Staying connected to the US

So last night I went out to dinner with Maggie Mutsch, Kate Brundage, and Janis Freckmann. A powerful and fun group here- very into what they do and education. The best part about the night was Maggie telling me all about podcasts. I knew about podcasts earlier, but never really needed them. Now I've downloaded NBS Nightly News and the Today Show onto my i phone, which I can hook up to my TV (I need to figure out how) and play the news a day behind. This also means that I can get the shows I want- Grey's anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance, etc. from my i phone and just watch it on my TV!! So those Thursday nights when I completing Friday Folder comments, I can watch something I've downloaded from the US from my phone! How cool is technology? (Well, when it works...)

I'm also off to Starhub to check how I can be calling my friends and family in that short window of time when we're both up without using Sykpe because the connection is not good over the 3 G network- Skype works well only with WiFi at my apartment or at school. I'm usually running to catch my cab share in the morning (past the minister mentor's house- I run right by his guards) so I can talk to someone in the US when it's there 6:20 PM until 6:25 PM. Gotta love 5 minute time frames- every minute counts!

Talk to y'all more later...I'm headed to the famous Raffles Hotel tonight for a "Singapore Sling" drink for a colleague's bday...one drink I hear is every expensive. I'll tell you about the Singapore Sling later. Also- the restaurant we went to last night was gorgeous. It was a Thai restaurant with excellent decor. I know that doesn't really explain it- but I'll say there were Thai dancers, huge seats, etc. Maggie is the Superintendent's wife- she works next door to me teaching 3rd grade, so it was nice getting to know her a little more too. I had gotten to know Brent (the Superintendent) a little bit when he hired me. Janis Freckmann is the math specialist that comes to SAS once a year to do math consulting. She's out of Wisconsin, so it was nice getting to know her a little more, too. Kate Brundage, the school librarian whose classroom I took over, invited me out with these lovely ladies. It feels good getting to know different people, little by little. I'm so glad I now have these tools to keep me connected back to the US, because of course- that's where I'm from. Roots are very important!!

Dani

Sorry for my disappearance...

So...it's been over a week. I apologize. Something had to give- I had been partying way too much. 3:30 AM arrivals home- and intense school weeks- doesn't make for a healthy combination. It was fun, but I've got to settle a little. So this weekend I laid low and did a lot of running, which I was happy about. I've got my poor little bike here that I haven't been able to ride, but I'm glad it's here with me. The great Lawrence helped me get it here and he needs to get out here to Singapore- he probably knows more about it than I do!

So I'm going to Bali, Indonesia in October. We have a 4 day break and I'm getting away with some fun girls and we're going to chill on the beach and who knows what. Probably party until the wee hours of the morning. Who am I?? J/k. That partying was a certain banker's influence- but I stayed away from him this weekend. Who knows what his situation is. And he's here for 6 months. I don't want to party, party, party and then "bye bye", I'm back to LA. That sucks.

Speaking of the banker (it's so bad that I call him that)- we went to the night safari for my birthday (sorry no pics- it was too dark for anything good to come out)-and Richard (the banker) held this huge snake (what is the biggest snake in the world called?) in front of a whole audience of people. He was called up from his seat to do it and he hates snakes apparently. There is one picture of it that one of my friends, Linda, has. Richard got a stuffed animal snake for being a participant and he gave it to me for my birthday. I brought the snake to my classroom and now my students are using it as the bathroom pass. If only Richard knew. I'll tell him sometime.

Ok- so I should try to get some sleep before the work week begins- I can't even begin to explain how intense the work week is. I'm sure you all understand with your respective jobs. I guess i make mine so crazy because I have a work out schedule in there that I try to do as best as I can- so that takes a chunk of time.

If you want to see pictures of my students and class:

http://www.sas.edu.sg/gallery/10-11/Q1/IS/3rd_Grade/Carrier/index.html

Enjoy!!

Hari Raya Puasa, literally “Celebration Day of Fasting”)

Today is Hari Raya Puasa and recognized by Singapore as a public holiday. It is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of “Puasa” (fasting).

My aide, Nadiah, will finally be able to eat during the day! She has been working at school with me for a month and has been fasting- meaning she doesn't eat or drink anything during the daylight hours! I can't even imagine...but the suffering is supposed to bring Muslims closer to Allah. It's like Lent for Catholics, except we give up one thing for 40 days. Today is a day of celebration for Nadiah and the other Muslims in Singapore (mainly the Malay people), and it's like Christmas for us! I gave her a nice card with $$ in it. She was appreciative.

So we didn't have school today and I haven't left my apartment ALL DAY! My body is saying "stay put and rest!!" so that is what I am doing. One of my colleagues has a birthday tonight- she's turning 30- so my friends and I are going out near the Raffles Hotel. I'm not going to make it a crazy weekend like last weekend. And my birthday is coming up! My friends and I are planning on going to the Night Safari tomorrow night at the Singapore Zoo for my bday. I've not been yet and I'm looking forward to this new experience! Hoepfully it won't rain and I'll remember my 29th bday :)

My kids continue to be really cute and all the work is worth it. I'm so busy during the week though, it's a little maddening! I just have to know how to pace myself....

Lots of love- will update about my bday.

Danielle/Dani

Weekend-fun and exhaustion

I'm writing hung over. I haven't been hung over in a while! To me, it seems to mark the end of training/triathlon work that I was so intensely into before. I'll most likely get back there, but it's a mentality in a way that is difficult to break.

On Friday night, I met up with a friend of an acquaintence and we went to an Italian Restaurant in Clarke Quay. There are a lot of expats in Clarke Quay, so it was an interesting scence. We were right on the water. I came home at like 10:45 PM and literally passed out on my bed (wanting to take a "nap" and get up enough energy to wash my face, take off my make up, etc.), but I fell dead asleep until 4 AM when I woke up thinking, "shit- I never washed my face and do I have to be somewhere this morning?" It's such a great feeling to know you can sleep in when it's Saturday! So, I woke up at 4, washed my face, took off my makeup, brushed my teeth, and went back to BED!

Saturday night I had a "reunion" with the people I came over to Singapore with (all of the new hires at SAS) and we went to a really nice house- Frank's house, who did the new teacher orientation from the minute we landed in Singapore. He had a really cute little dog named Feng Shui that I played with for a while. We had a lot of wine to start, hence how I started on my way to this hangover. So, after reconnecting with the new hires and seeing how everyone is doing in their school lives, I met up with the friend of an acquaintence, Richard, and an old friend of his from high school, Toby. We went to Holland Village and the beers were flowing...flowing! We saw a cover band and then went to another bar. It was fun to talk with a Brit again- he's from London, so we talked about London a bunch. Time started passing- I got home at 3 AM and passed out on my bed- AGAIN!

That's where the fun and exhaustion come from...time to unpack a little bit more right now from my things being delivered on Thursday and time to get back into school mode!

Hope I bounce back from the drinking soon! I'm already feeling better after eating...

Love! Dani/Danielle/Dan/Freya

The maids...

So I had my first maid experience here in my apartment (about a month after I've moved in...). It was great! My stuff was everywhere and I tired picking up, but the maids (a team of 3), said "sit down, sit down- relax!" It seemed surreal to me sitting down and relaxing while people were vigorously cleaning for me. I do like the feeling of things getting clean though. So I was sitting here at the table with the maids doing their thing, thinking to myself, "I am already getting too used to this". I am getting spoiled! I have Nadiah in my classroom, maids to clean up at home, it's crazy! What is also crazy is the amount of demands at school. That is why we need an assistant and maid to clean- we need to spend our time having fun because it is work, work, work! Speaking of work, I will need to get back to work soon! I have been working out regularly, which is good, but- you have to try to keep the balance of working and sleeping. It's a little tight.

My shipment from the US is coming in tomorrow (my bed, couch, nightstand--it will feel a little more like home here!) and I'm excited. I'm talking half a day tomorrow. I also met a friend of a friend on Saturday night--he's here in Singapore for 6 months doing some banking stuff, but he's connected to Becca and Keylor through their friend Brendan. Small world and I'm glad we got in touch because I have another American friend here, who is not a teacher. It's nice to have those friends outside of your career. So Becca--Brendan has a cool friend here! We'll have to chat!

Love, love you.

Freya/Danielle