Back to work

The rest of my Sydney time was great and the wedding was beautiful. I've got plenty of photos that I'll post when the camera flies back into London on Tuesday afternoon.

After so much holiday it felt great to get back to work. I've picked up an extra IT class and it's going to be a busy term. First week went well and I've got some great new students.

A couple of them speak beautiful varieties of English that I am loath to desecrate. Correcting someone who says 'Sir, I must to the toilet, I am truly pressed' makes me feel positively evil.

I've also had a rush of attractive new students. My colleague was a little shocked when I told her this and asked if it's okay to fancy my own students. Of course it is! Particularly as most are older than me. There should be some perks to working in adult education!

And there are wacky ones. One girl burst into class and came out with, 'Professor, I'm sorry I will need to leave 40 minutes early each lesson because my job in the disco bar. Next two weeks I will be in Italy for visit and I will maybe return Italy permanent in December but I am very happy to joining this class'.

But the highlight of the week was getting back to the old men's class. I was relieved that everyone lasted the holiday and was back in full health. Imagine my delight when one 74 year old Afghani grandfather puts on a pair of tinted reading glasses just like the ones below.

Sydney

Sydney is beautiful. The sky and sea are blue. The air is sweet. Birds sing, squawk and swoop at my head. Being away two years has made me appreciate the place much more. I'm not sure if that's a reason to come more or less often in the future.

The weird thing about being back in Sydney is that I become a child again. I left as soon as I finished study and I'm ignorant about how to be an adult here. I still live at home and I've got no idea how much things are supposed to cost.

It's four years since I left and being back encourages reminiscing, some of it good. My parents now live in Manly, the setting of my innocent first romance. Suddenly I'm transported back to the middle of 2003.

Some memories are not so good. Being pushed around, jeered and then slapped by a group of drunken idiots (on Oxford St of all places) on Saturday night was like being sent straight back to high school.

I'm so happy to be back wth my famiy and friends and I'm loving the beauty and clean air. But I'm also feeling less Australian than ever.

Anyway, the wedding is the important thing right now and I can't wait!

HK

I'm half way through my week in Hong Kong and of course I'm loving it. Jason, Mary and I went hiking on Lantau on Saturday (hurry up and post pictures!). After Sunset Peak we toured my old village and I was shocked that my shabby old house (which I suspected may be no more) had been reborn as a high security, bright orange/yellow mansion named 'Casa Elmira'.

Plenty more has changed in Hong Kong but it is still incredibly familiar. I still run into someone I know every five minutes and I've had emotional reunions with everyone from old work colleages to my real estate agent. I love my small group of friends in London but I'll never be as connected there as I am here.

Anyway, I'll save further description for when I can post some photos. I'm off to a friends house now - he passed the net cafe, saw me inside and then insisted I come see his new baby.

Oh, and some advice. If you ever recognise someone whose blog you read, think twice before calling them by name and letting them know they are in your favourites. Be it in PP or anywhere else, you risk seriously freaking them out. Unfortunately I was the culprit not the blogger - I'd be flattered!