Over the last couple of weeks, I've been enveloped in the world of teaching. It has been such a great learning experience, that I feel ever so blessed. While I've been so busy teaching, learning, and planning classes, I've had very little to no time for travel, or much of anything else outside the town of Dorking and Boxhill School. As a result, I only have less than a week left here, before returning to the States on December 6th. This means that I will most likely not have time to write in this again, until after I finish all my teaching paperwork & then graduate on December 14th.

This last month the autumnal colors have been superb! So much so, that I had to take a few more shots of Dorking, Surrey (right after Halloween), and of Boxhill School. There are even a few photos of myself & of April outside the school, just to prove to our families back home that we were really here.

I did take a short trip to London 3 weekends ago, & went to visit the beautiful architecture and art history of the famous British Museum, followed by going to the over-the-top Harrod's store.

On the way to the British Museum, I spotted an AMAZING art store full of beautiful pigments, oil pastels, paints, watercolor travel sets, brushes... and so much more. I wished I could have afforded everything to my hearts content and ship them all back home to my own art studio. Some day, maybe that can happen. You never know?

The British Museum was vast and wonderful. I would definitely go back if given the chance. The whole time I was there, I kept thinking about how much Jeffrey the lover of architecture and history abound, would truly love it there. After only a week since he had gone back home, our holiday together was fresh on my mind. As you can see from some of the pictures taken, there was quite a lot to take in. I know I did not see everything because it was just too massive of a place to do it in one days time.

London Harrod's was very interesting to see all the delicatessens inside their market, deli, and chocolate shop. Their winter holiday decorations were an amazing sight. The strangeness of the large department store was the fact that they had so much merchandise that was at an insanely high price. While wondering around the many floors of departments, I saw a wine & liquor store, jewelry shop, lingerie, women's, men's, and shoes. To give you an idea of the inflated or highest of costs that were among the selections, they had a diamond and rubies encrusted watch on sale for over 500,000 pounds.

By the time we got to Harrod's my camera battery had died, so I only took a few pics with my cell phone. I will have to add those pics later. Now, onto more studies and plans to get myself back home in a few days.

I've come to realize that over the last month of being at an international private school many interesting differences and similarities between this type of school in the UK and public schools in the US. While I can talk about it in general, I'm not going to specify anyone person or use any names for the privacy of the people involved.

The similarities are all about humanistic approaches to life. There are characteristics of the different age brackets of students that you can see are just like the youngsters in the US. Groups of girls or groups of boys hang out together, and when a girl or a boy enters the opposite, I can see a wave of change in everyone's demeanor. Then there are mixed groups of older ages between 15-16 years old, who get along really well as a result of knowing each other for 2-4 years. Which can be long enough to get to be comfortable with one another & after the original awkward stages that we all go through.

A bit of information about the ages and grade levels for the UK: Children begin school younger - at age 4. By the time they reach the age of 11, they are in secondary school at Year 7 (we would call it Grade 6), and so that means I have been teaching classes of kids at a younger age here than I would be in the US in a Junior High School the youngest would be 13 years old in 7th grade. Also, students have the option of continuing school after Year 10 (age 14-15). If they choose to continue, then that means that they intend to go to college/university after another 2 years of secondary school.

Of course, there are differences. I really do enjoy seeing them for what they are & learning more about how people interact in a different culture. While the UK does speak proper English, this is still a different country, society, culture, government, etc.

Onto my next chapter in my travels...

This was mostly a quiet week. As a result, I was able to enjoy the start of the autumnal changes on the trees. There has been a thick rolling fog that visits between dark-thirty and through the morning until mid-afternoon, then the sun comes into view for warm weather until dusk. I have to say, I really enjoy the fog and warmer weather while the autumn leaves begin their change. It certainly feels like the fall semester is in full swing.

Friday night was the first time out to a local pub and my first Guiness in the UK, with co-workers from the school. It turned out to be quite the night of great conversations, hilarious stories, and walks through cobbled streets. At 8:00pm, we met at the Kings Arms on West Street in Dorking, then all 18 of us walked over to a Curry House restaurant, (where I did not eat anything to save my stomach from revolting later in the evening - I know, so sad I can't have East Indian food).

After, we headed over to the pub called the Cricketer, where they were hosting a Beer Fest out back. I was able to have a few tastes of two different ales, (one tasted like a Belgum - citris flavor, and the other was like a red), but I stuck to my favorite, an IPA, & later had a shot of Glennlivit to end my night. It was such a great time to share with new friends and get a comepletely different feel for a small town. While I enjoyed it, I will probably not be doing this very often, but hopefully there will be another night before the end of my 3 months stay.

Saturday turned into a beautiful sunny day, and I decided to go for a stroll through downtown & the antiques row for a bit of window shopping. I was able to find a few more necessary books for the Altered Books lessons at a second hand shop for a good deal. Everyone who was shopping, seemed to be in a pleasant mood... or I was just high on life and only saw people with smiles, like in a happy musical. I was lucky to have found a fabulous leather purse for myself. I just know that I'll use it while traveling and back home.

At lunchtime, I met Annie at the one Mexican restaurant in town... it was medium quality and only half-way-mexican-american-like food. But, it was filling and a fair price. Their tortilla chips were like Doritos. I may only go back there for an emergency quesadilla. When I just can't help myself. LOL

Sunday was a day of being lazy and going out for more sun-kissed walks all over town and in parks. I found myself exploring more of the town. Even if I am still a guest here, I'm definitely beginning to feel more comfortable in my travels. After, I met with Annie to go for lunch at a little cafe. A great place for lattes and sandwiches.

While talking, we decided it was too late in the afternoon to go on an hour train ride to London this time. So, instead we made travel plans for the next 2 weekends: the upcoming one, we will be going back to London to visit the TATE Museum, and a few other hot spots. I'd like to see Big Ben and Westminster Abby. The following weekend, we want to go on an all day tour from London to Stonehenge, Bath, and Windsor.

Oh yeah, the best part of my day... I got to book and plan my own trip to Paris for 2 nights later in October, during our 2 week mid-term break! This is the first time I've ever been able to book a trip for just myself to go to another country. (Aside from coming to the UK) I'll be staying in an all female dorm room in a hostel, and it's near The Louvre! It gets better.... wait for it.... since I'm an art teacher here, I will be able to get in for free! I'm so excited that I'm going to have a hard time falling asleep.

And with that... I will say good night.