Yes, it can be done. People can visit Melbourne from New York! Phil and Di are here with their three girls, Freya, Astrid, and Imogen. And Di is pregnant yet again! And it's going to be another girl! Strewth! We are going through our book of Norse myths looking for another name that matches the previous names. All suggestions welcome.
Getting tired of winter now and would like some warm sunshine - can you guys spare any? I have started at my second school. I am teaching 9th and 10th grade Math and 7th and 11th grade History. Today in 11th grade history we did the Vietnam War. Heavy duty stuff, but the kids handled it pretty well. I am reading a lot of young adult fiction for my English literature elective - novels directed at the 12-16 year old set. Sex, sex, sex, that's all they care about. I get a bit steamed up as I read. Rachel has had to deal with the consequences!
The kids have now learned two Abba songs on the keyboard so Hannah is playing Dancing Queen all the time, Sam is stuck on Mamma Mia. We have also been using our bikes and discovering all the terrific bike trails around Melbourne. Hope all is well with everyone.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
News from Melbourne
Glad to see all is well in New York and everyone looking as lovely as ever. Wish I could have been there to have a drink with you all. I am in the middle of four weeks vacation from university. The semester finished with a blizzard of assignments and I can't remember much of June except that I was sitting here typing, typing, typing. I was also teaching Grades 7, 10 and 11 math at a nearby high school. I think that went pretty well and by the end I was beginning to feel comfortable in front of a group of teenagers and had begun telling little jokes that none of them understood. I had one of those teacher moments when one of the kids in my class got his highest ever mark for a math test in the subject that I was teaching. He said, "You're a legend, Mr Nicholls!" How sweet! Next semester, I will be teaching math and history at our local high school - the one that Hannah and Sam will go to if we still live in this neighborhood. I just hope I don't have to teach my babysitter - that might be embarrassing.
We didn't get to go to Sydney after all. Rachel too busy at work, so that trip may have to wait until September. We are planning to go to the UK for Christmas to see Rachel's Mom and the rest of the family. I've been running a bit more often but it is difficult to get away at this time of year because it gets dark so early and Rachel doesn't get back from work until so late. Also, this area has hardly any street lamps - I'd be running in pitch black. Australia's a fairly rich country - surely we could invest in some lights! I may have to start getting up at 6 and running in the early morning. Ick.
The kids are busy with swimming and football. Sam has decided that he is going to be a footballer when he grows up. They are both getting rather tall. Sam has lost his first tooth. His accent is now distinctively Australian, but I think Hannah has hung on to her Englishness. They both gave performances at the end of semester keyboard recital. Both played Abba's "Mamma Mia" very well.
I'll be posting six months worth of photos on the other blog soon and I'll post a link to it here. I haven't posted on that site for six months and I think Rachel's Mom will be getting rather cross with me if I don't get something on there soon.
Tom Cruise is in Melbourne at the moment. You would have thought the rest of the world had simply stopped. All we get is Tom Cruise went shopping, Tom Cruise went to the footy, Tom Cruise had dinner in a restaurant. There was some other news about some pop singer having died. Then we got Tom Cruise's reaction. The Australian media is even more awful than it was 20 years ago.
I went to the doctor's the other day for a checkup. We've been in Australia for a year now and the doctor asked how we had settled in. I said we were all fine and described all our activities. Then I explained that it was a bit different here because everyone in Melbourne lives at the back of their house and in their own backyards. Every single social event has to be arranged in advance. There is less opportunity to meet neighbors or socialize when simply running into people who are sitting in their front yard watching kids play or reading or barbecuing, and there is no central focus such as Prospect Park or Central Park like there is in New York. The doctor looked at me for a few seconds and then said, "Australians are just not that friendly. All that mateship business is a myth that we have created. We are just not that friendly." Hmmm. I'm going to have to think about that. Maybe he is right.
We didn't get to go to Sydney after all. Rachel too busy at work, so that trip may have to wait until September. We are planning to go to the UK for Christmas to see Rachel's Mom and the rest of the family. I've been running a bit more often but it is difficult to get away at this time of year because it gets dark so early and Rachel doesn't get back from work until so late. Also, this area has hardly any street lamps - I'd be running in pitch black. Australia's a fairly rich country - surely we could invest in some lights! I may have to start getting up at 6 and running in the early morning. Ick.
The kids are busy with swimming and football. Sam has decided that he is going to be a footballer when he grows up. They are both getting rather tall. Sam has lost his first tooth. His accent is now distinctively Australian, but I think Hannah has hung on to her Englishness. They both gave performances at the end of semester keyboard recital. Both played Abba's "Mamma Mia" very well.
I'll be posting six months worth of photos on the other blog soon and I'll post a link to it here. I haven't posted on that site for six months and I think Rachel's Mom will be getting rather cross with me if I don't get something on there soon.
Tom Cruise is in Melbourne at the moment. You would have thought the rest of the world had simply stopped. All we get is Tom Cruise went shopping, Tom Cruise went to the footy, Tom Cruise had dinner in a restaurant. There was some other news about some pop singer having died. Then we got Tom Cruise's reaction. The Australian media is even more awful than it was 20 years ago.
I went to the doctor's the other day for a checkup. We've been in Australia for a year now and the doctor asked how we had settled in. I said we were all fine and described all our activities. Then I explained that it was a bit different here because everyone in Melbourne lives at the back of their house and in their own backyards. Every single social event has to be arranged in advance. There is less opportunity to meet neighbors or socialize when simply running into people who are sitting in their front yard watching kids play or reading or barbecuing, and there is no central focus such as Prospect Park or Central Park like there is in New York. The doctor looked at me for a few seconds and then said, "Australians are just not that friendly. All that mateship business is a myth that we have created. We are just not that friendly." Hmmm. I'm going to have to think about that. Maybe he is right.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
New York
I know it has been forever since I have written an entry - I am sorry for that. I don't really even have time to write anything now but I wanted to post the pictures i took in NYC so at least Rohan new that everyone was still alive and healthy. We all missed you VERY much Rohan and hope that all is going well in aussie land -- should we call you teach now? Please say HI to the kids.
Kristen and Kathy Aaron and I have bought our tickets to come back out to NYC. We will be there Saturday August 22 to Thursday August 27 -- so set some time aside. I will be in touch so we can make plans.
Sarah Holden's little boy -- August -- he is now just a few weeks over 6 months
Me, Nika (Till and Sara's little girl), and August
Kathy and little Chloe (she is so cute)
Kristen, little Chloe and Mateo sleeping in the corner (Lorenzo was on the other side of the bench asleep too -- we were in the restaurant across from Kirsten's house for hours hanging out).
Kristen's Sister from Toronto, Me, Kristen, Little Chloe and Mateo.
All for now - I PROMISE - I will write more later.
PS I just ran 3 miles tonight for the first time in months! I had to rest my IT band -- still hurts but I am sick of getting more and more out of shape and fat...so...here we go...I least I started. Wish you all were all here to run with...it is just not the same running without you.
Kristen and Kathy Aaron and I have bought our tickets to come back out to NYC. We will be there Saturday August 22 to Thursday August 27 -- so set some time aside. I will be in touch so we can make plans.
Sarah Holden's little boy -- August -- he is now just a few weeks over 6 months
Me, Nika (Till and Sara's little girl), and August
Kathy and little Chloe (she is so cute)
Kristen, little Chloe and Mateo sleeping in the corner (Lorenzo was on the other side of the bench asleep too -- we were in the restaurant across from Kirsten's house for hours hanging out).
Kristen's Sister from Toronto, Me, Kristen, Little Chloe and Mateo.
All for now - I PROMISE - I will write more later.
PS I just ran 3 miles tonight for the first time in months! I had to rest my IT band -- still hurts but I am sick of getting more and more out of shape and fat...so...here we go...I least I started. Wish you all were all here to run with...it is just not the same running without you.
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