Music- The World's Greatest by R. Kelly

One day, I was supply teaching and was taking my students into the hall for a special assembly. As our class entered the hall, this song was being played in the background. The students were told that a teacher was leaving, and as a surprise, the whole school will be singing this song to the teacher on her last day. As the students begin to sing the song as a rehearsal, it started giving me chills up my spine. It doesn't do justice with me telling you this; it has to be something you have to experience yourself in a hall with 500 students singing this song together.

It gave me memories of when I left my teaching post in Geraldton. I remember the principal calling out myself and some of my fellow teachers to the front of the assembly. I recall how sad it was to be at the front. If the school sang this song to me at that moment, I'll probably be crying my head off and it doesn't matter whether I am a guy or not.

Teaching has given me a mixture of good and bad memories (mostly good). Although I am regaining my passion through supply teaching in London, I can't see myself having my own classroom again. Last week I was offered a teaching position for the next academic year for a school I have been doing supply with, as the deputy said she was impressed with what I was doing. However, I rejected the offer.  There is too much pressure from others and myself to be a teacher. I don't want to relive what I went through last year and how depressed I was in my job.
I do put my hats off to all teachers around the world and I do think that we are ONE of the greatest professions in this world (as perfectly described by this song)!

Homesick

This post is probably a less positive one as I've been sick for the past 4 days and have been told that I have a chest infection... Already had to cancel two days worth of work and will take tomorrow off too. Not a good thing when I'm trying to save enough money to last me through my six week mid year break in July...

I have nearly hit the 3 month mark for being in London and although things have been going smoothly, I was quite home sick last week and especially now when I'm sick. I have been on and off sick since arriving in London. When I think I have nearly recovered, I get sick again. This time round, I have been the sickest... I miss having dad cook me congee (rice porridge) and checking on me when I'm unwell + sis doing house chores  for me.

It is only when you are this far away you realise how much you have taken your friends and family for granted.  I miss being in that safety net where you got people around you to care for you when you are sick or down and  being able to have reliable friends you have known for years to hear you out. I remember experiencing this previously when I was working in Geraldton two years ago, where I was constantly missing those back home. The only difference was that I often drove (5 hrs driving) back home on the weekends to see them when I was in Geraldton, but here it will take me 17 hours by plane to go home.

To be fair, I've only been here for 3 months so I'm allowed to be homesick right?
On the plus side, I've made some awesome friends here, live in a house surrounding by friendly house mates and have met someone special who takes good care of me :) Not only that, I have decided to put stable yet stagnant life on hold to come all the way here to England to experience the sights and sounds that Europe has to  offer! What more can I ask for?

Anyway before I start rambling on, 2012 is still one of the best years in my life and I can't ask for more! So remember to be grateful for what you have and learn to appreciate everything you have around you (well that's what I'm trying to live by at the moment and I hope you are too...).

Ireland

It's been two weeks since my trip to Ireland and I finally have the time to blog about this amazing place. I'm not going to give you an in depth review of this country as it has to be a place you need to experience yourself.

I went with a tour company called Paddywagon Tours, after being recommended by a friend who also went with the same company. I got 25% off the 6 day trip after signing up at the TNT fair which was a bonus!

The tour covered several cities including Dingle, Cork, Galway, Belfast, Dublin, Derry and lots of sight seeing places. I really wish I can spend more time in each city but I'm sure I will be back in this amazing country in no time.

The highlight of the trip had to be the Black Taxi tour of Belfast. You basically go in a cab and the taxi driver gives you an insight on the great divide between the Catholics and Palestine in Belfast. The can driver said they all had lost someone in the conflict and wanted to give people a view from both sides.

I was able to meet a great bunch of people from different countries whom I hung out with during the 6 day trip. We went to pubs together, clubbing and shared a dorm together. The last point was really important as on the second night of the trip we were stuck with some "gappies" who were having a conversation at 2 in the morning...

I can't wait till my next trip which will be a day tour of Bath and Stonehenge. I'll keep you all posted! Just some pictures of Ireland for you to devour on...

The beautiful seaside town of Dingle.

The site of the Blarney Castle

Blarney castle- The interior was really interesting!

The awesome bunch I met in Ireland

I can't remember where this was but it is heritage listed...

The wall that divides two communities in Belfast

Music- Drenched by Wanting

I've been wanting to start sharing some music I have been listening to. I first heard this song through a movie trailer: 'Love in a Buff'. The singer,Wanting Qu, isn't a well known artist but she writes her own songs and has just been signed up by an independent Canadian company who will release her first album in April. 

I always believe that every situation in life can be represented by a song and I guess when I came across this song, I was experiencing something positive. Enjoy! 

Life as a Supply Teacher

I've been wanting to write a post about my experiences as a supply teacher, just for those who are curious about what I am doing or for those who are interested in becoming a supply teacher in London...
By the way, supply teaching (as known in England) is basically relief teaching.

It all started with me going to a seminar in Perth about supply teaching in London. The seminar was organised by a recruitment agency called Protocol and they gave me a glimpse of what it was like to work in London as a teacher. They basically had me sold by the end of the presentation!
A few months later, Protocol organised a telephone interview with me about my teaching experiences and to also sort out some paper work before I left Australia.
When I arrived in England, they set up an induction for me. They helped me organise my registration, assisted with opening a bank account and told me all I need to know about supply teaching. Three words: all too easy! Signing up with a teaching agency before I left was part of the reason why moving to London was quite a smooth process...

Well I've been doing supply teaching for over a month now and I have worked at probably 5 to 10 different schools. It was interesting how I was pre-warned by so many people that teaching in London was going to be challenging and difficult. However, I haven't really had too much trouble apart from one or two classes which still  was manageable. It could be the teaching experience I have accumulated over the 3 years, especially when those  classes I taught back in Australia were even more challenging... I'm not sure why, but I have been given a lot of supply teaching at infant schools (Reception to year 2 classes). I was initially quite worried about teaching younger kids but I seemed to have enjoyed them more than teaching the older kids! The students in England are basically the same as any student in the world. Most are naturally curious, especially when you tell them your surname is Chan or you are Australian, some are cheeky and all of them have the typical English 'posh' accent. The schools in London are very multicultural, with over half of the students in each class coming from Indian or European backgrounds. I remember teaching a class where there was only 1 Caucasian child and the remaining students were from ethnic backgrounds.

The pay with supply teaching is not as much as what I get paid back in Australia but according to London standards, it is pretty good... I have been able to survive on the money earned to pay for my accommodation, food and even save a little for my upcoming holidays...

The best thing with supply teaching is the flexibility. This means that if I only want to work for 3 days in a week then I just let the agent know, and they will find work for me on the days I am available. The downside is that on days you are not given work, you will need to be on standby mode.  This involves you waking up early and getting yourself ready to work. Usually they call you between 7am and 8am in the morning. If they call you, they expect you to be out the door straight away and arrive at the school by 8:15, which at times is not quite possible. I recently was called at 8:45 to work, even though schools usually start at 8:55. I guess they were that desperate for a supply teacher, even though I said I was still literally in bed. I ended up getting ready in 10 minutes and arrived at the school at 9:40! Talk about being efficient!

I have just been offered a PPA position to teach 4 days a week for the whole of next term which means I will have a long weekend (Sat, Sun and Mon) every week! That will mean the possibility of short trips to Paris, Amsterdam etc... being on the cards! For those who don't know what PPA means, it is basically a support role where I will release teachers from their class so they can do their planning. The best thing with this position is that I will not have to plan, deal with parents and write reports!!!!!!!

So to sum it up, supply teaching is a good way to earn some money and to fund for your holiday abroad. It has also helped me regain my passion in teaching which might be because of the reduced stress from not being a full time classroom teacher?

UPDATE: A modified version of this has just been published by my recruitment agency: Protocol Education and I will get paid for it! Bonus :)

You still get drawings from students as a supply teacher!

Life in London: Update 2

I still remember that the same time last year I was in Perth focusing on work and nothing else. I never imagined that a year later I would end up living in London! Again, I can't say enough of how blessed I am to be here and that things do happen for a reason.

It has been over a month of living in England now. I am so used to living here now that it naturally feels like my second home. So much has happened over the month, both good and bad, but it has been a great learning experience for me.

It was interesting how numerous people warned me before I came to London to be prepared for the tough classrooms I will encounter. However, so far I have had a regular supply of work at different schools and have enjoyed teaching all the classes given to me. I actually feel passionate about teaching again! I guess it has helped because of not having to deal with the planning side of things and dealing with parents. I know I may eventually experience a really challenging class, but fingers crossed that the good classes will last a bit longer...
My agency has just sent in my CV for one of the schools I do supply teaching in for a 2-day-per-week support role.Hope that I might get that role!

I have made some friends here and am lucky to also have great house mates I can socialise and make jokes with. I was recently invited to a party which I thoroughly enjoyed and have constantly met new people along the way. Saying that, I do miss my friends and family back in Perth and it is such a shame that the 8 hours difference have made it so hard for me to keep in contact with them. I'm glad that there are a few friends who do make an effort to keep in touch with me, but I guess I need to do the same and make an initiative with everyone I'm close to back home.

I have started attending a Baptist church for the past two weeks and although it cannot be compared to my church back in Perth, I am glad my faith has been put back on track!

Anyway, my travel adventures will be kicking off very soon, as I have booked a six day tour to Ireland in early April, followed by a twelve day trip around Turkey in July. I had scored them through good deals from a travel expo I recently went to with my house mates. If I don't end up getting my position for two days a week as a support teacher, then I will book an eleven day trip around Europe in April. A very exciting time indeed!

There are some other exciting news as well, but I'll hold onto that till it is the right time to share with my close friends and family.
I have to say that the pessimistic and stressful Jason has taken a break. It is now replaced with the originally optimistic and happy version, and I'm sure it is here to stay for quite a while.

Can you see my excitement and optimism?

Life in London: Update 1

It has already been two weeks+ since I moved to London from Perth. I have to say that everything has fitted in really nicely with accommodation and work already sorted out within the first two weeks of being here. For the first six days, I stayed at a budget hotel near Liverpool Street which not only was in a good location, but the hotel itself was modern, clean (just a tad bit too small). Straight after checking out of the hotel last Friday, I moved into my new house-share in South Woodford with 5 other house mates. Although all my house mates are girls, they are all easy to get along with (with two of them being Aussies) so it's all good!

My bedroom

My backyard on the day I arrived! No more snow now...

 I haven't yet been around the whole suburb yet, but it is a nice suburb with tree lined streets and town houses stuck side by side. My house is only 10 minutes by foot to the nearest tube and takes around 25 minutes to the city.

So what have I been doing for the last couple of weeks? Well, for the first two weeks I did some sight seeing (as tourists would usually do) mostly by foot. I usually like having my headphones plugged in my iphone with music such as "Falling away" by Big Scary and "Boston" by Augustana and discovering new sights as I walk. Here is a quick snapshot of some places I have been:

A must see landmark if you are a tourist: Big Ben

Guess who lives behind these gates? 

Tower bridge- A really unique bridge matched with beautiful surroundings

The scenic town of Richmond, only 75 minutes from where I live

I promised my kids (ex students) that I will go on the London eye but have
yet to find  someone to go on with me yet...

A royal park in Richmond with my friend Christos in the background

The weather is a bit of a bummer though. I guess getting used to an average 30+ degree heat in Perth and coming to an average of 4 degrees in London, I do need time to adjust to it right? However, seeing snow twice since I have arrived in England is all worth it! The whole landscape and atmosphere changes when it snows!

I started my relief teaching job today and am fully booked for the rest of this week! I actually don't mind relief teaching as most teachers have everything prepared for you, and you basically go in and take over their class for the day. I'm glad that my first relief teaching today actually went well and the students I had in my grade two class were really adorable! Still trying to get used to the younger kids being so clingy though... (not good for a male teacher). Hopefully the jobs will keep coming through!

I know some people who are thinking of or will be travelling overseas. For me, I think it is the BEST decision I have ever made in my life (not exaggerating). Although I have been here for only a couple of weeks, I have seen so much and done things I would not usually do back at home. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone a couple of times and has continued to help me grow as a person. Carl if you are reading this, the message you have sent me has really gave me the courage and inspiration to do a lot! So thanks again for the encouragement :)

I'm homesick quite often, but am getting better at dealing with that as I continue to lead my life abroad. I'm thankful that having such a bad past year has helped me appreciate every single day I have now. I'll keep you all posted as time goes by. Take care!