http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/apelton4/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from apelton4 en-us Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:02:23 +0000 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:02:23 +0000 It started out with comedians doing standup to raise money for charity. Today it's offically called Red Nose Day a day of clowning around when everyone in the country raises money by doing something wacky or offthewall. Rockstars actors mothers members of parliament and children all contribute comically and donate money for charities. Television networks keep track of how much money they' http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bedfordshire/Luton/blog-416925.html Teaching this history class is a NIGHTMARE. They make me almost cry everyday. In fact I would cry except that I don't want them to have the satisfaction so I hold it in. I've never been one to hold in tears because I find it painful. All that negative energy just stores up in your body and it's harmful. This class has thirtytwo students four of whom are girls. The rest are the most wild imma http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bedfordshire/Luton/blog-415740.html Ever since I switched from teaching science to humanities I've been in charge of teaching four enterprise classes. Enterprise is a course designed by my school to combine citizenship and business studies. After the completion of the course they're supposed to have two GCSE's qualificationscertifications in business.I don't know how to teach business.When I first spoke with Samia about making http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bedfordshire/Luton/blog-415492.html I've been hanging out with Mehdi almost every other day. I'll just go to his place for dinner and he cooks and we chat. It's been nice. We run into each other on the train on the way home from school today. After a comfortable silence that lasted a few minutes he invites me over for dinner again.Oh no I can't tonight I begin trying to word it carefully. I sort of want him to know that I'm go http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Bankside/blog-415486.html To fulfill the government requirement that all high school students in the UK receive Sex and Relationship Education aka SRE my school has hired a lady from the Luton City Council to teach my Year 11 students during our enterprise lessons.Of course we lay down some ground rules like No laughing at other people's questions and Don't ask personal questions or share personal information. Bu http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bedfordshire/Luton/blog-415477.html Hello he says. Are you a teacherI smile Yeah how'd you knowYou take the same train as us and get off at the same stop. We're all teachers he laughs gesturing to the group of four seated on the train around him. They all laugh and greet me politely and invite me to join them.I'd seen him on the train countless times before. He stood out to me because he has such a cute face. I rememb http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/blog-408272.html Ash WednesdayThe First Day of Lent 2009Sarah Ban Breathnach is the author of Simple Abundance a book about the power of gratitude. She advises us all to start keep a gratitude journal in which we list five things we are thankful for every day. When you feel grateful for the good things in your life you open yourself up to receiving more good things. It's the Law of Attraction you attract pe http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Hertfordshire/Saint-Albans/blog-404649.html I'm always surprised by how much I love London. Every time I'm there its energy overtakes me and I never want to leave. I'll never get sick of London. I've got to find a way to live there Find a job find an apartment and live there for a year or more if I like it enough.But when would I do the Peace Corps That's something I know I must do in my life. I want to serve in a developing country http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Hertfordshire/Saint-Albans/blog-404645.html Since I moved to England I've made many great That's What She Said jokes and no one even cracks a smile. They just don't get itI had to do something.About a week ago I showed this video to Deanna Igi Jodi and MaryJo httpwww.youtube.comwatchvqwf2pP7T0Y . It's a compilation of all the That'sWhatSheSaid moments from the TV show The Office. I had to preface the viewing of the vide http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bedfordshire/Luton/blog-404628.html Caroline has a pass to get me into the Tower of London for free so of course I can't pass that up Pun intended. By the way I've been to the Tower so many times I practically know the Beefeaters' names she laughs. Sometimes when I get off work I'll just come here and wander around for a while. Helps me relax.What are Beefeaters I ask.The formermilitary men who live here and give http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/London-City/blog-398938.html While I sleep Deanna gets up extra early this morning to take more pictures of the town.We check out of our hostel which looks like a hostel but has the environment and feeling of hotel. The residents don't interact the way we do at hostels. We get one of the worker to take a picture of us outside our hostel so we remember what it looks like. The picture comes out crooked.Even though the bus st http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/North-Yorkshire/York/blog-401763.html We didn't get as much accomplished yesterday as we wanted. Everything closes so damn early I guess that's how they keep the tourists here longer.I have noticed however that the people here are MUCH friendlier and more polite than in Luton St. Albans and London. I've always heard that it's friendlier in the north and I see it. People actually get out of your way when you're trying to pass by http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/North-Yorkshire/York/blog-383593.html Deanna and I sleep in until about nine before finally eating breakfast and starting our day.Of course our first stop has to be the famous York Minster York MinsterBuilt between 1220 and 1472 I read from the guide book York Minster is the largest medieval gothic cathedral in Northern Europe and is renowned worldwide as an artistic and architectural masterpiece. In order for a cathedral to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/North-Yorkshire/York/blog-383041.html The city of York was founded by Roman soldiers in 61 A.D. because it sits at the crossing of two riversthe Foss River and the Ouse River. Pieces of the original Roman walls still stand as well as the city gates. However most of the city walls we see are from medieval times when the Vikings had taken over the area. In fact all the streets have Viking names. Instead of Monk Street it's call http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/North-Yorkshire/York/blog-382524.html I'm spending the night at Deanna's house tonight. All her housemates have left to go on various trips for the half term break so she has invited over the young adult group from her church. They always have a prayer session on Sunday nights.And oh she cooked Banana bread magic bars which are like six layer bars and pizza. I totally make a pig of myself.Deanna's friend Igi who is from Slo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bedfordshire/Luton/blog-381858.html I freakin' love the Piccadilly area. Even in the freezing cold it seems romantic with all the lights and beautiful architecture. I'm at a semiposh bar called Digress where there is supposed to be a party of American expats. I've met only one other American here that chick from Knoxville Tennessee whom I met on inauguration day a month ago.Still I'm making the rounds chatting with people. I http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Piccadilly/blog-380865.html Alex is a flight attendant I met in Costa Rica back in October of 2007. We kept in touch via facebook and now that I live here it's time to hang out. On like Donkey Kong.Today is her birthday and her party is at a roller disco. They play music from the '70's and '80's while people fall all over themselves and each other trying to skate. Like everything else in England the skating floor is abou http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/blog-379897.html Is that the inspector my students loudly ask pointing at the lady who is surrounded by papers and staring at them from the back of the room.I almost laugh from the bluntness of the question. Yes but you shouldn't point at people and if you have a question about her you should ask her.Every department gets audited and since I switched from science to humanities...I'm faced with another au http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bedfordshire/Luton/blog-379602.html When Jodi invited me to go out with them tonight she said Just come by the house. We're going to have a few drinks before we head out.I thought it would be about five people the usual suspects. But this is a fullfledged party Loud music pumping alcohol flowing and I don't even know most of the people here.Hey Jodi shouts over the music. Would you like something to drinkNo thanks http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bedfordshire/Luton/blog-377923.html I think there are about five guys present in this packed theatre. Caroline has gotten six of us girls tickets to see the latest rage in Hollywood chickflickdom He's Just Not That Into You. We giggle excitedly as we take our seats in the posh Empire Theatre the sight of hundreds of movie premiers and waste no time retrieving our snuckin candy from our purses. I wonder how many celebrities have http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Piccadilly/blog-377490.html