First day of playscheme

After all the phone calls, schedules, to-do lists, spread sheets, shopping trips, e-mails, references, trainings, and chaos the playscheme finally started today!! Unable to actually get into the building was our first problem... But after about 15 minutes of panicky phone calls we got in. The children arrived shortly after. Only a few of the buses were late, which was a huge success. They usually are all really late on the first day. The "monkey room" was short staffed today so I joined in with them. I was paired with a 6- year old child named Adam. He was too cute! We played Hungry Hippos and did a puzzle. After snack, the "monkey room" went on a walk to the park down the street. Adam was a bit slow but we eventually made it there. He was smiling the whole time, and asking a million "why" questions. He was definitely one of the much easier children I have worked with thus far. We got to do arts and crafts and visit the soft play room. It was a long exhausting day but no major problems. Well, at least not in my group... One of the only groups had a girl who told her playworker that she was playing to run away with her 50 year old boyfriend... Social service will have to deal with that one, sicko. But other than that it was great. Tomorrow we can start taking trips and actually do different activities. Hayley ( and the straightener) came back today!! So long peace and quiet..j/k love ya! Rachel broke the washing machine and the landlord is in Italy so that sucks... I have to visit the laundromat before Parissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss :D

Glasgow

On Friday Magda suggested that I visit Glasgow. So Rachel and I got up early and took the train from Waverly Station to Queens Street Glasgow. First, we decided to check out the Barrow Lands. We jumped on a bus that took us there from the train station. We didn't really have any idea what it was besides a huge market. Basically it was just a big flea market. Lots of junk. One stand even had funeral accessories, like stuff for gravestones. lol. I did end up getting a fabulous pursue. We weren't too impressed so we headed back to the city centre to look for something to eat. After awhile we found a little Italian place called Dino's. Rachel and I both got the lunch special pasta. It was great food and the service was perfect. After a coffee we headed out to look for the David Livingstone Estate, which I found on the internet. No one really knew and finally after asking a bus driver we discovered it was a town over. We decided to just walk around the city. We spent a lot of time in H&M and some other little cute boutiques. The Burrell museum was on our list of things to do but unfortunately it was closed because the museum workers are on strike! So, no luck going to museums because they were all closed. We ran into a gay parade/concert. Lots of spikey haired girls and drag queens. It was funny. Next we headed to the Glasgow Cathedral, which was beautiful. The cathedral has had many renovations but was first built in the 1300's!! Since it was pouring outside, we took our time looking around and took lots of pictures. On our way back to the train station we found an awesome used book store, so cheap! I got two books for a pound each. Even though Glasgow was really cool, it always feels good to come back to Edinburgh.

wham bar

Sitting in my window seat, drinking a class of shiraz, listening to the Rod Stewart concert going on.... Ahhhh

hump day

wet.
rainy.
cold.

Grab the thistle with a fist!

Another day at Oaklands playscheme. It was a really pretty day so we got out the blow up pool and let the kids play in it outside. The staff is really laid back, which makes it more fun. Guess you can't really be tough working with these kids or expect to go home clean. We had a water balloon fight which all the kids loved.Also, one of the kids got a hold of the hose we were filling the pool up with which was hilarious. He got EVERYONE soaked. I got the job of putting on suntan lotion for one of the classes. It was a challenge, to say the least. Some of the kids can barely stay still for two seconds and don't enjoy when you put sticky white stuff all over there body. Spent about 1/2 chasing a kid and ended up with bite marks on my arms and shoulders. But we still had fun. Talked to Meghan on skype tonight :( Miss her and Taylor! Paris in a week !!! yay!

Oaklands Playscheme

Today I went to the office at my usual time and as soon as I got there, they sent me to Oaklands because they where so short staffed today. Probably due to 1. T in the Park was this weekend 2. Spain won yesterday. So I caught the bus to Oaklands and was thrown into one of the active classrooms. Things started off pretty casual, most of the kids were doing their own thing outside. I played ball and got to blow bubbles with the kids. Most the kids were ages 8-12. Then around lunch, I was left alone with three of the kids and things started to get crazy. Screaming, leaving the classroom, stealing lunches,spilling drinks... These are special needs children who really need 1-1 care. I couldn't turn my back for two seconds without someone getting into something else. I got bit, scratched, pinched, slapped, etc. But you cannot stay mad at them because they can be really adorable as well. After lunch we went outside again and played in the water. A few of the active class kids went on a trip but I stayed behind. It was a very hectic day but I had fun.

Giant Shannon Fruit

Rachel(the new roomsie) and I woke up late and headed over to the Museum of Scotland. I have been there before but it's so huge, there was a lot I missed the first time. One of the main exhibits was the Lewis Chessmen. The Lewis Chessmen, which are chess pieces craved out of walrus irovy from the 12th century. They were all different cute little characters. It was pretty cool. A replica of the set was even in Harry Potter!! Also, the museum had lots of historical pieces,etc. After walking around the museum for awhile we headed across the street to the Grey Friar Bobby cemetery. It was beautiful, the gravestones where so elaborate. Some of the graves even had little courtyards. We went to Tescos and made some dinner and then watched the final world cup game. Viva la Spain!