Today I Return

Today I am afraid that I am the bearer of bad news...I'm back with more words laced with general quips and qualms. This post will serve as more of an update if truth be told. Let's get this out the way. 

• I am back in England.
• I just turned 24.
• A baby was birthed in London.
• I am currently unemployed.
• I am currently exceedingly bored.

Apologies in advance, for this is the first real 'my life is drab' styled article I have ever really posted, but my word, the English culture has learned how to reflect the grey skies. Maybe it's me being older and developing a fleeting interest in all things interesting. 

My birthday was a lot of calm fun. A very good friend came from London to stay with me for the weekend and we reminisced. Even though I went to a night club, the nostalgia acted more like chicken soup for the soul than the good skinful we acquired.

I wish I could say that during my month of non-blogging that I have been on some exciting adventures involving intelligent and humorous anecdotes, or that I have been doing a bit of soul seeking and found the answers that plague my assiduous mind - yet I cannot. I have been a state of mere existence and have not seen a lot of my good friends or relatives due to a lingering debilitation brought about by lack of prospects. The future is as blurry as it has ever been.

Granted, this post was short and banal but I WILL be back on form posting something every few days really soon. So, hang tight.

In the meantime listen to my song of the moment and enjoy:

Today I... Pack My Life Away

Today I ready myself to leave home for the second time in a year. Outside, the temperature has reached a horrifying 40°C. People can rattle on all they want about it being 50°C in Egypt, but, for me, this temperature is extremely uncomfortable. The humidity is incredible, too. I don't know whether what running down my face is my sweat or the air's. It is beyond funny.

My shopping today cost me 50 Euros for a 15 Euro shop, simply due to the heat reducing me to a mortified zombie. Forgot my change, didn't I? As an adult I must accept that I paid for my stupidity and lack of attention. 35 Euros could have gone a long way and I don't have that kind of money to waste. Alas, as is life.

Today we salute a true veteran of the game.

I write this, whilst packing and becoming overwhelmed by strong emotions. A lot is to be left behind; so many good friends and memories. There are momentoes and trinkets given to me by some students, but there will never be enough. As well as leaving these behind, I am retiring many of my old clothes such as old T-shirts and Holy socks. One of the most significant of these items of clothing are my 'Toxic Gas' underwear. We have been through some good times together, but the label is fading and elastic is worn out. It's time has come, I'm afraid. There is no room in the future for novelty undergarments. Just 'Next' brand blandness. One colour - a stripe or two if I am lucky - but I am not getting my hopes up.

I will not be submitting another post until I return back to England and this blog changes tone as I re-enter the void. It is too hot to write anything and there are too many goodbyes needed to be said.

This has been my song of this Summer and the last one. I feel a lot of passion and nostalgia in this song. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Written by Brian Fallon and Performed by The Gaslight Anthem...so I guess I don't own it.

Today I...Got Another Touching Gift

Today I taught my final lesson with one of my favourite classes - and most testing class, may I add. A constant spur of hormones and smiles, I have had a lot of enjoyment teaching these girls and I have realised that I am beginning to gain more out of our relationship than I thought I ever would. By connecting with these young girls and learning about them, Inow have the hunger to learn more about my younger sister.

My relationship with my sister has always wavered, as is the classic tale of young siblings. You have those brothers and sisters with that angelic relationship. You know the ones. The chuckles and smiles, inside jokes and quality time. Very unnatural and very unbearable. Real brothers and sisters tear chunks out of each other and find sickening pleasure out of the other's misery. True one upmanship. True family bonding. All this aside, they still have each other's backs. From these girls that I have bonded with over the year I have gained a desire to be more active and interested in my own sister's life and interests. Don't get me wrong, I will never go to a One Direction concert (in fact, I may host a parade on the advent of their inevitable disbandment), but I am making it one of my goals to have more of an active interest in her life.

So, to conclude my time teaching these students, they gave me a sheet of paper during a relaxed exam practice lesson for their speaking exam. To them, it was probably nothing as they doodle this kind of thing in each other's books in every lesson, but for me it means so much. I am considering getting it immortalised along with a few other pieces of memorabilia. These are the spoils of a long testing war, after all.

Well, isn't this statement a little prideful...and completely true...
I really don't know whether this was a joke or a mistake. Either way, it is really awesome.

Real Talk: For Those With Me

Writing this may be in vain. This simply sits as a thank you to every single person I have met over the duration I have been living in Greece. I say it may be in vain because I am sure that the majority of my students have better things to do than read some fusty teacher's thanks splayed on the internet, thus this will be read only by those of you who actually follow my blog regularly. Many of you are Russian. I have never met a Russian in my life, so the fact that I have a following there is pretty interesting. Anywho...

I have seriously enjoyed my year. As with everything, it has had its ups and downs. Up; I have met some truly inspiring people. Down; I have built an extension to my waistline. Up; I have been to places more beautiful than I ever thought I would. More beautiful than the inside of a Gregg's bakers. Down; I went to the hospital. Up; I tried something new and it moved me. Down; I think I am addicted to coffee. Up; I now love coffee. This could go on forever.

The Bridge: A view from my coffee this afternoon.

According to one of my students my time inside the hospital changed me; made me less funny. Apparently, before my period of incarceration I was the funniest person he had ever met (one for the old pride, perhaps even to be scribed on the tombstone), but when I came out, it was like something had 'happened'. There is no debate that in my writing there is less humour of late. Nice little pictures of nice little locations. Factual information regarding my daily doolallies. The gradual disappearance of the word 'shid' signifies that this has secretly become a real blog and not just me being angry at things like employment and sweaty men at the gym. This will likely change as I move back to England and re-enter the void.

Before I see another Great British chav*, I have still got a few more weeks of work left in me. With this in mind, I offer the most sincere thank you to the students who finished their studies with me last December and to the students that have completed their studies today. 'Congratulations' and 'Good Luck' in the future. To those who haven't yet finished - apologies, you are still in the thick of it...for now.

As I said previously, this message will probably not reach the right eyes. Why not tell them personally, you ask? I am but a modest man. If I speak so openly with emotive intentions there is the possibility I could have my man license revoked.

*This image does not belong to me and this fact makes me incredibly happy.

Today I...am Alone in a Swanky Hotel

Swanky 'otel

Today is exam day. A taxi has brought me from my early morning lesson (8:30-10:am - on a Saturday) to the Hotel Βυζαντινο (Byzantine) where the exams are being held. I couldn't be there for the students when they entered the exams at 9:30, but I had promised them that I would be there when they came out. So I brashly find a table in the middle of the elegant dining area and ordered myself a beverage, whilst trying to look as 'suppish' as I possibly can. Despite my greatest effort, which included wearing my shades indoors, I could not help but feel a streak of nerves passing through the base of my stomach.