Week Three

This week again was both amazing and hectic.

On Monday in the NT and apparently QLD we had another public holiday. It was called May Day and apparently was a celebration of the beginning of May. I don't know why. But my celebrating translated into watching a movie, doing a graduate position application and then having a lovely ride. I tell you what though, this week, when I have to work a full week for the first time in 3 weeks is simply going to kill me. I bet the kids will be exhuasted too!

With the kitchen duties completely handed over to Cara, we were now free to concentrate solely on our tutoring responsibilities. The three students who I am working with intensively are amazing and already the one-on-one assistance, I believe is improving their literacy skills. This week the sound of the week was '-at'. So we mindmapped our '-at' words, then we drew a picture with three '-at' words together (there were many fat cats wearing a hat) and we even played '-at' snap. Now I understand how creative and innovative you have to be if you are a teacher. Trying to make 'cat,' 'fat', 'hat,' and 'mat' fun for 4 lessons is difficult! I truly think it is only now appreciate the role of a teacher.

One of my students was so fabulous he was even given star of the week at assembly on Friday. I was super proud of him!

Before school we also now help organise the before-school sport. Our first task on Tuesday was organising the AFL. Dammit, I don't know anything about Aussie Rules. So I managed to turn the game into something so much worth organising- touch football. Sweet! And I even joined in and scored a try!! Wednesday was easier as I organised the netball and on Friday I helped with long jump.

After school I continued with the 5.30pm sporting regime. Tuesday the teachers and I went for a walk around the community to the airstrip. We encountered a group of brumbies but the stallion was going crazy, charging up and down the road. Useful survival skill 1: If a horse is charging at you, don't try to out-run it, you're a human and ridiculously slow, instead run behind a tree. Even a weak, shitty looking tree, it doesn't matter. Horses will not run into a tree. They are not stupid animals. Once it has calmed down you slowly walk away. So that's exactly what we did. Turns out though, the stallion was cross at a couple of his fillies as they had strayed away from the rest of the herd. So he truly wasn't bothered by us. Instead though of a horse charging injury though, I got some wicked blisters on my heels which haven't even healed up today!

Wednesday is zumba night. So 5.30pm we gather for zumba in a classroom. That would all be ok, but as there isn't a park or a playground anywhere else on the island but school, the students were hanging around. They kept trying to peak through the windows, they climbed up the building, they even knocked politely on the door, to get a glimpse of our uncoordinated hip rotating. Trust me, it's very uncoordinated. And to make matters worse, on Thursday the little scamps said 'I saw you trying to dance yesterday.' Ouch!

While I'm digressing on the topic of 'the stuff kids say' here are a couple of beauties:

Girl: Why are your hands pink?
Me: Cause I'm hot
Girl: You white fellas turn pink when you get hot
Me: Yep. You fellas are tougher than us.
Girl: You also turn pink when you cry 

Boy: What's that?
Me: That's my tummy
Boy: You have a baby inside?
Me: No, that's just my tummy
Boy: You just fat then?

Girl: You have big legs. Why do you have big legs?
Me: My mum gave them to me.
Girl: Why did she do that?

Thursday we had a bike ride out to and a swim at Bottle Rock. It was beautiful! And on Friday we had a game of badminton, which was most relaxing!

Jen and I are keeping a hectic social life. On Wednesday night we had dinner at a teacher's house and watched Spicks and Specks and last night had a lovely 'bring-a-plate' dinner with all the teachers. We then sat around a campfire with these beautiful old trees leaning in over us. We had no lights on, and the stars just glowed brilliantly. Just as we were leaving the house, a shooting star lit up the sky. It went right near the Southern Cross as well. I've never seen a shooting star and it is an experience that I will remember forever.

This morning, I had a lovely bike ride again with the teachers out to Bottle Rock where we ate breakfast and had a swim in the spa. Well, that's what I'll describe it as, but really its a rockpool that's been worn away but the tides to make it the size of a spa. It's the only place you can swim on the island, as you can see what's in the water. If there was a croc, though I doubt it would fit, you would at least every definitely see it!

We have unfortunately had a small incident. On Wednesday morning, an adolescent boy woke us up at 6.30am basically asking if Jen and I would have sex with him. Obviously the answer was no, and although we were safe inside our accommodation, it did make us feel vulnerable. The police, cultural teacher and principal were all notified and all were sorry that it happened. The perpetrator was found, it is a small community after all, and although he hasn't committed a legal offence he was still spoken to by the police. This should be the end of the saga and we haven't heard a peep from him since. It was just an awkward situation.

Well that's the summary for the week. I'm having a busy and fun time up here and I love the work that I'm doing.

Croc watch: No crocs yet again. Dammit.