Well, it's been rather a long time since I updated! A few people have pointed this out to me now, so I'm trying to rectify the situation, but am doing so without really having that much to say, so don't expect much from this entry!

It's coming to the end of the first term at work, would you believe! A short while ago I had a look back through old posts (on here and on Facebook) and was amused by those where I was considering what would become of me this year...where I would be, which job to go for, which job to take, whether to take this one or wait and go for the other interviews etc etc. In the end, as you all know, I cancelled the interviews for the following day and accepted the job here. I am SO glad I did! I really do feel 100% certain that I made the right choice. I'm sure the other schools would have been good schools too, and maybe the people there would have been as nice as the people I am working with here, but I doubt it... everything has tied together so neatly here, and I'm really very happy. I feel like I've already got so so much more experience than I had when I started, through having been exposed to different levels, different coursebooks, different types of course etc etc. Sure I've still got a lonnnnnnnnnng way to go, but I'm definitely in the right place to be undertaking this professional journey!! I love it!! 

All being well, I will be flying home a week tomorrow! Let's all just hope that it doesn't snow at either end. I do NOT want another experience like last year... so, fingers crossed on that front. I am teaching tomorrow, Friday and Saturday and then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Although it turns out I only have one lesson on Weds (I thought I finished at 8pm as usual, but I only have one at lunchtime - bonus!). So, from Wednesday afternoon it's holiday time, and a much needed holiday it is too! As said in the previous paragraph, I am really enjoying my job, but that doesn't mean it isn't completely knackering at times! (Well, most of the time really!). I do, however, feel that I have got used to the routine now and it all feels completely normal.

Last week I went on my first outing to the local shopping centre and multiplex cinema there. In fact, we had a day off work mid-week (I do love mid-week bank holidays!) for the Immaculate Conception, so I took advantage of that and braved the Christmas shopping crowds instead! The funniest part of the day was trying to get on the bus! On bank holidays and Sundays the bus services can be quite limited, and this particular line didn't have any buses running in the morning at all. So, the first opportunity to go to the mall by bus was at 13.45. Now, luckily I was getting to the first stop (the station)...along with what seemed like the rest of Udine! The bus arrived and everyone dashed to get on, pushing and shoving etc etc. The driver had made what seemed to be a wise decision to only open the front doors, so that everyone had to go to the front to get on. It was obvious not everyone was going to make it. But then, suddenly, we noticed that the back and middle doors had been opened too, and had to quickly make a mad dash for those instead! We all piled on somehow (well, plenty of people DIDN'T make it on), with no space to breathe or move, for a 20 minute crush of a journey. Still, we made it, and that's what counts! At the other end it wasn't so bad...the mall was a real labyrinth...just a little bit too big really. But I now know where to go to find anything I ever need! The cinema was really nice. I saw Harry Potter... nice comfortable, reclining seats, not too expensive (€7 a ticket) etc. I enjoyed it! 

This week I've been feeling a bit under the weather, with a cold. Actually it was funny because the worst day of it was on Saturday, when we actually had our first choir concert (ie.trying to sing without coughing and sneezing all over the place was interesting...). The second concert is this coming Saturday. Anyway, I now have lessons straight through from 9am on Saturday mornings, so it's actually the only day of the week I actually have to be up early (groan, after being out at choir etc on Friday nights!). So last week I was feeling pretty rough all morning, and then for some reason I ended up trudging all round town for 2 hours, with my supermarket shopping in tow, looking for something in particular which I then found in a shop right near where I'd started. The shop was, of course, closed until 3pm, so I had to wait until it opened (in the freezing cold) to buy the thing. So that was quite annoying.. then I went home and slept, before heading out for the concert. I really enjoyed the whole evening (a variety of performances, both choral and theatrical, from different groups), but just felt SO ill that evening. On Sunday I decided to stay at home and not go out, and I slept a phenomenal amount - almost all day! It was bliss!

Right, well I did say I didn't have anything to say, and I apologise for the mundaneness of this blog. I will try and update more regularly. I could actually have written a wonderful rant about my trip to the post office to post Christmas cards a week or so ago, but instead of writing the rant here I just ranted at work instead and bored all my poor colleagues to tears