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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

END TIME & beginning

TUESDAY 26TH APRIL
graffiti blind despair Butte au cailles Bièvres

There is little that matches the blind despair of the Last Breakfast in one’s holiday hotel.  Especially if the day of the Last Breakfast is the day before the start of work.  I know that I should be grateful that my school has gifted (!) its weary teachers (to hell with the pupils) an extra day on top of the Bank Holiday Monday, but starting a new term mid-week is not really my idea of fun.  At all.

At least Wednesday is the “tipping day” when, at lunch time one is over the hump of the week and it is all downhill to the relief of the weekend.  In theory.

So the holiday is all but over and time for assessment.  

In truth Gran Canaria has not lived up to its promise.  The weather has been frankly bad, with wind spoiling the few good days that we have had.  The beach – or lack of it – in Maspalomas is a scandalous disgrace and is now not a patch on the beach at home in Castelldefels.  The hotel has been satisfactory, but we are already wearying of the offerings for the main meal of the day.  But were I asked if I would like to extend my holiday, then the answer would be a resounding, “Yes!”


WEDNESDAY 27TH APRIL


The comforting dead hand of routine!





The first lesson, chaos as it was, is over – the ice is broken and that means that “automatic” takes over and the next term is underway.  The full horror has come and gone and has left only the normal resentment of the recognition of one’s status as a wage slave!
 
The results of the Proficiency examination (the highest grade that our students take) have come in and it looks as though the number of successful candidates this year is down on last.  The examination is really designed for adults so any pupils managing to get a pass has done very well, but I could have hoped for another couple of successes from my small class.

My brownness (though not my watch) has been remarked upon, but that is not enough to compensate for my returning to a part of Spain where, although it is sunny today, it is unlikely to remain so for very much longer.

The first day is over – and was even an “early” finish for me, but not before Management attempted to get me to cover a lesson just before I was about to leave!  I walked (resentfully it has to be said) to the enforced cover and was delighted to find the teacher with the class!  I tripped, positively tripped back to the staff room and shortly left!

Tomorrow is a long, long day (Welcome Back!) with the prize giving for our International Literary Prize.  Although the proceedings start at 7.30 pm it is not worth my while coming home as traffic conditions make it a long, slow crawl back to the place.

I am still putting away the contents of the suitcase and cabin luggage.  It is a long task and I have to admit that there are certain things that I didn’t actually get round to using on the holiday – some things never change however radical in my packing I try to be!

The final results of our most prestigious examination are in and we have had only half a dozen successes out of over four times that number of entries.  It was a “free” entry so we shouldn’t be so surprised at the low rate.  For any pupil to pass this exam which is meant for adults is a triumph.  I suppose.

Barça are playing in the first round of the semi finals of the Champions League.  Against Real Madrid.  You can cut the atmosphere in our house with a very blunt knife!

I do not live in what might be described as a “neutral” atmosphere about these two teams, but to my untutored eye it seems to me that Barça are playing the more attacking game while Madrid are taking a more defensive stance in their own stadium!  I also think that Real Madrid have a whole raft of players who fall to the ground too easily and, frankly, cheat.

We shall see.

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