"Why is your nose big and pointy?" not one, but several of my students asked me today. At the time I was pretending to be a cow from the land of the ning nang nong who had lost his bong. The kids were trying to cure me (the cow). It would be very imprudent to pretend to be a cow if teaching 7 year olds in London, but in Singapore you can get away with it.
Well, almost get away with it. Except for "Why has this cow got a pointy nose and red watch on?" I (the cow) explained that naturally this is how all cows are in the land of the ning nang nong, where cows go bong, except when they are ill and have to have small helpers visit the pharmacy for them.
So yes. I am finally working again. My long, unintended satatical is over and at the moment I have to say I'm very glad. I'm really enjoying working. Enjoying the teaching itself, pretending to be cows and trolls and travelling in flying taxis with a thousand seatbelts. (Saftey first! This is Singapore, remember. A law for everything.)
I finally, finally have my EP and can no longer be sneered at by shop assistants for only being on a Long Term Social Visit Pass. I'm loving having somewhere to go every day; making friends with my new colleagues; just having people to have a casual chat with on a daily basis. I've missed mundane chat so much. I realise to what extent I am a social creature.
I take my hat off to the self employed who work from home, not only for managing their time and motivation, but also the loneliness that goes with it. All that is behind me now.
It's made me think a lot about the right to work and how not being able to work legally makes you feel. You feel disenfranchised and useless. Your energy is zapped and motivation diminished. It's made me think about assylum seekers and how not having the right to work is yet another way they are stripped of their dignity by the countires they have turned to seeking refuge from atrocities.
Of course it's been nothing like that for me. I have been generously supported by the DFP. I have had amazing opportunities to travel and explore fascintating places. But there have been hard moments, lonely moments. I have missed people. Missed my friends, my family, my colleagues at work, work itself, having my own money, gossip and banter.
Travel and exploration is a wondeful thing. But without the anchor of friendship and love it's pointless.
Well, almost get away with it. Except for "Why has this cow got a pointy nose and red watch on?" I (the cow) explained that naturally this is how all cows are in the land of the ning nang nong, where cows go bong, except when they are ill and have to have small helpers visit the pharmacy for them.
So yes. I am finally working again. My long, unintended satatical is over and at the moment I have to say I'm very glad. I'm really enjoying working. Enjoying the teaching itself, pretending to be cows and trolls and travelling in flying taxis with a thousand seatbelts. (Saftey first! This is Singapore, remember. A law for everything.)
I finally, finally have my EP and can no longer be sneered at by shop assistants for only being on a Long Term Social Visit Pass. I'm loving having somewhere to go every day; making friends with my new colleagues; just having people to have a casual chat with on a daily basis. I've missed mundane chat so much. I realise to what extent I am a social creature.
I take my hat off to the self employed who work from home, not only for managing their time and motivation, but also the loneliness that goes with it. All that is behind me now.
It's made me think a lot about the right to work and how not being able to work legally makes you feel. You feel disenfranchised and useless. Your energy is zapped and motivation diminished. It's made me think about assylum seekers and how not having the right to work is yet another way they are stripped of their dignity by the countires they have turned to seeking refuge from atrocities.
Of course it's been nothing like that for me. I have been generously supported by the DFP. I have had amazing opportunities to travel and explore fascintating places. But there have been hard moments, lonely moments. I have missed people. Missed my friends, my family, my colleagues at work, work itself, having my own money, gossip and banter.
Travel and exploration is a wondeful thing. But without the anchor of friendship and love it's pointless.
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