When in Wemindji...: Girl's Club and Rouyn

The last few weeks have been crazy busy (by my standards...) and I forgot to mention that Girl's Club (formerly Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun) is taking off! The Saturdays self-esteem, girls-only program Karen and I started has evolved from a pretty structured workshop-style program to a lot more interactive, physical and motivational day of fun activities that the girls seem to really be enjoying! More are showing up this week and since we opened up the program to grades 2-6, we are getting a lot more interest from the younger grades. I am sadly missing this weekend to write my test in Rouyn but I predict a good turn out. Karen and I are already getting ideas and programming options for the next session and the boys are begging for a Boy's Club!

I am also travelling with Carmen to Rouyn this Thursday morning to write our English Proficiency Exam so that we can gain our Quebec teaching permits and secure our jobs for next year! I am a little nervous since it is a 70% pass, but I hear it is mostly grammar and some short essay writing so hopefully it should be a breeze! I haven't been out of school that long so let's hope all my essay writing capabilities haven't completely gone out the window!

Besides writing the test Carmen and I have a lot planned for this weekend! Her parents are flying up on Friday night (weather permitted) and have graciously offered to bring my mother!! I am soooo excited to be spending some surprise time with my mom and even though she is a little afraid of flying in such a small plane, it is worth it! So we have hotels booked and lots of shopping and dinner planned. It is also Carmen's 25THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH birthday (ha) so there is lots to celebrate! The drive will take about 9-10 hours, depending on how many pee breaks Carmen's puppy needs. I at one time mistakenly thought that there was a Costco in Rouyn but sadly that is untrue. However, everything else I need (Shoppers, Loblaws and the Holy Grail - DOLLARAMA) is conveniently located there so I am a happy camper.

We are staying Thursday through Saturday nights and it will be a welcomed respite from the craziness that is my life. People mentioned when I first started here that the stretch between January and Goose Break (end of April) was the longest and most crazy. They weren't kidding. The kids are tired and attendance is spotty with so many tournaments and sickness and plain old not wanting to come to school. Teachers are stressed to the max with report cards, long days and tired students. Luckily the next 5 weeks are light as far as days of school with lots of PED days and holidays and I really need it! I have definitely developed OCD about my floors at home. I clean them and then get obsessive about keeping them clean. Carmen and Monika know this, I got snow on my floor and freaked out. I need a holiday stat. On a side note, I have gotten a lot of planning done recently so I feel less stressed and more excited to push my students further so they can go off to Grade 3 ready to tackle anything!

Next week is also the housing meetings. I am SO EXCITED for this meeting. The new houses are basically ready and people will be moving on up. Now of course I won't be getting a brand new house being at the bottom of the totem pole but I will be moving out to somewhere. I love my little triplex house, it is the perfect size and very conveniently located and I have everything exactly how I like it. I honestly probably wouldn't move if it wasn't for the issues that keep arising with maintenance and health and safety, so I will be moving to a new house sometime in the spring once everyone above me has been placed. The meeting itself promises drama so I am more excited to see that than anything else!

Anyways I leave bright and early Thursday morning so wish me luck on the highway and let's hope I can successfully transfer my Steve Jobs Biography onto my Iphone because I need something good to listen to on my 20+ hours of driving I am looking forward to!!