Eleven days until I depart for Quebec. This time I don't know when I'll be coming back.
I previously attempted to keep some record of what I was up to during my first Canadian adventure and after a year of manic stress (the official term for a PGCE) with absolutely no time/inclination for blogging... I'm back!
You may recall I headed off to Quebec just over two years ago, to a town named Rivière-du-Loup and had a fabulous time teaching high school kids English. I worked about 18 hours a week and had various adventures with the other teaching assistants (Thanksgiving, Halloween and chalet adventures in Quebec, Chicago for Christmas, New York for Spring Break, the breadth of Canada over the summer ...not that the latter adventures made it on to here.)
Well, things have generally got a whole lot more serious. I tried applying for teaching jobs but didn't really want to get any offers as that would mean I had no excuse to run away. I took this to mean that if somehow I did find a job in these difficult times I would still want to run away and so the best course of action would be to head off to foreign lands for a third time (first being France in 2007).
I've got myself onto the Working Holiday Program, which is now called "International Experience Canada" (IEC) and no longer explains what it is about in the name so you'll just have to go read this if you're interested. I get to live and work in Canada for a whole year and if all goes well I shall be looking to apply for residency.
When I get there I will be doing something (role still to be determined) for AMH Canada, and before you get too excited I probably won't be allowed to play with the welders and the fire and the sharp bits of metal.
If I am going to become a real teacher at some point in the future I feel like a bit more life experience would be a good idea. Yes I've already lived in two foreign countries but I've always had the warm cocoon of education to protect me. From the age of four my life has gone: primary school, high school, two years of university in Sheffield, year abroad (France) teaching English in high schools, back to university, belated "gap-year" teaching English in a high school in Quebec, back to university to train to become a high school French teacher. Now I like education very much but I need to see if I like other things too. So. Welders it is then.
Like I said, things are a lot more serious. Not only am I hoping this year will lead to a) knowing what I want to do with my life and b) a permanent move to Quebec, but it is also getting pretty serious in the relationship area. I'm moving to a town I barely know in a foreign country, that speaks a foreign language and I'm moving in with my boyfriend, whose father I shall be working for (for three months to give me time to find my own job). The last two parts are, in theory, to help my move go more smoothly but sometimes I wonder if I might be taking on rather a lot all in one go. Most of the time I'm too excited to wonder about such things.
Also, I'll get to live with a dog. I spent years campaigning for my parents to buy my one and now I get a trial run before I am a real grown up and have to do things for myself for realz.
Final few weeks of England are passing quickly. Had a visit to Sheffield, shall be heading to London, been to the dentist and opticians, going to the hairdresser tomorrow, seeing my uncle and aunt on Friday, fitting in as much dancing as I can, making the most of my wonderful friend Sam being not so far away, seeing family friends. Oh yeah, and culling about half of my worldly belongings so as not to leave my parents with too much of my rubbish as I'm only taking two suitcases this time.
That reminds me: must check hand baggage allowance and check-in time. And go to sleep.
