So what have you done then?

As the year warp speeds to its conclusion; the reflections upon your acheivements, legacies and personal development begin to be a source of discussion.
Tina has acheived alot by being Tina. Being a cheeky bag and asking for things, her guitar groups and playground markings will make her sorely missed at Warners Bay. The opportunity to pursue personal interests and not have to deal with the day to day issues that work brings has made her more chilled out, unless she is asking Jessica to brush her hair or put her socks on for the fifteenth time in the morning.



Jessica continues to become her mother's daughter. Full of deep profound statements!








and making her own contributions to school murals. I think the windswept Blonde, running across the mountains is her design....... based on her mother.




Alex is his father's son, lacking the dynamic personality to leave a legacy but personally he is the one who will be seen to have changed and developed the most. This goes beyond the fact that he has two whopping great front teeth now and is trying to grow a surf dude hairstyle. Riding bikes, skiing, football (we're not calling it soccer anymore now), cricket, swimming. He has got involved in so many things and self confidence has grown proportionately. What about me? Not sure Glendore will mourn my passing too much. We heard of one of our fellow exchangees who had been offered a job and had been told that he'd been the best exchange teacher they'd ever had. I think the difference with Glendore is that I was the first (and possibly last) exchange teacher they've had, as such they never quite followed through the "This teacher is from another hemisphere how do we help him succeed for the good of his and the school's development"
Anyway my most significant contribution of the year arguably came at the staff Christmas meal
(Held along the Newcastle equivalent of Oxford St Southampton, $35 per head, other halves welcome if they are stupid enough to spend an evening with a bunch of teachers, Bring Your Own Grog) where I found fellow drinking partners and inspired by Steve at Marchwood reflected on the year in verse

Term 2 was tough Reports to write
But the hardest thing for me
Was trying to watch David Beckham
In the morning at half past three

The socceroos they did you proud
But boy those whinging shouts
when the poor Italian tripped over
And knocked the Aussies out

I went to see some Rugby
Football according to you
Better than home with beer on tap
And a bloody sight warmer too

So that was verses 11-13 of my 31 verse "ballad" and I think this photo was after I'd finished so I couldn't have upset people too much. I could have done but edited several verses prior to public performance.





The other thing we now find ourselves doing apart from engaging in "oooh, not long to go now!" conversations several times a day is measure the time left using all sorts of mundane informal units.
"That was the second to last time we'll be putting that recycling bin out."

"We've got exactly the right amount of dishwasher tablets to last us until we'll leave."

"We'll still have half of that tube of toothpaste left. Do you think we should pack it."

I also got disproportionately excited by having my first banana for ten months in my packed lunch.



You can't imagine how exciting and stimulating it is living in the Chappell household.