Counting the weeks.

Aaarrrggghhh...

I'm in the middle of exam hell. This week we're doing the end of year oral exams. I have to test students I've never met before (or only in passing), listen to them talk and give them a grade. Sounds easy, yes? NOOOO. It's a nightmare, listening to people talk about the same thing over and over again, hearing their monotonous voices and awkward grammar and trying to shut out the loud lad (and there's always a loud lad) so that you can hear the softly spoken girl (who probably thinks it's too unladylike to raise her voice above a whisper) and try to give them both a fair mark.

On the odd occasion someone has something different to say or a nice turn of phrase, it's like drinking ice-cold beer on a hot day - so refreshing you want to hug them (which, of course, is out of the question).

One more day of this then a week of revision classes followed by a week of written exams and the end of term (which is then followed by a week and a half of intensive exam preparation - then I'm free and clear...


Damn, I'd better start planning my trip home.