Daily Life and a "Field Trip"

This has been a fairly uneventful week, the week before school starts--FINALLY.  My new friend, Jane, brought it to my attention that I hadn't written anything in my blog lately which, on the one hand, was very flattering because it meant she was reading it!  But on the other hand, I was thinking that I hadn't "reported out" this past week because I hadn't done anything that could top Ireland.  But then I thought, that's not what this experience is about.  It's not about travel and adventure (although that's certainly a part of it--and, I'm hoping, will be a fair amount of it!).  It's really about experiencing the day-to-day stuff in another culture.  Getting around town and finally recognizing lankmarks.  Shopping.  Working.  Becoming proficient at operating an indescribably complicated washing machine.  Checking out the public library.  Stopping for a cup of coffee.  Making new friends.

And yes, still figuring out the bus system since I have definately decided not to purchase a car.  Well, a funny thing happened on the way back from the mall the other day. (I make no apologies for yet another bus story--it's my life right now!!)  I had just gotten my bus pass for the month so I can get back and forth to work a little cheaper (thanks to Rachael's mom, Julie, for taking me to get it).  I wanted to try out the pass and decided to go to the mall.  I got on the bus, showed the driver my pass, and he told me that it wasn't good for this bus.  But then he let me on for free.  Nice man!  I was chatting with a woman on the bus who explained to me that there are two rival bus companies in the area--one that is a family-owened business, and the other a bigger company that is trying to take over (her words).  The confusing thing is, both buses have the same exact routes with the same exact numbers.  Anyway, on the way back from the mall, I witnessed this rivalry business first hand.  The bus I was on (the local one) pulled out of the mall station right on the tail of the rival bus.  We followed the other bus street by street, which I just found peculiar, when all of a sudden we came to a dead stop right in the middle of an intersection.  We waited there for quite a while, holding up other traffic. The other bus had apparently stopped at a bus stop and was setting up camp there or something because it wasn't moving.  People began wondering what was happening, when all of a sudden, our female bus driver slammed out of the door, abandoning her riders and leaving us to the mercy of snarling traffic, and marched up to the bus in front to apparently confront the situation.  As everyone was speculating about what might be going on up there, I, the trouble-making American that I am (yeah, right!), suggested that we all clap for her when she got back on the bus.  At which point, when she boarded the bus, we did . . . as we watched the bus up ahead proceed on its merry way. 

I've made some wonderful friends the short time I've been here who have squired me around to the sights of the area and treated me to lunches and tea.  A few days ago I went with Jane and her cousin to a magnificent National Trust holding called Wightwick Manor.  It's a beautiful Victorian mansion surrounded by splendid gardens, woodlands, and a pond.  A knowledgeable, if slightly haughty, docent led us from room to room relating the home's illustrious history as we ogled its original furnishings, artworks, and fabrics and wallpapers designed by William Morris who I learned was the founder of the British Arts and Crafts movement.

And then yesterday, I spent a lovely afternoon with Jane and Michele, a former teacher at my school, at a quaint little French cafe in Stourbridge.  Stourbridge is the closest main town to me.  The town is laid out in quite a unique way.  It's situated inside a "ring"--Ring Road defines the perimeter of the central shopping and business area. Like all other villages in the area, its stone and brick buildings are very old and charming.

The village where I walk to to do my grocery shopping is Kingswinford.  It's about a 20-minute walk or so, which is great--but the schlep back with groceries stuffed in my backpack every few days is making me feel rather like a pack mule . . . and it's starting to get old.  But then Jane told me about a service that a lot of grocery stores have here.  Home delivery!  (Do we have such a thing in Colorado Springs??)  When she shared this bit of news with me, I could have sworn I heard the angels singing.  For a smallish fee, I can actually go online and order the things I need for a few weeks at a time, and they will be delivered to my front door.  What a concept!

We have a teacher work day tomorrow, and the kids come on Tuesday.  In their little school uniforms.  (The girls wear green-and-red kilts--don't you just love it?!)  I've met most of the lovely people on staff, now I can't wait to meet the children.  But I confess I'm very nervous.  The Fulbright mentors have advised all along the way that we will feel like first-year teachers in our new placements--and I have no doubts that they are right.  But when I think back to my first day of teaching 21 years ago, I just remember how excited I was to the point of being almost oblivious (naive??) to the nerves.  That is another part of this Fulbright experience--to bring that feeling back to teaching.  I'm just glad that I will be working with such a supportive and seemingly FUN group of people who, I'm sure, will help me get through those first floundering days of being a "new" teacher.  Wish me luck!