Maddening Mishaps...

September 8, 2010

Day three working at the center and our alarm did not go off, so Erin and I were in crunch mode this morning trying to get ready for work and get there on time. With about twenty minutes, we managed to get out the door and ate a box of sugar cereal on the walk, which made us feel like fat kids in a cafeteria when we were walking by the air force men working out. 

Managed to get to work with ten minutes to spare (trying to get on our boss' good side again) until we got there and realized we left our observation sheets on the kitchen table... Don't think she was too happy with us for needing another copy. Way to blow our trying to do everything we're asked. Blgh. Spent the entire morning doing our 4 hours of observation. Finished up our observation sheet and then Erin and I, at 12:30, were informed that we were supposed to take our breaks at noon, but NO ONE told us! Upset that we were expected to know something that we had not been told, Erin and I took our break and then talked to our boss about conflicting times that we had heard for our schedule this week since we have yet to receive our schedules! 

After lunch, we were put into ratio where I got to (okay, more like had to) work with the two year olds because they were having a rough day. One little girl in there has decided that she hates me because I made her clean up a mess she made (the other teacher babies the children whereas I let them cry when they push their friends and I tell them "no"), so now she hits me, pushes me away and refuses my help. I am really not happy being in the two year old room, so I am really hoping I spend a majority of my time in the preschool room where I genuinely enjoy spending time with the children.

Got to go outside this afternoon and we have these tandem bikes where the kid sits in the front and, if their legs don't reach, the adult can sit on the seat behind them and pedal. I was riding with one of the kids and Tasha, one of the new employees who started the same day I was, was giving me a hard time about how silly I looked. Pretty sure I'm going to be sore in muscles I never knew I had and that I'll have bruises on the back of my thighs where the handle bars are. ha ha

Finally got off from what seemed like the longest day in imagination and headed to our picnic table for internet. E-mailed Camp Adventure because they wanted to know our training schedule and, upon finding out we were already in ratio, our contact person e-mailed our boss who will now probably be even more upset with Erin and I come tomorrow. Being in the middle of the differing expectations between our boss and the head person of the program, I finally just told CA head quarters to take it up with my boss because I didn't feel comfortable being the middle man, but Erin and I are definitely feeling frustrated. 

However, despite my rough day, it was made all the better by the fact that I got to talk to Darrick through IM for the first time since I've been here and, man, was it nice to talk to him again. Totally brightened my day!!!

Came home to a toilet that was fixed (thank goodness we didn't need to get inventive on ways/places to pee) and made goolash for dinner while we watched the second half of The Holiday. At about 9:30, I crashed until midnight and then got up and spent a few hours talking to Erin before we decided we should probably head back to sleep. 

Here's to hoping tomorrow is a better day!

Things I learned today:

1. British air force men say, "ladies" as way of greeting you as they walk by.

2. Two year olds like to call "tatter tots" "Teeter tots." 

3. Toilets over here require a quick flush and then multiple longer holds on the handle to get anything to actually flush. It's mighty frustrating.