Travels with my Angst

We’re going to swimming today
Wyatt is excited
We’re meeting some friends visiting from Australia
We’ll post some photos later

Historic Surabaya.

Surabaya is an ancient city, with a rich history.
It’s a tale that has been written in the blood, hopes and accomplishments of the amazing people who have lived here.
From the rich tapestry of Javanese culture, to the vibrant Madurese impact, and on to the interweaving of Indian, Arabic and Chinese cultures … Surabaya has always been a meeting place for imagination and destiny.
A major shipping center, a transit port, and an international gateway … Indonesia’s second-largest city, and the capital of East Java, has a rich history and an exciting present waiting to be discovered.
From poets to princes; from revolutionaries to teachers; Surabaya is truly the City of heroes.

Calendar for 2011 Course dates for 2011

3 January – 28 January 2011
31 January – 25 February 2011
28 February – 25 March 2011
4 April – 29 April 2011
2 May – 27 May 2011
6 June – 1 July 2011
4 July – 29 July 2011
1 August – 26 August 2011
5 September – 30 September 2011
3 October – 28 October 2011
31 October – 25 November 2011
28 November – 23 December 2011

Please contact us with any more questions

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We have both a holiday and a certification course starting.
I finish work on Friday next week. On the following Monday, Tefl Indonesia’s December course begins.


We have friends visiting from Australia.
Our Christmas plans are still up in the air. I hope we’ll get to spend some time in Bali.

A break … why not !?!
Our Christmas holiday starts in three weeks … right after exams, marking and parent’s meetings
Hope you’re all safe and hope we all have some time to relax, unwind, refresh, reflect and revitalize.

On occasion you find it’s time to take stock of your life, and re-assess your priorities. A few moments to consider your familial, emotional,physical and financial balance.

As I look around at my family, more immediately my wife and young son, I see that things are okay there. Our oldest son is going to return to school. Our daughter is coping with family and business. our grandchildren are well. Our little guy Wyatt has jumped into school head first, and is doing well.  Emily has started a new business with her sister and it looks to be another success. So far,as someone more succinct than myself has said, so good.

As for our teacher-training center; it runs  at somewhat less capacity than we’d hoped – but it does run.

Our emotional state can be best described as anxious with a pinch of panic. No dramas, just life in the third millennium(as it is reckoned by some). Stress from work, and pressure from home tend to cross over at times. Wyatt is still coping with a school-yard bully, but seems to be holding his own.

Our paperwork seems to grow with each passing day. The internet, which is impossible to ignore in any modern work place, is an ongoing tragedy. As much due to badly maintained networks, as it is to a wonky connection. I have my secondary two class working on a project called ‘student stress’, and some are doing well.

So how to deal with life? I get up a little early. Check mail, and then do my push-ups, sit-ups and a few repetitions with the dumbbells if I remember. I’ve actually toned up a bit, and managed to drop two kilos.

Hope you’re all doing well

It’s completely in your hands where you want to place the items in the brief list I’m about to share with you. Is it a strange, inevitable or regrettable event?

My holiday is coming to an end this week and it seemed that I should make an effort to put words to digital paper. Our holiday was largely unremarkable and for the most part,enjoyable. Wyatt graduated from Kindergarten and will move into the first grade. I will continue for a third year with Singapore National Academy. Tefl Indonesia continues as before, but is in need of agents in North America and Australia.

Heart-breaking news as Adrienne Colan passed away. Adrienne is the wife of Marvel/DC comics artist Gene Colan
I didn’t know Adrienne, nor do I know Gene. I’ve had the pleasure of following Gene’s work over the years and took a moment in 1999 to send a note of appreciation. Gene and Adrienne responded. The responses were usually short, but always thoughtful. Over the next few years I sent an occasional note and received an occasional reply.
For Adrienne … Go in peace.

This time of year also marks 12 months since my younger brother Troy passed away. Before this gets too morbid, we were traveling through Central Java, stopping in Solo and Jogjakarta, and I was thinking how much Troy would have enjoyed the place. I’m posting a few pictures over at another site. Stop by and take a look.

All the best,Wayne

Top Ten reason to TEFLTop ten reasons to Teach English

1. You could sit on the couch all year, but should you?
2. Eventually even The Kardashians are going to get annoyed
3. There is no new Star Trek franchise
4. Somebody has to do it
5. We could all work in retail, but …
6. We dare you to apply at McDonald’s again?
7. Mom and Dad need a life
8. The girl next door is not ‘playing hard to get’
9. Someone is your graduating class needs to get a job
10. If you lived here, you’d already be home

Top ten reasons to live in the tropics

1. You’ll be there when the first coconuts come off the line
2. You could get a real suntan
3. People still won’t understand you, but you won’t care
4. Seasons? Who needs ‘em!?!
5. Sand gets in some interesting places.
6. Tan lines are better than  …
7. Do you like shoveling snow?
8. Because you can
9. You will believe a man can fry
10. Fresh fruit

Top ten reasons to work overseas

1. You could use a change of scenery
2. Telemarketers won’t call
3. Something to talk about to your grandkids
4. Something to talk about on your next date
5. Get a date
6. Get off the couch
7. Disneyland is the most exotic place you can imagine
8. You need to update Facebook
9. Indonesia is not just a menu selection
10. Experience three kinds of Java (coffee, the island, and coding language)

Top ten reasons to leave home

1. Mom needs to change your sheets
2. Dad wants to have that talk with you
3. Uncle Bill’s off the wagon again
4. It’s better to have a housekeeper
5. Walmart
6. Oprah’s going off the air
7. Jay and Conan moved on, now it’s your turn
8. Your passport needs love
9. The grass is greener on the other side
10. Get tagged in some interesting photos

Top ten reasons to be a teacher

1. Respect and some money
2. Sometimes you’ll actually feel like a star
3. You can make a difference
4. What are you saving all that language for?
5. You need some experience
6. Are you experienced?
7. You have to learn grammar someday
8. We can’t all be on American Idol
9. It’s a great way to meet people
10. You’ll enjoy it

Top ten reasons to see the world

1. It’s changing
2. It’s an interesting place
3. If you stand in one place the world will not come to you
4. It’s there
5. You’ll be amazed by what you see
6. You’ll be amazed by what you hear
7. You’ll be amazed by what you feel
8. You’ll be amazed by what you taste
9. You’ll be amazed by what you smell
10. People will be amazed by you
    

Joining the TEFL course in Indonesia, Surabaya

For those candidates joining our next course please contact us by
email or phone to arrange accommodation and airport pickup.

Also indicate when you’ll be arriving so we can have accommodation prepared.

Call or text +62 081 703 284 155
Call or text +62 087 851 964 031

admin.teflindo@gmail.com

Yours sincerely,Wayne Duplessis

Indonesia, Surabaya

TEFL Course Schedule
(TESOL Certification)

Calendar for year 2010

July 5th to 30th
August 2nd to 27th
September 6th to October 1st

October 4th to 29th
November 1st to 26th
December 6th to 31st
(Christmas break will be observed)

Please contact us with any more questions

Located right in Surabaya and near some of the most beautiful beaches and scenery in the world, our TESOL Course Indonesia center is, if not in paradise, at least next door to it. With a wide variety of social and cultural activities, water sports and other activities, vibrant nightlife, delectable Indonesian cuisine, friendly people and close proximity to an abundance of teaching opportunities, Surabaya (and surrounding areas) is sure to have what you are looking for in a learning location.

Our prayers go out to the people lost and injured and those that have to carry on

Do whatever you can to help

We are coming to the end of a long holiday. It’s the nice thing about working in Indonesia; there are lots of holidays.

We had planned to drive to Bali. We were going to leave at six in the morning and drive for ten hours until we got to Banyuwangi, where we’d drive aboard the ferry for the short hop to Gili Manuk.

We set out, almost on time, and were cruising along the toll. Then the van(Isuzu Panther) started acting up. After about ten minutes it seemed wise to pull over and pop the hood.  The smoke was already pouring out. Thankfully we had a case of large water bottles. Emily, the smarter-half of this marriage, is an incredibly organized and prepared woman. Our driver gingerly unscrewed the cap of the radiator. A cloud of steam poured out, and kept pouring out. One after another, seven or eight large bottles of water were poured onto and into the radiator.

Emily called her brother-in-law and got the name of the toll’s towing service. Then we waited. Then we waited, and waited some more. The truck finally came. Anxious moments passed while they checked, and talked, and smoked.  I started snapping pictures.

The consensus was not good. We’d need to be towed off the toll, and then from there to a Bengkel (repair shop/garage).

The Panther was linked to the truck and pulled along the road. We arrived at the Izusu shop and the waiting resumed. Poor Wyatt was bored out of his five-year old mind. We started exploring. We found a collection of nuts, bolts and screws on the floor, making a game of seeing how many we could find. We topped out at eight altogether.

After about two hours that seemed like six due to the heat and inactivity we headed back home. At home it was my turn to be bored, impatient, and immature – generally a pain in the butt. I really wanted this vacation. in fact, I needed this vacation. In moments, that I’m sure reached Shatneresque-peaks of drama, I proclaimed my need to get out of the city.

Emily finally sorted it out and we flew to Bali. As we sat in the lounge waiting to board Emily realized that I did not have my trusty backpack. I went racing through the airport and finally to the original entrance where I found my bag sitting on top of the scanner. I had evidently left it there.

“Can you prove this is yours?”

“Yeah, I’m an English teacher and I still have a few books in here.”

The security looked skeptical. Then I remembered the toll. “My camera is in here and I have pictures of us on the toll.”

Sure enough, there the shots were.

“Carry on, Sir.” ( or something like that)

We made it to Bali.

We stayed at  HOTEL KARTHI

http://www.hotelkarthi.com/

Jl. Kartika Plaza, Kuta Beach
Bali Indonesia
Phone +62-361-754810 (hunting)
Fax +62-361-751708
E-mail: sales@hotelkarthi.com

Happy New Year

Happy holidays

This is a time of the year that is joyful and highly anticipated,but it can be a difficult time for many.

We hope you can have a safe, and healthy holiday

Keep well