The first instance begins with the telling of a story.
On Monday one of my students brought a hamster into class, although this is not common place, this is not totally unheard of, previous members of my class have also included a guinea pig and 3 giant stag beetles, although said beetles were swiftly removed. The student in question, Ryan, was sat on the staircase near the English department clutching a box as I walked past, i originally though he said 'Teacher pasta', but nope it was 'Teacher Hamster'. In this cardboard biscuit box was the tiniest little hamster, totally adorable, I totally persuaded him to let me hold it, then let Jen do the same. Then he brings it into class, and as a joke, I say awww Ryan, can't i keep it. To which he replies 'yes'. Not quite the answer expected. At the end of the lesson I said 'Woah, don't forget your hamster' and he responded with 'Teacher gift goodbye' and left. Leaving me holding the hamster.
Decided I was in need of assistance, I grabbed my Korean colleague Cindy, she phone him and his mother. His mother had no idea he had a hamster, that he had bought a hamster, wasn't in the slightest bit shocked her 9 year old son had been allowed to aquire a hamster with no parental knowledge, she said her son said that the hamster made Jessica Teacher so happy he wanted her to keep it.
That is the story of why I now have a hamster in my apartment. A hamster that has had three residences in the past two days, it started in a box, then went into a bin, now is living in what can only be described as a fish tank, because it is too small for 'hamster world'. It goes by the name of 'Hammy', makes a rather intriguing squawking noise and is not totally sure on how to work its water bottle. I still can't believe I have a hamster.
I have a hamster.
The second instance began around 3 months ago, well technically about 12 years ago, but we'll go with three months ago, when my giant copy of 'The complete novels of Jane Austen' arrived. What with me going on to study for a PGCE in English in September, I felt it was ready to shun my shunning of Jane and get down to some Austen (there is a previous post mentioning this somewhere) Well, approximately 15 minutes ago, I completed Emma. my first Jane Austen novel. I am thinking it is one of those books where the contents, enjoyment and meaning will infiltrate a few days AFTER reading has concluded.
You may have noted I have been reading Emma for bloody ages. It is partly because the text is so damn heavy and fat I can only read it at home, between starting and finishing Emma, I have read several other books, including several texts about Buddhism. I like to keep my mind nourished.
Anyhow. That is my week so far.
