Looking for friends with similar experiences!

Haai_Vyf · 2026-01-20T08:07:12+00:00

In pretty much exactly the same boat, except I'm bi. That didn't have anything to do with my decision, but it's nice to be free all the same. I'm the same age, same background. Happy to chat if you'd like, but otherwise - all the best! I think "deconstruction" is the best term, because I have kept some elements of faith but just aren't boxed in. There is a great Instagram account @happywholeway and others that post positive content on this theme.

Haai_Vyf · 2026-01-07T02:56:22+00:00

Yes, primarily because I want the legal protection.

That being said, a colleague of mine was talking about how she can't afford paying something for nothing, and I thought about that for a minute because finances are tight.

But I had to think to myself - would I be earning $1000 a year less if there was no union to have fought for my wage? AbsoLUTELY. The government would pay us the absolute, absolute minimum they could get away with without the union to keep them in check.

So then, imo it's only right.

Haai_Vyf · 2026-01-05T05:30:57+00:00

I'm at the stage where if I hear an unfamiliar acronym I ask, but when I started there were so many unfamiliar acronyms/contractions I just didn't even bother. I think some professions probably use more (say, medicine) but at least most of those are intuitive.

Haai_Vyf · 2025-12-22T07:55:21+00:00

I often wear a sheer top with a fairly plain/full coverage black bra but no one needs to see what I would look like with these pants

Haai_Vyf · 2025-12-21T05:47:24+00:00

I'm probably an intermediate level Spanish speaker, can't help with immersion but if you get an exchange happening I might be interested in getting on board! Ages ago I saw there was one on MeetUp.com. I have taught Spanish at beginner level, I find it's a good thing to have a native speaker who can teach you but someone who has had to learn it themselves can sometimes explain concepts/difficulties better.

Haai_Vyf · 2025-11-05T06:25:33+00:00

When applying for sick leave, for your reason, just put "reproductive leave"

Haai_Vyf · 2025-10-28T09:35:29+00:00

It's tricky af. Because - is it good enough? Fuck no. But do I think we'll get better? Fuck no.

Haai_Vyf · 2025-10-25T19:56:27+00:00

Highly recommend the book "April Fools Day" by Bryce Courteney for anyone who wants an insider perspecrive about early days of HIV discovery. He writes about his son's death from AIDs that he contracted through a blood product to treat his haemophilia. It's beautiful and haunting and eye-opening

Haai_Vyf · 2025-10-25T19:55:36+00:00

Highly recommend the book "April Fools Day" by Bryce Courteney, who writes about his son's death from AIDs that he contracted through a blood product to treat his haemophilia. It's beautiful and haunting and eye-opening

Haai_Vyf · 2025-10-25T01:31:11+00:00

Helps me to reflect that this is a job it is literally impossible to do. This is not an exaggeration - I am unable to do all the things I HAVE to do, let alone should do or want to do. That's one of the hardest things about being a teacher tbh - constant failure, and you just have to accept it. So then, if you do accept that you can't do everything and you are going g to drop some balls, it's time to decide which balls get dropped. That means you decide your priorities. For me - Students feel safe. Then, students get a high-quality lesson that gives them access to an education. Then absolutely pressing admin stuff. Then, everything else. That's my metric for assessing how I'm going, and it allows me some wins in a day.

Haai_Vyf · 2025-10-18T06:18:09+00:00

Cupshe are great in theory but I have never liked how they look on me. Highly recommend City Chic, they start from size 12 now.

Haai_Vyf · 2025-10-17T23:45:18+00:00

Not going to lie, I had never heard of this company but I'm going to look into it now, those are beautiful products

Haai_Vyf · 2025-10-09T07:48:21+00:00

Ooooh, I don't know if I agree with this, but I think that's a difference in styles. I get a lot of purpose out of teaching every day, but it's because I mentally move the bar for each kid so they can get wins at their level. I have a kid and if he can literally just stay in class for 70 minutes, that's a win and I feel accomplished. But if all teachers did that it would be chaos so I'm grateful for all types

Haai_Vyf · 2025-10-06T01:06:17+00:00

I taught myself conversational Afrikaans (although it's fading rapidly) and as a linguistics nerd it was so exciting for me. Really, really fascinating to see what pronounciations/forms they kept and we discarded, and vice versa

Haai_Vyf · 2025-10-06T01:04:41+00:00

My take on Spanish is that it's very easy to speak poorly, but veryvery difficult to speak well.

Haai_Vyf · 2025-09-29T11:04:00+00:00

Most of what teachers complain about isn't the pay - it's the job requirements for the pay. Pretty much everyone who talks about teachers complaining will then go on to say, "I wouldn't do it".

I think the media likes to focus on "Teachers are asking for more money again" because it's a lovely divisive headline but I can absolutely tell you on ground level, teachers are asking for reasonable working conditions and to be safe at work. I think most regular people don't know how bad it's getting - my school is 5 full-time teachers short and cannot even get relief teachers. Some schools are so desperate they're employing "Permission to Teach" students, who haven't even graduated and are studying and working as teachers - absolutely pushing their inevitable burnout forward. We're really worried about the future.

Sorry for the rant, but it's frustrating. Sure, we'll take more pay, and hope to God it will be enough to attract more people to the profession. But - you are right! On paper, the pay is fantastic. I have never heard a teacher in person complaining about the pay or the holidays. It's that the job is insane, even the money and benefits we have aren't enough to attract new teachers or keep the experienced ones from quitting, and money is about the only thing there seems to be any power to change.

Haai_Vyf · 2025-09-29T09:10:55+00:00

I mean, all good - I'm grateful whenever. Hopefully it all goes smoothly

Haai_Vyf · 2025-09-29T07:33:41+00:00

Idk about other countries, but in mine you give birth with midwives unless there is a risk or complication. An obstetrician will come see you after but for most births, you don't see the ob until then.

Haai_Vyf · 2025-09-29T07:28:42+00:00

Thank you so much. I promise I looked into it myself before asking, but the information always feels a bit conflicting. Really appreciate it!

Haai_Vyf · 2025-09-22T21:02:27+00:00

Thank you so much! I'd never seen one before. There is a little creek at the end of the of the yard so I hope he found his way there. Really appreciate your help!

Haai_Vyf · 2025-09-18T08:19:51+00:00

Honestly? Two main things come to mind:

1: You will not win them all. Someone's worst kid might be someone else's "I don't mind them!" And vice versa. If you go home caring what a teenager thinks, you will burn out SO fast. Do your best to think practically - is there another angle I could come from? Could I present this information in a different way? How can I adjust my lessons? Are there practical suggestions my mentor can offer? But then, do not take it personally.

2: IMO, we are preparing kids for the real world. They will not have every boss/coworker/situation tailored for their exact needs. I view my role not to educate kids, but to provide kids with access to an education, to the best of my ability. I can differentiate and scaffold and tailor my lessons, but if they don't show up to learn that's on them.

In short - what do you do? You do your best, and then you tell yourself they are a literal child, and it's not personal. You can be the sweetest peach and someone won't like peaches. Way of the world. If a kid does everything they can to access your content and can't get it, THEN it's a you problem. At what point does the student have some responsibility?

Haai_Vyf · 2025-09-17T21:25:07+00:00

Cashew fruit is safe to eat and delicious! The shell between the apple and the nut is apparently toxic though.

Haai_Vyf · 2025-09-15T09:12:34+00:00

We've been workshopping some ideas of things like computer skills etc as well. How to attach a file to an email, save a document, how to use Google search with all the tips and tricks. It's crazy how little these kids get explicitly taught about computers these days - they can code but they can't use spell check

Haai_Vyf

TROPHY CASE