The past decade has been one of enormous change and transformation.
2000
Graduated high school, worked my first job(s), and moved away for university.
2001
Made a serious commitment to nutrition and exercise for the first time in my life and began to take pride in my appearance.
2002
My first big love and heartbreak.
2003
Bought a car, started swing dancing, decided I needed a break from university and went to live in Alberta with my dad.
2004
Changed my career path to HR and experienced my second big love and heartbreak.
2005
Moved back to Ottawa.
2006
Started a "real job" (only to get laid off three months later), started another "real job," and helped to found Swing Dynamite.
2007
Lost my second "real job" and decided I didn't want a real job anyway, visited Europe for the first time.
2008
Took some time off to work on myself and eventually moved out of my luxury downtown condo, went back to school part-time, and re-entered the arts and culture sector (through Bluesfest and the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama).
2009
This has been the biggest year of change for me...
- Teaching prospects at OSSD took off, leading to awesome opportunities there and elsewhere
- Finally earned my BA
- Sold my car
- Moved overseas
- Changed careers
- Started a great relationship
- Travelled to 3 new countries
In particular, this year has been about experiencing being a minority. As a Canadian, I am a minority in London. As a caucasian, I am a minority in the communities and schools in which I work. As an English/French speaker, I have been a minority in every country I have visited this year. It has been a good and important experience for me, and I'll probably write more about it later.
I look forward to the next decade bringing more change, more joy, more love, more challenges, and more hope. May it bring the same to you.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
7054 words
Unimpressed with the rain.
Geese in the Cathedral garden.
I love my caga tio!
Christmas Day along La Rambla.
Together by the Mediterranean sea on a beautiful Christmas Day. Does life get any better?
The incredible Sagrada Familia.
View from the top of the Sagrada Familia.Back in London... safe, sound, and well rested.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
I needed that
I had two missions yesterday: pancakes and dancing. Both were accomplished with brilliant success.
Pancakes were found at Milk Bar in the Gothic Quarter. Milk is a delightful little lounge with tasteful, vintage decor and (I couldn't believe it) trad jazz streaming over the speakers. They even served me real Canadian maple syrup! It's one of the most popular spots in Barcelona so we were lucky that it was Boxing Day, when Catalonians don't seem to leave their homes, and we didn't have to wait to get in.
Dancing was found at Sala Apolo. The Barcelona Jazz Orchestra was playing a Christmas concert and the event was described as "having room for dancing." I had pictured a smallish bar with an even smaller dance floor, with perhaps a handful of dancers in attendance (knowing my luck, they would all be follows). Boy was I ever in for a surprise! The place was huge, with two levels and a dance floor that could rival most ballrooms'... and it was absolutely packed. I could barely squeeze through to the other side of it, much less dance on it. It was hot and sweaty and I stepped on people every 32 seconds, but it felt absolutely incredible to dance again (after not lindy hopping for close to a month) and the band was on fire.
Anyhow, off I go to enjoy one of our two non-rainy days here. Sagrada Familia and maybe some shopping? This holiday is all about rest and relaxation, and I like that a lot.
Pancakes were found at Milk Bar in the Gothic Quarter. Milk is a delightful little lounge with tasteful, vintage decor and (I couldn't believe it) trad jazz streaming over the speakers. They even served me real Canadian maple syrup! It's one of the most popular spots in Barcelona so we were lucky that it was Boxing Day, when Catalonians don't seem to leave their homes, and we didn't have to wait to get in.
Dancing was found at Sala Apolo. The Barcelona Jazz Orchestra was playing a Christmas concert and the event was described as "having room for dancing." I had pictured a smallish bar with an even smaller dance floor, with perhaps a handful of dancers in attendance (knowing my luck, they would all be follows). Boy was I ever in for a surprise! The place was huge, with two levels and a dance floor that could rival most ballrooms'... and it was absolutely packed. I could barely squeeze through to the other side of it, much less dance on it. It was hot and sweaty and I stepped on people every 32 seconds, but it felt absolutely incredible to dance again (after not lindy hopping for close to a month) and the band was on fire.
Anyhow, off I go to enjoy one of our two non-rainy days here. Sagrada Familia and maybe some shopping? This holiday is all about rest and relaxation, and I like that a lot.
Friday, December 25, 2009
White (Sand) Christmas
Barcelona knows how to do Christmas:
- Bright, sunny skies and 14 degrees celcius
- Vegetable paella
- Coffee
- Stroll down La Rambla
- Mediterranean beach
- Gelato
- More coffee
- Crash at hotel
- Nice, long Skype convo with the fam
- Olives with pickles sticking out of them - strangely provocative, yet delicious
- Antioxidant fruit juice
- More crashing
Soon:
- More food
- More crashing
In truth, it doesn't feel at all like Christmas... but life could certainly be a lot worse.
Bon Nadal a tots!
- Bright, sunny skies and 14 degrees celcius
- Vegetable paella
- Coffee
- Stroll down La Rambla
- Mediterranean beach
- Gelato
- More coffee
- Crash at hotel
- Nice, long Skype convo with the fam
- Olives with pickles sticking out of them - strangely provocative, yet delicious
- Antioxidant fruit juice
- More crashing
Soon:
- More food
- More crashing
In truth, it doesn't feel at all like Christmas... but life could certainly be a lot worse.
Bon Nadal a tots!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Lazy Barcelona
We arrived in Barcelona Tuesday afternoon and so far have done little aside from indulging in incredible coffee, food, and the free wifi in our cozy hotel room. This is the life!
After our crazy London transport adventure the night before, we decided to play it safe and hire a car to drive us to Heathrow (thank you, dad!) a full two hours earlier than strictly necessary. It meant we arrived two hours earlier than strictly necessary, but I'm still really glad we did. I'm also really glad that we were booked on the 11:25 flight, rather than the cancelled 9 am (or any time the night before, which would have meant being two of hundreds sleeping on pathetic-looking mats in the airport corridor). It was all smooth sailing for us!
We quickly discovered a delightful little café across the street from our hotel, where we have taken to eating our breakfasts. The server is friendly and speaks perfect English (apparently, he lived in Memphis, Tennessee for 13 years). He also smokes behind the counter. We're obviously not in Kansas anymore.
Another clue that we're no longer in Kansas? Nude window displays and nude art in restaurants. It's all really beautiful and tasteful but takes you aback if you're not used to seeing that sort of thing.
I have succeeded in acquiring my very own caganer and caga tio, have seen a quick glimpse of the Gothic Quarter, and have been in to visit the geese in the Cathedral garden... but the constant rain has been reinforcing our tendency toward laziness. We're waiting for the promised sun to appear tomorrow so we can spend Christmas Day by the seaside.
In the meantime, we've stocked up on all the important stuff: bread, cheese, fruit, tomatoes, olives, chocolate, juice, wine, and apple liqueur with tonic. Yesterday, we had a picnic lunch that we enjoyed so much, we decided to continue the tradition while all the restaurants are closed or fully booked over the next couple days. Our only concern will be finding coffee. The quality of the coffee here is so vastly superior to London's, I'm determined to drink as much as humanly possible while we're here.
That's about it for now. Pictures to come, but potentially not until I'm back in London, as I am lacking a suitable card reader. Bones festes, as they say!
After our crazy London transport adventure the night before, we decided to play it safe and hire a car to drive us to Heathrow (thank you, dad!) a full two hours earlier than strictly necessary. It meant we arrived two hours earlier than strictly necessary, but I'm still really glad we did. I'm also really glad that we were booked on the 11:25 flight, rather than the cancelled 9 am (or any time the night before, which would have meant being two of hundreds sleeping on pathetic-looking mats in the airport corridor). It was all smooth sailing for us!
We quickly discovered a delightful little café across the street from our hotel, where we have taken to eating our breakfasts. The server is friendly and speaks perfect English (apparently, he lived in Memphis, Tennessee for 13 years). He also smokes behind the counter. We're obviously not in Kansas anymore.
Another clue that we're no longer in Kansas? Nude window displays and nude art in restaurants. It's all really beautiful and tasteful but takes you aback if you're not used to seeing that sort of thing.
I have succeeded in acquiring my very own caganer and caga tio, have seen a quick glimpse of the Gothic Quarter, and have been in to visit the geese in the Cathedral garden... but the constant rain has been reinforcing our tendency toward laziness. We're waiting for the promised sun to appear tomorrow so we can spend Christmas Day by the seaside.
In the meantime, we've stocked up on all the important stuff: bread, cheese, fruit, tomatoes, olives, chocolate, juice, wine, and apple liqueur with tonic. Yesterday, we had a picnic lunch that we enjoyed so much, we decided to continue the tradition while all the restaurants are closed or fully booked over the next couple days. Our only concern will be finding coffee. The quality of the coffee here is so vastly superior to London's, I'm determined to drink as much as humanly possible while we're here.
That's about it for now. Pictures to come, but potentially not until I'm back in London, as I am lacking a suitable card reader. Bones festes, as they say!
Forget London Bridge... the whole of Greater London is falling down!
I thought I was being clever by opting to stay at Nathan's the night before taking off to Barcelona. In retrospect, we really should have crashed at my place (in Central London rather than Zone 3). Apparently, London totally freaks out at the slightest hint of snow. In the course of our journey, the trains stopped running, traffic halted to 0.5 mph, and buses pulled over to the side of the road. All for absolutely no reason that we could see... the roads weren't at all covered in ice or snow. In the end, we trudged 5 miles on foot (with luggage in tow). In a weird way, it was actually kind of fun. But I hope I never have to do that ever again.
Enjoy this annotated map of our crazy adventure, courtesy of ze boy:
View Crazy Night of Travel in a larger map
PS - Nathan's version of the story involves a little bit of actual snow on the roads. I will swear all the way to my grave that this never happened. There was a bit of slush on the sidewalk, but only water on the roads.
Enjoy this annotated map of our crazy adventure, courtesy of ze boy:
View Crazy Night of Travel in a larger map
PS - Nathan's version of the story involves a little bit of actual snow on the roads. I will swear all the way to my grave that this never happened. There was a bit of slush on the sidewalk, but only water on the roads.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Downs and Ups
I have been on one heck of a roller coaster this week.... and not the fun kind you queue up for while chowing down your candy floss. Several big things in my life were threatening to go very, very wrong. I was really trying hard to accept it, and to remember that everything happens for a reason, but I was still deeply depressed about it. Now (hopefully... knock on wood) they seem to be going right again.
Long days at school, too. The kids know that Christmas is coming and they're unwilling to wait. We're supposed to get 20 cm of snow tonight (gah... I came here to get away from snow!), and that may well mean our Christmas break will begin early, after all. Despite being totally wiped, I'm not happy about that at all. I really can't afford not to get paid and I still need to say a proper adieu to everyone.
On the bright side, the British Airways strike has been blocked so we're still on for Barcelona. Now I just have to pray that we don't get snowed in. I had a dream that we would, and I've been eerily psychic about some things lately.
On another bright side, I finally had coffee with Amie yesterday, after many weeks of saying we should. It was great to have a chance to vent with another Canadian TA who's going through a lot of the same stuff I am. And, of course, to hang out with her--she's super fun and awesome. I can't wait for Saturday's potluck at her place!
I apologize for the messy rant; my mind is messy this week, so this is what you get. I'm off to enjoy some spaghetti and mulled wine, and to write my Christmas cards... on the off chance I actually get to deliver them tomorrow.
Long days at school, too. The kids know that Christmas is coming and they're unwilling to wait. We're supposed to get 20 cm of snow tonight (gah... I came here to get away from snow!), and that may well mean our Christmas break will begin early, after all. Despite being totally wiped, I'm not happy about that at all. I really can't afford not to get paid and I still need to say a proper adieu to everyone.
On the bright side, the British Airways strike has been blocked so we're still on for Barcelona. Now I just have to pray that we don't get snowed in. I had a dream that we would, and I've been eerily psychic about some things lately.
On another bright side, I finally had coffee with Amie yesterday, after many weeks of saying we should. It was great to have a chance to vent with another Canadian TA who's going through a lot of the same stuff I am. And, of course, to hang out with her--she's super fun and awesome. I can't wait for Saturday's potluck at her place!
I apologize for the messy rant; my mind is messy this week, so this is what you get. I'm off to enjoy some spaghetti and mulled wine, and to write my Christmas cards... on the off chance I actually get to deliver them tomorrow.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
TA vs. LSA
In the short time I've been here, my job title has shifted from Teaching Assistant to Learning Support Assistant. These terms can sometimes be used more or less interchangeably, but at my school, it's an important distinction.
Every classroom has a TA. TAs assist in teaching and controlling the whole class. LSAs, on the other hand, are assigned to specific pupils who have been identified as requiring one-to-one support. There is some overlap, of course... I do help out with other things, but my assigned student is usually my first priority.
The required qualifications (having experience working with children) are technically the same for both roles, but I think most people are probably better suited to one or the other. I, for example, am definitely better off working as an LSA. I just like it better. But during my interview, the Head Teacher told me that there's no way she'd be able to stand working with the same pupil day in and day out. Different personality types, I guess.
So what does it take to be a great Learning Support Assistant?
Patience
When you're working with a child who has Special Educational Needs (SEN), learning and progress are bound to be part of a gradual process. Patience, understanding, and the love of a good challenge in this regard are absolutely vital.
Adaptability
Often, children with SEN require information to be presented to them in a variety of ways, and you may find yourself having to think up many new tricks on the fly. A solid understanding of pedagogy, as well as knowledge the child's individual needs, will help with this. Depending on what their needs are, their behaviour may also be unpredictable and you must be equipped to deal with that.
Ability to multitask
Your official role may revolve around one particular child, but that child does not exist in a vacuum. You will find yourself having to get involved in classroom management, administrative tasks, and teaching or assisting other pupils. You may also have to work in small groups with children who all have wildly different needs. Rarely will you find a moment when you don't have 5 or 6 children all trying to get your attention at the same time. You must be able to manage all of this at once, while still ensuring that your assigned pupil's needs are being met.
All of those qualities could be applied to being a TA, as well. But there's one more magical ingredient that's difficult to put into words.
What I love best about being an LSA is forming a bond with my student and watching her grow. It is a very personal experience and, for me, a very rewarding one. There have been days when I've gone home absolutely glowing, all because she successfully spelled a word, remembering to put the letters in the correct order. She and I celebrate many small victories together. She's rewarded with praise and stickers; I'm rewarded with big toothy grins.
To be a really great LSA, I think, you need to believe there's nothing better in the world than that.
Every classroom has a TA. TAs assist in teaching and controlling the whole class. LSAs, on the other hand, are assigned to specific pupils who have been identified as requiring one-to-one support. There is some overlap, of course... I do help out with other things, but my assigned student is usually my first priority.
The required qualifications (having experience working with children) are technically the same for both roles, but I think most people are probably better suited to one or the other. I, for example, am definitely better off working as an LSA. I just like it better. But during my interview, the Head Teacher told me that there's no way she'd be able to stand working with the same pupil day in and day out. Different personality types, I guess.
So what does it take to be a great Learning Support Assistant?
Patience
When you're working with a child who has Special Educational Needs (SEN), learning and progress are bound to be part of a gradual process. Patience, understanding, and the love of a good challenge in this regard are absolutely vital.
Adaptability
Often, children with SEN require information to be presented to them in a variety of ways, and you may find yourself having to think up many new tricks on the fly. A solid understanding of pedagogy, as well as knowledge the child's individual needs, will help with this. Depending on what their needs are, their behaviour may also be unpredictable and you must be equipped to deal with that.
Ability to multitask
Your official role may revolve around one particular child, but that child does not exist in a vacuum. You will find yourself having to get involved in classroom management, administrative tasks, and teaching or assisting other pupils. You may also have to work in small groups with children who all have wildly different needs. Rarely will you find a moment when you don't have 5 or 6 children all trying to get your attention at the same time. You must be able to manage all of this at once, while still ensuring that your assigned pupil's needs are being met.
All of those qualities could be applied to being a TA, as well. But there's one more magical ingredient that's difficult to put into words.
What I love best about being an LSA is forming a bond with my student and watching her grow. It is a very personal experience and, for me, a very rewarding one. There have been days when I've gone home absolutely glowing, all because she successfully spelled a word, remembering to put the letters in the correct order. She and I celebrate many small victories together. She's rewarded with praise and stickers; I'm rewarded with big toothy grins.
To be a really great LSA, I think, you need to believe there's nothing better in the world than that.
Confessions of a summerholic
I have a deep, dark secret to confess.
I hate winter (no, that's not the secret... everyone who's ever been within a 20 mile radius of me knows that). I hate winter and I hate snow. I have declared, on many occasions and with vehement passion, that I hope to never see snow again. It's not pretty and it's not fun; it's cold and boring and a pain in the arse. That's truly how I feel about it.
But... do you remember the way you felt the first year after you finished school, around the start of the year and then again around exam time? How it felt completely weird to not be going through that? And then you'd start hallucinating that it was actually fun to study for exams and that you missed it?
That's kind of what it's like right now for me and snow.
I hate winter (no, that's not the secret... everyone who's ever been within a 20 mile radius of me knows that). I hate winter and I hate snow. I have declared, on many occasions and with vehement passion, that I hope to never see snow again. It's not pretty and it's not fun; it's cold and boring and a pain in the arse. That's truly how I feel about it.
But... do you remember the way you felt the first year after you finished school, around the start of the year and then again around exam time? How it felt completely weird to not be going through that? And then you'd start hallucinating that it was actually fun to study for exams and that you missed it?
That's kind of what it's like right now for me and snow.
Monday, December 7, 2009
On Love and Fanship
I was an early adopter of blogging (although it took me many years to say that word without breaking out in hives). In fact, I began blogging long before that term had even been coined. In 2000, I was among the first to own a shiny new LiveJournal account. As the word "journal" would imply, this was back in the days when the majority of blogs were personal spaces -- used to share and deal with one's thoughts and feelings -- rather than the mass media phenomenon blogging has become.
Nearly a decade later, my reasons for blogging have changed... but not by much. They now straddle that line between personal and public: I write as a convenient way to keep my family and friends updated on my new life in England, all the while remaining conscious that I have anonymous readers who have never met me and have no reason to care about my personal life. As a result, I struggle with the content of this blog a great deal. Ultimately, though, I've decided that the most important reason I blog is for myself. It's a way to immortalize memories of this exciting period in my life, in the same way that I can now look back on my university days (so dutifully recorded in LiveJournal) and immediately be transported back in time. So, I write about whatever happens to be on my mind that day while hoping that I'm interesting enough to not lose too many of my readers.
Victoria Westcott (of Teach in London and Canadians & Americans in the UK) has just nominated me for Edublog's Best Individual Blog Award. I am flattered, surprised, humbled, and... am also feeling quite a bit self-conscious because of it. Although I do appreciate my anonymous readers (thank you, anonymous readers!!), this blog really isn't targetted for public consumption, and I'm worried I'll be criticized for that. I'm probably over-reacting (but just in case I'm not, this post is my disclaimer!).
In any case, this turn of events is good because it has lit a fire under my butt to get going on a couple of edu-relevant posts that I've been meaning to write. Stay tuned for an update on my experience as a longterm Learning Support Assistant, as well as an essay on my personal principles of teaching. I've also added tags, so you can now search for posts that interest you by clicking on the appropriate tags in the right hand menu.
PS - Still sick, still happy, and still incredulous that I'm going to Barcelona in just 15 days!!!
Nearly a decade later, my reasons for blogging have changed... but not by much. They now straddle that line between personal and public: I write as a convenient way to keep my family and friends updated on my new life in England, all the while remaining conscious that I have anonymous readers who have never met me and have no reason to care about my personal life. As a result, I struggle with the content of this blog a great deal. Ultimately, though, I've decided that the most important reason I blog is for myself. It's a way to immortalize memories of this exciting period in my life, in the same way that I can now look back on my university days (so dutifully recorded in LiveJournal) and immediately be transported back in time. So, I write about whatever happens to be on my mind that day while hoping that I'm interesting enough to not lose too many of my readers.
Victoria Westcott (of Teach in London and Canadians & Americans in the UK) has just nominated me for Edublog's Best Individual Blog Award. I am flattered, surprised, humbled, and... am also feeling quite a bit self-conscious because of it. Although I do appreciate my anonymous readers (thank you, anonymous readers!!), this blog really isn't targetted for public consumption, and I'm worried I'll be criticized for that. I'm probably over-reacting (but just in case I'm not, this post is my disclaimer!).
In any case, this turn of events is good because it has lit a fire under my butt to get going on a couple of edu-relevant posts that I've been meaning to write. Stay tuned for an update on my experience as a longterm Learning Support Assistant, as well as an essay on my personal principles of teaching. I've also added tags, so you can now search for posts that interest you by clicking on the appropriate tags in the right hand menu.
PS - Still sick, still happy, and still incredulous that I'm going to Barcelona in just 15 days!!!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
We Wish You a Poopy Christmas...
As of this afternoon, the boyfriend and I are officially booked for a weeklong trip to Barcelona for Christmas! Huzzah!
In my excitement, I immediately began Googling Christmas in Barcelona... only to discover that they have the Best.Christmas.Traditions.Ever. Not one, but TWO traditional figures are devoted to poo.
The Caganer is a figure of a Catalonian man with his trousers down, defecating on the ground (to fertilize the soil). It's a staple of their nativity scenes and is supposed to bring good luck.
The Caga Tio literally means "poo log" in Catalan. Children look after this log, keeping it nice and warm until Christmas Eve... when they bash it with sticks and demand it poop out presents and sweets.
Amazing. You can bet I'll be hitting the Christmas markets so I can bring these lovelies home with me.
In my excitement, I immediately began Googling Christmas in Barcelona... only to discover that they have the Best.Christmas.Traditions.Ever. Not one, but TWO traditional figures are devoted to poo.
The Caganer is a figure of a Catalonian man with his trousers down, defecating on the ground (to fertilize the soil). It's a staple of their nativity scenes and is supposed to bring good luck.
The Caga Tio literally means "poo log" in Catalan. Children look after this log, keeping it nice and warm until Christmas Eve... when they bash it with sticks and demand it poop out presents and sweets.
Amazing. You can bet I'll be hitting the Christmas markets so I can bring these lovelies home with me.
Sicko
The only real downside so far to living in London is that I've been sick pretty much non-stop since I got here. I've heard that it's normal; being on a new continent means the germs play a whole different kind of ballgame. Doesn't make it any more fun, though.
I wound up calling in sick this morning... I was just so totally out of it, I knew I wouldn't be able to function properly even if I managed to get through (what seemed like) an epic journey to get there. Four hours of sleep later, I'm feeling much better but also totally guilty.
I'm forming a pretty tight bond with my 1-1 student (henceforth known as S) and I hate that I'm not there for her today. It's worse than feeling ill. I think next time, I will have to be on my deathbed before I call in.
Lesson learned.
I wound up calling in sick this morning... I was just so totally out of it, I knew I wouldn't be able to function properly even if I managed to get through (what seemed like) an epic journey to get there. Four hours of sleep later, I'm feeling much better but also totally guilty.
I'm forming a pretty tight bond with my 1-1 student (henceforth known as S) and I hate that I'm not there for her today. It's worse than feeling ill. I think next time, I will have to be on my deathbed before I call in.
Lesson learned.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Promises, Old and New
At the start of 2009, I made some promises to myself. They were basically resolutions, but I like promises better. Anyway, I was good about monitoring my progress for a while but then I completely forgot about it, so I think now it's time to take another look at how I've done...
I will recommit to daily exercise
I was pretty good about this for a while, but my activity level is now pathetic. Signing up for a gym membership is now top priority.
I will commit to my distance ed courses this semester and finally graduate, 8 years later, with my BA.
DONE!!!
I will focus on what is most important to me right now: building the foundation for my career.
I've certainly done that. Next steps: finish my website and apply for PGCE programs.
I will actively seek a healthy and gratifying relationship but continue to live happily alone until I find one.
Oh yay, I'd forgotten this was a goal. Accomplished!
I will make it a priority to regularly spend quality time with quality people.
I'm spending as much quality time as possible with my boyfriend but less time with my other friends. Should fix that.
I will make it a priority to regularly spend quality time with myself.
Yes, I think I do that.
I will pay attention to the insight of the children I work with.
Yes!
I will improve at money management.
Uh, sort of. I'm shopping less, anyhow.
I will improve at time management.
This isn't especially relevant to me right now, but I am still awful when it comes to procrastination.
I will attempt to document more of my life, in words and in images.
I write regularly in this blog! I also take more pictures and have done a little bit of drawing. I'd like to do more creative and philosophical work.
I will not turn down invitations just because I'm worried I won't know anyone.
I still do this.
I will allow myself to occasionally fail, so long as I get back up again.
I think so.
I will go to see live theatre whenever I can.
Aaaack, I live in London now... I have no bloody excuse! The only thing I've seen since I moved here is Billy Elliot.
I will be a better friend.
I'm in a weird place right now, on the friendship front. I'm trying desperately to stay in touch with my friends in Ottawa but it's not that easy. And I'm still in the preliminary stages of building new friendships here.
I think that's really good progress, overall. Now, as the year draws to a close, I reckon it's time to set some new promises.
20 PROMISES TO MYSELF FOR 2010 (and the rest of 2009)
1. I will obtain a gym membership and make good use of it.
2. I will finish my website.
3. I will get an action plan rolling for the next stages in my education and professional development.
4. I will be a good friend, girlfriend, and relative.
5. I will go see more live theatre, damnit!
6. I will write at least one substantial fictional piece in the next year.
7. I will post at least one reflective or philosophical blog entry per month.
8. I will challenge my mind with at least 30 minutes of puzzles or problems each week.
9. I will begin promoting myself as a swing and blues teacher to dance scenes around Europe.
10. I will choreograph a solo dance piece. All by myself.
11. I will somehow find a partner and choreograph a couples piece. Maybe even a team routine!
12. I will compete as often as possible.
13. I will continue my voice training.
14. I will work up the guts to sing on stage in front of strangers.
15. I will take one special interest course in something I've never done before.
16. I will become functional in Spanish (preferably before Christmas break ;)).
17. I will clean my living space at least once per week.
18. I will eat fruit, vegetables, and protein every day, despite my lack of a kitchen.
19. I will find a way to stop living paycheque to paycheque.
20. And finally, I will remember update my progress quarterly in this blog.
I will recommit to daily exercise
I was pretty good about this for a while, but my activity level is now pathetic. Signing up for a gym membership is now top priority.
I will commit to my distance ed courses this semester and finally graduate, 8 years later, with my BA.
DONE!!!
I will focus on what is most important to me right now: building the foundation for my career.
I've certainly done that. Next steps: finish my website and apply for PGCE programs.
I will actively seek a healthy and gratifying relationship but continue to live happily alone until I find one.
Oh yay, I'd forgotten this was a goal. Accomplished!
I will make it a priority to regularly spend quality time with quality people.
I'm spending as much quality time as possible with my boyfriend but less time with my other friends. Should fix that.
I will make it a priority to regularly spend quality time with myself.
Yes, I think I do that.
I will pay attention to the insight of the children I work with.
Yes!
I will improve at money management.
Uh, sort of. I'm shopping less, anyhow.
I will improve at time management.
This isn't especially relevant to me right now, but I am still awful when it comes to procrastination.
I will attempt to document more of my life, in words and in images.
I write regularly in this blog! I also take more pictures and have done a little bit of drawing. I'd like to do more creative and philosophical work.
I will not turn down invitations just because I'm worried I won't know anyone.
I still do this.
I will allow myself to occasionally fail, so long as I get back up again.
I think so.
I will go to see live theatre whenever I can.
Aaaack, I live in London now... I have no bloody excuse! The only thing I've seen since I moved here is Billy Elliot.
I will be a better friend.
I'm in a weird place right now, on the friendship front. I'm trying desperately to stay in touch with my friends in Ottawa but it's not that easy. And I'm still in the preliminary stages of building new friendships here.
I think that's really good progress, overall. Now, as the year draws to a close, I reckon it's time to set some new promises.
20 PROMISES TO MYSELF FOR 2010 (and the rest of 2009)
1. I will obtain a gym membership and make good use of it.
2. I will finish my website.
3. I will get an action plan rolling for the next stages in my education and professional development.
4. I will be a good friend, girlfriend, and relative.
5. I will go see more live theatre, damnit!
6. I will write at least one substantial fictional piece in the next year.
7. I will post at least one reflective or philosophical blog entry per month.
8. I will challenge my mind with at least 30 minutes of puzzles or problems each week.
9. I will begin promoting myself as a swing and blues teacher to dance scenes around Europe.
10. I will choreograph a solo dance piece. All by myself.
11. I will somehow find a partner and choreograph a couples piece. Maybe even a team routine!
12. I will compete as often as possible.
13. I will continue my voice training.
14. I will work up the guts to sing on stage in front of strangers.
15. I will take one special interest course in something I've never done before.
16. I will become functional in Spanish (preferably before Christmas break ;)).
17. I will clean my living space at least once per week.
18. I will eat fruit, vegetables, and protein every day, despite my lack of a kitchen.
19. I will find a way to stop living paycheque to paycheque.
20. And finally, I will remember update my progress quarterly in this blog.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Holidays
Travel was one of my primary motivators for moving to London, and working in a school means I get lots of time off to do just that. Since I missed going away during the last break, I'm eagerly plotting out the rest of the year...
Not a vacation, but it is a holiday: today is Thanksgiving for my American family and friends. Hope you all have a happy one! I'll be celebrating it on Saturday. I'm so lucky to get two Thanksgivings this year, despite living in a country that doesn't even celebrate one.
Next up, of course, is Christmas. My guy and I are going to try to go away somewhere. I'm hoping for Spain. Mmmm... Spain. Mmmm... warm sun.
The next school break is in February and I don't know yet what I'm doing. Anyone want to plan something?
After that, there's a two week break in April. I've decided I'm going to Prague for the Prague Spring Swing Festival. I've only registered for the dances, not the classes, so I'll be free to explore during the day and then will likely stay a few extra days. I think I'll take the train home so I can hit up a few more cities on the way back (Berlin, Amsterdam, Bruges, and Brussels?). Let me know if you're interested in coming along. I'd love company!
The May/June break, I'm off to Hawaii for my dad's wedding. I'm super excited about it, but not about the 5000 hour journey there and back.
Then finally, the school year ends at the end of July... at which point I plan on trekking back to Canada to teach at Long Bay Camp (Yay! So happy to be going back!), visit friends in Ottawa, and hopefully also get out to Edmonton to see my dad and sort through my belongings. Then fly back to London (possibly via Copenhagen?) and head up to Edinburgh for the Fringe and other assorted festivals. I can't wait. Everyone keeps telling me Edinburgh is incredible.
Whew, what a year! It'll certainly be a memorable one. Now all I need to do is figure out how I'm going to pay for it all. Details, details, right?
Not a vacation, but it is a holiday: today is Thanksgiving for my American family and friends. Hope you all have a happy one! I'll be celebrating it on Saturday. I'm so lucky to get two Thanksgivings this year, despite living in a country that doesn't even celebrate one.
Next up, of course, is Christmas. My guy and I are going to try to go away somewhere. I'm hoping for Spain. Mmmm... Spain. Mmmm... warm sun.
The next school break is in February and I don't know yet what I'm doing. Anyone want to plan something?
After that, there's a two week break in April. I've decided I'm going to Prague for the Prague Spring Swing Festival. I've only registered for the dances, not the classes, so I'll be free to explore during the day and then will likely stay a few extra days. I think I'll take the train home so I can hit up a few more cities on the way back (Berlin, Amsterdam, Bruges, and Brussels?). Let me know if you're interested in coming along. I'd love company!
The May/June break, I'm off to Hawaii for my dad's wedding. I'm super excited about it, but not about the 5000 hour journey there and back.
Then finally, the school year ends at the end of July... at which point I plan on trekking back to Canada to teach at Long Bay Camp (Yay! So happy to be going back!), visit friends in Ottawa, and hopefully also get out to Edmonton to see my dad and sort through my belongings. Then fly back to London (possibly via Copenhagen?) and head up to Edinburgh for the Fringe and other assorted festivals. I can't wait. Everyone keeps telling me Edinburgh is incredible.
Whew, what a year! It'll certainly be a memorable one. Now all I need to do is figure out how I'm going to pay for it all. Details, details, right?
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Outsider
Being an expat is a crazy experience. Until now, I've taken it for granted that I belonged to the culture in which I lived. Here, I am an outsider.
You probably wouldn't know it to look at me; I've taken great care to adopt the local norms and customs, and everything about my appearance (most days) screams, "Londoner." But you'd know it the moment I opened my mouth. And more importantly, I'd know it.
British and Canadian culture aren't wildly different, of course. I could have easily picked a more extreme leap, say to Korea or Russia or Zimbabwe or something. But they're different in many small, subtle ways, and those subtle differences eventually add up. I'm beginning to realize that the people who surround me every day have all grown up in a very different reality than I have, and that their common experiences bond them together while segregating me. I can find and create my own common experiences with people here, but it requires concerted effort.
I came here claiming that I wanted to land a man with a hot British accent. Instead, I've landed myself a wonderful American man. It's amazing how much his accent soothes me, and how much it matters to me that we both grew up on the same continent. I never would have thought that would be relevant to me at all, but there's so much that we share that's different from everyone else around us. Things I never would have noticed or cared about if we'd met across the pond (although I would have noticed all his other amazing qualities).
I wouldn't say I'm homesick yet, but I would say I'm learning more and more to appreciate where I come from. I'm fortunate that I get to live here and experience this new place... I'm even more fortunate that I can hold onto little pieces of home.
You probably wouldn't know it to look at me; I've taken great care to adopt the local norms and customs, and everything about my appearance (most days) screams, "Londoner." But you'd know it the moment I opened my mouth. And more importantly, I'd know it.
British and Canadian culture aren't wildly different, of course. I could have easily picked a more extreme leap, say to Korea or Russia or Zimbabwe or something. But they're different in many small, subtle ways, and those subtle differences eventually add up. I'm beginning to realize that the people who surround me every day have all grown up in a very different reality than I have, and that their common experiences bond them together while segregating me. I can find and create my own common experiences with people here, but it requires concerted effort.
I came here claiming that I wanted to land a man with a hot British accent. Instead, I've landed myself a wonderful American man. It's amazing how much his accent soothes me, and how much it matters to me that we both grew up on the same continent. I never would have thought that would be relevant to me at all, but there's so much that we share that's different from everyone else around us. Things I never would have noticed or cared about if we'd met across the pond (although I would have noticed all his other amazing qualities).
I wouldn't say I'm homesick yet, but I would say I'm learning more and more to appreciate where I come from. I'm fortunate that I get to live here and experience this new place... I'm even more fortunate that I can hold onto little pieces of home.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
It's like riding a bicycle
I taught my first UK dance workshop yesterday, and it felt wonderful!
I'd been fretting about it a little bit because I've been too caught up in other things to properly prepare for it... but of course, I had nothing to worry about. My years of experience weren't about to let me down. And neither was my awesome teaching partner who, despite being pretty new to this teaching stuff, is a total natural.
Three more classes to teach before the end of the year. I can't wait!
I'd been fretting about it a little bit because I've been too caught up in other things to properly prepare for it... but of course, I had nothing to worry about. My years of experience weren't about to let me down. And neither was my awesome teaching partner who, despite being pretty new to this teaching stuff, is a total natural.
Three more classes to teach before the end of the year. I can't wait!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Just call me Sleepy
I was supposed to go dancing last night. I really wanted to, too. Instead, I fell asleep at 6 pm.
This has become a trend lately. I can barely count the number of times I've fallen asleep super early and slept for 11-15 hours at a stretch.
I'm starting to wonder what's wrong with me.
PS - My dad's photos and the story behind them are being featured on CTV.ca. It's a nice human interest story. As part of your Remembrance today, it'd be worth taking a look.
This has become a trend lately. I can barely count the number of times I've fallen asleep super early and slept for 11-15 hours at a stretch.
I'm starting to wonder what's wrong with me.
PS - My dad's photos and the story behind them are being featured on CTV.ca. It's a nice human interest story. As part of your Remembrance today, it'd be worth taking a look.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Professional Development
Classroom Canada PD Week came at a good time for me: just as I'm transitioning into a new role with increased responsibility.
There were two workshop sessions, both offered by the massively entertaining and knowledgeable Sophie Walker. Sophie started off as an English and Drama teacher in Melbourne, and through various twists and turns, wound up as an Advisory Support Teacher in London (specializing in young children with Autism). For those of you following along at home, Sophie's job is pretty darned close to what I want to do. And they're paying for her to get her Masters degree, which is also in my plan. So it occurs to me that I must talk to her and figure out a path for getting there. Luckily, she works with some of the children at my school, including one I support. I'll be seeing her again in a couple of weeks.
The workshops themselves were pretty basic overviews. One was a survival guide to teaching in the UK and the other was on Special Educational Needs (SEN). We got some pretty good resources out of them, including a bunch of sites for downloading teaching materials. Seeing as I'm not actually a teacher, I didn't think I'd have much use for those, but then I had my first day at the new school...
I have very much been given ownership over this child's development. She does spend a good chunk of the day integrated in with the class, but I pull her out several times a day to work on phonics, numeracy, handwriting, and motor skills... and it's up to me to decide which activities we do. Enter handy resource websites. Thank you, Sophie.
I have a feeling I'm going to start using this blog more and more for talking about the various strategies I'm trying. One of the first things I want to do is convert her physical exercise routine (she has a series of exercises she does every day to build strength and balance) into something more interesting and fun (à la creative yoga). As it stands, her workout dissolves very quickly into silliness. I think she might get more out of it if the silliness were built right in.
In addition to my one-to-one student, I also work with a few other children in the class who have special needs that aren't severe enough to warrant being "statemented" (which means the government allocates extra funds for providing them with one-to-one support). One of them, a boy with autism, joins us for our afternoon tutoring sessions. A couple of others sit with us in class so I can help them all complete their work. And in my "downtime," I do whatever the teacher asks (distributing books, photocopying, etc.).
The teacher expects a lot, not just from me but from her class. The result seems to be quite positive. Thestudents pupils are remarkably well-behaved and are learning things well beyond what you would normally expect from children their age in Canada. I'm hoping I'll pick up a lot of great strategies by working there.
The only part that is a little strange for me is that it's a faith school (Church of England). Prayer is built into their daily school life. I'm not religious so it's a bit awkward in that I'm not sure whether I should be praying with them. It takes me back to my days in Catholic school, when I used to refuse to sing in mass, and would throw bibles on the floor when I was feeling particularly rebellious. Thankfully, I'm a little more mature now and can probably handle it with more dignity this time around ;)
Anyway, I still have one more week before I start there full-time. This week, I'm booked for three days at the school where that boy tried to hook me up with his father, and where I witnessed the maths class that was completely out of control. I liked that school. Never boring, and lots of break time. But it's starting to look like I won't ever be going back to the hospital school, and that breaks my heart just a little.
There were two workshop sessions, both offered by the massively entertaining and knowledgeable Sophie Walker. Sophie started off as an English and Drama teacher in Melbourne, and through various twists and turns, wound up as an Advisory Support Teacher in London (specializing in young children with Autism). For those of you following along at home, Sophie's job is pretty darned close to what I want to do. And they're paying for her to get her Masters degree, which is also in my plan. So it occurs to me that I must talk to her and figure out a path for getting there. Luckily, she works with some of the children at my school, including one I support. I'll be seeing her again in a couple of weeks.
The workshops themselves were pretty basic overviews. One was a survival guide to teaching in the UK and the other was on Special Educational Needs (SEN). We got some pretty good resources out of them, including a bunch of sites for downloading teaching materials. Seeing as I'm not actually a teacher, I didn't think I'd have much use for those, but then I had my first day at the new school...
I have very much been given ownership over this child's development. She does spend a good chunk of the day integrated in with the class, but I pull her out several times a day to work on phonics, numeracy, handwriting, and motor skills... and it's up to me to decide which activities we do. Enter handy resource websites. Thank you, Sophie.
I have a feeling I'm going to start using this blog more and more for talking about the various strategies I'm trying. One of the first things I want to do is convert her physical exercise routine (she has a series of exercises she does every day to build strength and balance) into something more interesting and fun (à la creative yoga). As it stands, her workout dissolves very quickly into silliness. I think she might get more out of it if the silliness were built right in.
In addition to my one-to-one student, I also work with a few other children in the class who have special needs that aren't severe enough to warrant being "statemented" (which means the government allocates extra funds for providing them with one-to-one support). One of them, a boy with autism, joins us for our afternoon tutoring sessions. A couple of others sit with us in class so I can help them all complete their work. And in my "downtime," I do whatever the teacher asks (distributing books, photocopying, etc.).
The teacher expects a lot, not just from me but from her class. The result seems to be quite positive. The
The only part that is a little strange for me is that it's a faith school (Church of England). Prayer is built into their daily school life. I'm not religious so it's a bit awkward in that I'm not sure whether I should be praying with them. It takes me back to my days in Catholic school, when I used to refuse to sing in mass, and would throw bibles on the floor when I was feeling particularly rebellious. Thankfully, I'm a little more mature now and can probably handle it with more dignity this time around ;)
Anyway, I still have one more week before I start there full-time. This week, I'm booked for three days at the school where that boy tried to hook me up with his father, and where I witnessed the maths class that was completely out of control. I liked that school. Never boring, and lots of break time. But it's starting to look like I won't ever be going back to the hospital school, and that breaks my heart just a little.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
New things
I started my new full-time job today! I'm in for a couple days of shadowing this week, and then I start officially on the 16th. I love the school and the students, and am totally blown away by how well-behaved they are. The teacher in my class is an absolute goddess of behaviour management. I hope to learn much from her. I also have quite a bit of freedom in terms of what I do with my one-on-one. It's great because it'll really push me as an educator, but it means I'm going to have to do some prep work.
In other news... I recently started seeing someone. Now that I'm quite confident he's not going to be going anywhere any time soon, I might as well broadcast it to cyberspace so I can start writing about stuff involving him. He's absolutely brilliant and wonderful and treats me like gold. I am so very lucky.
I'd best cut it off there for now. It's professional development week for Classroom Canada staff so I'll be off to a workshop pretty soon. More on that later.
In other news... I recently started seeing someone. Now that I'm quite confident he's not going to be going anywhere any time soon, I might as well broadcast it to cyberspace so I can start writing about stuff involving him. He's absolutely brilliant and wonderful and treats me like gold. I am so very lucky.
I'd best cut it off there for now. It's professional development week for Classroom Canada staff so I'll be off to a workshop pretty soon. More on that later.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
I miss my babies!
I can't sleep (thank you, illness), so now's as good a time as any to write in the blog!
I've been thinking a lot lately about my life back in Canada. Specifically, the best part of my life back in Canada: coaching the Rhythm Blasters (one of many awesome Swing Dynamite performance teams).
The Rhythm Blasters started out as a bit of a pet project, undertaken by me and my greatly-missed dance partner Olivier. Originally, it was a team specifically for newer dancers (most of whom had been dancing a few months when they joined)... but over time, the focus shifted to being a team for dancers who wanted to work in a relatively relaxed setting (compared to the ultra-intense TNTeam). It is no exaggeration for me to say that I was (and am) deeply, deeply fond of the Rhythm Blasters. They're my babies. I watched them grow, and I've shed many tears of pride in their name.
Here they are with their first routine at the 2008 Canadian Swing Championships (a few months after their incarnation):
And here they are again, a year later, with a much more difficult choreography (the run at CSC was cleaner, but is sadly not on YouTube):
It is good to know that in my absence, they are still going strong. A large number of new couples are currently going through the "bootcamp" process (an intermediary step before officially joining the team), including a whole bunch of awesome folks I was really hoping would join. Still, I can't help but feel a little (ok, a lot) sad that I can't be there with them. If there had been one thing that could have kept me planted in Ottawa, the Rhythm Blasters would have been it.
I hope I never forget how truly blessed I am to have worked with such a fun, positive, hard-working, and talented group of people. RBs, I miss you! I know you will continue to make me proud.
I've been thinking a lot lately about my life back in Canada. Specifically, the best part of my life back in Canada: coaching the Rhythm Blasters (one of many awesome Swing Dynamite performance teams).
The Rhythm Blasters started out as a bit of a pet project, undertaken by me and my greatly-missed dance partner Olivier. Originally, it was a team specifically for newer dancers (most of whom had been dancing a few months when they joined)... but over time, the focus shifted to being a team for dancers who wanted to work in a relatively relaxed setting (compared to the ultra-intense TNTeam). It is no exaggeration for me to say that I was (and am) deeply, deeply fond of the Rhythm Blasters. They're my babies. I watched them grow, and I've shed many tears of pride in their name.
Here they are with their first routine at the 2008 Canadian Swing Championships (a few months after their incarnation):
And here they are again, a year later, with a much more difficult choreography (the run at CSC was cleaner, but is sadly not on YouTube):
It is good to know that in my absence, they are still going strong. A large number of new couples are currently going through the "bootcamp" process (an intermediary step before officially joining the team), including a whole bunch of awesome folks I was really hoping would join. Still, I can't help but feel a little (ok, a lot) sad that I can't be there with them. If there had been one thing that could have kept me planted in Ottawa, the Rhythm Blasters would have been it.
I hope I never forget how truly blessed I am to have worked with such a fun, positive, hard-working, and talented group of people. RBs, I miss you! I know you will continue to make me proud.
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Black Death
The Plague has found me again. It struck in the middle of the night. But I still felt certain, until 6:30 this morning, that I'd be going to work. So much for that. Also, so much for my very firm declaration that I would make it to capoeira tonight, come hell or high water.
Now I need to decide if I'll be going in tomorrow. I'm not sure I can make that kind of decision. Too much pressure. Too much uncertainty.
Now I need to decide if I'll be going in tomorrow. I'm not sure I can make that kind of decision. Too much pressure. Too much uncertainty.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
London in the rain
I *heart* my new French press. It's nigh impossible to find regular coffee in this town... it's all instant or espresso.
I also *heart* my new rice cooker and 2-in-1 electric wok & stove. More and more, I'm turning my tiny little dorm room into a self-sufficient entity. I turned my bed around and now I have room for a table (which I desperately need... anyone know where I can get a cheap little folding table?).
Finally, I *heart* the London rain. I don't know why. It just makes me feel really, really happy.
I also *heart* my new rice cooker and 2-in-1 electric wok & stove. More and more, I'm turning my tiny little dorm room into a self-sufficient entity. I turned my bed around and now I have room for a table (which I desperately need... anyone know where I can get a cheap little folding table?).
Finally, I *heart* the London rain. I don't know why. It just makes me feel really, really happy.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Moments (a.k.a. excuse me while I temporarily become a hippy)
There was a moment this morning, while peering out through the front window at Starbucks, when the footsteps of the passers-by on Oxford Street fell perfectly in line with beat of the music on the stereo. Suddenly, the street scene became a work of art.
There was another moment, on Tuesday morning, on my way to the Tube. Across the street, a team of workers were demolishing a flat. The rhythm and tones of their smashing sounded remarkably like jazz.
Moments like these remind me of how perfectly aligned the universe is. We may have war, famine, disease, and climate change to battle... but compared to all the wonders of the world, these begin to feel like minor obstacles.
There was another moment, on Tuesday morning, on my way to the Tube. Across the street, a team of workers were demolishing a flat. The rhythm and tones of their smashing sounded remarkably like jazz.
Moments like these remind me of how perfectly aligned the universe is. We may have war, famine, disease, and climate change to battle... but compared to all the wonders of the world, these begin to feel like minor obstacles.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Stereotypes smashed
Back in August, I wrote an entry in the Classroom Canada Teachers Blog about The Top 10 Reasons I Can't Wait to Move to London. It was a response to the negativity I'd been receiving from certain people who couldn't understand why I would want to move somewhere so expensive, with such lousy weather, stuck up people, and bland food. So I said, "cost, people, weather, and food be damned." At least I was taking this risk and going on this adventure, which is a lot more than most people can ever claim.
Well, I've been living here for nearly two months now, and all my reasons for moving here are holding strong. But I'd like to add four more: the cost, the people, the weather, and the food.
The Cost
I'm not going to lie: some things here are very expensive. Namely, rent and transportation. I live in a small room with no kitchen or bathroom of my own and I pay £485/month for it -- if I lived in a real flat, it would cost a lot more. I don't even want to think about how much it costs for me to get around. But I'm willing to forgive these things, because I live in an incredible location that allows me to walk a lot of places, and my standard of living is really quite high because of it. On the flip side, there are things that can be very cheap if you know where to look. Namely, food, clothes, and entertainment. Since those are the items I traditionally spend the bulk of my money on, this is a very good thing.
The People
I like the people here. They have generally been friendly and lively yet unobtrusive. That's my style.
The Weather
The weather so far has been amazing. While my friends and family back home are already complaining of cold and snow, London is holding strong at 15-20 degrees celcius nearly every day (it's currently 18). It's overcast a lot of the time, but I'm discovering that I really like it that way.
The Food
Oh my god, the food. Traditional English food may not be terrifically exciting, but it's actually more difficult to find traditional English food than it is to find any number of other interesting cuisines. The biggest difference between here and North America? The ingredients. I am continuously blown away by how fresh, tasty, and healthy the ingredients are and how few chemicals I'm consuming. Even "fast food" (I'm addicted to Eat. and Pret A Manger). It's incredible. Food here a whole different experience.
So, in short, I'm still loving London. I'm sure none of you are surprised, but I just had to put that out there.
Well, I've been living here for nearly two months now, and all my reasons for moving here are holding strong. But I'd like to add four more: the cost, the people, the weather, and the food.
The Cost
I'm not going to lie: some things here are very expensive. Namely, rent and transportation. I live in a small room with no kitchen or bathroom of my own and I pay £485/month for it -- if I lived in a real flat, it would cost a lot more. I don't even want to think about how much it costs for me to get around. But I'm willing to forgive these things, because I live in an incredible location that allows me to walk a lot of places, and my standard of living is really quite high because of it. On the flip side, there are things that can be very cheap if you know where to look. Namely, food, clothes, and entertainment. Since those are the items I traditionally spend the bulk of my money on, this is a very good thing.
The People
I like the people here. They have generally been friendly and lively yet unobtrusive. That's my style.
The Weather
The weather so far has been amazing. While my friends and family back home are already complaining of cold and snow, London is holding strong at 15-20 degrees celcius nearly every day (it's currently 18). It's overcast a lot of the time, but I'm discovering that I really like it that way.
The Food
Oh my god, the food. Traditional English food may not be terrifically exciting, but it's actually more difficult to find traditional English food than it is to find any number of other interesting cuisines. The biggest difference between here and North America? The ingredients. I am continuously blown away by how fresh, tasty, and healthy the ingredients are and how few chemicals I'm consuming. Even "fast food" (I'm addicted to Eat. and Pret A Manger). It's incredible. Food here a whole different experience.
So, in short, I'm still loving London. I'm sure none of you are surprised, but I just had to put that out there.
Monday, October 26, 2009
I guess I'm... not actually on vacation
Apparently I'm working this week, after all. Tomorrow and Thursday in a nursery, one-to-one with a boy who has Autism. Yay money! And I still have a fair chunk of time to do stuff around the city (albeit not at the snail's pace I'm currently moving at). And it's 10-5, so no getting up crazy early. I can deal with this.
I'll be there Monday and Tuesday of next week, too, before my contract at the other school starts.
Part of me is going to miss supply work.
I'll be there Monday and Tuesday of next week, too, before my contract at the other school starts.
Part of me is going to miss supply work.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Post script
I decided to move on from the magazine for a while and sketch my stunningly beautiful friend Natalia (who also has a lot to do with me developing my visual side). Sorry the photo of my drawing is such crap quality, but you get the idea.
Now that I'm able to see the two side by side, I can definitely see ways to improve it. I should try doing this kind of compare more often!
Now that I'm able to see the two side by side, I can definitely see ways to improve it. I should try doing this kind of compare more often!
Saying a whole lot of everything and nothing
On the timeline of my life, dancing (the artistic pursuit I tend to be best known for today) has only just barely stumbled out of its infancy. As a child, although I may have taken the odd class here and there, I was very much not a dancer. Evidence of my interest in drawing, however, dates back to the prehistoric age (and is still being dug up by paleontologists today). The trouble is that I never developed it. I was too innately drawn to activities that are more social in nature, and so I focused on singing and drama (and later, dance) instead.
Over the past few months, I've been slowly reintroduced to drawing. It started at Long Bay Camp, where I had the great fortune of spending several weeks teaching drama and musical theatre this summer. As an arts camp, Long Bay runs four simultaneous tracks in any given session: drama, dance, music, and visual art. When I wasn't busy teaching, I found myself producing vast quantities of art. It's amazing what one will do, given the right tools, an abundance of free time, and a lack of internet connection.
Fast forward to the past two weeks and you'll find me happily sketching alongside psychiatric hospital residents; as part of my work at the hospital school, I got to partake in drawing, pottery, singing, dancing, and drama (and you wondered why I loved it there so much).
Fast forward to the past two days and you'll find me with my brand new sketchbook and drawing pencils, madly copying images out of a magazine. Here's the latest one:
I'm enjoying this drawing thing quite a bit. But I've also noticed something... I've somehow gotten better at it since I last picked up a pencil. Over the past few years of working on my dancing, I've trained myself to see the overall effect of something, then look again at all its fundamental parts, then look again (many times over) and pick out minutiae--lather, rinse, repeat--all the while, doing my best to imitate and compare. I've had to do this in order to pick up choreographies and adopt new movement styles, and as a result, it has made me an increasingly visual person in my daily life. But not only has it improved my observation skills, it has also created a stronger link between my visual cues and my motor skills (monkey see, monkey do!). I guess it makes sense that it would also have an impact on my drawing.
I'm not sure what my next steps will be. I'm not where I want to be yet in terms of accuracy. I should, perhaps, work on some drawing techniques involving geometric shapes et al., but I don't seem to have much patience for that. I like freehand. And now that I've said that, I realize that I sound a lot like some of my beginner-intermediate dance students... so maybe I really should take some steps back and look at the fundamentals. But anyway, although I'm only imitating for the moment, I'm learning a lot through the process, and it's nice to imagine a day when I will be able to combine technique with my own individual style.
That, right there, is the sweet spot for any artistic medium, and I seem to be hitting it in reverse order. Although I will never stop working on it, I've been there with my dancing for a while. I'm just now starting to get there with singing, despite having begun voice training at the age of 8. And now, when it comes to the art form I have arguably been doing the longest, I'm beginning to see bits and pieces of it peeking out over a distant horizon.
Of course, I count myself lucky that I can even fathom that sweet spot in any respect. It is one of the greatest joys in life that I know. That's why I teach in the arts... to share that. It's good to know that teaching can bring new pieces of that joy back to me.
Over the past few months, I've been slowly reintroduced to drawing. It started at Long Bay Camp, where I had the great fortune of spending several weeks teaching drama and musical theatre this summer. As an arts camp, Long Bay runs four simultaneous tracks in any given session: drama, dance, music, and visual art. When I wasn't busy teaching, I found myself producing vast quantities of art. It's amazing what one will do, given the right tools, an abundance of free time, and a lack of internet connection.
Fast forward to the past two weeks and you'll find me happily sketching alongside psychiatric hospital residents; as part of my work at the hospital school, I got to partake in drawing, pottery, singing, dancing, and drama (and you wondered why I loved it there so much).
Fast forward to the past two days and you'll find me with my brand new sketchbook and drawing pencils, madly copying images out of a magazine. Here's the latest one:
I'm enjoying this drawing thing quite a bit. But I've also noticed something... I've somehow gotten better at it since I last picked up a pencil. Over the past few years of working on my dancing, I've trained myself to see the overall effect of something, then look again at all its fundamental parts, then look again (many times over) and pick out minutiae--lather, rinse, repeat--all the while, doing my best to imitate and compare. I've had to do this in order to pick up choreographies and adopt new movement styles, and as a result, it has made me an increasingly visual person in my daily life. But not only has it improved my observation skills, it has also created a stronger link between my visual cues and my motor skills (monkey see, monkey do!). I guess it makes sense that it would also have an impact on my drawing.
I'm not sure what my next steps will be. I'm not where I want to be yet in terms of accuracy. I should, perhaps, work on some drawing techniques involving geometric shapes et al., but I don't seem to have much patience for that. I like freehand. And now that I've said that, I realize that I sound a lot like some of my beginner-intermediate dance students... so maybe I really should take some steps back and look at the fundamentals. But anyway, although I'm only imitating for the moment, I'm learning a lot through the process, and it's nice to imagine a day when I will be able to combine technique with my own individual style.
That, right there, is the sweet spot for any artistic medium, and I seem to be hitting it in reverse order. Although I will never stop working on it, I've been there with my dancing for a while. I'm just now starting to get there with singing, despite having begun voice training at the age of 8. And now, when it comes to the art form I have arguably been doing the longest, I'm beginning to see bits and pieces of it peeking out over a distant horizon.
Of course, I count myself lucky that I can even fathom that sweet spot in any respect. It is one of the greatest joys in life that I know. That's why I teach in the arts... to share that. It's good to know that teaching can bring new pieces of that joy back to me.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
I've finally done it!
It took a little longer than I expected, but I finally have a full-time, long-term job! I'll be working in a lovely little mainstream school with a girl in Year 2 who has Global Delay (she was born very prematurely and it messed up her development, so she learns very slowly). I haven't had a chance to meet her yet, but I hear she's a little spitfire! :)
I don't know yet exactly when it'll start. It depends on when the other TA decides to leave. Her notice runs until the 13th but she may well want to leave earlier... and there'll be a hand over period where I get to go in and shadow her. I must say, one of the really nice things about this job is I'm actually going to have some real resources! In addition to shadowing, I'm going to be meeting with the special needs coordinator, the speech language pathologist, etc. That's going to be a big change from not being given any preparation and just figuring things out on the fly.
The only sad part is not being able to go back to the psychiatric hospital school. I love that place so much. I'm crossing my fingers I get to go back at least one last time before I start my new placement.
Now, that's enough thinking about work. It's half-term break time! As Jodi said, it feels weird to be on vacation already when I've barely even begun working, but it's going to be so nice to have a break from wondering if I'm going to be working each day.
I don't know yet exactly when it'll start. It depends on when the other TA decides to leave. Her notice runs until the 13th but she may well want to leave earlier... and there'll be a hand over period where I get to go in and shadow her. I must say, one of the really nice things about this job is I'm actually going to have some real resources! In addition to shadowing, I'm going to be meeting with the special needs coordinator, the speech language pathologist, etc. That's going to be a big change from not being given any preparation and just figuring things out on the fly.
The only sad part is not being able to go back to the psychiatric hospital school. I love that place so much. I'm crossing my fingers I get to go back at least one last time before I start my new placement.
Now, that's enough thinking about work. It's half-term break time! As Jodi said, it feels weird to be on vacation already when I've barely even begun working, but it's going to be so nice to have a break from wondering if I'm going to be working each day.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
People, events, and ideas
They say that small minds discuss people, average minds discuss events, and great minds discuss ideas. I like to think of myself as having a great mind (or at least an above average mind), and yet lately I've been trapped in writing about events. I have ideas brewing, but I can't get them out. Why is that, I wonder?
As an update to yesterday's post, I decided to leave the work thing up to fate. If I had gotten a call this morning, I would have gone in. But since I didn't, I kept right on sleeping (rather than option B, which would have been for me to call them at 7 am and thus raise my chances of getting work). The ColdFX and various medications I'm taking seem to be doing their job, though. As a rule, I never take medication -- it says a lot about my desire to be working that I rushed out to get some last night. Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better and should be totally fine by tomorrow. Which is great, 'cause I'm slated to go back to the psychiatric hospital school.
As an update to yesterday's post, I decided to leave the work thing up to fate. If I had gotten a call this morning, I would have gone in. But since I didn't, I kept right on sleeping (rather than option B, which would have been for me to call them at 7 am and thus raise my chances of getting work). The ColdFX and various medications I'm taking seem to be doing their job, though. As a rule, I never take medication -- it says a lot about my desire to be working that I rushed out to get some last night. Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better and should be totally fine by tomorrow. Which is great, 'cause I'm slated to go back to the psychiatric hospital school.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
This little piggy went to market...
Well, it's official... I'm sick. Probably with the flu. THIS IS BAD!!! I need to work as much as possible this week, since next week we're off with half term break.
And even though I've been feeling overconfident since this whole swine flu thing came about, now I can't stop thinking: what if I have swine flu and it kills me? Silly, I know. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
Anyway, what do you do when you're desperate for cash but you're sick with the flu? I could probably suck it up and get through the day(s) but... I work with kids. At lots of different schools. I'd feel awful if I infected half the city.
And even though I've been feeling overconfident since this whole swine flu thing came about, now I can't stop thinking: what if I have swine flu and it kills me? Silly, I know. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
Anyway, what do you do when you're desperate for cash but you're sick with the flu? I could probably suck it up and get through the day(s) but... I work with kids. At lots of different schools. I'd feel awful if I infected half the city.
Friday, October 16, 2009
To do list: half-term break
Schools run year-round in the UK, so we benefit from quite a few 1-2 week breaks throughout the year. The first one is coming up at the end of October. Although I had originally planned on going to Italy, I haven't worked enough yet to be able to afford a holiday so I'll be sticking around London. Thankfully, there are quite a few cool things that can be done here for free, or at least cheap.
Things I'd like to do over half-term break
- British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Modern, and Science Museum (all free)
- Kensington Gardens (free)
- Borough Market (free, if I can control myself)
- Rent a paddle boat in Regent's Park (not sure how much, but it can't be too expensive)
- Exhibition and Globe Theatre Tour (£10.50, or £8.50 if I can convince them I'm a student)
- Sit in on a trial at the Old Bailey (free)
- Find a nice spot to do some writing and drawing (free, plus cost of art supplies)
- Attend some workshops at the University College London (free)
- Go on a walking tour (£7, or £5 if I can convince them I'm a student)
- Learn stonemasonry (£10, or £8)
If you're going to be in London and would like to join me for any of this, or you have some ideas of your own, please let me know!
Things I'd like to do over half-term break
- British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Modern, and Science Museum (all free)
- Kensington Gardens (free)
- Borough Market (free, if I can control myself)
- Rent a paddle boat in Regent's Park (not sure how much, but it can't be too expensive)
- Exhibition and Globe Theatre Tour (£10.50, or £8.50 if I can convince them I'm a student)
- Sit in on a trial at the Old Bailey (free)
- Find a nice spot to do some writing and drawing (free, plus cost of art supplies)
- Attend some workshops at the University College London (free)
- Go on a walking tour (£7, or £5 if I can convince them I'm a student)
- Learn stonemasonry (£10, or £8)
If you're going to be in London and would like to join me for any of this, or you have some ideas of your own, please let me know!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Namaste
My training with Rainbow Kids Yoga is paying off! I fired off an application today to be a freelance creative yoga instructor with Bigfoot Arts Education and, not a minute later, I received an invitation to their interview and selection day on November 6th. I'm not sure whether it was just glaringly obvious at a glance that I'm a perfect fit or whether they're inviting everyone who applies, but either way... woohoo!!!
I'm really excited about this opportunity, and about Bigfoot in general. The kind of stuff they do is right up my alley.
So now I have 3 weeks to come up some ideas for teaching each of their 6 sections:
- Arrive & centre
- Warm-up story
- Partner work
- Relaxation & reflection time
- Storytelling
- Group work
Shouldn't be too hard, but I'm glad I have a 420 page manual to help me.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Land of many sheep
Photo recap from my trip to Wales, as promised. I hope no one's on dial-up.
First stop was Stonehenge. I didn't see the point in paying to stand a little closer, so I took a few quick shots from the road and then we went along on our merry way.
Next, we came across this river with a bunch of neat boats that people actually live in. Naturally (my dad being shutterbug that he is), we stopped to take pictures.
Lunch was in Bibury, England. The houses are so cute, our guide book actually reminded us not to peep in the windows because people do still live there.
Eleven hours after setting out, we finally arrived at our hotel.
The next day, we set off to see my grandfather's hometown of Dolgellau. It was a really neat little town with cheap shopping.
Afterward, we visited the ruins of an abbey.
The ruins were right next to a trailer park. The juxtaposition was just too good to pass up.
On the road again, we randomly bumped into the town of Barmouth, which I found to be reminiscent of Coney Island. They had amusement park rides and colourful, kitschy shops all along the harbour. I didn't get any good shots of those things, sadly, but I did get these...
We stopped for lunch in this lovely little nautical-themed cafe.
Bryn is the Welsh word for hill (and as you can see from the other photos, there are LOTS of hills in Wales), so my name was plastered on signs every which way I looked.
Next stop, a castle!
On our way back to London the next day, we ventured down through South Wales and stopped in Cardiff. Cardiff actually reminds me a lot of Canada (a hybrid of Quebec City and Vancouver) with its wide streets and large, relatively modern buildings.
I picked up a colouring book and markers so that I could colour the rest of the way home.
And off we drove into the sunset.
Things the pictures don't show you:
- There are sheep everywhere you look in North Wales, and they are all spray painted.
- It is impossible to go out for supper or Sunday Roast in Wales unless you have a reservation.
- The roads (especially the "B" roads) are scary as hell. I spent most of my time in the car fearing for my life. They are extremely narrow (in some cases, only one lane for both directions) winding roads with no shoulders (you're right up against stone walls, trees, and/or cliffs). Not to mention, we were driving on the "wrong" side of the road.
- The roads are also often covered by a canopy of trees. It's very pretty.
First stop was Stonehenge. I didn't see the point in paying to stand a little closer, so I took a few quick shots from the road and then we went along on our merry way.
Next, we came across this river with a bunch of neat boats that people actually live in. Naturally (my dad being shutterbug that he is), we stopped to take pictures.
Lunch was in Bibury, England. The houses are so cute, our guide book actually reminded us not to peep in the windows because people do still live there.
Eleven hours after setting out, we finally arrived at our hotel.
The next day, we set off to see my grandfather's hometown of Dolgellau. It was a really neat little town with cheap shopping.
Afterward, we visited the ruins of an abbey.
The ruins were right next to a trailer park. The juxtaposition was just too good to pass up.
On the road again, we randomly bumped into the town of Barmouth, which I found to be reminiscent of Coney Island. They had amusement park rides and colourful, kitschy shops all along the harbour. I didn't get any good shots of those things, sadly, but I did get these...
We stopped for lunch in this lovely little nautical-themed cafe.
Bryn is the Welsh word for hill (and as you can see from the other photos, there are LOTS of hills in Wales), so my name was plastered on signs every which way I looked.
Next stop, a castle!
On our way back to London the next day, we ventured down through South Wales and stopped in Cardiff. Cardiff actually reminds me a lot of Canada (a hybrid of Quebec City and Vancouver) with its wide streets and large, relatively modern buildings.
I picked up a colouring book and markers so that I could colour the rest of the way home.
And off we drove into the sunset.
Things the pictures don't show you:
- There are sheep everywhere you look in North Wales, and they are all spray painted.
- It is impossible to go out for supper or Sunday Roast in Wales unless you have a reservation.
- The roads (especially the "B" roads) are scary as hell. I spent most of my time in the car fearing for my life. They are extremely narrow (in some cases, only one lane for both directions) winding roads with no shoulders (you're right up against stone walls, trees, and/or cliffs). Not to mention, we were driving on the "wrong" side of the road.
- The roads are also often covered by a canopy of trees. It's very pretty.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Cymru Am Byth
I'm sipping delicious hot chocolate by a warm, sweet-smelling fire in North Wales. This moment could not be more perfect. Well, it could. But not without difficulty.
I have always wanted to visit Wales. My grandfather grew up here, in a town called Dolgellau. Aside from being absolutely lovely, I feel as though I now know myself and my family a little better.
I promise stories and pictures when I get back to London, though perhaps not for a few days. Work has picked up (hurray!) and I have trial days on Monday and Tuesday for a possible long-term (albeit part time) position in an Autistic unit. I'm also booked in a hospital school on Thursday, and I'm optimistic for Wednesday and Friday. I've started getting offers for work every morning that I wasn't already booked.
Thank goodness.
I have always wanted to visit Wales. My grandfather grew up here, in a town called Dolgellau. Aside from being absolutely lovely, I feel as though I now know myself and my family a little better.
I promise stories and pictures when I get back to London, though perhaps not for a few days. Work has picked up (hurray!) and I have trial days on Monday and Tuesday for a possible long-term (albeit part time) position in an Autistic unit. I'm also booked in a hospital school on Thursday, and I'm optimistic for Wednesday and Friday. I've started getting offers for work every morning that I wasn't already booked.
Thank goodness.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Homesick? Nope
Many of the expatriates around me feel homesick. So far, I am immune. There are a few people I miss, and wish it were easier to keep in touch with them... but I actually feel quite at home in London. There are likely a few reasons for this:
1. I am a nomad at heart
Every few years, I get the itch to pick up and move somewhere. It's actually more difficult for me to stay than it is to go. Must be my viking blood.
2. I am lucky enough to have a far-reaching social network
I have connections with many different types of people in London. The two most important groups for me so far have been folks connected to the dance scene and other people from my agency. I have a good mix of locals, Canadians in the same boat as me, and people from elsewhere who are here for their own reasons. It makes a really big difference.
3. I haven't just left my family
My family is spread far and wide, and both my parents were already living thousands of kilometers away from me (in different directions). I'm used to being on my own, and I'm probably going to see them just as often now as I did before. In fact, my dad will be here next week (and I can't wait!).
4. Ottawa really isn't all that different from London
There are some obvious differences: size, population, accents, fashion sense... but ultimately, the two cities are as similar as cities across the ocean from each other can get.
English-speaking (with some French... Parisians are everywhere here), multicultural, Gothic style capital cities with plenty of festivals, changing of the guard ceremonies, green space, mixed architecture, and a long brown river/canal running through their core. London is really just Ottawa on speed.
5. I've been waiting for this most of my life
I've always wanted to live and travel in Europe; most especially these past few years. I'm also a big city girl at heart. I love the crowds, the fast pace, the diversity, the anonymity, and the bottomless well of possibilities. Besides, there are so many big, beautiful parks here, it's easy to step into one and completely forget you're in the middle of a bustling city.
I do miss coaching my dance team, having a car when I need it (though not driving it or the hassle that goes with owning one), and coffee/adventures with my Ottawa friends. I miss Quebecois French and Montreal bagels and poutine and proper sized fridges and Jane's Meal Maker chicken. But this is my home now, and I embrace its inexpensive yet tasty cheeses, snowless winters, funny police hats, winding streets, and hot-as-sin metro system.
I like London. And so far, London seems to like me.
1. I am a nomad at heart
Every few years, I get the itch to pick up and move somewhere. It's actually more difficult for me to stay than it is to go. Must be my viking blood.
2. I am lucky enough to have a far-reaching social network
I have connections with many different types of people in London. The two most important groups for me so far have been folks connected to the dance scene and other people from my agency. I have a good mix of locals, Canadians in the same boat as me, and people from elsewhere who are here for their own reasons. It makes a really big difference.
3. I haven't just left my family
My family is spread far and wide, and both my parents were already living thousands of kilometers away from me (in different directions). I'm used to being on my own, and I'm probably going to see them just as often now as I did before. In fact, my dad will be here next week (and I can't wait!).
4. Ottawa really isn't all that different from London
There are some obvious differences: size, population, accents, fashion sense... but ultimately, the two cities are as similar as cities across the ocean from each other can get.
English-speaking (with some French... Parisians are everywhere here), multicultural, Gothic style capital cities with plenty of festivals, changing of the guard ceremonies, green space, mixed architecture, and a long brown river/canal running through their core. London is really just Ottawa on speed.
5. I've been waiting for this most of my life
I've always wanted to live and travel in Europe; most especially these past few years. I'm also a big city girl at heart. I love the crowds, the fast pace, the diversity, the anonymity, and the bottomless well of possibilities. Besides, there are so many big, beautiful parks here, it's easy to step into one and completely forget you're in the middle of a bustling city.
I do miss coaching my dance team, having a car when I need it (though not driving it or the hassle that goes with owning one), and coffee/adventures with my Ottawa friends. I miss Quebecois French and Montreal bagels and poutine and proper sized fridges and Jane's Meal Maker chicken. But this is my home now, and I embrace its inexpensive yet tasty cheeses, snowless winters, funny police hats, winding streets, and hot-as-sin metro system.
I like London. And so far, London seems to like me.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
A little bit of masochism, a little bit of voyeurism
Finally made it out to a West Coast Swing night. My westie friends weren't kidding when they said there are great dancers here! My toe is really angry with me for dancing on it all night, but I say it was worth it. Even if I can't walk today.
I realize that a lot of my readers aren't dancers, so I thought I'd embed a few sample clips here to give you a rough idea of the various dances I've been talking about.
West Coast Swing
Parker Dearborn and Melissa Rutz dancing in a jack & jill competition (random partners, improvised dancing). Melissa Rutz is pretty much my favourite West Coast Swing follow ever. I love her style and energy. Watch to the end if you can.
Blues
A bunch of cool people performing a sweet team routine at BluesSHOUT! 2009. I'm happy to say I was there to see this live.
Linked rather than embedded because it was captured in widescreen and was messing with my layout
Lindy Hop
Todd & Kelly facing off against Skye & Frida in the mid-tempo competition (also improvised, to live music) at the 2008 Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown. Not a super great quality video, but I think it captures the dance really well.
And just for good measure, because it's really fun to watch, here's some capoeira. I don't know the people involved, I just want to be them when I grow up.
I realize that a lot of my readers aren't dancers, so I thought I'd embed a few sample clips here to give you a rough idea of the various dances I've been talking about.
West Coast Swing
Parker Dearborn and Melissa Rutz dancing in a jack & jill competition (random partners, improvised dancing). Melissa Rutz is pretty much my favourite West Coast Swing follow ever. I love her style and energy. Watch to the end if you can.
Blues
A bunch of cool people performing a sweet team routine at BluesSHOUT! 2009. I'm happy to say I was there to see this live.
Linked rather than embedded because it was captured in widescreen and was messing with my layout
Lindy Hop
Todd & Kelly facing off against Skye & Frida in the mid-tempo competition (also improvised, to live music) at the 2008 Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown. Not a super great quality video, but I think it captures the dance really well.
And just for good measure, because it's really fun to watch, here's some capoeira. I don't know the people involved, I just want to be them when I grow up.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
So this is what they were talking about
Yesterday, I had my first experience in a mainstream school. I was working in the Speech & Language department, which is still special needs (learning support), but the kids seemed pretty normal to me. I guess everything is relative. After working with kids who can barely communicate, feed themselves, or go to the toilet on their own, kids who just have a bit of a harder time retaining information seem like downright geniuses to me.
The culture shock didn't end there, though. This school was enormous! Nearly 1500 students vs. maybe 50-100 at the others. It was completely chaotic.
First period, I helped out in a history lesson for students who had been pulled out of regular classes. They were talking about the slave trade, which was actually really interesting. I kept flashing back to The Book of Negroes (one of the best books ever - if you haven't read it, you should) while we went through the lesson, as pretty much everything we were talking about was chronicled in the book.
Second period, I was told I was supposed to be working with a couple of the boys from my first class, but they weren't in the room I was told they'd be in. They were, in fact, in French class. But they weren't supposed to be in French class, and when we finally found them, they came in with another teacher from Classroom who said he was meant to be working with them. So instead, I tutored two other boys... one of whom spent most of the time trying to set me up with his dad: "Miss, you are so beautiful. Have you got a boyfriend? Would you like me to find you one? My dad hasn't got a girlfriend. He was in a rock band. I'm going to tell my dad I found him a beautiful Canadian girl." Hilarious but a bit awkward.
Third (and last) period, I was in a regular Year 8 maths class as one on one support for one of the boys. I'm still not sure why I was there, since he didn't seem to need or want my help. I did my best to keep him on task and let him know I was there for him, but wound up spending most of my time helping out another boy who did genuinely want to learn. It was a bit of a challenge at first, since I barely remember how to do any math, but once the teacher explained it, I understood immediately. Which makes me wonder if maybe I should pick up some math workbooks and retrain myself. I may actually be decently good at it this time around.
Anyway, being in that class was certainly an enlightening experience. I've heard all this talk about how unruly classrooms in Britain are, but I hadn't experienced it yet for myself. I couldn't believe my eyes as I watched the class spent the entire period calling out, throwing paper balls, breaking and throwing pencil crayons, chatting, and fighting each other. The teacher had no control. I don't think he handled the situation very well, but then I imagine it must be really difficult to deal with that every day. How do you handle that? Not just in practical terms, but I mean, how do you handle the stress? How do you not let it wear you down, and have it turn you into a lesser teacher? I noticed that the teachers at my last school had become quite jaded, as well. How do you guard against that?
And how can I, as a temporary TA, help? I'm still learning how everything works over here, and of course it doesn't help that every school and every teacher has different rules and methods. I continually find myself in the awkward situation of trying to manage all the behavioural issues without actually knowing how they want them handled or what my boundaries and responsibilities are. I've kicked my observational skills into high gear and I'm learning a lot as I go along, but I long for a long-term placement where I can start to feel more in control.
The culture shock didn't end there, though. This school was enormous! Nearly 1500 students vs. maybe 50-100 at the others. It was completely chaotic.
First period, I helped out in a history lesson for students who had been pulled out of regular classes. They were talking about the slave trade, which was actually really interesting. I kept flashing back to The Book of Negroes (one of the best books ever - if you haven't read it, you should) while we went through the lesson, as pretty much everything we were talking about was chronicled in the book.
Second period, I was told I was supposed to be working with a couple of the boys from my first class, but they weren't in the room I was told they'd be in. They were, in fact, in French class. But they weren't supposed to be in French class, and when we finally found them, they came in with another teacher from Classroom who said he was meant to be working with them. So instead, I tutored two other boys... one of whom spent most of the time trying to set me up with his dad: "Miss, you are so beautiful. Have you got a boyfriend? Would you like me to find you one? My dad hasn't got a girlfriend. He was in a rock band. I'm going to tell my dad I found him a beautiful Canadian girl." Hilarious but a bit awkward.
Third (and last) period, I was in a regular Year 8 maths class as one on one support for one of the boys. I'm still not sure why I was there, since he didn't seem to need or want my help. I did my best to keep him on task and let him know I was there for him, but wound up spending most of my time helping out another boy who did genuinely want to learn. It was a bit of a challenge at first, since I barely remember how to do any math, but once the teacher explained it, I understood immediately. Which makes me wonder if maybe I should pick up some math workbooks and retrain myself. I may actually be decently good at it this time around.
Anyway, being in that class was certainly an enlightening experience. I've heard all this talk about how unruly classrooms in Britain are, but I hadn't experienced it yet for myself. I couldn't believe my eyes as I watched the class spent the entire period calling out, throwing paper balls, breaking and throwing pencil crayons, chatting, and fighting each other. The teacher had no control. I don't think he handled the situation very well, but then I imagine it must be really difficult to deal with that every day. How do you handle that? Not just in practical terms, but I mean, how do you handle the stress? How do you not let it wear you down, and have it turn you into a lesser teacher? I noticed that the teachers at my last school had become quite jaded, as well. How do you guard against that?
And how can I, as a temporary TA, help? I'm still learning how everything works over here, and of course it doesn't help that every school and every teacher has different rules and methods. I continually find myself in the awkward situation of trying to manage all the behavioural issues without actually knowing how they want them handled or what my boundaries and responsibilities are. I've kicked my observational skills into high gear and I'm learning a lot as I go along, but I long for a long-term placement where I can start to feel more in control.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Beautiful days
The weather here in London has been absolutely glorious the past few days. I hope I don't jinx it by writing that, but so far the daily forecast has been holding steady at 20ish degrees and sunny.
So what does one do on beautiful, sunny weekend days in London? Walk, of course! I've done so much walking since I got here, I think my legs are preparing to fall off.
Yesterday, I wandered over to Holborn to meet up with my friend Christine. We walked down to the Thames, across to the Big Ben, up through Trafalgar Square to Covent Garden, and back again. An EiD festival was happening in Trafalgar Square, and this random Dame Edna lookalike was there juggling.
Later on in the evening, we got together again for a light dinner and off we went to Down Home Blues, followed by an after party at Charlotte Street Blues. Great night.
Today, we headed over to the Regent Street Festival, which wasn't nearly as big or exciting as the Thames Festival, but still a nice way to kill a bit of time on a Sunday afternoon. They had a carousel and a ferris wheel that went at least 50% faster than the ones at Carnivale (which were already the fastest I'd ever seen, by far).
After spending a good deal of time in the National Geographic store and being joined by Kirbie, we decided to wander over to Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, where Jodi and Tyson were hanging out. We got a little distracted on the way by this awesome street art. Shiny!
At Speakers Corner, this crazy lady was rambling on and on about how all non-English people should go back to their home countries. I offered a rough translation to a couple of French tourists standing behind me, and also chatted up this Free Hugs guy...
I guessed correctly that he was from Scotland. My ear for accents is improving! Meanwhile, I'm still amazed by how many people think I'm Australian.
Ahhh, London. Never a dull moment.
PS - As though that weren't already enough excitement for the day, when I got home, I finally found the legendary Benito's Hat burrito place. Mexican food has never tasted this good.
So what does one do on beautiful, sunny weekend days in London? Walk, of course! I've done so much walking since I got here, I think my legs are preparing to fall off.
Yesterday, I wandered over to Holborn to meet up with my friend Christine. We walked down to the Thames, across to the Big Ben, up through Trafalgar Square to Covent Garden, and back again. An EiD festival was happening in Trafalgar Square, and this random Dame Edna lookalike was there juggling.
Later on in the evening, we got together again for a light dinner and off we went to Down Home Blues, followed by an after party at Charlotte Street Blues. Great night.
Today, we headed over to the Regent Street Festival, which wasn't nearly as big or exciting as the Thames Festival, but still a nice way to kill a bit of time on a Sunday afternoon. They had a carousel and a ferris wheel that went at least 50% faster than the ones at Carnivale (which were already the fastest I'd ever seen, by far).
After spending a good deal of time in the National Geographic store and being joined by Kirbie, we decided to wander over to Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, where Jodi and Tyson were hanging out. We got a little distracted on the way by this awesome street art. Shiny!
At Speakers Corner, this crazy lady was rambling on and on about how all non-English people should go back to their home countries. I offered a rough translation to a couple of French tourists standing behind me, and also chatted up this Free Hugs guy...
I guessed correctly that he was from Scotland. My ear for accents is improving! Meanwhile, I'm still amazed by how many people think I'm Australian.
Ahhh, London. Never a dull moment.
PS - As though that weren't already enough excitement for the day, when I got home, I finally found the legendary Benito's Hat burrito place. Mexican food has never tasted this good.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
One toe short
This post was inspired by my friend Krista, who's dealing with a similar ailment.
A couple of months ago, in the midst of my yoga teacher training, I sprained two of my toes. This sucked, of course, because it meant I had difficulty participating in the remainder of the course. But at least I still had a car to help me get around, and I learned to suck it up and deal with the pain before long.
A few days ago, while getting up out of bed, I managed to break one of my nearly-healed toes. This sucks a lot more because I live in London where I need to walk a lot. And dance a lot. And work a lot with special needs students who have no qualms about crushing my toes.
But I'm still sucking it up and dealing with the pain (which is not limited to my toe, but cramping up my calf as well), because life is not nearly as fulfilling without walking and dancing and working with special needs kids. Capoeira may need to be put on hold for a while longer, though, which is very sad indeed.
A couple of months ago, in the midst of my yoga teacher training, I sprained two of my toes. This sucked, of course, because it meant I had difficulty participating in the remainder of the course. But at least I still had a car to help me get around, and I learned to suck it up and deal with the pain before long.
A few days ago, while getting up out of bed, I managed to break one of my nearly-healed toes. This sucks a lot more because I live in London where I need to walk a lot. And dance a lot. And work a lot with special needs students who have no qualms about crushing my toes.
But I'm still sucking it up and dealing with the pain (which is not limited to my toe, but cramping up my calf as well), because life is not nearly as fulfilling without walking and dancing and working with special needs kids. Capoeira may need to be put on hold for a while longer, though, which is very sad indeed.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Think positive
I have deleted my last entry. Not because I don't think it's a good thing to acknowledge fear, sadness, and vulnerability... I do. That's why I wrote it to begin with. But living here and seeing how various people respond to this city have really brought to light the importance of positive thinking.
I received an early morning phone call yesterday that granted me two more days of work. I was at another special needs school, out on the edge of the Earth (aka Zone 4 - it cost me £10 and at least 3 hours round trip each day). This school was smaller and not as well-off, and the staff, although lovely, was not quite so upbeat. The students were also much more abled.
I could tell you a million stories about them, but I'm afraid I'm much too tired. Suffice it to say that I really love this type of work. It is so rewarding. And no matter how awful these children can sometimes be (because many of them have conditions that cause them to lash out), you can't help but love them.
I received an early morning phone call yesterday that granted me two more days of work. I was at another special needs school, out on the edge of the Earth (aka Zone 4 - it cost me £10 and at least 3 hours round trip each day). This school was smaller and not as well-off, and the staff, although lovely, was not quite so upbeat. The students were also much more abled.
I could tell you a million stories about them, but I'm afraid I'm much too tired. Suffice it to say that I really love this type of work. It is so rewarding. And no matter how awful these children can sometimes be (because many of them have conditions that cause them to lash out), you can't help but love them.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I could have danced all night... if only the tube didn't shut down so early
Ok, so here's the entry I promised about dancing in London. I think it was fate that it got delayed, because as of last night, I am feeling much better about it.
Blues
You already know from my cryptic references that things are going well in this arena. Damon Stone was here teaching a workshop a few days before I arrived (and fortunately, he stuck around for an extra week, so we got to dance and hang out). His workshop sold out two months in advance, despite blues dance being a relatively unknown thing in the UK. So it seems I have arrived at exactly the right time. Not only that, but I happened to move in just around the corner from their weekly venue. Coincidence or fate? I don't know, but I'm loving it. Anyway, Damon generously and unexpectedly mentioned my name to the organizers and, as a result, they expressed interest in working with me before I even arrived! They've included me in their meetings and discussions, asked me to teach (and conduct a teacher training), and just generally have been very open to what I have to offer. They're a brilliant bunch - very fun and smart about how they do things - and it has been a delight to work with them. I also get to teach my very first UK blues dance private lesson this evening. Looking forward to it.
Lindy hop
The lindy hop scene here is huge, and I've been trying to check out as much of it as I can. So far I've been to A Train out in Hammersmith, the 100 Club on Oxford (a 2 minute walk for me), and C Jam in Balham, as well as to a Tuesday night at Charlotte Street Blues, a swing dance picnic in Regent's Park, and an outdoor dance at the Thames Festival. All of it has been fun, but it wasn't until last night at C Jam when I was able to bust out with the kind of dancing I really wanted to do. I definitely want to make more of a habit of going, but it's a shame that it's so far and the tube shuts down so early.
Some interesting observations about the lindy hop scene here:
- Everyone seems to know Collegiate Shag and it's already been led on me a whole bunch of times. This is exceedingly uncommon everywhere I've danced in North America. I'm grateful to be one of the few North Americans who do actually dance it.
- It seems to be common practice here to dance more than one song in a row. Or at least, nearly every person I've danced with has asked me for more than one song in a row. I don't usually mind it... and definitely don't when I'm having a really good time dancing with somebody. It's also nice in that it ensures I spend more time dancing. But it also means I don't ever really get to take a break. As soon as I sit down, I am almost inevitably snatched up for another 2+ dances (which probably means the ratios are also more in the girls' favour here).
West Coast Swing
I haven't made it out to dance WCS yet. I tried on my first night here, but the night turned out to have been cancelled. I'm really eager to check it out soon, though, since I've heard so many good things about the scene.
Contemporary and Capoeira
I promised myself I'd start taking classes in these styles as soon as I arrived. I still haven't. Maybe next week?
Next on the (long term) dancing agenda:
- Find a dance partner (in addition to Jamie, because he's wonderful but rarely in town and already works with a couple of other people)... though I'm not exactly sure how to go about this
- Do some teaching and establish a (hopefully good) reputation
- Start spreading the idea that maybe, just maybe, the rest of Europe might benefit from having me teach in their cities :)
Here's hoping!
Blues
You already know from my cryptic references that things are going well in this arena. Damon Stone was here teaching a workshop a few days before I arrived (and fortunately, he stuck around for an extra week, so we got to dance and hang out). His workshop sold out two months in advance, despite blues dance being a relatively unknown thing in the UK. So it seems I have arrived at exactly the right time. Not only that, but I happened to move in just around the corner from their weekly venue. Coincidence or fate? I don't know, but I'm loving it. Anyway, Damon generously and unexpectedly mentioned my name to the organizers and, as a result, they expressed interest in working with me before I even arrived! They've included me in their meetings and discussions, asked me to teach (and conduct a teacher training), and just generally have been very open to what I have to offer. They're a brilliant bunch - very fun and smart about how they do things - and it has been a delight to work with them. I also get to teach my very first UK blues dance private lesson this evening. Looking forward to it.Lindy hop
The lindy hop scene here is huge, and I've been trying to check out as much of it as I can. So far I've been to A Train out in Hammersmith, the 100 Club on Oxford (a 2 minute walk for me), and C Jam in Balham, as well as to a Tuesday night at Charlotte Street Blues, a swing dance picnic in Regent's Park, and an outdoor dance at the Thames Festival. All of it has been fun, but it wasn't until last night at C Jam when I was able to bust out with the kind of dancing I really wanted to do. I definitely want to make more of a habit of going, but it's a shame that it's so far and the tube shuts down so early.
Some interesting observations about the lindy hop scene here:
- Everyone seems to know Collegiate Shag and it's already been led on me a whole bunch of times. This is exceedingly uncommon everywhere I've danced in North America. I'm grateful to be one of the few North Americans who do actually dance it.
- It seems to be common practice here to dance more than one song in a row. Or at least, nearly every person I've danced with has asked me for more than one song in a row. I don't usually mind it... and definitely don't when I'm having a really good time dancing with somebody. It's also nice in that it ensures I spend more time dancing. But it also means I don't ever really get to take a break. As soon as I sit down, I am almost inevitably snatched up for another 2+ dances (which probably means the ratios are also more in the girls' favour here).
West Coast Swing
I haven't made it out to dance WCS yet. I tried on my first night here, but the night turned out to have been cancelled. I'm really eager to check it out soon, though, since I've heard so many good things about the scene.
Contemporary and Capoeira
I promised myself I'd start taking classes in these styles as soon as I arrived. I still haven't. Maybe next week?
Next on the (long term) dancing agenda:
- Find a dance partner (in addition to Jamie, because he's wonderful but rarely in town and already works with a couple of other people)... though I'm not exactly sure how to go about this
- Do some teaching and establish a (hopefully good) reputation
- Start spreading the idea that maybe, just maybe, the rest of Europe might benefit from having me teach in their cities :)
Here's hoping!
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