A few weeks ago I was tidying my office at home, when I managed to snap all the supports on my stacking paper trays. This was very sad as part of the support remained inside the tray and I couldn't get it out, while I had no way of separating the trays (they weren't the kind that lock together.
Today I purchased some new trays, thinking I could use the old ones at school in situations where I didn't need them to stack, but needed to keep stuff together. Anyway, when I got home I had an idea, and so I headed to the hardware section of the local market, with sample in hand. I showed a few people what I wanted and a few said no, so I keep looking. Anyway, one man pointed me across the aisle to a lady who was selling all kinds of hinges, and door fittings. She very quickly found some door hooks which were exactly the right diameter, pulled out a pair of bolt cutters and chopped of the ends to the correct length. Perfect, so I got her to do another seven. I probably paid foreigner price for it, but it was worth it to be able to use the file trays properly, saving valuable bench space in the classroom, and these won't snap in a hurry!
Showing posts with label Daily Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daily Life. Show all posts
16 August 2013
21 May 2013
Plumbing fun
Last night I went to have a shower before bed, to wash some of the humid, sticky, griminess away before heading for a cool night's sleep, but it was not quite that simple. So I turned on the water, and then pressed the button on the hot water system that starts the water flowing. That's when the fun started. Water was flowing all right, but not quite where it should have been.
If you look carefully at the photo on the let you'll spot a silver butten, just below the body of the heater. There was nothing wrong with the button, it worked fine. Unfortunately the casing around it had split and so water was going everywhere. Equally unfortunately, I didn't have the connections to by-pass the system last night, so I took the easy way out and found another bathroom to have my shower!
Fortunately when the unit was installed I had made sure there was an extra safety net in case something like this happened, so I was easily able to turn the water off and not have to turn all the bathroom water supply off. The guy installing it thought I was crazy at the time, but now I'm glad I insisted.
So I managed to disconnect the offending part and tuck it in a corner of my backpack. This afternoon when after school swimming was over I headed home, collected my helmet and headed out on my trusty moto. None of the first shops I tried was able to help me so I headed to an area where I know they had various bathroom fittings. First place said they'd have to order one in for me. Nope, that wasn't going to work. I kind of like my own bathroom! Next place was very helpful. I showed them the part, and what did they do? Did they have a spare? Well, not really, but that wasn't going to stop them making a sale. They did have a new water heater, so they pulled one of those down, found the necessary part, and sold it to me, along with the plumbing tape that seems an essential part of plumbing here in Cambodia!
Now, I'll bet that wouldn't happen in Australia! It's not exactly the same as the old one, but it's installed and works perfectly. In fact, I like this one better that the old one because it has a tap you turn on instead of a button to press. I'm thinking less pieces to go wrong is good!
 |
| The old |
Fortunately when the unit was installed I had made sure there was an extra safety net in case something like this happened, so I was easily able to turn the water off and not have to turn all the bathroom water supply off. The guy installing it thought I was crazy at the time, but now I'm glad I insisted.
 |
| The new |
Now, I'll bet that wouldn't happen in Australia! It's not exactly the same as the old one, but it's installed and works perfectly. In fact, I like this one better that the old one because it has a tap you turn on instead of a button to press. I'm thinking less pieces to go wrong is good!
18 May 2013
Short weeks
May is a month of short weeks here in Cambodia. That can be a good thing, and it can also be not so good.
So what's good about it? Well, all those public holidays scattered through the month give me a great chance to catch up on stuff. For example, last Wednesday I was temporarily completely up to date with all my marking. Yep, everything my students had done for me had been reviewed! Didn't last long, as they handed more papers in on Thursday and we did an English test on Thursday and Friday, but it does feel good when it happens. It also allows me to strategically take some specific time out without feeling guilty. That's important. It's well known that if we keep on and on working a full pace we'll eventually buckle under the strain. If we think back to creation, God planned our week so we would work for 6 days and rest on the 7th. Now, anyone who is a classroom teacher, especially at the primary school level, will know that it's not always easy to take that seventh day every week, but it's definitely God's plan. The trouble is, sometimes my Sunday seems like anything but a day of rest, even if I don't do any school work. If I happen to be involved in leading or playing for a worship service, well that can be stressful, especially if there are songs I don't know so well. It also takes time preparing for it, time that I might otherwise spend on school stuff. Then there's interaction with people, which is part of being part of a church family. It's good, but for introverts like myself it's not exactly restful! And then, sometimes I get to Saturday, and that's when I need my "sabbath" rest. I've worked hard all week, and I'm just ready for a break, so sometimes that's what I'll do. Have a "slow" day on Saturday and then get my planning and prep done before or after church on Sunday. Public holidays make it much easier to take a "sabbath".
OK, so that seems like there are a lot of good things going for the public holidays I get in May. What's the flip side? Again, it's a teacher thing, but I'll bet parents can relate to this one too. Most kids actually thrive on routine. My students learn much more effectively when we are in a routine than when we have days off at odd times. The first holiday this month was on a Wednesday, and that's even worse than one attached to the weekends. You just get moving on things, and then you have a day off and you have to start all over again. Hmmm. Should we move all the holidays to Mondays or Fridays? No, I like my mid-week breather.
The end of the year is fast approaching. We've got just 6 weeks to go, and of those six weeks, two have public holidays, so altogether I have 28 days of school! Eek. We've got report cards to write, a whole Social Studies unit to complete, the end of year concert, and probably somewhere in there we'll also have a major assembly. I also need to plan some fun things for my students, and restock my "Go For Green" shop.
So this weekend is a Saturday down day. Tomorrow's going to be busy, with church, picking up my old keyboard from the repair shop (so we can use it to practice for the concert), grocery shopping, and lesson planning for the coming week. Life's like that!
So what's good about it? Well, all those public holidays scattered through the month give me a great chance to catch up on stuff. For example, last Wednesday I was temporarily completely up to date with all my marking. Yep, everything my students had done for me had been reviewed! Didn't last long, as they handed more papers in on Thursday and we did an English test on Thursday and Friday, but it does feel good when it happens. It also allows me to strategically take some specific time out without feeling guilty. That's important. It's well known that if we keep on and on working a full pace we'll eventually buckle under the strain. If we think back to creation, God planned our week so we would work for 6 days and rest on the 7th. Now, anyone who is a classroom teacher, especially at the primary school level, will know that it's not always easy to take that seventh day every week, but it's definitely God's plan. The trouble is, sometimes my Sunday seems like anything but a day of rest, even if I don't do any school work. If I happen to be involved in leading or playing for a worship service, well that can be stressful, especially if there are songs I don't know so well. It also takes time preparing for it, time that I might otherwise spend on school stuff. Then there's interaction with people, which is part of being part of a church family. It's good, but for introverts like myself it's not exactly restful! And then, sometimes I get to Saturday, and that's when I need my "sabbath" rest. I've worked hard all week, and I'm just ready for a break, so sometimes that's what I'll do. Have a "slow" day on Saturday and then get my planning and prep done before or after church on Sunday. Public holidays make it much easier to take a "sabbath".
OK, so that seems like there are a lot of good things going for the public holidays I get in May. What's the flip side? Again, it's a teacher thing, but I'll bet parents can relate to this one too. Most kids actually thrive on routine. My students learn much more effectively when we are in a routine than when we have days off at odd times. The first holiday this month was on a Wednesday, and that's even worse than one attached to the weekends. You just get moving on things, and then you have a day off and you have to start all over again. Hmmm. Should we move all the holidays to Mondays or Fridays? No, I like my mid-week breather.
The end of the year is fast approaching. We've got just 6 weeks to go, and of those six weeks, two have public holidays, so altogether I have 28 days of school! Eek. We've got report cards to write, a whole Social Studies unit to complete, the end of year concert, and probably somewhere in there we'll also have a major assembly. I also need to plan some fun things for my students, and restock my "Go For Green" shop.
So this weekend is a Saturday down day. Tomorrow's going to be busy, with church, picking up my old keyboard from the repair shop (so we can use it to practice for the concert), grocery shopping, and lesson planning for the coming week. Life's like that!
18 March 2013
Road Safety
Those who have known me for some time, and who receive my prayer letters will know that one prayer request that appears almost every time is for safety on the roads.
The Phnom Penh Post recently reported on a WHO report on Road Safety. The situation is not good, although Cambodia does appear to fare a little better than some other Asian countries.
For now, let's just compare Cambodia and Australia
Cambodia has 39,618km of roads, of which just 2,492km are paved.
Australia has 823,217km of roads, of which 356,343km are paved.
Cambodia has a population of about 15,000,000.
Australia has a population of about 22,000,000.
Cambodia has 1 372 525 registered 2 & 3 wheeled motorised vehicles.
Australia has 660 107 vehicles in the same category.
Cambodia has just 244 267 cars and 4-wheeled light vehicles.
Australia has 14 729 973 vehicles in the same category.
In Cambodia, motorbike helmets are mandatory for drivers but not passengers. The facts are that about 65% of drivers wear helmets and only 9% of passengers!
In Australia, helmets are compulsory for both driver and passenger and 99% of drivers wear them!
Sadly, the 2010 road tolls for both countries are not good. In Australia there were 1363 reported road fatalities, which is about 6/100,000 people, which is down from 9/100,000 people ten years ago. In Cambodia, there were 1816 report road fatalities, which is about 12/100,000 people, up from 4/100,000 people that it was ten years ago.
There are more and more motos and cars on the streets of Phnom Penh every day, and I frequently see more powerful bikes (250cc up) where previously most were 100cc!
In Australia >75% of seriously injured persons are transported by ambulance.
In Cambodia that figure is somewhere between 11% and 49%.
So where does that leave me? Well, it leaves me with a healthy respect for life when I get on my motorbike. I wear a helmet everytime I get on the bike, or even on someone else's bike. I never use my phone while riding. I am conscious that as I ride, I need to be constantly aware of the other road users. And most of all, I cover prayer for my safety as I travel on the roads.
I'm glad that I now live a short walk from school, so don't use the moto on the daily basis that I used to, but I do still use it regularly. For those who read this post, please continue to pray for safety on Cambodia's roads, both for me and my friends and colleagues. Pray that we will be safe and alert riders, and that God will continue to guard our safety as we seek to serve Him in this land.
The Phnom Penh Post recently reported on a WHO report on Road Safety. The situation is not good, although Cambodia does appear to fare a little better than some other Asian countries.
For now, let's just compare Cambodia and Australia
Cambodia has 39,618km of roads, of which just 2,492km are paved.
Australia has 823,217km of roads, of which 356,343km are paved.
Cambodia has a population of about 15,000,000.
Australia has a population of about 22,000,000.
Cambodia has 1 372 525 registered 2 & 3 wheeled motorised vehicles.
Australia has 660 107 vehicles in the same category.
Cambodia has just 244 267 cars and 4-wheeled light vehicles.
Australia has 14 729 973 vehicles in the same category.
In Cambodia, motorbike helmets are mandatory for drivers but not passengers. The facts are that about 65% of drivers wear helmets and only 9% of passengers!
In Australia, helmets are compulsory for both driver and passenger and 99% of drivers wear them!
Sadly, the 2010 road tolls for both countries are not good. In Australia there were 1363 reported road fatalities, which is about 6/100,000 people, which is down from 9/100,000 people ten years ago. In Cambodia, there were 1816 report road fatalities, which is about 12/100,000 people, up from 4/100,000 people that it was ten years ago.
There are more and more motos and cars on the streets of Phnom Penh every day, and I frequently see more powerful bikes (250cc up) where previously most were 100cc!
In Australia >75% of seriously injured persons are transported by ambulance.
In Cambodia that figure is somewhere between 11% and 49%.
So where does that leave me? Well, it leaves me with a healthy respect for life when I get on my motorbike. I wear a helmet everytime I get on the bike, or even on someone else's bike. I never use my phone while riding. I am conscious that as I ride, I need to be constantly aware of the other road users. And most of all, I cover prayer for my safety as I travel on the roads.
I'm glad that I now live a short walk from school, so don't use the moto on the daily basis that I used to, but I do still use it regularly. For those who read this post, please continue to pray for safety on Cambodia's roads, both for me and my friends and colleagues. Pray that we will be safe and alert riders, and that God will continue to guard our safety as we seek to serve Him in this land.
18 November 2012
What does your weekend look like?
A fellow blogger posted this queston this evening, after sharing some highlights of her weekend, so I thought I'd rise to the challenge.
This weekend's activities are a reasonable sample of a "normal" weekend, although I'm not sure there's such a thing.
After a slight sleep-in (8am instead of 6am), and the usual morning routine it was off to my piano teacher's house for my piano lesson. The trip across was uneventful, although I did notice a larger than usual police and military presence along the roads. Lesson over it was off to school. Slight delay at one intersection as we waited from some unknown (to the road users anyway) dignitary to make clear passage.
I then spent about 5 hours at school, mostly grading papers and preparing homework for the coming week or two, as well as a little planning and preparation. Why go to school? Because if I'm at school I actually get school work done, where as if I stay home I get distracted by various other things.
Next was a trip to two of the bigger grocery stores, where I bought a large glass casserole dish, as well as groceries. Why two stores? Because I can rarely get everything I want at one. Both of these stores are about the size of an medium sized IGA, and cater primarily for the expat population. One has the best range of Cadbury chocolate (from Australia) available, as well as a few other things I like, while the other carries the best range of Arnott's biscuits, and also frozen meat. Neither had the deodorant I like so that meant another store needed to be visited this morning.
Prior to arriving at the first grocery store I experienced another traffic delay. This time, we actually got told to turn our ignition off as we waited for the convoy to enter the complex 100m or so down the road, plus one van at the gate near where we were stopped. There will be many more of these delays for folk who need to use the main roads during the coming days of ASEAN meetings.
Finally headed home to find our street turned into one big parking lot, with a large function happening further down the road. Access to our gate was completely blocked from the street, so I came up in front of the neighbour's gate, along the sloping footpath, then neatly executed a 90 degree turn in less than one metre of space. It was tight, but at least I got in. A quiet evening followed after putting the groceries away.
This morning, after another pleasant sleep, I jumped on my moto to go to a "convenience store" on the other side of the main road and down a few blocks. That was no problem. Yay, they had the deodorant I like back in stock, so I stocked up, as well as getting the drinks I wanted for the coming week. Loaded the back pack up and headed for home. Got almost to the main road and spotted road blocks in place, so detoured back to the alternative intersection which was also blocked. I joined the throng awaiting the passing and eventually got across the main road and back home.
The unusual event for today was guests for lunch. I had invited my piano teacher and her husband and daughter for lunch, and was looking forward to it. I made a variation on Apricot chicken, which we all enjoyed, including the extra unexpected visitor. No problem. I can find an extra chair and plate and I had enough food. Variation was required as some of the ingredients I would use in Australia were not available here (at least not where I looked). Didn't matter. It still tasted good and my guests all enjoyed it.
After that, it was time to head up to church so I could practice on the piano there. I've been doing much more practice at home lately, but the touch of the church piano is different to mine, so practice there is important. I made it through the service with only a few variations on the theme, then home.
So that's my weekend. What about yours?
This weekend's activities are a reasonable sample of a "normal" weekend, although I'm not sure there's such a thing.
After a slight sleep-in (8am instead of 6am), and the usual morning routine it was off to my piano teacher's house for my piano lesson. The trip across was uneventful, although I did notice a larger than usual police and military presence along the roads. Lesson over it was off to school. Slight delay at one intersection as we waited from some unknown (to the road users anyway) dignitary to make clear passage.
I then spent about 5 hours at school, mostly grading papers and preparing homework for the coming week or two, as well as a little planning and preparation. Why go to school? Because if I'm at school I actually get school work done, where as if I stay home I get distracted by various other things.
Next was a trip to two of the bigger grocery stores, where I bought a large glass casserole dish, as well as groceries. Why two stores? Because I can rarely get everything I want at one. Both of these stores are about the size of an medium sized IGA, and cater primarily for the expat population. One has the best range of Cadbury chocolate (from Australia) available, as well as a few other things I like, while the other carries the best range of Arnott's biscuits, and also frozen meat. Neither had the deodorant I like so that meant another store needed to be visited this morning.
Prior to arriving at the first grocery store I experienced another traffic delay. This time, we actually got told to turn our ignition off as we waited for the convoy to enter the complex 100m or so down the road, plus one van at the gate near where we were stopped. There will be many more of these delays for folk who need to use the main roads during the coming days of ASEAN meetings.
Finally headed home to find our street turned into one big parking lot, with a large function happening further down the road. Access to our gate was completely blocked from the street, so I came up in front of the neighbour's gate, along the sloping footpath, then neatly executed a 90 degree turn in less than one metre of space. It was tight, but at least I got in. A quiet evening followed after putting the groceries away.
This morning, after another pleasant sleep, I jumped on my moto to go to a "convenience store" on the other side of the main road and down a few blocks. That was no problem. Yay, they had the deodorant I like back in stock, so I stocked up, as well as getting the drinks I wanted for the coming week. Loaded the back pack up and headed for home. Got almost to the main road and spotted road blocks in place, so detoured back to the alternative intersection which was also blocked. I joined the throng awaiting the passing and eventually got across the main road and back home.
The unusual event for today was guests for lunch. I had invited my piano teacher and her husband and daughter for lunch, and was looking forward to it. I made a variation on Apricot chicken, which we all enjoyed, including the extra unexpected visitor. No problem. I can find an extra chair and plate and I had enough food. Variation was required as some of the ingredients I would use in Australia were not available here (at least not where I looked). Didn't matter. It still tasted good and my guests all enjoyed it.
After that, it was time to head up to church so I could practice on the piano there. I've been doing much more practice at home lately, but the touch of the church piano is different to mine, so practice there is important. I made it through the service with only a few variations on the theme, then home.
So that's my weekend. What about yours?
17 November 2012
Public Holidays and so on...
If there was a contest for the country with the most public holidays, I'm sure Cambodia would be right up there at the top of the list.
Since school started on 3rd September, we have had a total of 7 public holidays and 1 teacher work day when we did parent-teacher conferences. So that means that in the first 11 weeks of the school year, we have had 7 five day weeks (i.e. no public holidays). We've had two 4-day weeks, and two 2-day weeks.
This week was supposed to be the 8th five day week, but alas, ASEAN has come to Phnom Penh, and schools are closed. We were officially notified on Friday that we would have to close on Monday and Tuesday. So that makes a 3-day week this week. Next week is a 2-day week (Monday & Friday with holidays Tuesday to Thursday), then a five day week, a four day week, and one last five day week to bring us up to the Christmas break. Hmmm.
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the holidays. They help me stay sane, giving valuable catch up time, BUT they also make it hard to maintain momentum with my students. Have a look at this.
Week 1 5 days
Week 2 5 days
Week 3 5 days
Week 4 4 days (I was ready for that long weekend) (Constitution Day)
Week 5 5 days
Week 6 5 days
Week 7 2 days (The 5-day break was good) (Pchum Ben)
Week 8 5 days
Week 9 2 teaching days, plus 1 day parent-teacher conferences (Coronation Day & King Father's Birthday)
Week 10 4 days (Independence Day)
Week 11 5 days
Week 12 5 days (only now it's 3 days)
Week 13 2 days (Water Festival)
Week 14 5 days (Hooray)
Week 15 4 days (big concert that weekend, so don't mind that Monday is a holiday - International Human Rights Day)
Week 16 5 days
CHRISTMAS / WINTER BREAK (2 weeks)
We haven't got the calendar for 2013 yet, but I'm fairly sure the holidays are a little more spaced out after Christmas, and we should be able to get some solid teaching happening. Life is interesting.
It's interesting, because this means we have a 16 week term! It would be way too long if it weren't for all those sneaky little holidays. So, what should I do? Well, I think that what I do is actually OK. I enjoy the holidays when they come, and do my best to keep some continuity happening in the classroom despite the interruptions. Keeping routines going helps kids, so when I can do that I do.
And as for ASEAN, well, I wonder what Aussie parents would say about school being closed for two days with only one weekend of notification. I wouldn't like to be a teacher there in that situation. Here, it's just part of life, and you do what you have to do. Either the kids will go to work with Mum & Dad, or Mum and/or Dad may just have to stay home too. Life is different here.
What about me? Do I get two extra days holidays. No, although I do get two shorter days (9am - 2pm instead of 7am -3pm). We need to get working on WASC, and hopefully I can get some grading caught up and some extra planning done.
As for those lessons I had planned for Monday and Tuesday .... Well, that will teach me to try and plan two weeks ahead. Some can be shuffled to Wednesday, and some will just have to wait until I return from ICEC in Chiang Mai after Water Festival. Life's like that.
Since school started on 3rd September, we have had a total of 7 public holidays and 1 teacher work day when we did parent-teacher conferences. So that means that in the first 11 weeks of the school year, we have had 7 five day weeks (i.e. no public holidays). We've had two 4-day weeks, and two 2-day weeks.
This week was supposed to be the 8th five day week, but alas, ASEAN has come to Phnom Penh, and schools are closed. We were officially notified on Friday that we would have to close on Monday and Tuesday. So that makes a 3-day week this week. Next week is a 2-day week (Monday & Friday with holidays Tuesday to Thursday), then a five day week, a four day week, and one last five day week to bring us up to the Christmas break. Hmmm.
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the holidays. They help me stay sane, giving valuable catch up time, BUT they also make it hard to maintain momentum with my students. Have a look at this.
Week 1 5 days
Week 2 5 days
Week 3 5 days
Week 4 4 days (I was ready for that long weekend) (Constitution Day)
Week 5 5 days
Week 6 5 days
Week 7 2 days (The 5-day break was good) (Pchum Ben)
Week 8 5 days
Week 9 2 teaching days, plus 1 day parent-teacher conferences (Coronation Day & King Father's Birthday)
Week 10 4 days (Independence Day)
Week 11 5 days
Week 12 5 days (only now it's 3 days)
Week 13 2 days (Water Festival)
Week 14 5 days (Hooray)
Week 15 4 days (big concert that weekend, so don't mind that Monday is a holiday - International Human Rights Day)
Week 16 5 days
CHRISTMAS / WINTER BREAK (2 weeks)
We haven't got the calendar for 2013 yet, but I'm fairly sure the holidays are a little more spaced out after Christmas, and we should be able to get some solid teaching happening. Life is interesting.
It's interesting, because this means we have a 16 week term! It would be way too long if it weren't for all those sneaky little holidays. So, what should I do? Well, I think that what I do is actually OK. I enjoy the holidays when they come, and do my best to keep some continuity happening in the classroom despite the interruptions. Keeping routines going helps kids, so when I can do that I do.
And as for ASEAN, well, I wonder what Aussie parents would say about school being closed for two days with only one weekend of notification. I wouldn't like to be a teacher there in that situation. Here, it's just part of life, and you do what you have to do. Either the kids will go to work with Mum & Dad, or Mum and/or Dad may just have to stay home too. Life is different here.
What about me? Do I get two extra days holidays. No, although I do get two shorter days (9am - 2pm instead of 7am -3pm). We need to get working on WASC, and hopefully I can get some grading caught up and some extra planning done.
As for those lessons I had planned for Monday and Tuesday .... Well, that will teach me to try and plan two weeks ahead. Some can be shuffled to Wednesday, and some will just have to wait until I return from ICEC in Chiang Mai after Water Festival. Life's like that.
19 September 2012
Ten minute challenge
I'm taking up a friend's challenge to write for just ten minutes then post.
This morning was just another Tuesday. Headed upstairs at 7am to put my bits and pieces away and squeeze in a little grading before lessons started for the day. Back downstairs at 7.28 for bell time at 7.30am after which it was back up the stairs with my munchkins. A quick stop on the 3rd floor to remind some 3rd graders why we don't run in the building, then on to the 4th floor. Oops, the delay on the 3rd floor meant some of my kids had already interrupted the Khmer class to put their backpacks away. Sorry Mr Dy and 6th graders. That sorted and attendance taken, it was straight into work with a quick math test. Marked those this evening and discovered some areas I need to review. Next comes two hours of Language Arts (half the class doing English & half doing Khmer for one hour then swap).
Hooray, it's recess time and no-one has to stay in today. After that my students had music, so I got busy with some grading and organising for the next lessons. Also went to track down the self-adhesive contact I'd ordered for covering books from the classroom library to enhance their longevity. Soon the children were back and it was into Maths, followed by some silent reading, and house-keeping (mostly homework related).
Lunch (no duty today, so a quick meal then back to get ready for Social Studies). A fun Social Studies lesson looking at lines of latitude then it was time for swimming. 30 girls, and almost all of them were swimming again! Yay. Went more smoothly than last week as we'd reorganised the groups and got some extra spotters. I had 9 girls in the deep end and they all did really well. 30 minutes later and it's time to get out. Saw the students out the gates, then it was back upstairs for some book covering, marking papers and getting ready for tomorrow. Just as I was about to head home it started pouring rain, so I delayed a while.
And my time is up! Hope you enjoyed a glimpse of my day.
This morning was just another Tuesday. Headed upstairs at 7am to put my bits and pieces away and squeeze in a little grading before lessons started for the day. Back downstairs at 7.28 for bell time at 7.30am after which it was back up the stairs with my munchkins. A quick stop on the 3rd floor to remind some 3rd graders why we don't run in the building, then on to the 4th floor. Oops, the delay on the 3rd floor meant some of my kids had already interrupted the Khmer class to put their backpacks away. Sorry Mr Dy and 6th graders. That sorted and attendance taken, it was straight into work with a quick math test. Marked those this evening and discovered some areas I need to review. Next comes two hours of Language Arts (half the class doing English & half doing Khmer for one hour then swap).
Hooray, it's recess time and no-one has to stay in today. After that my students had music, so I got busy with some grading and organising for the next lessons. Also went to track down the self-adhesive contact I'd ordered for covering books from the classroom library to enhance their longevity. Soon the children were back and it was into Maths, followed by some silent reading, and house-keeping (mostly homework related).
Lunch (no duty today, so a quick meal then back to get ready for Social Studies). A fun Social Studies lesson looking at lines of latitude then it was time for swimming. 30 girls, and almost all of them were swimming again! Yay. Went more smoothly than last week as we'd reorganised the groups and got some extra spotters. I had 9 girls in the deep end and they all did really well. 30 minutes later and it's time to get out. Saw the students out the gates, then it was back upstairs for some book covering, marking papers and getting ready for tomorrow. Just as I was about to head home it started pouring rain, so I delayed a while.
And my time is up! Hope you enjoyed a glimpse of my day.
26 March 2012
Getting some exercise
Anyone who has lived in Cambodia, and more specifically, Phnom Penh, for any length of time will tell you that it's not an easy place to exercise, although there are some creative ways to do it.
For me, my preferred forms of exercise would be riding a bicycle, walking or swimming. All are doable here, but the first two are hazardous! The roads were not designed for the volume of motos, cars, SUVs, and trucks that now use them. The footpaths are also the only place to park the above mentioned motos, cars, etc, as well as being places of business. Yes, many businesses extend right across the footpaths to the street. There are now a few parks around, and one popular form of exercise I mentioned is aerobics (I wrote about it here) or Khmer dancing. It is now possible to walk quite a distance along the river front in reasonable comfort, but you've got to get there first. There are also some exercise machines there if you feel like exercising in full view of the passing population (I got caught in the act of testing one out by one of my students).Bikeways are non-existent, and cyclists are not exactly high on the totem pole when it comes to traffic.
Swimming I do a little of, but I'm not consistent with it. The other alternative is to join a gym. I've done that a couple of times, both in Australia and here in Phnom Penh, and it's OK, but you have to be really committed to going, and the decent ones are not cheap either! So what do I do? Almost two years ago I had to pay a 20% loading on my international health insurance because my BMI was over 30. Last year I managed to get it down just below that, and was determined to get it even lower, but didn't really succeed, and alas, my love of chocolate and good food has not been helpful. With just 3 months to go before the said insurance premium has to be calculated again, it was time to get serious about doing some exercise and losing those excess kilos that had crept back on.
A while ago I bought a relatively cheap exercise machine (elliptical/bicycle/stepper/twister), but I hadn't been consistent about using it. Now, with the deadline looming, I put out a plea to my Facebook friends for some help and encouragement, and determined to build a new habit. Last week I managed to average 22 minutes each day, and I did do some every day, so I'm feeling pretty good about that. This week I set a new goal of 25 minutes every day. I'm hopeful that I can do it.
The other thing that's important is that I don't just want to lose the weight for the sake of some dollars. I know the exercise is good for me in many other ways, and exercising and eating well are part of taking care of the amazing body that God has given me. Already I'm feeling some benefits, and hopefully the scales will start to show some benefits as well.
What about you? Do you find exercising a struggle? Please tell me about your exercise challenges. What helps you stay motivated? I'd love to read your comments.
For me, my preferred forms of exercise would be riding a bicycle, walking or swimming. All are doable here, but the first two are hazardous! The roads were not designed for the volume of motos, cars, SUVs, and trucks that now use them. The footpaths are also the only place to park the above mentioned motos, cars, etc, as well as being places of business. Yes, many businesses extend right across the footpaths to the street. There are now a few parks around, and one popular form of exercise I mentioned is aerobics (I wrote about it here) or Khmer dancing. It is now possible to walk quite a distance along the river front in reasonable comfort, but you've got to get there first. There are also some exercise machines there if you feel like exercising in full view of the passing population (I got caught in the act of testing one out by one of my students).Bikeways are non-existent, and cyclists are not exactly high on the totem pole when it comes to traffic.
Swimming I do a little of, but I'm not consistent with it. The other alternative is to join a gym. I've done that a couple of times, both in Australia and here in Phnom Penh, and it's OK, but you have to be really committed to going, and the decent ones are not cheap either! So what do I do? Almost two years ago I had to pay a 20% loading on my international health insurance because my BMI was over 30. Last year I managed to get it down just below that, and was determined to get it even lower, but didn't really succeed, and alas, my love of chocolate and good food has not been helpful. With just 3 months to go before the said insurance premium has to be calculated again, it was time to get serious about doing some exercise and losing those excess kilos that had crept back on.
A while ago I bought a relatively cheap exercise machine (elliptical/bicycle/stepper/twister), but I hadn't been consistent about using it. Now, with the deadline looming, I put out a plea to my Facebook friends for some help and encouragement, and determined to build a new habit. Last week I managed to average 22 minutes each day, and I did do some every day, so I'm feeling pretty good about that. This week I set a new goal of 25 minutes every day. I'm hopeful that I can do it.
The other thing that's important is that I don't just want to lose the weight for the sake of some dollars. I know the exercise is good for me in many other ways, and exercising and eating well are part of taking care of the amazing body that God has given me. Already I'm feeling some benefits, and hopefully the scales will start to show some benefits as well.
What about you? Do you find exercising a struggle? Please tell me about your exercise challenges. What helps you stay motivated? I'd love to read your comments.
21 February 2012
Electricity cuts and God's goodness
One of the "joys" of living in Cambodia is the unpredictability of electricity supply. The last month or so, it seems to have been more unpredictable than usual, by which I mean there have been more blackouts than previously experienced.
This afternoon the electricity was on when I headed down for lunch duty at 1pm, and off by the time I headed back upstairs half an hour later. Grrrr! The lesson I had planned required electricity. Life's like that. Just as well I had a backup plan. We opened the window, and got on with it. It was still off during the after school program (I'm doing my second term of multiplication games), and by then any benefit of having the air-conditioner on earlier in the day was well and truly gone. I'm just glad my classroom doesn't get the direct afternoon sun or it would have been much warmer.
I dropped into the office before heading home, and made a comment that I was heading home because it was highly likely that I would have power there and could at least sit in front of a fan and work. I also commented that God had been very good to me in terms of electricity since I'd been in Cambodia. I said this, since most of the places I've lived have been on electricity lines that seem to suffer less cuts than other lines.
Here's the question. Was I right to acknowledge this as God's goodness to me? Just because other people (who also know and love and serve Him) experience more power failures than I do, does it mean God is not good to them. What do you think? Should we say that God is good to us when we experience good things, and others experience more difficult situations. Are we saying He is less good to them, or that for some reason they haven't earned His goodness?
Here's what I think. God is good. It is His nature. God works in our lives in His perfect way. He doesn't dictate what is going to happen to us, but He does choose to bless us, and to work ALL things for good for those who are called, according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).
So has God been good to me in leading me to live in places that have a reasonably reliable electricity supply? Yes, I think He has. Has He been good to me in other ways. Yes. Was He any less good when I went through that difficult time 2 years ago? No. In fact, as I look back at that time I can see many examples of His goodness in the dark times. Was He any less good when He chose not to heal my father's cancer on this earth, but took him home? No. Yes, it hasn't been easy adapting to life without Dad around, especially for Mum, but God was good to us during the time of Dad's illness in many ways, and continued to be good during the years that have passed since then.
If the power went off right now, would I rant and rave and blame God and say He's not good any more? I hope not. Was God good when the power was off this afternoon? Yep! Even if I didn't enjoy it that much, God was still good. After all I could have been out in the hot sun, with no shelter, and nothing to drink. Now then I might have a reason to question His goodness. Does God change? No. So does His goodness change? No way. So, should I acknowledge God's goodness in everyday good things, even if others are having not so good experiences. What do you think? I'll be interested in your comments. Meanwhile, I'll finish this post by trying something I've never done before and adding a YouTube clip of a favourite song on this topic. Enjoy!
This afternoon the electricity was on when I headed down for lunch duty at 1pm, and off by the time I headed back upstairs half an hour later. Grrrr! The lesson I had planned required electricity. Life's like that. Just as well I had a backup plan. We opened the window, and got on with it. It was still off during the after school program (I'm doing my second term of multiplication games), and by then any benefit of having the air-conditioner on earlier in the day was well and truly gone. I'm just glad my classroom doesn't get the direct afternoon sun or it would have been much warmer.
I dropped into the office before heading home, and made a comment that I was heading home because it was highly likely that I would have power there and could at least sit in front of a fan and work. I also commented that God had been very good to me in terms of electricity since I'd been in Cambodia. I said this, since most of the places I've lived have been on electricity lines that seem to suffer less cuts than other lines.
Here's the question. Was I right to acknowledge this as God's goodness to me? Just because other people (who also know and love and serve Him) experience more power failures than I do, does it mean God is not good to them. What do you think? Should we say that God is good to us when we experience good things, and others experience more difficult situations. Are we saying He is less good to them, or that for some reason they haven't earned His goodness?
Here's what I think. God is good. It is His nature. God works in our lives in His perfect way. He doesn't dictate what is going to happen to us, but He does choose to bless us, and to work ALL things for good for those who are called, according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).
So has God been good to me in leading me to live in places that have a reasonably reliable electricity supply? Yes, I think He has. Has He been good to me in other ways. Yes. Was He any less good when I went through that difficult time 2 years ago? No. In fact, as I look back at that time I can see many examples of His goodness in the dark times. Was He any less good when He chose not to heal my father's cancer on this earth, but took him home? No. Yes, it hasn't been easy adapting to life without Dad around, especially for Mum, but God was good to us during the time of Dad's illness in many ways, and continued to be good during the years that have passed since then.
If the power went off right now, would I rant and rave and blame God and say He's not good any more? I hope not. Was God good when the power was off this afternoon? Yep! Even if I didn't enjoy it that much, God was still good. After all I could have been out in the hot sun, with no shelter, and nothing to drink. Now then I might have a reason to question His goodness. Does God change? No. So does His goodness change? No way. So, should I acknowledge God's goodness in everyday good things, even if others are having not so good experiences. What do you think? I'll be interested in your comments. Meanwhile, I'll finish this post by trying something I've never done before and adding a YouTube clip of a favourite song on this topic. Enjoy!
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