The post office and my Kindle

I don't know if I mentioned it on here, but my Kindle (the second one I got) is defective. This makes 2 for 2. Very bad, Amazon. The initial one I bought had to be returned because it wouldn't turn on after being switched off. I'd only had it for a month or so. So Amazon immediately rushed me a new one and I sent back the old one courtesy of them. Now I hadn't used the second one that much since I was trying to read my paperbacks before heading off to Brazil. I read maybe 2 or 3 books on it. You can imagine how unhappy I was when I discovered that both were defective.

I brought it my Kindle to Brazil in my carry-on and everything was fine - or so I thought. Once the plane landed in Brasilia I tried to turn it on. Not only would it not come on, but white lines appeared across the image of Jane Austen, the author, which was the screen saver and it progressively got worse to the point where instead of looking like Jane was in jail, it looked like she was on the other side of a mosquitoe net. Not cool. So I used my MagicJack (you HAVE to get one if you go abroad) to make a free call to Amazon. Since the second Kindle was also under manufacture warranty, they said they'd give me a new one for free AND reimburse me for the postage I'd have to pay since I'm out of the country (that I'll believe when I see it).

I asked Amazon to mail my new (the third one mind you) to my mom's address and I'll later decide the best way for her to send it to me. Suggestions? If my neighbor's mom comes to visit from Texas next month then she offered to bring it; that way my mom will just have to mail it to TX and then it'll be almost free for me to get it. Otherwise my mom will send it to me. But I still had to return the defective Kindle to Amazon. I was e-mailed the return UPS label (again, courtesy of Amazon) which I obviously can't use from here. But I went to the post office today with the label so that I'd have the address and I mailed it to Amazon for only (about) $22, and that's priority mail. It's supposed to arrive in 10-15 days so please cross your fingers. I don't want to be charged for it.

I'm relieved that my trip to the post office, or correio, was a success. A couple walked in right before us but because he didn't grab the ticket to be attended to, and I did, I got to go before him. I guess it paid to follow the rules. The woman at the counter was nice and helpful and let me take my time filling everything out. She explained everything to me and I was able to use my credit card from the States. I was a bit worried there'd be a problem using it in Brazil. All in all, today was a good day as far as running errands and going shopping. I finally found hangers for less than a fortunate and Havaiana flip-flops for R$8.50 instead of R$12 or more.

I love not having a job

Ooooh, not having a job is sweet. S.W.E.E.T. It's relaxing, stressfree, and just plain enjoyable. I have all kinds of free time. I can stay up late. Sleep in. Go swimming. Watch TV. Order take out. I love not working. Love it. 


Now before I get too carried away; I'm not technically unemployed. Well, I guess. I mean, I have "retired" from the Orange County Public Schools and have turned in my letter of resignation stating that I will not be returning for work in the fall (the 2011-12 school year). So they're not expecting me back. On a side note, I'm grateful that I still have insurance through the county until August. That is a relief. I also have a job waiting for me in Brazil so I do have a job, I just haven't started yet, so I do feel like I don't have a job. Fun. Fun. Fun.


Speaking of work, I just found out that I'll be teaching 9th, 11th, and 12th grade next school year. At first it can seem overwhelming to have three preps (different grade levels to all of the nonteachers out there), but what it does give me is a challenge. And I am always up for a challenge. Anyway, I won't have to teach as many periods per week as I have had to do in the U.S. so even with the extra preps, and various novels that I'll be teaching, I shouldn't have more work to do in Brazil than I've had here. I mean, isn't that the point of switching jobs? I also enjoy teaching older students so teaching upperclassmen is something that I've been interested in for awhile. I am appreciative of the opportunity to teach 11th and 12th graders. Oh yeah, and I get to teach To Kill a Mockingbird again. What a powerful book!

Ok, enough with the digression.

Now back to my summer vacation.....I'd say one of the best parts of not having to work is that I can sleep in. No more 5:45 a.m. alarm clocks. I'm also not as exhausted as I was previously this month (or last month) and my eye doesn't twitch from lack of sleep and stress like it did before. I can stay up at late as I want (oh Lord, I sound like a teenager). I can also spend quality time with friends, like I did today (hopefully pictures will be posted later on) and can travel without worrying about taking days off of working (or how many sick/personal days I have left) or having to get back to town in order to work. We don't need to drive back and forth to Miami in one day; we can stay down south and stay in a hotel near the beach (like we're doing this weekend) and relax. And of course, we can visit my family and friends in New York any day of the week, for as long as we want (within reason of course).


I also have free time to read. On my Kindle for sure. I finished a (not so interesting) book yesterday and then read My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler in fewer than 24 hours. It was a great book! I couldn't put it down. AND it was on sale for only $1.99. So even if it wasn't as good as I thought, it was still a fabulous deal. (The price has since gone up). I wouldn't have time to read a book, especially that quickly, if I were working. I'm now the (proud?) owner of the book (on the Kindle) Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert - it's the sequel to Eat Pray Love. You can't be surprised that I'd want to find out exactly what happens to the American woman and her Brazilian lover, correct?


All of this is funny to me because I used to have such a strong work ethic. I started work as soon as I could - at the age of 15. I worked nonstop unless I was abroad. I've worked two jobs, and probably three if I worked hard to remember. I've worked summers even though I was still getting paid by the public school. Then again, maybe I haven't changed that much because I'm taking books and resources with me just in case I decide to give private English language classes.


But for now, I'll gleefully enjoy my month long (or is it six-week? :) summer vacation, relaxing by the pool, hanging out with friends and family, and taking pictures of botanical gardens, Miami beaches, and Times Square in New York City.