My Life after CELTA

Early wakeup meant early breakfast, early coffee, and early lesson planning. I still refuse to set back my biological clock and follow the wintertime. Even though it means I have to bear in mind two different, let's say, timezones, I don't want to fast forward the clock in March, thus losing an hour's sleep, which will undoubtedly upset my system. I think I made that clear, so it's time to move on. I overwrote the lesson plan I'd devised yesterday. I wanted to review the previous lessons, but it dawned on me that it might not be a good idea yet. Since the students haven't had any issues with the words we reviewed at the beginning of each lesson, challenging them at a later class would be a much better occasion. I found a brilliant listening exercise - as a sort of sequel to my previous lessons - on the British Council's website and re-created the lesson plan. Surprisingly, it took me only an hour to come up with a new class idea, so I was quite satisfied wit...

I'm still not willing to adjust myself to the whims of daylight saving time. With this in mind, I woke up at 5 a.m., which is 6 a.m. from my point of view. Anyway, after devouring my pancake breakfast and slurping down the much-needed coffee, I completed my beginner student's lesson plan. Putting together a lesson per se is not challenging. The most difficult part of this process is to make the class interesting enough so that it can serve the student's needs. Since we had seven lessons already, a great review would be a good idea, which could not only help her memorise the words but also allow me to create sentences with the words she learnt so far.  I had a dentist's appointment today. During the last ten months, the dentist replaced several 30-year-old fillings and a bridge. He always made it sure that I felt comfortable and stress-free. The constant banter we had during these occasions took away my fear and anxiety, so apart from a healthy tension before and during ...

Even though I was up from 5 a.m. till 10 p.m. yesterday, I couldn't sleep like a log. I woke up several times at night wondering why the blOOdy eff I couldn't hibernate. Since these awake periods didn't last long, I went back to sleep, but still, the reoccurring wakeups vexed me tremendously. Anyway, I decided yesterday that despite the winter daylight-saving time, I wouldn't follow the winter clock but stick to the old summer daylight-saving time. I've had enough. Each March, we have to set the clock an hour forward, which means an hour less sleep, which means my system gets into Carl Pilkington mode for weeks. Never again. So, with this in mind yesterday evening, I set the alarm clock to 5 a.m. When it went off, even though I was a bit miffed, I knew I'd tricked the system, so it was payday for me. After completing my homework this morning, I prepared lunch. It wasn't a special meal, just some fish fingers with rice and peas. And even though it wasn't ...

Yesterday was exceptionally busy. I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and drove to my mate to have breakfast together. As one of my CELTA fellow students came to visit Hungary, we met early in the morning at 9 o'clock. After they had breakfast and I slurped a much-needed coffee, I showed them around by car because the weather was not on our side. The gale-force wind made the heavy rain worse, so I could only drive them around to enjoy the view from the comfort of my vehicle. Before hitting the road to Szentendre, we covered "Városliget", some residential areas on the outskirts of Budapest, and the Great Market Hall. When we got to Szentendre, it was still raining, so we couldn't take a long walk in the downtown area. I could only show them the Christmas Museum and the two "longs" places, where we ate a nice "sajtos tejfölös lángos". Once the nosh found its way to our stomachs, we set out to buy some "kifli" for the high tea. We then spent the rest of ...

We hit the road today with Ági. As the ordered goods arrived and they tried to deliver to us the other day when we were not home, we had to pick up the pack at the post office. We made a huge round around the block, and besides picking up the DVD, we bought a couple of things for tomorrow. On the way back home, we noticed how much our physical condition deteriorated during the long hiatus due to the recent renovations on our house. Even though we gained other types of stamina, the lack of hiking took its toll. Anyway, the winter season will provide us with plenty of possibilities to go for long walks, so there is no need to worry or moan about it. I spent the afternoon cleaning the little bathroom, the living room, and my office. One of my former CELTA peers arrived this evening in Hungary and will visit us tomorrow. So, it was high time I cleaned the house. But it took me almost three hours of labour to complete the task. However, now everything looks ship-shape-and-shiny. However, th...

Today was the first day I felt no frustration while preparing and teaching the lesson. I planned a review lesson, but since only one of the students attended the class, I had to change the plan on the spot. I drilled the listening exercise with the lady, and by the end of the lesson, she was confident about her abilities and understanding of the text. I was over the moon to see her trying hard to understand the text's meaning, which was challenging as the girl's speech was fast, and her accent was sometimes below standard. Anyway, the breakthrough occurred after the first half of the listening, and by the end, I didn't need to repeat the sentences over and over again. She got all of them right. The weather was terrible today. The day started with cloudy skies and rain. Even though the clouds disappeared at 2 p.m. and the air was warmer than usual, I didn't like today's weather. And I won't like Friday either, since according to the latest weather forecast, we mu...

The battle between summer and autumn is still going on. Even though the mornings are chilly, the days are far warmer than the average temperature around this time of the year. No wonder Abby and I passed out after my English lesson. She was snoring like a raging boar, and I fell into a coma-like state. When we finally woke up, it was already 4 p.m. It was high time to take my high tea. Anyway, my English class was fantastic, like always. Charlette is the best teacher I've ever met, and her approach to teaching, particularly my education, is one of a kind. I feel lucky to meet her and honoured to learn from her. I couldn't get the great breakthrough I had been waiting for before I met her, but her guidance and tailor-made lessons ensured my progress. I'm totally grateful for her! I must plan my next lesson for the A2 level group. I think I'll challenge them a bit harder and bring them another listening exercise we can dissect and talk about. They enjoyed it two weeks ago...

Today, after carefully doing some research on the internet on various grammatical topics, I came to the conclusion that unless you're a linguist genius or a native speaker language buff, grammar books and tests can lead you astray. (What a succinct little sentence this turned out to be.) This not only came as a liberating feeling, which goaded me to continue my efforts towards my goals, but also helped me to rebut my nagging thoughts. With this in mind, I  rebuked myself for being such a low-self-esteem old git and took my lesson planning to another level. This appeared to be exactly what I needed to regain my lost mojo. I'll keep in mind how much I must study to achieve what I want, but my striving to become a better English speaker and teacher is what can give me strength and stamina. I can't overstate the support I've received from Ági. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have been able to survive the last few months, let alone the lay-off process I went through...

I slept in today. I heard the alarm go off at 6:00 a.m., but I couldn't care less, so I switched it off and went back to sleep. I shouldn't have to. I woke up at 8:00 a.m. with my eyes puffed up like that of an enormous pufferfish. Anyway, after breakfast, we jumped in the car and drove to IKEA because I wanted to buy new curtains for my little office. The products were disappointing, so we hurried home without spending a penny. Although, we couldn't resist the temptation and grabbed some cakes in the Swedish cafeteria.  After returning home, I gave Ági a foot massage. Then we had lunch. Ági prepared pizza, which was divine. While devouring the nosh, we watched another episode from the last season of Doctor House. This series is ending soon, which is good since the writers clearly couldn't come up with any genuine idea, so it became pretty boring. Another series is on the way, the Swiss one we loved so much while it was on air on NETFLIX, "Der Bestatter". The ...

Draughting the letter about our stance on solar panel installation took almost my whole day. Since our property is part of a communal tenure, it is challenging to navigate the maze of regulations, laws, and private interests, let alone balance every aspect. There were so many details I had to take into account that my wee mind couldn't focus on anything else. Anyway, with the help of Ági, we could end the story and send the letter to our neighbours. But boy, am I exhausted? I taught a class today. Since Ági and Roya's last regular lessons were long ago, I thought I'd plan an easy lesson for them. The topic was food, which interested both of them. Apart from a few hiccups on my part, I think it went well. The weather is still strange. The average temperature is ten degrees higher than the typical average temperature in October. And according to the weather forecast, the next four days will be similar, although with less rain. With the letter done, I can find some time to stu...

Even though the morning was chilly, the predicted heatwave eventually reached us. It is rather unusual to experience summer-like temperatures in the second third of October when the average temperature is supposed to be around +12°C. What a weird way of looking forward autumn and winter! Anyway, I woke late; therefore, my breakfast was late, as well as my coffee.  However, after finally regaining consciousness, thanks to the caffeine, I checked my only beginner student's homework. Apart from a few minor mistakes, she did a fantastic job, which allowed me to focus on more complex topics. She really is a fantastic language learner! So, my morning was about waking up, planning and teaching the lesson, and preparing lunch. After devouring the nosh, Ági went to teach, and I began my other engagement: the complaint to the bank. They still haven't closed my account, which is irritating. I wasn't short of words to express my heartfelt indignation. I triggered the process on 30th Ju...

Today was hectic, hence the brief entry. I had to write a letter to one of our neighbours, and it took a lot of time to tame my restless mind and deal with the details I had to consider. There is a lot at stake here, and I don't want to botch any part of it. Since we live in a communal tenure, developing anything without the involvement of the other owners is impossible. Anyway, I think I managed to clarify our position on the matter, so it should send them a fairly clear message.

Today was a busy day. I had to take Abby to the vet for her plaque removal. While she was heavily sedated in the operating theatre, I bought some items in the nearby store. After taking her home, I had to prepare a letter to our neighbour who told us the other day that he'd like to install solar panels in his part of the communal garden. Once I completed the letter, I grabbed some food, took Abby for her afternoon walk, checked my afternoon lesson, and drove to Budapest to teach. Once the lesson was over, I drove back home. Grabbed something to eat, worked out, and waited for Ági to arrive. Summer is coming back soon. According to the weather forecast, we should expect record-breaking temperatures during the next three days. The highest temperatures will be around +30°C, which is frowningly unusual at this time of the year.

After an interestingly bad night's sleep, my day was surprisingly okay. However, I'm still trying to figure out what I would have done without my espresso, but I shouldn't dwell on it, I reckon. Anyway, I was rather productive before lunch. I finalised the lesson plan for tomorrow, and before I knew it, my stomach sent me signals poking me to prowl for the next meal.  Frankfurter was my best choice today, and I even gave Abby some. The after-lunch espresso saved my beacon and enabled me to take Abby for her afternoon walk, during which I heard so many strange stories from one of our "dog-friends" that I almost fainted. When we returned home, I tried to sit back and relax, but it dawned on me that the plank in the back garden was waiting for its third layer of paint. So, with this in mind, I hurried into the back garden and started my shift in the DIY gild. It took me an hour to complete the job, but the plank looks amazing now.  Sitting in the living room to have ...

Why stop at the already completed tasks if someone could find others to fiddle with? Waking up after a short-lived, not-so-great night's sleep, I hurried to grab something to eat. Once the espresso met the breakfast, my mind was ready to deal with the mundane staff. I called the gas man - gosh, this sounded like I had to phone someone having severe bowel issues - and arranged a check-up on the boiler. The closest date he could give us was 16 November. I described my experiences with the boiler, and he reassured me that everything was okay. After I hung up, my mind went into planning mode. First, I had to plan my day, then the lesson I would like to teach the A2 level group, and finally, the rest of the day. It was already lunchtime once I completed the first half of the lesson plan, so I hurried to the kitchen and prepared some pasta. Another espresso after the meal did the trick. I was ready to deal with a presumptuous bank clerk, the craftsman store, and the DIY afternoon. When t...

Autumn has arrived. We couldn't keep the window open in the bedroom because of the cold last night. However, I miss it terribly, as well as the TEVA sandals and shirts while taking Abby for her walks. Anyway, after waking up - it took me an hour to finally drag myself out of bed - I stumbled down to the kitchen from the attic to grab something. Fortunately, Ági fetched buns from the local bakery early in the morning, so I had fresh bans with butter, cheese, and ham.  Once I finished devouring the nosh, we switched on the central heating because of the significant drop in temperature we experienced. Ági was in charge of the radiators, and I had to supervise the process in front of the boiler. When we switched on the boiler yesterday, it produced something unusual with all those drippings by over-pressuring the system. Luckily, things panned out perfectly; there was no dripping or excessive pressure elevation, so the house was warm and cosy. I'll still call the guy to check the b...

We prepared for the colder season today. After successfully rearranging my office in the basement, I prepared lunch. I cooked nothing fancy, so the fish fingers with rice and peas were an ordinary Saturday meal. In the afternoon, I applied a silicon paste to the back door, which helps to keep the colder air out. It’s terrifying how much time these jobs require! Hardly had I finished the job when the afternoon English class started with Ági and Roya. It was an alright lesson. Since our last meeting was in August, I thought we could use this opportunity to practice speaking, which was a good idea.  After the lesson ended, we grabbed something to eat so that we could continue the work. There were three packs of shingles weighing at least 40 kg each in the back garden that I wanted to carry to the loft. We had to divide them into smaller batches, otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to carry them. The whole process lasted almost an hour. Today, the last summery day of October - the hig...

I taught an English lesson for my beginner student today. The class was about pronouns, and at the end of the lesson, she said she enjoyed it very much. It was good to hear, and it made me feel good. After the class, we jumped in the car and went to the craftsman store to buy a 10-meter-long extension cable. And since Burger King was nearby, we grabbed a menu there. We know it's junk food, but "c'est la vie". When we returned home, I grabbed a coffee and continued my DIY project. I sealed the back door but didn't have time to apply the silicon layer. I'll do it tomorrow, and the door will be winter-proof. The rest of the day went by quickly. I gave Ági a foot massage, and once I finished it, I turned on the central heating. I had to run up and down between the attic and the basement to adjust the water pressure in the system. It took me forty turns to complete the job. Now, my thighs look like that of a kangaroo. I'll jump about from now on instead of walk...

Labour, labour, and more labour. I couldn't help but continue my rearranging project today. I definitely wanted to end it today. So, after breakfast, I drank a cup of coffee, and when the caffeine spread in my body, I went to the basement to continue what I'd started yesterday. I was working the whole day, but I made it eventually. Now my office looks like a cosy little room suitable for work, training, and relaxation. The weather was fantastic today. The highest temperature was around +24-25C. Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow will be equally warm, but autumn will take over on Sunday. I've got a few more projects to run before winter, so I must get my head around how to proceed with those plans. I must insulate the back door first, while it's warm outside, and then paint my office. After the rearranging project, I felt like painting it. Even though I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm knackered, so I will finish this malarkey at once...

My new bridge is in my mouth. It took the doc almost an hour to meticulously and precisely fit it in and cement it. I wasn't allowed to eat for three hours, and I still can't chew anything on the left side of my jaw. However, my dental features are ship-shape-and-shiny. Only one tooth is left: they need to replace the old filling. Once it's done, I'll have a Hollywood-type smile. Before the dental care, I went through the lesson plan I'd prepared the other day for today. When I returned home from the dentist, I took Abby for her afternoon walk and drove to Budapest to teach. Before arriving at where I taught, I popped into a store to buy some "kifli" for later and four "Túró Rudi" to appease my rumbling stomach.  After teaching, I hurried back home, grabbed two "kifli", some butter and plum jam, and ate like a king. It was already pitch dark when we returned from our evening walk with Abby. I hate the early dusks. However, summer tries ...

My day was alright. I rearranged the shelves in the basement, which took me two hours to complete. I could have spent more time rearranging, but I had to deal with my homework before the class this afternoon. I had to read a story and summarise its content, write about the characters, and describe my impression. Even though the weather forecast predicts warmer days, the presence of autumn is palpable. The nights are much colder than a week ago, and the morning walks with Abby are faster due to the chilly temperature. I quite like the lower temperature and enjoy taking cold showers in the evenings because they refresh my body. However, I miss my summer sandals, shorts, and T-shirts. Walking Abby without having to don my jacket and put on several other layers was much easier. The English class with Charlette was fantastic. The sixty minutes flew by like a bullet train. I feel lucky to learn from her. After the lesson, I prepared my high tea cocoa pancakes. I love pancakes. When I devoure...

Before another weak attempt from summer to bring back the warm days, autumn showed its strength last night. We woke up to a chilly morning today. I had to put on an extra layer when I took Abby for her morning walk, and I didn't mind it.  My level of productivity soared today. After breakfast and slurping the much-needed coffee, I completed my beginner student's lesson plan. I think I made an excellent plan. It focuses on pronouns - as we discussed the other day - and gives her plenty of opportunity to practice using them. I had to drink another cup of coffee after we devoured our lunch. But it gave me the strength to rush to the basement and complete the job I'd started yesterday. I haven't finished it yet, but I'm on it, and tomorrow I can complete it. The weather is windy and cold. It rained a bit, but it hardly will solve the problem of arid soil. Still, autumn has made its entry, although in a peculiarly feeble way. I'm not saying that we should get the ful...

The world has turned upside down. It has never been a peaceful place. Even nature and the animal kingdom are brimming with fights for survival, territory, and just for the sake of it. One might think humans are much different, and common sense would inhibit such horrendous acts, but no. We are no different, however much we want to cloak our bloody history. It has never ceased to amaze me how nefarious people can be.  I'm sorry for this gloomy intro. The unexpected and sudden war in Israel made me think about how close we are to Biblical times. There have been sundry portents indicating that humanity is heading towards its extinction. The ongoing Ukrainian and the recently unleashed Israeli wars make everyone uneasy; no wonder I'm not in the mood for writing.  Anyway, my day was great. I could complete the A2 group's lesson plan, and I even began to put together my beginner student's next lesson. Besides planning, I could find time to learn as well. I reviewed my previou...

I was far more conscious about what to wear when I took Abby for her morning walk today than yesterday. The winter socks and pants with the fleece jacket protected me from the cold morning air. I was proud of myself for having such foresight. Even with the early morning prudence, I couldn't bring myself to continue the DIY session by sandpapering the wooden fence. I simply didn't see myself doing it. Instead, I buckled down to prepare the next lesson for my A2 group. Boy, was I happy about it? Completing the lesson plan gave me so much strength that I made up my mind and cleared the hallway in the basement. When I applied a chlorine-based liquid to the walls to remove the mould patches, I realised the walls weren't in bad condition. I was over the moon because it meant I didn't have to worry about removing the plaster and re-plaster them again. I can complete the job by applying a thin layer of spackling paste and painting the walls, which seems like child's play. I...

After another cold night - it was +9°C in the morning - I was more cautious when I took Abby for her morning walk. I wore my winter socks and hiking pants and wasn't short of the fleece jackets either. But the walk was shorter than yesterday because Abby did her business as fast as possible. Today was the first in a long time that I could buckle down to study. I reviewed Charlette's previous lesson and collected all the words that needed attention. It really was a soul-warming experience for me. I suspected how much I'd missed studying, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed finding my way back to studying. It made my day. When Ági's lesson was over, we jumped in the car and drove to the grocery store to buy the needed things. We got so peckish in the store that we had to stop at Burger King and buy junk food to fill our bellies with. Even though they say fast food is terrible for your health, we can't help but treat ourselves to it occasionally - meaning once in...

I was miffed after waking up and realising how cold it was outside. Going to the local store barefoot, wearing only my beloved TEVA sandals and shorts, was surprisingly refreshing. I had to wear socks and my winter hiking pants to take Abby for her morning walk. Even Abby wouldn't want to spend more time outside than necessary. She did what she had to, and after finishing her business, she turned back and pulled me home like a lunatic husky after spotting another squirrel in the snow. I managed to complete the living room today. I went to fetch a wooden shelf for the kitchen counter, sandpapered it and applied a layer of flax seed and tung oil I'd bought in IKEA the other day. I left it outside for four hours to dry, and once the time was off, I took and installed it. It looks fantastic, and now the living room level is complete. No more DIY tools lying about or unfinished parts of the story screaming for someone to complete them. As for the DIY project, I'm quite pleased w...

After a not-so-good night's sleep - I had a terrible dream; a lion wanted to chase me down and eat me - I woke up like a log. Little did I know about how chilly the outside temperature was when I took Abby for her morning walk. Both of us hurried back home. It took me two hours to create the lesson plan before my dentist's appointment, but I did it eventually. Since my temporary bridge had fallen off yesterday, I went to the dentist without it. Anyway, I'll have a new bridge next Wednesday if things pan out. I had a lesson with Ági's student this afternoon. I enjoyed the class and hope the students were also content with it. But the afternoon traffic is lethal. On the way home, there were numerous collisions, and I even saw two cars in the ditch. Crazy drivers should stay indoors. The weather is changing. It's still not typical of October, but the first signs of autumn are visible. The foliage is not as fresh green as it used to be during summer, and the nights are ...

Apparently, summer doesn't want to vanish. When I took Abby for her morning walk, it was only +9°C outside, which is quite chilly. However, when I took her for her afternoon walk, the thermometer showed +27°C. And during her evening walk, the outside temperature was +21°C. It's crazy warm in October. And it is even worse in Spain and South France, where the temperatures are soaring. The +38°C is not rare over there, so the effects of global warming are alarming, even though we enjoy the warmer October.  Anyway, I had a busy day. It started with a late wake-up, an early morning dog walk, a late breakfast, a hastily revised lesson plan, a quick painting job, a ride to the craftsman's store, lunch preparation, teaching a lesson, another dog walk, studying with Charlette, painting, and cleaning the bathroom. Tomorrow will be equally busy; I'll have almost the same tasks and, in addition, a dentist's appointment and a ride to Budapest to teach English. I also want to com...

The railing in the front garden is ready, and it looks fantastic. The locksmith came around 9 a.m. and finished the job at 6 p.m. In the meantime, I could prepare my next lesson with my beginner student. In the afternoon, I had to drive to buy some screws, but since I screwed up the first purchase - I only bought half of the requested amount, which I still need to figure out why - I had to drive in the afternoon jam to buy another batch. Anyway, the main thing is that the railing is ready, and who cares if I had to go to and fro twice? The weather is still baffling. The highest temperature was around +25°C, meaning I could wear my beloved TEVA sandals and shirt. I really enjoy this late summer, although the calendar has a different notion of the actual season. According to the latest forecast, the weather will be similar in the next ten days, so the late summer is on our side. I still need to correct some glitches on the fences, so the high temperature is precisely what we need.

We returned two wireless chargers to IKEA because they wanted to do something other than their job. Luckily, despite the mass that "greated" us, the return process was quick. And while there, we thought having lunch at the Swedish restaurant would be brilliant. Ági had salmon, and I had Swedish meatballs; both were delicious. We bought some necessary goods and rushed back home. I gave Ági a foot massage, and when I finished, I immediately fell into a deep coma-like state. Not even the after-dinner coffee could have prevented me from sleeping like a log this afternoon. When I woke up, it was already 14:30, but it took me another hour to come to. I was so peckish when I regained consciousness that I had to eat something. The "kifli" we bought on the way home with butter and plum jam - my favourite - was just what I needed.  The afternoon was rather prolific. I built a contraption, more precisely, an extension that supports what I have on my desk, which contains my boo...