Weekend Plans: 23.02.18

Happy Friday fellow bloggers,

Let me tell you I’m very ready for the weekend. Not that I had a bad week or a particularly tiring one, I’m just in need of some sleep and “do nothing” me time.

I was out too much last weekend, which wasn’t that much, I just went for dinner twice, coffee once, a doctor’s appointment and a walk on the beach.

Our house needs some cleaning, desperately. I’m sort of behind on my freelance work project, meaning I’m on deadline but not where I’d like to be by now. My plants need some attention because I’ve been neglecting them for the past few weeks, while it’s rainy and still Winter. The weather is getting better and I need to make them ready for Spring.

Next week is going to be harder because the kids are preparing for their second and lasts tests of the second trimester. There will be so many hours of English, Portuguese and History tutoring. Fifteen kids for two teachers. Fifteen kids that are, more often than not hyperactive, overtired, nervous and anxious and nervous about the exams. Oh, have I mentioned their attention span issues? I’m in for a treat. Not that I mind, actually. I do love the business, endless worksheets, silly questions, dozens of exercises, hugs, jokes, kisses on their favorite teacher ever (yeah right, kid), gum begging, cracker crumbs, cellphone sneaking and laughter attacks. I love them, I have to admit. They are one of my biggest joys and sources of entertainment. However, they’re children. They’re 13, 14 or 15. They’re needy and childish and chatty and impatient. They complain and throw fits and call for me endlessly until I finally direct my full and undivided attention to them. They test me and push my buttons and make me mad. That can be harsh on your body and mind. It makes me tired for sure.

All of this to say it’s going to be a harder week. I don’t mind and I like the faster paced days but I get tired quickly and each day is a little more difficult, which then turns the weekend into a sweet, sweet reward.

Anyways, we’ll talk about next week when we get there, right? It makes more sense.

Tonight I leave work at 8, and we’re meeting friends for dinner, which always makes me so excited. We have come so far. When we were all working and going to college or having those entry level demanding jobs we would go 2 or 3 months without seeing each other and now we have dinner once a week, almost without fail. I love it. I’m feeling like pasta today, I think 🤔

It’s almost the end of February and I’ve done almost nothing of I what I wanted to do this month, so I know I’m not killing it when it comes to goals. I’ve been more active as a blogger and as a follower/reader, which is more than enough for me.

This weekend I really want to:

  • Deep clean/organized the bathroom;
  • Deep clean one of our bedroom walls that is getting moldy (there’s this perfect detergent that cleans any trace of mold or humidity marks without any damage to the surface);
  • Deep clean/purge our kitchen;
  • Laundry, always;
  • Make a dental appointment;
  • Schedule a vet appointment;
  • Force Rui to schedule an eye doctor appointment;
  • Meal plan and prep for next week;
  • Charge my power bank;
  • Work on my freelance project;
  • Clean living room;
  • Clean bedroom;
  • Change bed sheets;
  • Get two gym bags ready in advance;
  • Get my clothes ready for the week;
  • Do a little grocery shopping;
  • Do some gardening;
  • Watch a movie or two;
  • Try making homemade granola/cereal bars;
  • Get my eyebrows done;
  • Write a few letters;
  • Sell a few things online;
  • Get something for my dry ends;

I know it looks like a lot but I’ll have help for the household chores. Rui does a lot and his brother, who is staying with us, is helping too.

Have a good weekend!

❤️❤️

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Daily Planner and Journal – 09.02.2018 “Smelly, Paranoid, Stormy, Hairy and Cold + Love You Jack Pearson Edition”

It’s Friday everyone!!

You happy? Hope so.

You know I’m only half mean girl, right? But the truth is: I’m on the bus and someone really smells. Not sweaty, more homelessy. It’s making it hard for me to breathe. I refuse to breathe through my mouth because if I don’t want to smell it, I certainly don’t want to eat it. I’m probably going to hell. I hope it’s clean there.

Oh, I just got a sign. The driver decided to turn on the heating. I’m not making this up, you guys. There’s hot air coming from the vents. Just what we needed in this crowded, smelly bus.

Moving on…

We’ve finally watched This is Us. Rui loves the show as much as I do but he was not too impressed with the Super Bowl episode. I wish I could discuss this and not spoil it. I loved the episode. I cried a lot. Let’s leave it at that.

It’s the just the best show. If you aren’t watching it you’re 100% missing out, both on the show and the endless changes of conversation with the rest of the world, since everyone is talking about it.

By the way, doesn’t Mandy Moore have this beautiful good person smile? In every single picture.


I’m finally off that awful bus, thankfully. Yes, I’m working. I’m with a student. I do blog while they’re doing their exercises. Or I read or pretend to update my schedule. I think it’s DEAD CREAPY to stare at them from across the table when they’re working. They get 100% my full attention when I’m helping them, teaching, explaining, answering questions, but I give them some “privacy” while doing their worksheets or writing.

I remember sitting across from a teacher countless times and some of them would look at me while I was working (or worse, taking a test) and I would get paranoid: “Why are they looking? Can they read what I’m writing? Can teachers read upside down? (WE CAN) Is she looking because I’m doing something wrong? Does she think I’m stupid? Maybe I shouldn’t write this, she’ll judge me”.

So, you see. The paranoid student became a paranoid teacher, who doesn’t like to stare. I’m not as discreet if we’re working as a group because I look around at everybody.

Did you experience such issues as a student?


Remember I told you I had to work on about 1500 beauty product descriptions for a website. I’m lucky I can write because, apparently, I cannot read. It’s 1000 actually. I didn’t work too much yesterday so I’m still at about 320, I think. Thankfully, it’s work I like to do. I was hoping to work this morning but I took my pills too late last night and I slept in (and still feel very snoozy). I think I’m working a little tonight. Or maybe I’ll leave it because it’s Friday night and work on Saturday and Sunday. I’m hoping to be done by Sunday, that would be great.


If you (not so) secretly follow the Kardashians (which Rui always uses against me) you probably now by now that Kylie Jenner had given birth and that she named her daughter Stormi. I mean, when I first saw it I thought it was cute because I thought it was short for something. Nope. It’s her name. Okay, it’s kind of nice that her parents like butterflies and that butterfly effect shit about causing a storm but I don’t know. I like candy and I’m not naming my first born “Skittle”. I guess I’d like it better if it were spelled “Stormy” or “Stormee”. I’m not feeling the final “I”. Just needed to discuss this with someone, obviously not Rui 🙄


I’ve began reading this book – which means I’ve got it, opened the first page and haven’t touched it yet. The app is new too, for my non-kindle ebooks that I get somewhere online.

Are you familiar with this tittle or author? I picked it randomly and have no idea what to expect or what’s it even about.


It’s Carnival here on Tuesday, which means people get costumes, get drunk, there’s parades and parties and such. It’s similar to Halloween but scarier because there are a bunch of dudes that decide to dress up as women so you see way too many manly, hairy legs in skirts.

I haven’t celebrated since 11th grade since my girlfriends and I dressed up as FBI agents. I’ll probably get back at it once I have kids and dress them up as little bees and such.

So…

At least we get Monday and Tuesday off. I get Wednesday too (Rui doesn’t) but I need to get to work in the morning for this tutoring session for a student who needs extra help.


I’m sitting at my classroom with my colleague and exactly two students. Everyone else is either gone already or not coming. It’s usually like this before a holiday.

It’s freezing and it’s going to rain but that doesn’t seem to stop the parades or party goers.

Yes, it’s cold for us. And it gets way colder at night.

It’s taken me 3 hours to write this post.

I would love to hear about your past costumes!!

xx

Student Wisdom #7

Student 1 to student 2: Teacher is pretty mad. And she’s right.

(Thank you, kid. You try your best to make me mad and then feel bad about it)


Student 1: I have some lump on the left side of my throat.

Student 2: Of course you do, everyone does. They’re called tonsils.

Student 1: But they hurt when I touch, maybe I should see a doctor.

Student 2: Of course they hurt, you’re pressing them.

Student 1: But I had never noticed this. Oh, it’s on the other side too!!

Student 2: (Face palm)

Student 3: OMG, I have it too!! On both sides!! What is this??

Student 2: Not again. Same as his. Tonsils.

Student 3: But he’s right, it hurts when I touch!

Me: Yup, you’re both dying. Now shut up.


Student 1 (Female): My heart hurts.

Me: No it doesn’t, it’s on the other side.

Student 1: Oh. Is it below my boobs?

Me: Uh, not exactly but definitely on the other side.

Student 1: haha the other day I told my dad my prostate hurt.

Me and the rest of her colleagues: hahahaha

Me: That would definitely be a problem.


Student 1: Hey, are you feeling better?

Me: About what?

Student 1: You were pretty mad yesterday.

Me: Yes, I will keep on being mad.

Student 1: ….


Student 1 to my colleague: What is wrong with teacher Cheila? (I was acting cold and distant, not smiling or talking to them unless I had to)

My colleague: Well, it’s obviously a consequence of your behavior. You get what you deserve. And if you don’t know how to behave and how to respect a teacher, they won’t treat you the way you want either.

Student 1: Yeah…


Student 1 (Female): (looking at my Instagram): OMG you used to be so beautiful!

Me: What the.. Am I ugly now??

Student 1: Oh, no!! Sorry!! I meant you look beautiful with red hair!

Me: right.


Student 1 (shaming someone I don’t know): And she’s just so fat…

Me: What do you have against fat people?

Student 1: Nothing… I…

Me: I’m fat. Do you have anything to say about that? You should not judge people like that.

Student 2 (male and usually very difficult): Teacher, you’re not fat. You’re just a little fat because you were sick.

Me: (melts into a puddle)


Student 1: Teacher, do you have some gum?

Me: Nope and there will never be gum again.

Students: ….


Student 1: Teacher, my I speak to you outside?

Me: Yes, okay.

(we step outside and his mom is there waiting)

Mom: Now say what you have to say!

Student 1: Well, I have apologized yesterday…

Mom: Right now!

Student 1: Teacher, I’m sorry. I will never disrespect you again. I’m really sorry.

Me: Okay. That’s okay, if you promise to never do it again.

Mom: Next time you disrespect your teacher, this conversation will happen in your classroom, in front of all of your classmates!

Me: …

Student: …

(MOM OF THE YEAR!!!)

Student Wisdom #4

Student 1: Teacher, what language is this?

Me: I have no idea… It looks like Finnish or Norwegian or something like that.

Student 2: Norwegian. Such a beautiful language. I would love to know it.

Me: Really, where did you hear it?

Student 2: I haven’t.

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Student 1: Were you forced to marry Rui?

Me: What? Why would you say that?

Student 1: You are so young.

Student 2: What? She’s like 30.

Me: I’m NOT 30.

Student 2: You look like it.

Me: …

Student 1: She’s 25.

Student 2: okay.

Me: Okay… So? It doesn’t happen like that. You can’t force someone to marry.

Student 1: Well, you’re just so young, I thought your parents-in-law might have forced you.

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Student 1: Hahaha he farted.

Me: Really, well…

Student 2: I would never do that to you!!

Me: Well… you could… I mean… just let it slip. That’s okay.

Student 2: That’s disrespectful, I would never do that.

Me: Not on purpose but…

Student 2: I NEVER do that to you. Not even as an accident.

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(Student looking at my hair very seriously)

Student: You don’t have any dandruff.

Me: haha, well that’s good.

Student: Some people do…

Me… Yeah…

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Student 1: Women can do more than one thing at a time.

Student 2: I’m a man and so do I. I can sleep and snore at the same time.

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Student 1: Teacher, do you have a tissue?

Me: Sure, here.

Student 2: I’m hungry…

Me: Here, have some crackers.

Student 3: Can I have some gum?

Me: Sure, there you go.

Student 4: Wow, you have EVERYTHING.

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Student 1: What’s the name of that guy that went around the earth to prove that it was round because everyone thought it was a square but then died before he even got there?

 

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Daily planner and journal: 03/10/17

Hello everyone,

I hope you are well.

First of all. I would like to start by saying that I am so sorry for what happened yesterday in Las Vegas. I cannot even imagine the pain those families must be feeling. Your son, daughter, mother, father or someone else you love goes to a concert where they feel safe and they never come home. This is so sad and I can only imagine the heartache. I am sorry for all of you American friends in general, who no longer feel safe in your country. This is a tragedy and we should all be in mourning. My heart goes out to you. I am so sorry this is happening in your country.

Secondly, I need to say that one of my dearest friend is going through something very difficult and that we would appreciate some prayers and thoughts. Her uncle died in the most painful circumstances, because of a stupid accident that should never have happened. Life can be so hard and sad. Please pray for his soul and for the strength of those who lost him, especially his mother who is going through one of the worst pains one can feel. I can only imagine how desperate she must feel. For my friend, who I love so much, I send so much love and my own prayers and positive thoughts. I hope you read this. I love you so much. You can go through anything. You are strong. We’re here for you.


On another note, I thought I would do a little update, for those who have the time and patience to read it.

I am still in love with my job. I love the kids, even when they are difficult. They say they love me too, which is the best I can ask for. When kids hate you, they really hate you and have no shame in making your life a living hell while you are trying to work. I am blessed with patience and I think that is one of the things they like about me. I listen to them, I answer their questions, I am funny and approachable. I need to be firm and focus on discipline sometimes, which I honestly hate because I don’t like to be mean and hard on my not so little guys and girls. I love my colleagues and the work I do. I love the hours, which allow me to work on other things and still have plenty of free time. I am blessed with a good salary for the hours I work, which is more than I could ask for. I cannot describe the feeling of getting my first paycheck after 6 months of being home. I feel like myself again, finally.

funny-teacher-quotes

My online work is going really well. I have regular clients for whom I do book promotions, write articles and other general assistant tasks, which is something I love and am good at. You know how much I love organization, which is the one of my main tasks for such job. I also make extra money which is so helpful and rewarding for me. I have never had less than two, three or four jobs. I love the different planning and schedules and multitasking side of things. I like to be busy with different projects and to feel productive. I am very happy and fulfilled when it comes to my professional life.

21d4d9bd5b5f1160b054da47359bdbb1--being-a-teacher-teacher-stuff

 


October is my birthday month. I usually love my birthday but I ‘m honestly not feeling it this year, for several reasons that are not worth mentioning. Last year my friends threw me a surprise birthday party.

monday-birthday-joke-calendar-funny-ecard-PeT

The year before, when I turned 24, I had a big party at home, with about 20 people, friends and family.

When I turned 23, I had a pretty big party as well.

Sorry a teenager called you ma'am

For 22, we ate at a restaurant and my friends decided to sing happy birthday after I demanded they wouldn’t. Well, the restaurant was absolutely full and I had to endure about 50 people singing happy birthday while I was blushing like I had never had before and had no idea where to look. That was interesting.

For 21, I had a small dinner with my best friends at a shopping mall. My mom and sister came by to deliver some cake. Pretty simple.

For 20, I was very sad. I had just been accepted into college, had pushed away most of my friends (after a very difficult couple of years – screw 2010 and 2011) and was working a job I absolutely hated and that made me feel like a slave. My best friends surprised me with a birthday cake that I accidentally dropped.

If you were a dog you'd be
dead by now.

For 19, I was pretty happy. I had many friends attending my birthday lunch and movie (at the mall). I had breakfast with my grandmother and grandfather (we were in good terms after a long time of arguing). My grandfather died exactly a week later. My birthday was the last one he was alive for.

For 18, I had a big lunch at the mall. There were about 20 friends plus the guy who had broken my heart a few months before and decided to crash my birthday lunch. We had lunch, went to see a movie, came back to my house where I had a big family party waiting (I was allowed to bring two of my best friends), as well as a laptop as a present and a birthday cake that was a book and which had my face on one said and sad something like “18 years ago I looked at you for the first time. You were my first love”. Thanks mom. Both ironically and not so ironically. After dinner, I was allowed to go out and party for the first time, with both my best friends. I invited the heart breaker (stupid, stupid, stupid) and he decided it was a good idea to make out with a girl right next to me, at the club. Oh, you bastard. I hope you are a better person now.

May you live long enough to shit yourself

For 26. Only God know. Let’s wait and see what October 23rd has in store for me.

When is your birthday? Do you like celebrating it?

 

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One Month Blogging Challenge – Day 20 (What makes me unique as a teacher)

I think I have covered this topic on day 19, but I thought I might tell you a little bit more about my methods, and why, in my opinion, I’ve been successful as a teacher.

Patience:

I’m extremely patient while I’m working, which is kind of the opposite of who I am in my personal life. I talk to students patiently and am always willing to listen to them. I know some teachers/tutors get bother with repetition. Not me. I don’t mind explaining a concept as many times as the student might need. I’m there to teach you and I will keep doing it until you finally get it.

Flexibility:

I have no problems with changing schedules whenever students need it. I also don’t have problems with cancellations, vacations, breaks, moving to a different day of the week etc. Just let me know and I’ll do my best to adapt to your schedule.

Organization:

I’m extremely organized and I love to make lists, write good notes for students to take home and schedule good, helpful homework.

Motivation:

I know you can do it and I have no problem in letting you know. I won’t allow you to give up and I’ll do my best to make sure you know that you are smart and capable and that you will succeed as long as you’re willing to work.

Kindness:

I’m always kind and respectful. If you’re having a bad day, I’m more than willing to listen to you. Students often talk to me and it makes me happy that they look at me as someone they can trust.

One Month Blogging Challenge – Day 19 (Why and How I started my business)

If you don’t know much about I was doing for work before I came home to take care of myself in order to treat my depression and anxiety, that’s perfectly okay. I plan on starting by telling you what kind of business I was running and how it worked.

I’ve been teaching English, Portuguese as a second language and preparing high school students for their final Portuguese, English and History exams since November 2012.

When/how did I start?

It all started because my sister mentioned that one of her classmates was having trouble with her English and failing the class. I offered to help and told my sister to tell her I was going to do it for a very low price. Since I have nothing to hide, I will tell about values and earning as well. I know some people think it’s not polite to talk about money but I have no issues with the topic at all. So I started by being this girl’s English tutor for 5€ per hour. A tutor normally charges over 10, sometimes 15€. So I was a low-cost tutor.

Time passed and I decided I could turn it into a part-time job, while I was in college. I put an ad in a Portuguese add website and some people came asking for classes. Not tutoring (which is help with school) but actual private lessons, where I would teach them English. Most of them were new to the language or knew very little. I kept the same price, even though the work changed. I was no longer tutoring, I was actually teaching. People started coming and I was having more and more work. I never refused any students, so I had a big group (each of them taking private classes) of people in all kinds of situations, ages (mostly adults) and backgrounds. I was becoming better at it with each lesson and more people kept coming. I

would go to people’s homes or offices and I would go around the city all day, moving from one student to the other, with just enough time to take public transportation. I would sometimes go to places that were over an hour away, always by bus or metro, carrying a bunch of books, dictionaries, grammars, and all the materials you can think of. Students would come and go, some would stay for months, other’s for years.

I started to get people who were coming because their friends had recommended me. I got to a point where about 50% of my students were coming from recommendations. My students would say I was the best and that they had never had such a good teacher and learned English so easily before. More people would come, both through my add and from recommendations. I had my hands full. I decided to increase the price to 7,50€ per hour and I still had a large group of students. Before I came home, I was already charging 8,50€ an hour, still low-cost.

How did Portuguese exam preparation come into the picture?

Portuguese was one of my favorite subjects in school. I had read all of the mandatory books and I was good at interpreting them, I could write without spelling mistakes and with impeccable grammar. Exam season was coming and I though I might try to get some students to prepare. I placed and add and found many people who needed help. I would revise all of the materials with them, assign homework, teach them how to write better, how to express themselves in a better way and how they should answer exam questions. The best feeling ever is when you help a student and they pass the exam and get into college. This was in 2013 and I’ve been doing it ever since, getting exam preparation students between March and July, usually. It’s an extremely busy season for me, because I get extra students, along with my usual English crowd. I’m actually kind of sad I’m not doing exam prep this year. I really miss it. Same thing happened with History. I was really good in History and students would come asking for help with History exams and I wouldn’t say no, so it became one of the subjects I work with.

What about Portuguese as a second language?

One day, a few years ago, an English man asked me if I taught Portuguese as well. I said I had never done it but we could certainly try. I bought the materials and taught him for a few months. I discovered it was really easy, being my native language, and students being in a very low-level. I decided to place an ad and, once again, I got some students for Portuguese. It’s amazing because I have worked with people from Chile, England, Italy, France, Japan, Germany. Just like that, I became a Portuguese teacher as well.

When/why did I get an office?

I was getting tired of all the moving around, carrying a lot of weight, in the heat, in the sun, in the rain, in the cold, waiting endless hours for transport and having to care my lunch, an umbrella, a coat, my bag, my work bag, book bags and whatever I needed for the day. I decided to look for an office and talked to a lady I had worked for (she had a tutoring center) and ask her if she had any rooms available to rent. She said she had one and I went to see it. I was a little unsure if I wanted to start paying rent. My business would, from that point on, cost me 200€ a month. That was a lot of money. But I would get my own room, where I could keep my things, where students would meet me and where I could have a coffee machine and a microwave. The room was tiny and the window did not open, but I had air conditioning. I decided to take it and that’s how, in February, 2015, I got my first office. I was there for a few months and, for several reasons, including the fact that I needed more space, I decided to move to a bigger space. It cost more, but it was big and beautiful. I was going to pay a big rent, about 320€ per month, but it was worth it. I got the room and was there until last March, when I decided I was going to put my business on hold, because I was home. Paying rent didn’t make sense if I was not using the room and so I packed and closed everything. I’m currently not working and I have no office.

What kind of teacher am I?

Students usually like me and have very nice things to say about me, which makes me happy and proud. I’m extremely patient and I have no problem in explaining you the same thing 50 times, until you finally get it. I’m always kind and do my best to motivate students, never saying anything negative and giving honest feedback but always focusing on being kind and respectful. I do my best to make them see that they can do it, that they are able to learn. I’m usually successful. Overall, I know I’m a very good teacher. I have been told so and I have had many teacher in my life to compare myself to. I never say I’m very good at something unless I’m sure of it. This is the case. It’s one of the few things I know I do very well.

Where is my business going?

I’m not sure I want to go back to it. For several reasons. The hours are super long and there’s always something to do. Along with lessons, you always need to prepare materials, organize schedules, take care of payments and receipts, things I was doing all by myself. The responsibility was 100% mine and that can be extremely tiring and stressful. I don’t know if I can’t take it at this point of my life. I have some students interested in doing online classes. I might do it as I wouldn’t need to leave home or pay for an office. I’m thinking about starting these classes in June. I have enough people interested to get a decent salary without working full-time. This is my plan for now.

 

Thank you so much for reading!