My maternal nature mixed probably with my obsession with having kids before I hit the big 3-0, has lead me to teaching English to preschoolers in Italy. It's just something I do privately in my spare time at the moment while I study but hopefully as of January I will be contracted for an hour a week in a local nursery.
My first foray into the world of preschool teaching was Lucia - my first Italian student. She was only 4 years old when I started teaching her but she was a long way from starting school yet since they don't usually start until they're 6 in Italy. This meant I had at least two years of lessons to fill where she would not be able to either read or write. If you try looking for TEFL lesson plans, courses, books or other materials on line for nursery pupils you'll quickly find yourself in front of a brick wall called 'WRITING AND READING'. Now I don't know about you but I would presume that if an exercise is supposedly 'suitable for preschool learners' that it wouldn't include anything that a preschooler couldn't do.
Add to this lack of usable material the fact that you've only had one pupil - there's a limit to the number of entertaining games you can do with just one child - and you've got a bit of a problem.
So I started researching. I searched through hundreds of websites and book reviews and in the end I bought lifetime membership to langacademy.net so that I could download the books and scan through them myself. And then I started patch working the pieces together to make some kind of course. The most useful book I've found so far is Kid's Box 1 (Cambridge publications). Lucia could handle most of the exercises up to unit 8. After that there are a lot more writing exercises. Then we also used some songs from the BBC Learning English website. We've played Memory, Simon Says, Where is, Boardgames and The Magic Box so many times that I've lost count. But she hasn't got board yet.
Lucia now knows all the colours, the number up to 20, toys, school objects, commands, prepositions of place, family members, many adjectives, clothes, animals, food and drink and parts of the body. She still can't read or write anything in English but I'm hoping to start teaching her after the Christmas. She's half way through Primary one now after all.
But she can hear differences between English and Italian sounds that even some of my more advanced students have difficulty with. She told me the other day that she accidentally said 'blue' instead of 'blu' to her friend in class the other day. It's a very subtle difference but she notices it. She can also pronounce the 'th' sound in 'teeth' and 'mouth'.
What I'm trying to say is what started out as a problem has ended up giving me a huge amount of satisfaction...
Thursday 13 December 2012
Wednesday 12 December 2012
Alternative Contraception #2
It occurred to me that some of you probably want to know what I thought of Implanon. A lot of people are a bit wary of having it 'installed' because, lets face it, having a chip under your arm seems very space-agey and unnatural. Like I explained in a previous post my inability to take the Pill left me with the following options:
- a type of injection that needs to be redone every 3 months
- a type of plaster that releases hormones, again it needs to be renewed regularly
- a contraceptive implant
- the bog-standard condom option
Of these options the first one involved too many injections for my taste, the second didn't seem very safe (What if the plaster fell off?) and I'd seen too many films and TV shows where people got pregnant when using condoms. So that left the more permanent, slightly more scary option of Implanon.
Now I'm not going to say that the implant doesn't have side effects, what contraception doesn't, but what I will tell you is that you have to weigh up your options based on you! What works for one person might not work for another.
I got lucky with the implant. The main side effects are moodswings, irregular periods (or even no periods at all) and weight gain. The moodswings I could handle. I've never really been affected by hormonal mood swings even before I got Implanon and it didn't change much when I had it either. My periods were already irregular - with implanon they just got more irregular. For example, one year I had my bleed of the year in March quickly followed two weeks later by a second one. Then nothing until June when I had a very light 3 day period. Then 2 periods in August and another couple later in the year that I can't remember the exact dates of. Some people might find it irritating not knowing when the next period if going to come but since mine were already irregular before it didn't really change much for me. Like I said - you need to chose the right contraception for your situation.
I did gain about 10 kg over 6 years but I think that may have been mainly due to the fact that during the second year I was living in France across the road from a Patisserie... The temptation was too much for me. Having said that with a calorie controlled diet and regular exercise (20 minutes max per day) I managed to drop back down a dress size last summer despite being on Implanon so it just goes to show that even when on contraception you can still lose weight.
- a type of injection that needs to be redone every 3 months
- a type of plaster that releases hormones, again it needs to be renewed regularly
- a contraceptive implant
- the bog-standard condom option
Of these options the first one involved too many injections for my taste, the second didn't seem very safe (What if the plaster fell off?) and I'd seen too many films and TV shows where people got pregnant when using condoms. So that left the more permanent, slightly more scary option of Implanon.
Now I'm not going to say that the implant doesn't have side effects, what contraception doesn't, but what I will tell you is that you have to weigh up your options based on you! What works for one person might not work for another.
I got lucky with the implant. The main side effects are moodswings, irregular periods (or even no periods at all) and weight gain. The moodswings I could handle. I've never really been affected by hormonal mood swings even before I got Implanon and it didn't change much when I had it either. My periods were already irregular - with implanon they just got more irregular. For example, one year I had my bleed of the year in March quickly followed two weeks later by a second one. Then nothing until June when I had a very light 3 day period. Then 2 periods in August and another couple later in the year that I can't remember the exact dates of. Some people might find it irritating not knowing when the next period if going to come but since mine were already irregular before it didn't really change much for me. Like I said - you need to chose the right contraception for your situation.
I did gain about 10 kg over 6 years but I think that may have been mainly due to the fact that during the second year I was living in France across the road from a Patisserie... The temptation was too much for me. Having said that with a calorie controlled diet and regular exercise (20 minutes max per day) I managed to drop back down a dress size last summer despite being on Implanon so it just goes to show that even when on contraception you can still lose weight.
Alternative contraception
When I was 18 I had the contraceptive implant 'installed'. It seemed like the best solution. I wasn't in a stable relationship, I didn't want kids but I was leaving home to go to uni and I was very much intending to enjoy my freedom ;-) ...
There was the added problem that I can't swallow pills. I've tried everything - honey, water, pushing it down my throat. What ever I try I always end up gagging and coughing it back up. Whenever I need antibiotics (something that very very rarely happens) the doctors always look at me like I'm some kind of freak of nature when I ask if I can have them in soluble/liquid form. Am I the only one who just can't seem to swallow things whole?
...Anyway going back to contraception, at the time Implanon was the best option. My periods were already irregular anyway and I was skinny enough that a few extra pounds wouldn't do any harm. All in all I was happy with it. After 3 years the time came for it to be removed and replaced. I had been dating my current boyfriend for just six months at the time and since I had had to go back to university in Scotland for my final year and He stayed in Italy we were trying to have a distance relationship. I wasn't sure how things were going to go so I decided to keep on the safe side and have the implant replaced.
Three years later and I'm still with the same boyfriend but now I'm in Italy. And as far as contraception is concerned Italy is still a little behind. I went to my local GP to find out how to go about having the implant removed but he had never heard of contraceptive implants before. Still he said he would remove it but that in order to get it replaced I would have to see a gynaecologist. I had the implant removed about a month ago. It was the most traumatic experience of my life. The first time I had one removed, it was by someone who had been trained in removing them. They give you some anaesthetic, make a tiny 2 mm incision then pull it out. You don't even need proper stitches after, just paper stitches that fall off themselves after a couple of days. But this doctor hadn't been trained in removing implants. He gave me some anaesthetic, but didn't wait long enough so when he then made a huge 1.5cm incision in my arm I was in agony. He nicked a vain so I ended up splurting blood all over him and I think he also got a nerve because I couldn't feel my elbow properly for weeks afterwards. He had to put 3 stitches in and gave me a prescription for antibiotics (in powder form naturally) to avoid infection. I'll have a lovely scar on my arm once it's healed properly...
After that traumatic experience I started rethinking having it replaced at all. While I wait for my gynocologist appointment in January we're using condoms. Could we not just continue using them on a more permanent basis? Lots of couples use them as their only form of protection and they don't have any problems. If I did get pregnant by accident would it really be such a bit problem? I'm at a different place in my life now than when I was 18 or 21. Yeah I have gone back to studying but I'll be finished by September and hopefully starting work as a freelance translator - the perfect job for someone with kids who wants to stay at home. But I didn't mention any of this to Him. All I've said to Him so far is that I'm waiting to talk to the gynaecologist about it. Then the other day He said: "You don't need to get it replaced you know. We could just keep using condoms." When I asked why He doesn't want me to replace it he said it was because He was worried about the effects tampering with my hormones could have on me and in particular He was worried about me having to go through the trauma of having it removed again. Cute :-)
But this means having to buy condoms and this morning for the first time in my life I found myself at the till in the supermarket with a packet of condoms in my hand, my eyes constantly glancing around me to make sure there was no one I knew around. I'm beginning to think the implant might be less traumatic...
There was the added problem that I can't swallow pills. I've tried everything - honey, water, pushing it down my throat. What ever I try I always end up gagging and coughing it back up. Whenever I need antibiotics (something that very very rarely happens) the doctors always look at me like I'm some kind of freak of nature when I ask if I can have them in soluble/liquid form. Am I the only one who just can't seem to swallow things whole?
...Anyway going back to contraception, at the time Implanon was the best option. My periods were already irregular anyway and I was skinny enough that a few extra pounds wouldn't do any harm. All in all I was happy with it. After 3 years the time came for it to be removed and replaced. I had been dating my current boyfriend for just six months at the time and since I had had to go back to university in Scotland for my final year and He stayed in Italy we were trying to have a distance relationship. I wasn't sure how things were going to go so I decided to keep on the safe side and have the implant replaced.
Three years later and I'm still with the same boyfriend but now I'm in Italy. And as far as contraception is concerned Italy is still a little behind. I went to my local GP to find out how to go about having the implant removed but he had never heard of contraceptive implants before. Still he said he would remove it but that in order to get it replaced I would have to see a gynaecologist. I had the implant removed about a month ago. It was the most traumatic experience of my life. The first time I had one removed, it was by someone who had been trained in removing them. They give you some anaesthetic, make a tiny 2 mm incision then pull it out. You don't even need proper stitches after, just paper stitches that fall off themselves after a couple of days. But this doctor hadn't been trained in removing implants. He gave me some anaesthetic, but didn't wait long enough so when he then made a huge 1.5cm incision in my arm I was in agony. He nicked a vain so I ended up splurting blood all over him and I think he also got a nerve because I couldn't feel my elbow properly for weeks afterwards. He had to put 3 stitches in and gave me a prescription for antibiotics (in powder form naturally) to avoid infection. I'll have a lovely scar on my arm once it's healed properly...
After that traumatic experience I started rethinking having it replaced at all. While I wait for my gynocologist appointment in January we're using condoms. Could we not just continue using them on a more permanent basis? Lots of couples use them as their only form of protection and they don't have any problems. If I did get pregnant by accident would it really be such a bit problem? I'm at a different place in my life now than when I was 18 or 21. Yeah I have gone back to studying but I'll be finished by September and hopefully starting work as a freelance translator - the perfect job for someone with kids who wants to stay at home. But I didn't mention any of this to Him. All I've said to Him so far is that I'm waiting to talk to the gynaecologist about it. Then the other day He said: "You don't need to get it replaced you know. We could just keep using condoms." When I asked why He doesn't want me to replace it he said it was because He was worried about the effects tampering with my hormones could have on me and in particular He was worried about me having to go through the trauma of having it removed again. Cute :-)
But this means having to buy condoms and this morning for the first time in my life I found myself at the till in the supermarket with a packet of condoms in my hand, my eyes constantly glancing around me to make sure there was no one I knew around. I'm beginning to think the implant might be less traumatic...
Tuesday 11 December 2012
The dangers of teaching English
When I'm not studying or pretending to study, I teach English privately. I started off with just one student - at the time she was only 4 years old. She was still in nursery and couldn't read or write so we just played games and sang songs and did colouring sheets. Now she's 6, is in her first year of primary school but still can't read or write so the lesson content hasn't really changed much but she's getting an impressive scottish accent! The next student to join the fold was my second cousin. He's 32 but decided he wanted to learn english to help him with his job since the company he works for has a lot of international clients. So his lessons are mostly conversation based and relaxed. He's hoping to go backpacking round the UK on his own later next year so that he's forced to speak english all the time. Then one day I got a phone call from my first student's aunt who asked if I could go teach her two children too. She has a buy and a girl. The boy is 14 years old and aces all his english exams at school because they are so much easier than the exercises he does with me. The girl is 9 years old and isn't as intelligent as her brother but she's making steady progress too. The next student I took on was the son of the woman that works in the local shop. He's 7 and is my favourite student. He remembers everything I teach him.
The problem was when I took on the most recent student. He's the same age as me and I had never met him before. My boyfriend nearly had a fit when I told Him and insisted on sitting in on the first lesson. Talk about embarrassing and unprofessional. The fact that my student is good looking and works out daily at the gym didn't seem to help matters.
"What's his name? I might know him," asked my boyfriend.
"Nicola, I think", I replied.
"And where does he live"
"Ga*******"
"There are only two Nicola's I know that live there. One is a womaniser and one is gay..."
Thank goodness he's the gay one!
The problem was when I took on the most recent student. He's the same age as me and I had never met him before. My boyfriend nearly had a fit when I told Him and insisted on sitting in on the first lesson. Talk about embarrassing and unprofessional. The fact that my student is good looking and works out daily at the gym didn't seem to help matters.
"What's his name? I might know him," asked my boyfriend.
"Nicola, I think", I replied.
"And where does he live"
"Ga*******"
"There are only two Nicola's I know that live there. One is a womaniser and one is gay..."
Thank goodness he's the gay one!
Monday 10 December 2012
Christmas presents.
Christmas: One of the most stressful times of year for couples. What should you get your other half for Christmas? Whose family will you be spending Christmas with? How to break it to the in-laws that you won't be spending Christmas with them this year, maybe next year?
For the moment those last two questions don't apply to me. I'm not sure whether to be sad about that or greatful. I'll be spending my Christmas with my parents in Scotland and He'll be staying here with His parents. It does raise the question though of what we would do if we had to chose. It would be easier to stay here and spend Christmas with his parents so as to avoid overpriced Christmas flights, but I'm an only child and my mum is incredibly possessive so I'm not sure I'd really have a choice in the matter.
I'm terrible at chosing presents. To date I've given Him: Avatar DVD, a blue lava lamp, a blue bean bag, aftershave and this year He's getting The Pacific and Band of Brothers box set (with express instructions that He has to watch them when I'm not there). They are at least all things He wanted.
He brought me my Christmas present today. It's from a jewellery shop. It's sitting there next to His under my tiny Christmas tree. He's incredibly predictable with Christmas presents. Two years ago He got me a necklace, last year a bracelet and this year...? All that's left are earrings or a ring and, as much as I wish it were the latter, it's probably the earrings. Maybe next year He'll get me a ring just to finish the set. Here's to hoping!
For the moment those last two questions don't apply to me. I'm not sure whether to be sad about that or greatful. I'll be spending my Christmas with my parents in Scotland and He'll be staying here with His parents. It does raise the question though of what we would do if we had to chose. It would be easier to stay here and spend Christmas with his parents so as to avoid overpriced Christmas flights, but I'm an only child and my mum is incredibly possessive so I'm not sure I'd really have a choice in the matter.
I'm terrible at chosing presents. To date I've given Him: Avatar DVD, a blue lava lamp, a blue bean bag, aftershave and this year He's getting The Pacific and Band of Brothers box set (with express instructions that He has to watch them when I'm not there). They are at least all things He wanted.
He brought me my Christmas present today. It's from a jewellery shop. It's sitting there next to His under my tiny Christmas tree. He's incredibly predictable with Christmas presents. Two years ago He got me a necklace, last year a bracelet and this year...? All that's left are earrings or a ring and, as much as I wish it were the latter, it's probably the earrings. Maybe next year He'll get me a ring just to finish the set. Here's to hoping!
Sunday 9 December 2012
A football team of children
It started the other day.
We were watching a documentary about Human Reproduction and there was this family with 16 children and another one on the way.
'Mamma mia! That's a lot of kids!' I said.
'Yes,' He replied, 'but they're doing the right thing.'
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Yeah, He had said in the past that He wanted a lot of kids but I was thinking more like 3 or 4 at most, not 16! That's more than a football team (substitutes included). I'm sure He will come to His senses after His (or our?) first child is born and He realises what it really means to have 16 of them.
But it wasn't the quantity of kids that got me upset. It was the fact that He was acknowledging the fact the He wanted kids at all. Like I said, it's not the first time He mentioned it but I'm a bit hormonal at the moment and things have gotten a bit blown out of proportion. The problem was that I calculating in my head if 16 children would be feasible. The math went something like this:
- We're both 24, but I rounded up to 25 since our birthday's aren't far away.
- I'm quit my job to go back to studying earlier this year and I won't be finishing my Masters until September 2013. On the other hand, He is still unemployed but is hoping to join the army on a 1 year contract next year (more or less around the time I finish studying). So let's say it won't be until 2014 that we are financially stable enough to move in together. = 26 years old
- Knowing Him I would imagine that He would wait at least a year before asking me to marry Him after we'd moved in together = 27 years old
- It would take at least a year to plan and organise a wedding = 28 years old
- All couples need a honeymoon year without worrying about pregnancies or kids = 29 years old
- It could take 1 or 2 years in total between trying to conceive and pregnancy before the first kid is born = 30/31 years old!
Now, when I was born my parents were 36 and 39 years old, and I always remember going to friend's houses and seeing how many more things their younger parents could do. They were so much more full of energy and active whereas I was lucky if we went for a walk on weekends. Not only that, my parents tried to have other kids after me but mum only got pregnant again one more time but miscarried because by that time she was over 40. The same thing happened to my maternal grandparents who got married late in life because of the war and only had one child at 38 years old... For this reason I have always promised myself that I would have my first child before I hit 30, no matter what.
Then my calculations all hang on the presumption that before 2014 we will both be employed - really not an easy feat in the current economic climate. Especially not for Him as He doesn't have a degree (just His high school qualification), and only about 2 years experience if you add together all the temp jobs and internships - not enough to get a job when all the job adverts ask for at least 5 years experience in the sector specific to the job opening. He's been trying to find a job for a year and a half now and still hasn't found anything. He tried to sign up to the army in august but because of the quantity of requests they decided only to take the youngest applicants that time round but He's decided to reapply in January anyway.
I tried to hint this problem to my boyfriend (without putting any pressure on Him), but He just answered saying that life expectancies were much longer nowadays and that 40 was the new 30. That may well be true - but I don't think anyone has told women's biological clocks this yet.
Of course He may ask me to marry Him sooner and that would speed everything up significantly... We've been together 4 years now and for the last few months I've made no attempt to hide my impatience. We love each other and He knows if He asks me I'll say yes. So what's the hold up?
We were watching a documentary about Human Reproduction and there was this family with 16 children and another one on the way.
'Mamma mia! That's a lot of kids!' I said.
'Yes,' He replied, 'but they're doing the right thing.'
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Yeah, He had said in the past that He wanted a lot of kids but I was thinking more like 3 or 4 at most, not 16! That's more than a football team (substitutes included). I'm sure He will come to His senses after His (or our?) first child is born and He realises what it really means to have 16 of them.
But it wasn't the quantity of kids that got me upset. It was the fact that He was acknowledging the fact the He wanted kids at all. Like I said, it's not the first time He mentioned it but I'm a bit hormonal at the moment and things have gotten a bit blown out of proportion. The problem was that I calculating in my head if 16 children would be feasible. The math went something like this:
- We're both 24, but I rounded up to 25 since our birthday's aren't far away.
- I'm quit my job to go back to studying earlier this year and I won't be finishing my Masters until September 2013. On the other hand, He is still unemployed but is hoping to join the army on a 1 year contract next year (more or less around the time I finish studying). So let's say it won't be until 2014 that we are financially stable enough to move in together. = 26 years old
- Knowing Him I would imagine that He would wait at least a year before asking me to marry Him after we'd moved in together = 27 years old
- It would take at least a year to plan and organise a wedding = 28 years old
- All couples need a honeymoon year without worrying about pregnancies or kids = 29 years old
- It could take 1 or 2 years in total between trying to conceive and pregnancy before the first kid is born = 30/31 years old!
Now, when I was born my parents were 36 and 39 years old, and I always remember going to friend's houses and seeing how many more things their younger parents could do. They were so much more full of energy and active whereas I was lucky if we went for a walk on weekends. Not only that, my parents tried to have other kids after me but mum only got pregnant again one more time but miscarried because by that time she was over 40. The same thing happened to my maternal grandparents who got married late in life because of the war and only had one child at 38 years old... For this reason I have always promised myself that I would have my first child before I hit 30, no matter what.
Then my calculations all hang on the presumption that before 2014 we will both be employed - really not an easy feat in the current economic climate. Especially not for Him as He doesn't have a degree (just His high school qualification), and only about 2 years experience if you add together all the temp jobs and internships - not enough to get a job when all the job adverts ask for at least 5 years experience in the sector specific to the job opening. He's been trying to find a job for a year and a half now and still hasn't found anything. He tried to sign up to the army in august but because of the quantity of requests they decided only to take the youngest applicants that time round but He's decided to reapply in January anyway.
I tried to hint this problem to my boyfriend (without putting any pressure on Him), but He just answered saying that life expectancies were much longer nowadays and that 40 was the new 30. That may well be true - but I don't think anyone has told women's biological clocks this yet.
Of course He may ask me to marry Him sooner and that would speed everything up significantly... We've been together 4 years now and for the last few months I've made no attempt to hide my impatience. We love each other and He knows if He asks me I'll say yes. So what's the hold up?
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