Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Break Begins


Our Thanksgiving Break begins today, so we're off until Monday. Woo hoo! (Unlike British schools, we get this vacation because we're an American school and thus celebrate the holiday.)

Dave and I don't leave for Brighton until tomorrow. I'm trying to get some doctor visits and other stuff sorted out today, as well as preparing for the trip by doing laundry and cleaning up around the house.

The school has been showing the World Cup in certain common areas at lunch and during break times. I was a bit mystified about why we're making such a big deal of it when we never have before, but apparently that's because it's normally held during the summer when school's not in session. This year it's being played in November and December to avoid the intense heat of Qatar. Somehow this news got past me.


The kids are very excited about it, as you can see. I am completely oblivious myself.

(Top photo: A leaf in our garden, resting in our now-leafless beautyberry bush.)

20 comments:

Moving with Mitchell said...

Ah, your photos. Always!

The day before a trip, however brief, is always hectic. Hope you have a great time. I wouldn’t mind some days in Brighton.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

If you have common areas in your school, I guess you also have uncommon areas though what they may be like I can hardly imagine. Perhaps there are unnamed tropical plants there, paintings by obscure artists and mysterious objects too.

River said...

I didn't know you taught in an American school. Why is there an American school in London? Why can't any American kids just fit into English schools? Are they so different?

Andrew said...

My bad I suppose and I've been a devoted reader for some years, but I didn't realise you worked at a private American school. Extra holidays then. That is not a bad thing. Be careful in Brighton. A British tv show once indicated to me that if you visit Brighton, you may come back as a gay.

I like the word 'wahoo!'.

Bob said...

I didn't know they played it normally in the summer so I didn't think it was odd they're playing now.

Have a good trip.

The Bug said...

Enjoy your time off! I can't wait to see your Brighton photos. With regard to the World Cup - what even is time? Ha!

Ms. Moon said...

What is that plant at the top? The berries look like beauty berry.
Have a wonderful time! Enjoy Brighton and all of its delights. Whatever they may be.

ellen abbott said...

I'm surprised they don't have an indoor stadium for soccer in Qatar. Or maybe they do, what do I know. Enjoy your break.

Sharon said...

Our holiday break starts at noon today but sadly, I'm not going anywhere exciting like Brighton. I am going to friends house for Thanksgiving dinner so that is nice. And, I'm going to bake a bourbon chocolate pecan pie to take with me.

NewRobin13 said...

The World Cup? What's that? I've seen headlines about it, but really I have no idea.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving break. Looking forward to seeing you photos from Brighton.

Kelly said...

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday! I like the happy little skeleton. ☺️💀

Ellen D. said...

So you guys get to celebrate American holidays AND British holidays! Bonus!!
Have a wonderful break and Happy Thanksgiving!

Boud said...

I've been wondering if you were in an American school since you once mentioned home leave! Weren't the faculty and students already home? Ahhh, light dawned.

I hope nobody with any conscience for human rights watches the WC, played in a stadium built by forced labor which killed thousands in the desert heat. And in a country with the death penalty for gays. I can't begin to fathom the mentality of players being bought, like toys, to play and accepting it.

Boud said...

So passionate about Qatar that I forgot: Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your break.

Catalyst said...

Enjoy your break on the beach at Brighton!

Pixie said...

Most of the kids are excited but one kid wrote, IDK. Wonder what's up with them.

jenny_o said...

Like Boud, I'm not keen on the World Cup due to the miserable lack of human rights in the host country. I know there's always the argument about the players not being made to suffer due to the government's failings, yet it was done recently to send a message to Russia. Why not send a message to Qatar too? Bah! (It doesn't hurt that I find sports mostly unappealing, so it wouldn't bother me not to have any World Cup anything!) Have a good weekend away! I hope the weather is good and the break is restful.

Janie Junebug said...

I hope you enjoy your trip. Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Janie

Margaret said...

I've never understood or followed soccer. But most of the world does. Hope your Brighton vacation is excellent!

Steve Reed said...

Mitchell: Well, we'll see. I have a feeling it's going to be pretty cold and windy!

YP: We do have a few areas that I'd call uncommon, including my desk.

River: The American curriculum is quite different, actually, and parents who want their kids to go to an American university might want them to have access to things like Advanced Placement (AP) courses and a more American teaching style.

Andrew: It is apparently a quite gay town!

Bob: Same for me. I had no idea.

Bug: I'm guessing you mean, "what even is that," and the answer is, I don't know!

Ms Moon: It is a variety of beautyberry, but not as big as the Florida one.

Ellen: Yeah, you'd think they must, but I guess the heat still poses dangers for the players.

Sharon: That sounds yummy! I know I don't have to ask you to take pictures!

Robin: Soccer. That's all you need to know, really.

Kelly: I did too! Pretty good for a 6th grader!

Ellen D: Yeah, we get the best of both worlds in that sense! I think Thanksgiving is the only real variation in the calendar, though. Most of the other holidays are pretty much parallel.

Boud: Yes, home leave! The whole Qatar thing sounds like a disaster for FIFA. I don't know what they were thinking. (Money talks, I suppose.)

Catalyst: Photos TK!

Pixie: Yeah, and there's another little face to the left that's definitely unhappy. One wonders!

Jenny: I believe there are some allegations of questionable financial dealings that led to the games being hosted in Qatar.

Margaret: Yeah, it's definitely huge among many of our students.