I have not been that nervous watching a rugby game since the France vs. England semi-final 4 years ago… but…

It gives me great pleasure in saying that New Zealand are the Rugby World Cup CHAMPIONS!!!!!

After the loss of SuperDan and the iffy screw in King Richie’s foot, here is a little something I made to sum it all up, especially for my friends in Aotearoa.

The French turned up, as I dreaded they would, and the game was a gut-wrenchingly tight battle for just over 80 minutes. I think the overwhelming feeling I had was relief. Not because they didn’t deserve it, just due to the notion of not winning it was so unimaginable it would have been catastrophic.

Tragically for Wales, they were without Captain Sam, but Australia lost Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper to even things up. I don’t like Cooper, nor have I suffered an ACL injury, but I wish him a speedy recovery from a no doubt excruciating experience. I just hope he has a ‘chipoctomy’ while he is in hospital…

SO, my life should get back to normal now. The 2nd grade JHS students are on work experience for the next couple of days, which made me realise that I went on work experience 14 years ago… to a hotel… in Bognor… strange how things work out…

With the 6th grade ES students away on a trip, I am teaching 5 year olds all day tomorrow, which I am sure will be exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable. Considering it is the end of October, it is STILL really hot during the day, but at least it is starting to cool down at night. Winter is coming… winter is coming!

Last thought for the night. I have been in Japan for 2 days short of 10 months. I work at JHS 4 days a week, so I (not very scientifically) estimate that I see each student about 3.27 times a week on average. And yet whenever I see a student either in or out of school, they are still shocked and amazed to see me, and some of their reactions are priceless…

‘WOAH!- Jon- Sensei!’ they say…

‘WOAH! hello!’ is my equally shocked response.

Still gives me a chuckle!