Friday, June 13, 2008

An SMS miracle and a scratchy 'bressle'

Little things amuse me.  

How lovely that I couldn't fall asleep last night as a result of the excitement of SMS.  SMS doesn't seem like a big deal.  Everyone uses it (I send about 1000 a month).  I even keep in touch with my sister in London and friends in Thailand.  Instant chat is great; I like the instant connection with friends.  I lived in Japan for two years with the frustration of their different mobile phone system.  Within Japan, their system works extremely well with users being able to email each other.  This email travels from phone to phone or to internet email.  Great, I hear you thinking... It was great but there was no SMS to easily and quickly contact the rest of the world.
I out for dinner with my friend Shino last night.  I was delighted to hear that she keeps in touch with one of her friends back home via SMS.  Docomo (one provider within Japan) has made their phone service global. It turns out that I can SMS friends that are with Docomo and my message arrives as an email... They send an email back and it arrives to me as an SMS.  I really feel reconnected.  It could be dangerous though... I expect my bill to rise!

Now, I can hear you asking what a 'bessle' is...  Where to start?  One of my students came to me today and seemed a little distressed.  He has some trouble pronouncing words.  He blurted out, "Excuse me Ellen, something is scratching my bessle."  He pointed to and wriggled uncomfortably around his left nipple.  We lifted his t-shirt to see what the matter was.  The emblem on the t-shirt was rough on the inside and rested exactly, uncomfortably against his nipple.  I realised that he had combined breast and nipple and come up with bressle.  I laughed and laughed (after he left to change tops).  Sweet!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

A lucky, lucky teacher...

I often sit back and reflect about how lucky I am.  Each year I think that I have a great bunch of students and I get anxious toward the end of the year when everything is going to change...  Well this year is particularly good.  I teach in a room of 45 kids and each and every one of them is unique and interesting.  They really are a kind and responsive bunch.  They laugh and make me laugh.  They look after and support each other (and me).  They just give and give.  How lucky can a teacher be?  What will I do at the end of the year?

Saturday, June 07, 2008

I love this crazy hair family


crazy hair family
Originally uploaded by superRelish
All ready for a dress up day at circus!!!!

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