As I have no useable washing machine in my apartment, I have to take my washing to the kindergarten.I have to trek across the yard with a heavy bag of dirty clothes, and then hope that someone isn't already using the machine.When I first moved here I was told that nobody really uses the machine as they all wash their clothes by hand at home.However, someone often is using the machine to clean the sofa covers or the 'shoe-socks'.Shoe-socks are like cloth bags with elasticated tops which go over the shoes.For some reason most of the parents who visit the kindergarten put the shoe-socks over their shoes, even though none of the staff, teachers or children do so.Anyway, this time it was empty so I put in my clothes and I left the washing machine to do its thing while I went to class.When I got back (only a few minutes after the cycle was complete) my washing had been removed from the machine and put into a bucket.They hadn't even been discrete about it, as my bra was right at the top of the bucket for all to see. Great!This is the first time it had happened but there is a new lady who does the cleaning so I'm worried this is going to become a frequent problem.

I couldn't believe it in my classes today; I was teaching them Christmas vocabulary and singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas".I have a huge problem with any kind of Christmas cheer until the first week of December.Don't get me wrong, in December I like to be festive too.But October and November is just too early for me.This year I thought I may have escaped some of the more annoying aspects of Christmas- such as irritating songs too early in the year.Wrong!It's not even mid-November and they're all yelling 'Santa Claus' and 'reindeer' at me.