Update on swimming classes

Ciao! Okay, so I'm guessing you are wondering about how my swimming classes are going, after I've told you about how they freak me out. Fine, I know you're not wondering. But I am going to tell you anyway so sit here and listen. I mean stay on this page and read.

Right. I have had a history of spending almost my whole week worrying about my swimming class. And when my class is over, feeling happy for a day or two about that, and realising that the next class is closer to today than it was before. I've been to quite a few swimming classes in my life, and that always happens. I used to think that ALL swimming teachers were horrible, but my last one nearly made me faint because she was so nice. The problem was that she tired us all out, too; we had to swim endless lengths. Fine, they weren't endless, but they were pretty tiring. They helped my swimming greatly, though.

Here's what worries me about swimming classes:

1. Shouty teachers
2. Cold water
3. Getting water up my nose
4. Not being able to breathe
5. Getting tired out!
6. Not being able to do things that the other people in my class can do
7. Diving
8. Not wearing many clothes - it's cold, and there's something about it that makes one feel vulnerable
9. Being lower than the teacher (You're in the pool; they're standing by he edge.)

This swimming class turned out to be okay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I admit that that row of exclamation marks was grammatically incorrect but it really gets across my point: I was surprised, and happy, and relieved.

I was worried before that my previous swimming teacher (The nice one) was the only exception to the rule that all swimming teachers are horrible. But what if there is no rule? My current teacher isn't smiling every second of the day, but he smiles quite a bit, and he isn't horrible, and he doesn't make tire you out!

I hope it will still be like that next week at my class...

Chinese shop in Turnpike lane

There is a Chinese shop in Turnpike Lane that me and my family go to every so often. I love Chinese/ Oriental shops because they are a bit like museums in that they are full of exotic and interesting things. When I say museums, I'm not talking about galleries with two or three cool asian pictures and ten not-so-cool ones; I'm talking about unusual, fascinating, engrossing museums, packed with... different, novel things. This shop is quite small, but it's still fun to look around in. Here are some of the things you find there.

1. Giant prawns

GIANT prawns!!

2. Snails!

 3. Chicken feet!!

4. Some kind of shell fish

5. Crabs. They are still alive when they are put there!

6. Flavoured watermelon seeds.

Five spice flavoured watermelon seeds.

6. Cool canned drinks

Help! I can't close my mouth!!

Looks like it's infectious.

7. Purple rice porridge.

8. "Grass" jelly drink. It means lemon grass!

9. Tadpole egg drink... just kidding.

Those little tadpole-egg - looking things that I've circled in black are basil seeds. They are soft and jelly-like on the outside and crunchy inside. The drink is flavoured with honey.

10. Fruity curry sauce.

11. Eel

12. STUDENT ONLY vegetables!

13. Canned things

 

14. And just so I don't end with number 13...

Taro chips and green tea pumpkin seeds.

Yay!! I'm not the only homeschooler who complains about DUMB questions!!

Here are some funny/ informative blog posts by other people about what home-schooling is really like.


1. http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/what-being-homeschooled-is-actually-like
I love this one! It's nice that it isn't made out of dense paragraphs that you have to read through carefully, but accurately describes home education in pictures with funny captions.


2. http://www.homeschooldiaries.com/10-most-annoying-homeschool-questions-ever-asked/


4. http://musingsfromnevillesnavel.wordpress.com/2013/04/13/ten-more-silly-questions-about-homeschooling/
This is one that, like, EVERYBODY quotes. I'm not sure if it's the original. I think it is.


5. http://community.sparknotes.com/2011/12/06/eight-questions-about-homeschooling-that-i-never-want-to-hear-again