Good News!

Ok, so after having a stressful week-wondering if I would have to leave the country as I didn't have a visa, all has turned out well. I went to the office today and recieved my permission for residency for the year!!!

Yesterday the new teachers had medical examinations. It was such a public event! Anyone could watch them take your blood as it was done in 3 sided booths in a corridor. When getting our nose, ear and throat tests done people would enter the room without knocking and when doing our physical examination we where in a room with 3 people and large windows without curtains!! Very different to what happens at home.

Customer service here is different than in Australia. People may be very friendly-but not overly helpful or they may be very unhelpful but it isnt considered that they are doing anything wrong. Like the people at the Visa place where lovely but they said I would need to do things I'd already done or to come back another time to do the next step in the process and when I asked if I could do it now they said yes. Or an outdoor market I went to and was looking at a shop. The person sitting there was reading a newspaper and when I asked to buy something he said "I'm sorry, we are closed". Very different than the call centre I came from where you had to answer within 3 rings and always be extra helpful to the clients. Informing them of everything they should know and more.

But you probably wanted to know more about my classes. On the second childrens class the boys (11 and 12 years old) asked me if I loved them!! The adults are great too. They acknowledge that my accent is a little difficult for them and let me know what they need extra help in. So far I've been invited over someone house for dessert, to go on a trip to Warsaw with a student and invited out for coffee. Thanks for all your prayers!! I couldn't do it without your support and encouragement.