Box Check Week

After going straight to work from the Changi-Bintan ferry terminal we were ready for 'Box Check' week.  For all 15 class you have in a week you have a green box in which you must have a current roll and test results, yearly outcomes, emergency exit plan and lesson plans for the next 2 weeks. Then for each student in the class you  must have copies of all the worksheets for those next 2 lessons, an exercise book with name and class details carefully completed on the front cover and book pockets which have the cards from 3 books that indicate they were borrowed from the very specific shelf for each level.  These all have a very specific position in the box, they can't be just in any order! You can nominate 1 box for the check and then the 'checker' gets to select 2 more at random. All incredibly pedantic (especially as we don't actually use the exercise books these days) and goes to show we are run by a business not an education facility, but not that hard to comply with really.  That's right isn't it Jim?  We feel pretty confident we both passed the test, but the feedback session is at our meeting on Wed so I guess that's when we really find out.  Not loosing any sleep over it.  The real branch audit comes next term and is a lot more rigorous would you believe? Other than that, the week flew by and now there are only 2 to the end of term. this week the Academic director at the branch will be visiting classes just to see what is actually going on in our rooms and that we are following the lesson plans. Why wouldn't you, that's the easy part?  Also, that the student folders that go home each week are up to date with corrections, comments and signature (always in green pen) on every single page. Phew! Enough of work, this is my weekend.
The weekend started with Workmates' Drinks at Prime Cut in Kovan which is alfresco rather than air-con but OK at that time of the evening. Although a sleep-in was very tempting on Monday we caught the train to Kent Ridge and joined the walking club on a tour of this lovely area.  Nowhere near as steep or high as Bukit Timah, it also includes a canopy walk good for bird watching so we will have to return with binoculars and do it at a slower pace on our own.

One of the last battles against the Japanese was fought in this area so there are a number of information boards along the trails.

 Local wildlife species we have seen in Feb

Afterwards we had lunch together at the National University Hospital makan and then on the train home I shared music with our local walker Chun Jiao . Almost everyone on the trains is attached to their phone or mp3 player and they very often fall asleep. I woke her up to do this and ended up listening to Jackie Chan singing a love song would you believe?

In the afternoon I visited the local Traditional Chinese Therapist in our little local shops for a neck massage.  Fortunately they have good English so I didn't need  to play charades. Massage was wonderful and he is keen to treat it with acupuncture but I'll let it settle down from this treatment first. Tuesday we had the air con serviceman in to fix our bedroom air con at last so all should be good now and then we went to the new Marina Sands Complex to see 'Wicked' with the Australian cast.  It was a wonderful theatre and performance but nothing compares to 'Les Mis' still for me. Afterwards we wandered out onto the Marina Bay promenade and had a late night drink at one of the cafes with some friends until someone suddenly noticed the time and we all scurried for the MRT.  Last trains are at about 11pm and we didn't want to start looking for a taxi at that hour.

Last week I also caught up with Bianca from TEGS who was on her way home after 2 months volunteering in Cambodia.  Pity she arrived the one time we were away since we got here but we managed lunch together at Clarke Quay on the river and it was great to see her so inspired and with so much to look forward to in the next 12 months.  She will be back through here on her way to Europe in about 6 weeks so I expect we will have more time then and she can stay over at our place.  Our next visitor is Sandy at Easter and the Crisps are also dropping by on their next trip, so April is looking quite hectic with us going to Darwin too.