It’s strange how in one day a person can go from glee to sadness to happiness to depression. These emotions don’t normally flow in that way in my life, I’m usually a very happy person who love helping others. I have good co-workers, I love my job, and my family if wonderful, I have a lot to make me happy.

Today started off as it has since the start of the school year (or really since we arrived.) I got up, dressed in a suit and tie, and headed to the front gate of the school. Every day I go there and greet the students as they enter. As I am a well-respected teacher at the school, and I have taught the majority of the kids at one time or another, the new principal thought it would be a good Idea for me to do so. I love it. I smile and wave and greet the kids as they enter. Some kids give me high fives as they enter, some stop to talk for a moment. One little boy is so happy to see me each day that he runs up and hugs me. It’s a wonderful experience.

Then I run back to the dormitory we are staying at temporarily, and remove my suit jacket and tie as I don’t like things tight around my neck for long, and I don’t want to get the jacket dirty. I then carry my books and computer to my office where I start. Today is mid-term day. Fun. So I had a lot of tests to give out today.

I teach grade 1 Maths to 5 classes, and Grade 1 English to 1 class. I, stupidly I might add, made the test a bit too long for them. Standard practice at our school has always been to give the class more time if the test is too long. Break it up over 2 classes. The teacher that teaches the other 4 classes of English to grade 1 doesn’t do that. So my class will finish their test tomorrow morning before they have their Halloween party. And they will all (Most likely) pass. Unfortunately my daughter’s class doesn’t get the luxury off extra time and the entire class will have to settle for less than 50% on the first written test of their life…. That really brought me down.

My students brought me back up. Kids always do. I love being a teacher, because of the children. I help them understand the world, and they help me see it inn new and wonderful ways. The kids had me smiling again before the lunch period was finished. I helped a couple of new teachers decide on their Costumes for Halloween tomorrow. I figured out how to tie a bowtie, and another teacher celebrated her birthday in our office with Chocolate cake (Yum!).

When I got home, I was able to get an email from my virtual phone, which emails me any voice mail messages I get. Unfortunately the internet in the school and the dormitory is set up in a way that I cannot use my VPN program to connect to the virtual phone or facebook/twitter etc…

Anyways When I got home, my mother had left a message that made me almost cry. My beloved Grandmother has passed. I am planning to talk to Mom in Canada tomorrow morning as when I got the message it was 3am in Canada. I will update on the causes, but I believe I know.

I curled upon my bed with my SUDOKU magazine to comfort me, and my daughter and son, sensing I was not feeling well decided they needed to cheer me up with pictures, and jokes. I did say I have a wonderful family. I told my children about how wonderful their great grandma was. I am going to do so again and again for a long time I think. They never got to meet her, and I want them to know about her, and their great grand-pa.

I will try to call Quebec, tomorrow after work. After I figure the time differences.

I’m going to bed, now. I wish you all time to hug the ones you love and let them know how much you love them.