A Blogged brain-drain. A bit of my personal views on life,love and odd things you find under cushions.
Indonesia, Surabaya
TEFL Course Schedule
(TESOL Certification)
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04 May - 29 May 2009
01 June - 26 June 2009
06 July -31 July 2009
03 August - 28 August 2009
07 September - 02 October 2009
05 October - 30 October 2009
02 November - 27 November 2009
30 November - 25 December 2009
Located right in Surabaya and near some of the most beautiful beaches and scenery in the world, our TESOL Course Indonesia center is, if not in paradise, at least next door to it. With a wide variety of social and cultural activities, water sports and other activities, vibrant nightlife, delectable Indonesian cuisine, friendly people and close proximity to an abundance of teaching opportunities, Surabaya (and surrounding areas) is sure to have what you are looking for in a learning location.
For more information on our course, our city and our history click here
TEFL International Indonesia
Raya Darmo Permai III/A-9
Surabaya, Jawa Timur, 60221
Indonesia
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This year I hope to make myself understood.
I hope to be more clear with what I say and what I intentionally communicate. I hope to better understand things I'm unintentionally communicating. I hope to communicate better with my wife, my children and my students.
For all of you, I hope life is good
Congratulations on a wonderful choice for President.
The world joins you in an admixture of joy and relief.
Such is the measure of hope that President Obama has inspired that here in East Java we've just had an election for governor where only 54% voted -due to apathy, and disgust over corruption - while Obama's path to the Presidency has been closely observed.
Fairly, or unfairly, the world's hopes ride on his slender shoulders.
All the best, Wayne
I've been here at the new school,Singapore National Academy, for a little less than two months. SNA is a mix of foreign teachers, and foreign curriculum.
Teachers come from Singapore,China,Britain,Australia,Indonesia and Canada. The curriculum is Singoporean.
The students come from a rarified and isolated upper-middle class. Their parents want the best for them, but the need for high marks is often contrary to the need to realistically assess ability and direct energy. Students need to be more focused on skills development,not only on grade-attainment.
Things are not all bad.
In general the staff and teachers are easy to get along with and I like most of my students.
It'll be interesting to see how the year plays out.
Family is well.
All the best,Wayne,Emily and Wyatt
Tefl International's Course in Indonesia
Dear Candidates
For those candidates who will be joining any of our next courses;
please confirm (by phone or email) your bookings,pay your deposits -if you haven't already done so - and confirm whether you'll be needing accommodation.
Thank you for your time, patience and interest
For registration and payment go here
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Yours sincerely,Wayne Duplessis
Yours sincerely,Wayne Duplessis
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Travels with my Angst. Subdued and sublime reflections on whatever happens to bug me that day. Important stuff like world peace, emotional maturity and crotch itch.
Is that a phaser,or are you just happy to see me?
February 24th, 2008
It's a laser tag game, and it's pretty cool, or hot. You can sure work up a sweat running around for 20 minutes.
Emily and I spent the morning at the Majapahit Hotel. We had a three-hour spa that was an anniversary gift. Very relaxing.
Then I went to the Golden City Mall to join teachers and staff in some hi-tech mayhem.
A decent way to spend a Saturday.
The Year of the Rat has begun
February 19th, 2008
The New Year has arrived and it has brought a rat.
In China it�s called the Spring Festival, In Indonesia it�s Imlek, and for most people it�s the Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year.
The Rat is supposed to be about luck, prosperity, and all that good stuff.I�m trying my best to be optimistic.
I�ll do my best to be successful with family, work and any enterprises I�m involved in.
Hope you�re all well.
Bright sunlight and a bad breakfast
January 26th, 2008
Bright sunlight and a bad breakfast were two elements of one of the most important days of my life.
A day with equal parts fear, anticipation and confused pride was about to begin.
Emily was already at Hospital Number Three in Changsha. Changsha is Hunan's capital and Hospital Number Three is an appropriately modern hospital, at least by Chinese standards. Emily�s operation was scheduled for nine o'clock that morning. Any surgery is worrying, but this was a Chinese hospital, my wife and our child. Tense would hardly describe my emotions. Emily would deliver the baby by caesarian, due to her age and the estimated size of the baby. Hospital policy forbade me from being in the room during the operation. So I waited outside with our friend Nancy, our school accountant. Tense would hardly describe my emotions. A doctor came out about nine-thirty and I almost jumped out of my skin.
When he proceeded to lean against the door of the operating room and light up a cigarette I almost throttled the insensitive bastard. Walking, sitting and nervously jumping at every noise occupied the better part of the eternity that was the next quarter hour. Then a nurse came out.
�It�s a boy,� she said.
�No, a girl,� I replied.
�Boy,� she insisted.
We had been told it was going to be a girl a few months before and we were quite happy with that. We had chosen to name her after my father's mother and had taken to calling the baby Catherine. Dutifully following the nurse down a couple of flights of stairs, and towards a small room I stood and watched as she prepared warm water for the baby�s first bath. The blanket was removed and Catherine was revealed to be a boy!?!�
I was shocked, proud, and no more delighted by being Daddy to a boy, but I was mightily confused.
Our little boy, born at 9:48 Beijing time on 29/03/2004, weighing 3.9 kg, and measuring 58 cm was here and being cleaned and polished. He had all his toes, and fingers, brown eyes and pointed ears. My pride was somewhat checked by the fact that I now had to come up with a name.
The months of preparation gave way to the concern for Emily's recovery and the baby's health. Anticipation gave way to joy and responsibility, as a new child became part of our lives. Confused pride remains.
Oh yes, the boy's name is Wyatt Alexis.
Happy New Year
January 1st, 2008
@))*
That's 2008 if you press the shift key
That's how life goes. The little things make all the difference in the world.
So much hinges on what we do and what we don't do.
What are the little things you'll be doing, or not doing, this year?
Don't think of them as resolutions, just little things that will make a difference.
All the best,Wayne
Returned from Thailand
Just returned from Chiang Mai,Thailand.
I was helping to train a group of teachers.
They'll now do a four month placement. We're about to open the same program here in Surabaya.
I returned from Thailand(via Singapore) on Friday night.
Flew back from Singapore on ValuAir. Good service and landed safe, if a little late.
I was traveling alone, and it's always difficult being away from family.
I was in Thailand with TEFL International. We were training teachers for their TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) Certificate. We were in the northern city of Chiangmai. Chiangmai is an extremely green and beautiful city. The traffic is chaotic and never seems to let up.
The hotel was nice and the area around it had a number of good restaurants. I managed to try a number of ethnic dishes, as well as a wide-selection of international food.
I was surprised how good the Internet connection was in Thailand, and hope that the Indonesian system comes up to that level soon.
We hope to have our course in Surabaya running soon.
Some links for you ... TEFL Indonesia
It's always good to be back home
Hope it all goes well for us,and for you
New Years
I had a list of resolutions,and the progress stands at:
1) I'm spending more time with family
2) I'm trying to be more patient.
Most days I'm okay.
Others? Well,give me a break! I'm trying.
3) Still working to get the school running smoothly.
4) Writing more, or less
5) Smiling more? Like patience, it remains a goal.
Hawkman doesn't have any reason to be here, other than I like the image. He's always represented freedom,adventure,and oddly enough - responsibility. Okay, maybe he does have a reason to be here.
August 8, 2006
I returned from China a week ago. It's good to be home. I was away from my family for three weeks and that's much too long. Will I return? I don't know.
I'll keep you posted.
July 02, 2006
Crossroads
Crossroads. We've all been at them, and sometimes we've felt strung across them. Sometimes they're options,sometimes they're ultimatums.
I've recently been puzzling over a choice. Should I stay or should I go. None too original,that question,but nonetheless that's the particular crossroads I'm at.
Surabaya, where I'm at now,has many advantages. At the top of the list is family.
China,where I'm likely going, has advantages, foremost being the future potential that will create a comfortable life for my family.
The school opening in China is new. I will choose,train and promote the academic staff. Decisions about curriculum, and schools management will fall to me.
Had I decided to stay the comfort of a familiar routine, a familiar city and some familiar faces would have been mine to enjoy.
Routine is nice. I savour the occasional challenge though. This city has also gotten congested,polluted and very expensive. The food here is just so darn good though. Ironically, the largest Muslim nation on earth is the best place to get pork chops.
Well, it does help to go to a non-Muslim restaurant.
The place to buy is Lido's Pub in Darmo Park.
Maybe we'll see you there sometime in the future.
Updates are a troubling reality. They need to be done. Who has the time? We've been deciding where I'm going to work. The choice is never easy,as it usually includes choosing which country to live in.
Any Thoughts?
Soon I'll be writing some more information about China and the new center.
Hello.
Thought I'd best write something. Although this hardly constitutes an update ..I am here and this is new text. Saw MI3 ... liked it. You? I finished the Da Vinci Code. I liked it, and I think Dan Brown is a terrific writer.
While I was in China it was all but impossible to update this site,as Geocities is blocked there. Now that I'm not in China, I'll do my best to update the site and hopefully take some mistakes and glitches out.
