Your mom

I suck at New Year's Resolutions. But if you read this post, then you already knew that.


I will say that although I'm still kind of sucking with money, I'm living within my means. And I'm totally knocking my book goal out of the park. I have read 15 books out of my goal of 24 for the year putting me 25% ahead of schedule. Which means I'll probably be taking up more substantial books for awhile. On to Guns, Germs and Steel!


As far as blogging twice a month, well, to be honest not much has been going on until recently and even that is only moderately blog worthy. So instead I'll leave you with this little window into the life of teaching English to children:

The PUB

So about once a month, I go to The PUB (Pilsner Urquell Bar) with friends, some of my old students and their friends. 


It's very multi-cultural and generally one heck of a party. 

Me and some of my favorite (former) students!

The PUB has huge wrap-around booths and each one has its own stand in the center of the table with four taps that are attached to what I believe is probably a phenomenal amount of Pilsner Urquell, one of the Czech Republic's most infamous beers.

Village Life and Seven Things About Me

I made it. It's halfway through February. Everything seems to be under control.


Last week I was supposed to be on Spring Break, but since I had no funds to go anywhere, my bosses asked me to cover classes in a smaller town just outside of Prague.


In reality, I was staying in said small town, M'lada Boleslav, but I was working in these two tiny little villages. I <3 village life. 


It was a little hectic simply because I never taught the same kids twice all week, I don't know the books they use there or they just didn't have books and all the classes are entirely different from the ones I teach in Prague. I spent a LOT of time lesson planning every night. However, I think if I taught those classes all the time it wouldn't have been so much work.


My regular schedule in Prague is nearly all kindergartens. I basically spend all my time with children ages 3-6. I have three classes of first and second graders, which just means I get to see kids 6-9. I only make four lesson plans each week.


Anyway, the kids I was teaching in the villages were all ages. I had a couple of kindergartens and then literally taught one or two classes of every grade from first to ninth. That means I saw kids as young as 3 and as old as 15.

Children Are Like Petri Dishes

I have a cold. It's relentless. And I'm positive one, several or all of the something like 200 kids I teach gave it to me. 

I stayed in bed all day Wednesday and Thursday. Went back to work on Friday. Stayed in bed most of the day Saturday until I just couldn't take it anymore. Sometimes, a girl has just got to get the hell out of the house. 

So I played darts for two hours with my friend John. Good times. I forgot how much I enjoy playing darts. Hopefully we'll do that more often because it was essentially free. 

I like free. 

New Year Means New Rules

OK, I realize I have completely failed you in the past few months, but I haven't felt all that motivated and I've just been a bit out of sorts what with not knowing where anything is going these days. 

However, I think I have stuff figured out at least for the next eight months, so we'll just go with that. 


"What do you mean you figured stuff out?," you ask. Aw yes, Well, I'm staying in Prague at least through August. I'm (hopefully) moving to Dubai for the 2012-2013 school year, but more on that later. I've started a new job in Prague that will get me through the summer and provide me with a slightly more stable income, albeit not necessarily a larger income. At least I can budget now. 


So here I am back to teaching kids, because kids can't cancel classes. 


After a very chill Christmas - my first away from home - and then a very insane new year - again, my first away from home - it's time to make some new rules. Most people call these resolutions. But resolutions are easily broken. Rules... Well, they're made to be broken and all, but I feel a lot guiltier when I do.

I Live Here.

And it's absolute as beautiful as it looks in this video.

FYI: I'm not leaving Prague any time soon after all. So now is the time for you to think up some excuse to come see me. You have until August or September. 


<3
— J

Turkey Day 2011

After another month of blog silence (because I'm lazy and really no other reason) and now it's time for Thanksgiving. 

Turkey all prepped and ready to get in the oven.

Thanksgiving is hands down my favorite celebration of the year. It even beats my birthday. Thanksgiving is celebrated with the four Fs: Family, Friends, Food, Football. I mean really, what else do you need in life.