the end is nigh.

Already the first student from my class is gone. Granted, it's a bit early and he headed back to Samoa to visit family, but it's strange already having the number of kids in the class start shrinking. With the end of the year so close already, the feeling of summer is already in the school. Most of our major subjects have already come to a close with the exception of some tiny loose ends for our narratives. It always seems as though time runs away faster than you could ever want it to. We had planned to have the narratives completely finished by the end of week 8 and moving on towards presentations for week 9. We ended up with, however, the students barely finishing their editing of their second drafts this week (already week 9).

We've now moved on to more loose activities with creating gifts for people for Christmas and the like. While we're talking about Christmas, decorating Christmas trees, playing Christmas music, and all else down here in New Zealand already, I'm finding it impossible to get into the Christmas spirit. There's just something about it that's so Northern Hemisphere-ish - palm trees, summer, and Christmas just don't blend well. Rachel and I already have the tree in the house and it just doesn't seem right. If you close your eyes, it smells like Christmas, but once you open them, it all just seems so off.

There's really not all that much going on at the moment. While it may seem crazy at school these past couple days it's mostly all just preparation for the Leavers' assembly that comes up tomorrow for the year eights. I'm still trying to grasp the idea that the year's ending so soon.

I'll post a bit more once all this madness settles down a bit - which may not be for a few days.....

Until then, try to get into the Christmas spirit on our behalf down here because we're having the darndest time.

Cheers!