Mark here. Yes, I've been neglecting the Blog. After school, it's Miller Time (or better put, VB time), time to kick back by the pool with a beer- no worries, mate. Certainly not yet Blog time. It really works! After only a few minutes, all the day's stresses start to get washed away (by the pool water or the beer?). But that's all the time I have. Time's up, time to start my second job of househusband. Swaying only slightly, I proceed to see what I can do about dinner. Thanks to some friends incl. teachers from my school and the kids' school, we often have something in the fridge or freezer that only needs heated up. Nag the kids to set the table, do half of it myself in the end, eat, nag the kids to clean up, do half of it myself in the end, help Noemi read a bit, nag the kids to get ready for bed, end up getting them ready myself, put the girls to bed, read them a story, not yet Blog time, sing them a song, come downstairs, check emails quickly intending to start on the Blog, walk past the TV, switch it on, vegetate for half an hour, read a bit, go to bed (I'll get to that Blog tomorrow). Morning: get up at 6:45, make lunches, clean pool, nag kids to get their clothes on, eat breakfast etc. I think you get the picture: it has been very busy. Finally a 3 day weekend and I'm able to update the Blog.

Marianne is getting very mobile on her crutches and has been able to help out more and more. School is going better and better. Starting to establish relationships with the students, getting to know where everything is, who to talk to about what, etc. With the help of a fellow teacher who can weld, we also solved the problem of a school without hockey nets- I need my hockey nets. Welded 2 old metal table frames together to get a metal frame box, sawed off the bottom front piece, added some netting and voilà. So we made 2 of these for a cost of about 100.00 each (they would have cost 750.00 each from the local distributor). I ordered in some balls that I needed incl. a Tackishy ball, so now all we need is some quality uni-hockey sticks and I can introduce all my favourite games to my new school.

Last week on Thursday, March 6th, I took the boys' volleyball team to the district finals for the day, which we won. Each grade has district competitions in practically every sport incl. table tennis, tennis, and cricket to name a few. The winners then go on to the Zones, and then to the State Championships if they win the Zones. This system of interschool sport, with so many sports to choose from, means that there's a space for practically everyone to give a sport a go. It also makes the PE class more meaningful (there's a reason, perhaps, to be practicing the badminton smash). Lots of kids are also involved in after school sports, especially swimming, Auzzie Rules Football (AFL), cricket and basketball.

The students in my PE classes have been showing up in their shorts (the first few weeks I had a lot coming in their jeans) and have stopped trying to listen to their MP3 players or play with their mobile phones in class, so it gives a whole different feel.

Teachers who are sick, or need a sick day (you are allowed to take 5 a year, no questions asked) are covered internally using an 'Extras' system. Since teachers are required to be at school from 8:45 to 3:10 (the full school day) regardless whether they teach or not, teachers who have spares are always to be found. One teacher is given the job of 'Timetabler' and he comes early and organizes the extras, giving teachers with spares extras to cover for missing teachers. There is, of course, a limit to how many extras a teacher can be given (about one per 2 weeks). If given more than your allotment, you will be paid for the extra work. Full time here is then 23 lessons per week at 50 minutes per lesson plus the 'extra' every two weeks. It's nice not having to be at school at 7:00 in the morning! I usually ride my bike to work along the river, which takes about 20 minutes.