I am sorry but that is not a pancake!

I just made myself supper, banana pancakes. I tried very hard to find pancake mix. I found a Betty Crocker mix that comes in a jug. Just add water and shake. I am sorry, I think I wanted pancakes not crepes. So I guess I am going to have to make them from scratch, if I have any hope in spreading peanut butter over it. I should mention too, that when I was looking for syrup the kid was showing me corn syrup. The other worker, said like Maple syrup and I was like yup. So they have one brand and the label reads real Canadian Maple Syrup. Not made in Canada! I am learning so many funny things here. Not that they are weird just that they do things differently. I went to a sweet shop yesterday and they sold Lucky Charms, apparently you can't buy this cereal in the grocery store because of the sugar content. It is considered a sweet (candy). Yet, you can buy cocoa puffs and Frosted Fakes at the local market. The garbage system here is something to get use too. They have a bin for food waste only, which I pleasantly smelled this morning. A bin for mixed recyclables, including pop cans etc, and a bin for non recyclables. It is hard to get my head around it. I finally caved and asked for more specifics so I didn't make a mistake.

Every Tuesday they have an outdoor market, all year round. So I walked through it yesterday. I loved it. Fruits and veggies, bakery goods. I bought a pair of warm slippers. And if I really wanted to I could have bought some parts for my vacuum. I spent more time walking through the town itself. I found both of the fitness facilities. One is too far to walk to everyday, and I would use that as an excuse so that one is out. The little one by my place is cute, but little. They offer spin classes (which makes me happy) but they only have 6 bikes!

I have emptied my suitcases! I think for the first time in 8 months I am finally out of a suitcase. Not everything is hung or put away, but I don't care. I am suppose to be getting my bed tomorrow and my head teacher is going to loan me her futon. I promise to take pictures and post them. I just want to wait till I have more things and I don't look like I am living like a savage.

I started work today! I took pictures of the school which I will post on facebook when I am done here. What an amazing staff. So friendly and welcoming! It was a little stressful as I started the first day of two learning the Team Teach stuff. I think I was a little disillusioned about the type of students I am going to be having in my class. Lets just say I will be ready to handle escalating physical behaviour. I knew as soon as they said the windows only open one way so the kids can't jump out, I was in a true behavioural setting. I meet the students on Friday. I am fortunate enough to be job sharing for the first while with a teacher that has been at the school and knows the ins and outs. So I will have a nice gradual transition. The classroom is just being put together as it was under renos as was the whole school. So it is a bit scattered. After work today, I talked myself into going for a beer at a local pub. I met two people one lives in a small village around town and the other actually just moved to Thame last week. She actually is from New Zealand, but has been in the UK for a year. She told me to come back as there are lots of nice people to meet. I hope to talk more with her and find out about the interesting travelling she has done.

Well as you know I just finished eating flat pancakes and I must get the dishes done before I can settle in with a pot of tea and my book for the night.

I'll let you know how Friday goes with the students! Say a little prayer for me!

Getting Settled!

I apologize for my lack of posts over the past couple of days. I have been busy! Where to start...

I travelled by train for the first time on Friday. I went all the way to have tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle. Can you believe she forgot about having tea with Princess Tiana! So instead I walked around the castle and looked at some very beautiful things. It is too bad that I couldn't take pictures on the inside. The town of Windsor itself is small, but cute. Too see pictures, I will post some on facebook.

Saturday, I got keys to my new flat. I love it! I am so happy to be in my own space. It is slowly coming together. Having an unfurnished place is quite difficult. I have gotten a few odds and ends from a few people. I have also bought a few decorative things to make it my own. As I was putting the sheets on my bed, I had to laugh because I subconsciously bought red and white. Including my duvet cover. (Canadian, eh!) Some of the other things that I bought were a white with purple polka dot teapot. Red wine glasses (essentials) with berry coloured bottoms. A few picture frames so I can plaster all my family and friends all over. I found a great little store that had household things so I bought 3 throw pillows, a purple lamp and a stand up mirror. Needless to say I have spent a small fortune. But, I am here for a year and I need to be comfortable. The people here seem so much more friendlier than in Oxford. Just on my first day, I had many conversations with the shopkeepers, I had a girl personally take me through the grocery store. (I couldn't find anything, everything is in different packaging), I even had a shopkeeper carry my mirror back to my flat with me as I had too much to carry. Like that would ever happen back home. I met my neighbour, I think we will get along smashingly well. She is the manager of one of the oldest pubs in town! My landlord is great, he has already gone out of his way to find me some furniture. So life I think will be grand here.

I went by train to Bristol on Sunday, to meet up with a friend who I met in Saskatchewan. Together we went to a football club, the mall, a local pub and then a bar. It was great to people watch. The clothes that some of the girls wear, wow! I think most boys would like to come and spend some time here. I will have to go back to tour around Bristol. It looked amazing, but very busy. I will need at least a weekend to see more sights.

I must tell you that I had a little scare the other day when I went into my wallet. I didn't have my visa! I remembered that I had used it to buy a mobile Internet stick. I hightailed it back to the store. They had it locked in the safe. WOOHOO!

I'll end with this:
Moving away from everyone: scary as hell!
Going out for supper alone: Very lonely!
Realizing that you have miss placed your visa: Holy %#*&!
But having the Internet so I can share my journey with you: Priceless!

Today I was a Tourist

I am having problems putting more than a few pictures on my blog. So if you truly want to see more pictures you are going to have to suck it up and join facebook.

I was finally able to be a tourist today since my housing issue has been resolved. I paid for a tour of the Oxford Castle. The story of the castle is interesting in that it started as a castle, then it was a prison until 1996 (yup, that's right, just 14 years ago and you should see what the rooms were like). Now it is a tourist attraction.

I walked around and toured many of the different colleges and walked down beautiful streets. It was the Oxford that I thought I was moving too. I even shopped today! I bought a new suitcase to replace the blasted one that broke my first day. Guess what colour it is? You guessed it, purple! As I was having an emotional moment of loneliness I happened upon a shoe store! Where I bought my first pair of RUBBERS! and you guessed it black with purple polka dots!

I found out that I get to move into my flat on Saturday! I am super excited as living in this hostel has worn me down. Even if I am sleeping on the floor in the flat it is worth it! I am looking forward to going to a smaller place that is more quaint. Maybe I will actually meet some people that will be willing to talk. I think I will have more confidence to go out there too. In Oxford it is the same as many major cities. Unless you are with others it is hard to have a conversation. In other words it has been a lonely couple of days. I caved today and bought a bottle of wine, which I am enjoying as I am typing this and doing a load of laundry. Yes, I said a bottle for two reasons, it was only 4 pounds more for a bottle than a glass. I am no genius (although, I am in Oxford), but really! Second reason, I deserve it! Who knows maybe I will get some liquid courage and actually go out and have a meal in a hour. (It would be the first real meal that I have eaten here).

I am debating on what to do tomorrow. I think I will hop onto the train and see where I end up!

If you can't read the picture of the sign it does say "The Famous Turf Tavern, an education in intoxication" How fitting!

To all my work colleagues: Enjoy your first day tomorrow!

Rainy Day Brings on Good Luck!

Maybe the rain is my good luck. After having an emotional day yesterday, today has been tremendously better. (Probably why I didn't post anything yesterday).

I have been to my school and met my head teacher (Principal) and she is fabulous. So nice and extremely helpful. She has done nothing but go out of her way to ensure that I will have a place to live. Not only did she and I make multiple phone calls to many letting agencies. She even took me to view a flat.
I believe love at first sight would be the best way to describe my new flat. It is in a little town called Thame. It's high street is super cute. I don't live far from there. It is a loft type place. It is in the end stages of being renovated which makes it even better. I won't spoil all of the details yet, as my description won't do it justice. The flat is obviously smaller than anything you would find back home. It is in an old Victorian house. The kitchen and bathroom are on one floor, the spiral staircase leads up to the main area. It is split by wood beams, but is completely open. I will have to "create" my own bedroom. It has a lot of windows, and my front kitchen window looks onto the main street. Guess how lucky I am? I look out at a brewery. Which probably means more people will want to visit me now. It is however unfurnished but I can live like an university student and take odds and ends to create my space. There is a site here like kijiji, so I should have no problem finding stuff. The groundskeeper at the school is able to pick anything up that I need.

I don't get to move in till next week so a few more nights at the hostel for me. I've had roomies from Switzerland, Singapore, and Taiwan. Unfortunately they have come in after midnight and I haven't had much time to talk to them. Between the late night guests and the construction on the railway outside my window all night, I have had some 'super' sleeps! On Saturday the grounds keeper's wife is coming to get me and I am going to stay at their place in Wheatley for a few nights until I can get into my place. Super nice people. Wheatley and Thame are closer to my school than Oxford so a shorter bus ride. They are both very accessible to Oxford and many of the other centres.

My school is as cute as the pictures were on the website. I haven't taken any personal pictures as they are still finishing up some Reno's. My classroom is small, but perfect. My window opens to the back green space. It is hard to describe it, but if you can feel my energy right now you will know that I am very satisfied. School starts for me on Wednesday Sept. 1st with the students starting on the 3rd. I may go and travel a bit in the next few days now that I know I have lodging.

When I said it was raining I really meant that it has been pouring all day. I should know as I waited for a bus this afternoon, I froze as it passed me without stopping. I didn't realize you had to physically wave at the bus because standing at the stop is not enough. I could even see my breath, it is August, right? The locals are complaining about the weather too.

Tomorrow's agenda is to buy a suitcase, hairdryer and find a mobile Internet stick. I may even get gutsy enough and go for a beer by myself. Strange things may happen to me from across the pond.

Oxford: Oh how beautiful you are!

I arrived in Oxford just before 2pm. Through the rain and sun the drive from London reminded me a lot of the prairies, except there were a lot more sheep farms. We drove past the little town of Wheatly, where my school is based out of. Too cute!

Oxford is chaos, there are people everywhere, and cars driving on the wrong side of the street! I am glad that I chose not to look at driving here. Too be honest the whole cycling thing scares me a bit too!

Got off the bus in city centre, felt pretty good until I realized that I couldn't drag all of my luggage to get to a taxi. I stood on the street and laughed at how silly I must have looked. Just when I thought I got my act together, my one suitcase handle to pull the wheels broke. (no problem it only weighs 50lbs). So now I am really laughing, a young women bless her heart could see I was going nowhere fast and helped me walk to a taxi. As I walked to the taxi my pants got caught on the broken part of the handle and I went down on the pavement right infront of the busy city centre. Oh the humour! Just a minor war wound on my knee. I made it to the hostel and all I wanted to do was have a shower.

I am in a dorm room with 2 other bunks, but so far I am alone. After showering I pulled out my handy adaptor so I could blowdry my hair, only to break my hairdryer. Apparently it is 250V not the 240V that the convertor is for. (I am a little hesitant to plug my laptop in now).

I made it though out to enjoy the pouring rain and some sun walking back to city centre. I was able to buy a phone and get it hooked up. If you want the number please email me and I will send it to you. It costs nothing for me to receive calls anytime of day. So it depends on how your international plan is.

I am sitting in the lobby in the hostel right now, about to start the challenge of finding a place to live. It is buzzing with people of all ages. As the sun(clouds) is going down, I am eagerly anticipating bed as sleeping 3 hours on the plane probably isn't going to help me get anything accomplished tomorrow.

I thought I would get some pictures posted today, but I left my camera locked upstairs so you will have to wait!

And So It Begins!

My last morning in Canada and I wake up to clouds and smoke. I think I will have enough of that for the next year.

I must have been sleeping when I read the requirements for baggage for my flight as I have one too many bags! Oh well, I would rather pay the money and have the extra pair of shoes than have to worry about not having shoes to match my outfits.

My grandma is making me blueberry pancakes for my last Canadian breakfast, my favourite!

My stomach is in knots and I am feeling a little jittery! But, this is all going to be worth it, I know it!
Talk to you all soon from across the pond!

Final Weekend in Canada!

My first post! I am off to Calgary this afternoon to spend a night with my brother. Tomorrow is a day with family. Sunday is the big day, I fly out at 7:20pm. Reality won't set in until I am on the plane. I feel better knowing where I go once I am off the plane at the Heathrow airport.

This has been a whirlwind summer. It is hard to continually say good-bye to friends and family. The hardest was leaving my dog at my dad's, watching him look out the front window as I drove away. It was heartbreaking. The sad thing is he doesn't know that I am going to be back.

I have appreciated all of the support and encouragement from everyone. I know this will be a life changing experience and I look forward to sharing it on this blog.

Let the journey begin!