a day in the life: clogged arteries and bureaucracy

Life on a beautiful island isn't quite as one imagines. People joke, "Ah, what a great job! If you can call that work, it's more of a working holiday!" Ha ha ha. Whereas it's true that I get to go snorkeling on my breaks and the views are breathtaking, the work never ends. I have 200 students and teach about 35 classes a week by myself. Then there is the marking, preparation and admin which could easily take another 30 hours. I am essentially a one woman act playing the part of a teacher, an administrator and a director of studies. Then I must remember that although alone in all of this, I must relate to my hotel and its staff. I live, eat and work with my students and there are very few others on the island. This is what you call, "FULL ON". I'm not complaining, I'm not saying that I don't like it. There are many pros and cons and right now the pros far outweigh the cons and I remind myself of it in every bad moment. (The bad moments are usually because I'm very tired). In fact, I quite like it, but it is very difficult. When I say "very" I mean "EXTREMELY" difficult.

Today is my pseudo day off. This means that I wear jeans and a top of my choice instead of my uniform, hope nobody will complain about it, I don't teach classes and I work and hide in my office most of the day and I'm grumpy because it's not a good day, a restful day, but it's the only semblance of one that I've got.

As is coincidentally usual, I was awakened by a business related phone call. (The hour of these phone calls has thankfully moved itself until after 10.00 or 11.00. I used to get them at 8.00, and I usually work until 1.00-2.00 in the morning.) I ignored the apparent urgency and continued to wake up as naturally as possible. It is after all my pseudo day off.

After taking my usual stab at Yoga, I washed my face and brushed my teeth, pondering why we use Listerine as a mouthwash when the label warns that it may be fatal if swallowed. I used to try to count to 30 before spitting, but now I realise that that's about the time when the acid ingredient starts to become extrememly painful, and I would opt to spit then anyway- whether it's 20 or 30 seconds and you've followed the instructions doesn't matter once the acid begins to eat away your mouth. Briefly working some styling wax through my newly trimmed hair (which I did last night at about 3am for lack of other free time to do it), I donned some clothes and went for lunch.

Lunch in the canteen was gruesomely disappointing, as even the once pure steamed vegetables are now covered in artery clogging butter, oil or grease...I grumpily opted for a bowl of cucumber slices with some grated carrots and a liberal sprinkling of canned tuna for protein. This has been my lunch/breakfast everyday for the last 2-3 weeks. I can't face the fat laden foods glistening in the afternoon's light, and I keep hoping something other than the cucumbers will call me. It's not going to happen.

It's very difficult to stay healthy here.

Now I'm writing reports for the government. We must register all courses with them, and mine in particular is the worst, since I have about 30-40 classes a week and 200 participants. Everything must be red-taped just so, and I've got until today to do it.

Happy un-birthday to me.