully ornate Hindu temple where we saw the aarti prayer ceremony. While I was not with my form, it was a great experience to learn how to manage and get a glimpse at the massive undertaking that is a school trip. It was, however, a long day as I taught a double after coming back and then sunk into planning before an hour long Zumba session! I came back thoroughly knackered though happy. The lesson was enjoyable to teach and I look forward to continuing it tomorrow. 

Tuesday brought my first experience with conferencing in addition to loads of meetings. It was also Saiya's 20th birthday and another chance to celebrate! It also brought the arrival of my new camera to replace my old one who's memory card reader had fried in an earlier rainstorm. I did my best to finish all of my work before we all met up for a crazy Italian dinner. The restaurant was cute, the atmosphere friendly, the waiter the most Italian man ever, and the food delicious! While the service was slow and we were left to our own devices there for nearly 3 hours, I was utterly contented by good food, good wine, and good conversation so as to walk away with a good impression and laughter.

Emily, Piper, Katie, Sarah, Saiya, and Jess in the cute alley as we waited for our table

Piper, Saiya, and I inside Bella Italia

Wednesday brought on my first experience with my lack of the developing teacher's third eye as I set my sights upon improving chatty-management and classroom focus! I also glimpsed the school play and discovered, to my delight, that several of my students are involved! Monday afternoon is the next rehearsal and I look forward to seeing how I can get involved. It also was the day my care package basket arrived from my parents. The adorable and thoughtful gift was composed of a girl's best friends: red wine and chocolate!

The basket of love!

Today, unfortunately, instead of planning, doing EAL support, and seeing open night, I fell prey to the stomach flu going around my department and spent the day resting and getting ready for tomorrow's lesson as best as possible.

Of course, I must also get better before Saturday's trip with Emily and Piper to Amsterdam! I am super excited as almost everyone in my family and family friends have been aside from me and I have heard nothing but good things about how interesting, fun, and quirky it is. Despite this excitement, I must temper it with anxiety - there are also lessons to be planned, reflections to write, a class to do work for, and Mass standards to address...I always knew this would be a tough semester, so I will simply carry on and hope for the best.

If you've made it this far, congratulations! I am very glad you care this much about my existence. Honest. I, well I'll try, to promise not to be so neglectful in the future but it's tough.

I send you love to wherever you are and hope things are as eventful for you as they are for me.
Cheers,
Fallon