the hidden curriculum of your life

Its cold, it's cold, it's COLD! ... But thanks, God for the rain!

To escape this cold weather, I am getting right outta the state. Monday, I am going home. And I'm kind of happy, because I hate Bendigo right now. Perhaps going to somewhere with 'a little less civilisation' will make me feel a whole heap better.

My fish is dead.

I'm waiting the day when I'll be normal, when I can quit being cynical, when I can shake off the feelings that seem to hit my mind. "Oh but Sammy, you're just being discerning!"

It has now been a week since I finished prac. When I first got off it, I thought I'd be a mess, but I'm surprised as to how well I've adapted back into uni life. It certainly has been better having less contact-hours, although, I've been up at 6 nearly every morning anyway to try and get assignments done (I'm a morning person).

Although I've done well getting back into it, today was exceptionally hard. I went back to kids4life much, and to tell you the truth, I struggled to get through the doors. This along with a heap of crankiness caused by stress and no sleep didn't help. The whole time all I could think was about my kids on prac, how you just knew that kids were hurting there. It breaks my heart, and I feel guilty about it.

I felt as though that God was drifting a bit of my attention towards the window, where outside were all the kids that werent at the program (as it is up to the parents as to whether they can participate or not), that He cares about them too! There's so much hurt and hunger that these children are feeling that don't get the chance to be impacted by our program.

But with that I felt that God was telling me that I have a remarkable position as a teacher - I can reach the unreachable. Just because I am not under an official mission or because I am in a public rather than private school, this does not mean I am not doing God's work. Now don't think my life goal now is to go into schools and corrupt students, let me introduce you to a term I have learnt about this semester: The Hidden Curriculum.

The hidden curriculum is basically the unplanned learning, the values that a teacher gives forth to ones students.

Although this is a teacher term, I've been thinking about it a lot lately in how this concept is applied in every day life. We have our curriculum - what we need to get done and achieve, people we need to see, things we need to do. But how we go about it is the important part. What values and 'unplanned learning' happens extended to what we already do? (I hope this makes sense)

These kids trapped in a struggle and
Don't know where they're heading, no
A head full of trouble is all they're getting
And nobody knows the suffering they go through
And you wouldn't believe 'em if they told you

- These kids, Joel Turner and the Modern Day Poets

... and don't tell me off for posting music that isn't J-Pod, because this is reality.

Kids are hurting in the exact same ways I have, if not worse, and I don't think I'm doing enough to reach them...

Feeling a little.. bilingual?

bi·lin·gual /baɪˈlɪŋgwəl or, Can., -ˈlɪŋgyuəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[bahy-ling-gwuhl or, Can., -ling-gyoo-uhl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –adjective

1.	able to speak two languages with the facility of a native speaker.

2.	spoken, written, or containing similar information in two different languages: a bilingual dictionary; Public notices at the embassy are bilingual.

3.	of, involving, or using two languages: a bilingual community; bilingual schools.

–noun

4.	a bilingual person.

Bilingual education is something I am very much interested in.
As you know I study Indonesian as a second language at uni, and have been since 1999. I have found that being bilingual is very rewarding, it extends your knowledge in two languages, and can also give you a bigger cultural awareness.

This has inspired me to create a new blog. This blog is designed for people who are bilingual to practice their languages. If you're bilingual I invite you to comment in this post and I'll sign you up. I've already sent invites out to a few people!

Even if you're not bilingual, head on over and check it out - you may learn something!!

THE BILINGUAL BLOG

How many South Australians does it take to change a light globe?

On the weekend my bedroom light globe blew.

On monday we went for a walk to Strath Village to get new light bulbs. A phone call from my mum on the way back means that I discover she has already indeed bought light bulbs for me and they're under the sink. We now have a diverse abundance of light bulbs.

Anyway I am still sitting here in the darkness and mercy of lamps. I tried to get the dead globe out, but it seems that it is stuck in there like glue. After much trying to get it out, Claire has a go. After all my trying, and now Claires trying, the light is now dangling from the roof, with roughly 20cm of cords coming out of the roof.

So we've asked the boys around the corner to come and have a look. One of which is South Australian.

If you can make up a funny joke in response to the title of this blog, comment it here! You may win a prize!

The adventures of Steff, Sammy and Australia Post

This evening Steff and I decided to go on an adventure to the post office down on the corner. Well, it was actually a compulsary trip: my mum needing her jacket, and I needing to post it before 6, Steff coming along for this adventure.

We got the forms all signed, postage paid for, and the lady told us to go and put it in the post box outside (it being rather large), and to stuff it in.

So it is pouring down with rain (we've had 20mm since 9am), and I am outside trying to stuff a rather large parcel into a small hole. I thought I had success, and then, try to close the hatch, and it wont go down, and I can't get it back out! How embarrasing!

Went and got the lady, and told her it was stuck, and we left (after making a run for the car in the freezing cold rain!) when she was trying to fix it!

Just hope mum gets her jacket!

Sulawesi now??

On the 24th of April, I blogged about a possible job opportunity in Bandung, Indonesia. I am blogging today to tell you... I haven't heard back from the lady, and it has been over a month.

But that's ok, because a very exciting opportunity came up today.

A guy who used to be an Indonesian lecturer at uni (before I started, he now works with ressie services, and also happens to be a christian) turned up at our last Indonesian class for the semester today. He began to talk about a trip to Sulawesi, Indonesia the uni is running at the end of the year. After the bali bombings, and the various dramas following, trips to Indonesia were stopped by schools and universities. Until now, and I have the chance to be involved. The more he talked about it the more and more I wanted to go!

Some info

• 27 days from November 27 to December 23
• Spend time in the capital of Sulawesi: Kendari (pop about 200,000)
  
• Stay with lecturers or other families
• Attend Indonesian language and cultural classes
• Go on excursions and activities with Indonesian 'buddy'.
• Visit an Indonesian villiage 2 hours from the capital, called Lambuya.
• Stay with local villagers (sure.. 5 star accomodation!)
• Teach about Australian culture and english language at primary and secondary schools
• Helping villagers in rice fields (wahahahah! I love rice!)
• Identifying future community development possibilities
• Visiting a national park
• Go on a boat to a tropical island paradise
  
• snorkelling
• swimming
• a hotel!
• relaxing!

Agh! I so want to go. The experience would be rewarding, something I can put on my CV, an unforgettable experience!

There are barriers though, finances being one. But if God wants this, He will provide. Maybe I'll sell my car, or be a little more realistic and get a job.

Some people may get a little judgemental that I am not going with a christian organisation, as a 'missionary'. But I treat my whole life as a mission. The people I meet, the places I go. Even though 'officially' I am not on a 'mission', really, every day of my life, is a mission!

truk

Today I feel as though I have been hit by a truck.

Yesterday was a very productive day. I did the washing, sorted through my clothes, put things in my lesson plan folder, rearranged my room, and went to Mez's parents house for tea (Mez wasn't there).

None of this, however, was very academic, and I need to get a bit done before uni starts up again for me tomorrow.

Moving all of this furniture has really taken it out of me. At 10pm last night I was on my computer, and felt as though I needed to just go to bed. I was going, and then I only got as far as the floor, and curled up in front of the fan heater on the floor next to me. I woke up at 11:30 to find myself still there, and the whole right side mf my body was numb (I was sleeping on my side.)

I woke up at 10am, meaning I didn't go to church, and felt like a truck had hit me. How do you recover from this? When every muscle and bone in your body hurts? Does this mean I'm unfit or what?

In other news, my room is rather interesting now that it has been re arranged. I can't sit at my desk on the net anymore, I have to sit at my dressing table, or on my bed. Hopefully now I will get more work done. How cute do my 'pets' look?

In other OTHER news: look what I got at K-mart today with Linda:

Yes, George is back! And this time, bigger, and better. Let's see how long this one lasts ;)