New Year, New Job

I've said it in the past, and I'll say it again - I hate change. Change really sucks. Change is scary, it means going out on a limb, and risking failure. I hate change.

My whole life recently has been one of change - relocation to a different continent, readjustment to a different culture, having to retrain one's mind to understand the value of money when it is in a different currency - everything has been adapt, adapt, adapt.

And then there's been the shock of change - like the loss of Grandpa the other day. Even now, I still can't believe it, and find myself being reminded of Pop and then being brought to tears by just the littlest things. Like, the other day I was at the Cheesecake shop buying a cheesecake for dessert with the family - and I remembered that the last time I was at that shop I was buying a cheesecake for Nanny and Pop's wedding anniversary. How cruel life can be at times.

But I digress. Anyway, as I was saying, I hate change. And the biggest change I hate? Changing your job... which was the change facing me today - my first day at my new school.

I have now worked in only 4 schools in my life (not counting my prac teaching school) and I have to say, the first day at a new school has got to be one of the most scary experiences in life. And not only for the kids, but for the teachers too! Especially when its a 'pupil free day' (aka in England - 'Inset' day) - because you've got to make a good first impression - and you only ever get one chance at it...

So the first dilemma is "What to wear?" Because you see, being a pupil free day - you could theoretically rock up in a tank top and a pair of thongs (flip flops, not the undies!) - but then what sort of message does that send, bearing in mind you need to make a good first impression. And, if you overdress - well, then everyone thinks you're a complete and utter dufus because you didn't figure out it was inset day and you don't have to wear "school clothes". Oh, the pain of it all!

Then, the second dilemma is - "How will I get there - and how long will it take?". Because, obviously you don't want to be late - but conversely, as you don't know anyone, don't know what's exactly expected of you and so on - well, you don't want to be too early either! What a pain! So for me, I decided to drive to work, because although I didn't really know how to get there, I had access to a rather old GPS - so surely it would be able to get you there. And, because I didn't want to be late, I allocated plenty of time (so I thought, 90 minutes) to get there.

The first thing was that I didn't really bank on the changes to Brisbane traffic over 10 years. For starters, when did the Gateway Motorway became Brisbane's own London M25 car park? Seriously! I tried to enter the motorway at the Deagon Deviation at something like 7.30am, and the traffic was already backed back to there! What on earth has happened - accident? Police? Alien invasion? No, its just the regular Monday morning traffic! I have to say, I must've sat on that road for absolute ages before we moved.

And when I finally did get almost to school, the antiquated GPS sent me off to the left - and suddenly I was stuck in one way traffic heading over Story Bridge, seeing my new school to my right and being completely unable to get there. Instead, I had to cross the river, continue for some time, and eventually I was able to make a u-turn. Fortunately the antiquated GPS I had been cursing managed to get me back to the right place eventually.

So by the time I actually did arrive at school I was a bit of a ruffled bundle of nerves. Add to this the fact that I didn't know where the staff carpark was (I'd parked in the visitors carpark when I went in last week) - so I'd parked there again, hoping I wouldn't be towed away - and the fact that I still hadn't met the Head yet, so I had all the pressure of making a good impression - and I was really deep down a bit of a train wreck. Nevertheless, I pulled myself together and made myself get out of the car.

I was pleasantly surprised to meet others there who felt the same as me - have I worn the right thing? Did I park in the right place? Yada yada... I was even more pleasantly surprised to find that the actual induction went very well, the school are extremely well organised, and I managed to be able to not only log on to the computer, but I could almost access everything that I needed to - AND they provided me with my ID, my photocopy card and my carpark pass. Result!

The staff were lovely, the day went smoothly - and surprisingly the rest of the week did too. So despite my initial worries, this just might not turn out to be alright after all... maybe... as long as nothing else changes...

... but wait... I haven't met the kids yet...! Uh-oh...