New Plan

So, remember my rant about the Vogon-inspired visa process? The sands ran out of the hourglass on that front; there was just no way the whole process (which takes roughly a month) could be completed in time. The current teacher leaves at the end of term - which is around November 21 - and, naturally, the school wanted a time cushion to make the transition easier. With the mailman continuing to hold my police check hostage and the Chinese embassy still having no idea what I'm talking about when I ask about medical checks, it was looking like it wouldn't be sorted until sometime in mid-December. Needless to say, not an optimal outlook.

And so Plan B was born. Instead of going with a Z visa (which is the work visa), I'll be travelling to China on an L visa (which is a tourist visa). The process for the L visa was fairly simple; I just had to go to the visa centre (in my case, handily located right here in Montreal) and hand in the following:

• the complete visa application (which included a complete itinerary for my planned visit to China, including all the where, what, and when of travels)


• printed confirmation of hotel reservations


• printed receipt for airline tickets


• a passport sized picture of myself set against a white background


• my passport

On October 29th, I had my appointment and "fairly" simple turned out to be "ridiculously" simple. My mom drove me downtown and, honestly, I think finding a place to park may have been the hard part. Finding the office with little difficulty, we went and I pressed a button on a touch screen asking the reason for my visit. In customary waiting-room style, a small piece of paper popped out of the nearby printer with a number on it. Miracle of miracles, however, I'd barely sat down when it called. I went up to the window and handed the girl my paperwork. She looked it over and told me that since I'd requested such a lengthy stay - I'd figured I'd be optimisitic and asked for about three months - she'd need to check with the consulate and get approval before moving ahead. As such she had to TBD the time for pick up and - bam! - done. I could leave. 

Like I said, ridiculously simple.

A few hours later, the girl called me on my mom's cell phone (I was at the veterans' hospital painting a pumpkin with my grandfather) and let me know the consulate had already gotten back to them, approving a visa valid for forty days. All I had to do then was write a letter accepting the offered terms and agreeing to amend my trip accordingly. My sister went and picked up the visa yesterday. It cost $96CAD. 

I am now officially leaving for Beijing on Monday, November 10 - just five days away (*gulp*)!

Accordingly, I've moved to include Buffy in my denial binge watching. 

Vogons. Stupid, stupid Vogons.

So, Chinese visa. Pretty straight forward process:

• Step 1: The Chinese employes applies for a work permit license.  It takes 15 working days to process after submitting all the documents, including an original copy of a non-criminal record and a copy of a medical check issued by a medical center and accepted by the Chinese embassy. 
• Step 2: After getting work permit license, the Chinese employer needs to apply for an authorized invitation letter. The work permit license is necessary in this step. It takes 7 days to get it.
• Step 3: The Chinese employer delivers the work permit license and authorized invitation letter by express to you once we get them. You can receive both in 3-7 days.
• Step 4: You apply for a class Z visa at the nearest Chinese Embassy/Consulate, taking along the two certificates sent by the school. It will take one week to get Z visa.

The end. Easy as pie.

Turns out pie is a lot harder to pull off than you'd think.

The first hiccup came with the police check. I got it, no problem - had had it, in fact, for a few weeks so popping it in the mail was no big. Now, I couldn't afford to send it express (the cheapest was $79+tx) so I sent it regular post. On September 25. Last Tuesday (October 14), when it still proved MIA in the mail system, I sent a second one. The mailman hates me. Both are still somewhere in the system, holding the whole delightful process up. Grrr...

The second hiccup came with the medical check. The school says I need the medical check to be a particular form provided by the embassy and filled out by a pre-approved medical centre. No problem. Call the embassy. They tell me I don't need a medical check and thus can provide neither form nor doctor info.  So, I relay this to the school. The school responds by explaining the whole process in detail, telling me the why and how of each step, and reiterate that, yup, they need a medical check carried out with a specific form by a specific medical centre and that the embassy should provide both. So I email the embassy because, hey, maybe I explained it wrong and at least if it's in black-on-white type they can, I dunno, group think the answer or Google translate or something. The embassy emails me back two lines: "You do not need to provide your medical check. Ask your employer for more details." I forwarded this delightful thread to the school's HR chief and screamed into a pillow. *AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!*

So, in exactly one month I need to be standing in my new classroom teaching my batch of munchkins. And my visa process is still stalled on Step 1 thanks to Mr Mailman holding the police check hostage and the medical check being stuck in a bureaucratic logic circle.

Pie. What a bitch.

If you need me, I'll be binge watching Supernatural and ignoring the queasy knot in my stomach.

Preparation

So, I accepted the offer. I signed the contract. I mailed in the original version of the pain-in-the-butt-to-acquire police check (which, as I stuck it in the envelope, I realized wasn't for the vulnerable sector which worries me but I've stressed that I was mailing the same one I'd scanned and emailed so...we'll see - fingers crossed!). Now, now I wait.

I wait for the national holiday in China to be over. I wait for the school signed version of the contract to be emailed to me. I wait for the principal to get back to me with some more details about what will be my class so I get some more solid plans going. I wait for the school to receive the mailed police check. I wait for them to complete the process that will have the Chinese government sending me an invitation letter I'll need to submit with the other paperwork for my visa. I wait...I wait for things to become real, for it to seem like this is really going to happen.

The start date on the contract is November 10, but of course it's dependent on the visa being processed which in turn depends on the invitation letter being offered. *sigh* Bureaucracy. In the meantime, I've got three avenues of preparation to distract myself with:

AVENUE ONE: Packing!

It's a fun filled juggle between things I need to replace and things that won't be available in China, while keeping in mind airline checked baggage luggage limits and fees. *sigh* Teleportation, when it comes along, is going to be a huge success, guaranteed.

My shopping list so far includes:

• Three pairs of sneakers
• Two pairs of jeans
• Four deodorants
• Two average sized jars of peanut butter
• One cheap leather purse
• Three tubes of curl cream
• Two canisters of mousse
• One bottle of shampoo
• One bottle of conditioner
• One battery-operated alarm clock
• One tooth brush
• One carry-on sized suitcase

My bank account weeps just thinking about it. It comforts me to know my airfare, at least, will be refunded. Eventually.

AVENUE TWO: Lesson Planning

Last week I sent the BC curriculum for kindergarten to Bureau en Gros to print and have coil-bound. It came in just the other day and I plan to go through it with post-its at the ready to make what notes come to mind. My planning generally tends to start with a topic or a theme, something I can use as a connecting thread that will also stimulate and engage the students. Use the topic as a starting point to find books, storybooks usually, I can read to the kiddies and then look to see how I can bring in other learning expectations from the curriculum. It's a process, what can I say?

Unfortunately, before I can really get into the planning, I need to first get a sense of where I'll be starting, which means knowing what's already been covered and how. I've sent an email to the principal asking for that information, and if possible the corresponding plans, but the national holiday currently happening in China means it'll be a bit before I get a response.

AVENUE THREE: Getting to know Beijing

Do you know what moving to London taught me? Getting to know your city is important. It takes time and first-hand experience, but going in lacking the common language and minus anything overtly familiar...yup, it's time to hit the Google.

Which, incidentally, isn't something you can do in China. The Great Firewall of China is the name given to China's internet censorship which blocks access to oodles of North American sites including (and probably not limited to): Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Tumblr, Blogger, Google, Gmail, and Google Drive. This means no more watching General Hospital on YouTube, no more Facebook chats, no more Pinterest idea pillaging. I'll have to forward my Gmail accounts to my Hotmail, blog via Livejournal instead of Blogger (you might've noticed), chat via Skype, Google via Bing (I refuse to use "Bing" as a verb), and...I have no idea what to do about YouTube but I'm sure I'll figure something out. Fingers crossed.

I've looked into options for home delivery, which has taught me that English interface isn't a priority for Chinese sites. That seems totally unfair for a country that's a global buisness power (nevermind that it was over a billion people speaking and reading Mandarin). I've looked into banking options, which has taught me that transferring money home to my Canadian account will be something of a challenge as China is a little on the paranoid side regarding possible laundering. I've looked into what to expect of an apartment, how to pay for utilities, and what to know about internet service. I even looked into animal rescue options, laws regarding both cat and dog ownership, the price of pet supplies, pet boarding options, and Canadian pet import requirements. Just in case. 

...and, small point, but seeing as how there are 3000 human deaths a year in China caused by rabies, I should probably seriously think about getting vaccinated. *shudder*

On the brighter side, did I mention that chances are high that the school will be finding me an apartment and providing a housing allowance up to ¥6000? They'll also be picking me up at the airport so at least that's two less things to worry about.

Cue sigh of relief here.

O.M.G.

So this happened...

And, um, I accepted.

O_O

Beijing, Round 2

I've had another interview with the Beijing school.The first was with the principal and your usual fare: 

• What experience do I have teaching kindergarten? 
• How would I organize a kindergarten classroom?
• How are my classroom management skills?
• Why would I be a good addition to their school?
• What has made me want to work and live in China?
• What are some of my strengths?
• What are are some of my weaknesses?
• How do I feel about parent communication? What would I do to facilitate open dialogue?
• How do I assess learning? What documentation would I keep?
• How do I go about planning lessons? 
• What do I feel is important regarding kindergarten learning?

As the principal explained it, the interview was mean to determine if I had the technical qualifications for the position. If, in her opinion, I did, she'd then pass her notes along to HR and the school's director. 

Well, I had my second interview, this time with both the principal and the director of operations, both of whom are very friendly and personable. It was more about ensuring I had a clear idea of the school and its expectations than anything else. It's a Canadian school that's only in its third year of operation, its student body, currently just over six hundred, kept purposely low. Most of its students are affluent Chinese nationals, looking to learn English and prepare themselves for eventually continuing their education in North America. They're still awaiting licensing from British Columbia and, though they borrow heavily from the B.C. curriculum, they also take elements from Ontario and Nova Scotia and tend towards generalized learning expectations. Like many schools, their goal is to be a part of the community 

In regards to responsibilities, in addition to planning, teaching, and assessment, I'd be expected to volunteer for an hour after school while the kids are participating in various activities waiting for their parents to pick them up.  There's no special needs focus at the school, but they're flexible in terms of differention. Their focus is getting the knowledge downloaded into the kiddies' brains; how I'd go about achieving that goal is open to discussion so long as it's based on the individual needs of the student in question. 

With regards to the students, the two main issues students present are in regards to ESL and discipline. Spoiler Alert: Chinese children speak Mandarin. I know, I know, total surprise, LOL. However, it could prove a challenge when the only English speaking person in the room is the adult trying to teach them. Discipline-wise, most of the kids are only children coming from homes where they're the centre of attention for seven adults (parents, both sets of grandparents, and a nanny). Sharing anything with other children - never mind an adult's attention - is something they have virtually no experience with. Challenging, but not the worst to deal with.

All in all, it sounds very promising.  The school's still growing, still forming itself and finding its own identity. Getting in on something like this while it's still in its infancy, being able to have a hand in influencing its growth...talk about your once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

Even if it is in Beijing, LOL.

Montreal Comic Con

Comic Con was AMAZING. Pure and simple. On Friday morning, Daddy drove me down to Verdun for 9.30AM and Paula and I got ourselves organized as volunteers. I spent almost the full six hours working at the Photo Ops booth, sitting down while doing the cash. Fifteen hours of volunteering would get me a full refund of my 3-Day Pass so I wanted to get as many hours down as possible right off since none of my OMG MUST SEE events were on Friday. Uncle Peter picked us up at the metro afterward and we returned to the house for hamburgers, chatting, and bed.

On Saturday, in between more volunteer hours and perusing the dealers' room, I went to the Billy Boyd  Q&A at 11.00AM. Big shocker: Billy Boyd is not a tall man. Sadly, whoever had set up the table and stools on stage apparently missed the memo; Billy Boyd literally had to CLIMB his stool to take a seat and then had that delightful facepalm moment when he realized he was too far from the table for it to do him any good. And, also? The organizers had forgotten to provide him with water. Expecting Billy Boyd to talk for nearly an hour sans aqua is not a good idea - there could be no Pippin singing! *snibble* He was hilarious, though, telling about his angst over the remodeled Hobbit feet coming too late to spare him the horror of the LotR model.

I haunted the autograph area afterward, catching glimpses of Danny Glover, Hulk Hogan, Robert Edlund, Karl Urban, and the cast of Star Trek TNG. *sigh* So, so, so cool!

At 13.30PM, I went to the Patrick Stewart Q&A.  He was pure hilarity, right down to his facial expressions. He explained the proper way to address a knight (Sir + FIRST name, not last) and the origin of the Picard Maneuver (Gene Roddenberry loathed seeing the fabric bulge when actors sat and stood and, after Stewart's chiropractor vetoed the original super-tight uniforms, the Picard Maneuver was born as the compromise).

At 16.00PM, I attended the Stephen Amell Q&A which was awesome. More so than the others, it was really fan driven and he was really personable in all his answers.

And then...then came Sunday, the best of the days. Thanks to Mr. Hip, I was second in line for my photo op with Stephen Amell. His rep had requested no handshakes, on account of his hand being strained from training, but he nonetheless offered me his hand to help into the photo area while Paula held my cane. Which, naturally, led to this:

Afterward, Paula and I were first in line to have our picture taken with LeVar Burton. As my cousin put it, the librarian, the teacher, and the Reading Rainbow host...and damn but it made a good photo.

See? What I tell you.

Also, SPOILER ALERT, we then had the pictures autographed. Shocking, I know.

We concluded Comic Con with Karl Urban's Q&A. Now, THERE is a celebrity who knows how to connect with his fans, even shooing off the coordinators reminding him of his time limits. He had a good mix of Lord of the Rings, Almost Human, and Star Trek questions and tried his best to answer them all. He told a hilarious story about pranks (Neutron radiation, ha!) on the set of Star Trek into Darkness When one girl asked for his opinion on rank not being shown on the female uniforms in the new Star Trek franchise, something he'd never noticed, he not only promised to look into it and even request the rank be removed from Bones' uniform if it persisted in the third film, he asked the girl come meet him at his booth following the Q&A for a photo and autograph.

The weekend ended with pizza back at Auntie Eileen and Uncle Peter's with my dad.

Best. Weekend. EVER.

Job Hunting

Blah. Just...blah. Have I mentioned lately (okay, yeah, probably not) how totally, absolutely, completely I loathe the whole job hunting process? I saw this movie the other night - Reading, Writing & Romance with Eric Mabius who, incidentally, I'm really loving in Signed, Sealed, Delivered, probably because he reminds me of The Middleman. But I digress. My point was in Reading, Writing & Romance, Mabius plays this out-of-work actor who agrees to be a substitute English teacher at his old high school while awaiting his big break. He landed the gig because his old high school teacher had become principal and had kept in touch with his parents since his graduation. Needless to say that by the end of the movie he's realized his true passion is teaching, not acting, has been offered (and of course accepted) a permanent position with the school, has thoroughly inspired his students who will all no doubt go on to great success, and, of course, has won the girl and is all set for his happily ever after. He didn't even WANT to be a teacher, for crying out loud!

So, clearly, I'm at that stage where the ease of career success for FICTIONAL CHARACTERS offends me. I'm sure that will bode well.

I've had a couple of interviews. A school board in Alberta interviewed me twice, but ultimately decided to go with another candidate. I signed up for an agency - Seek Teachers - that's basically headhunters for international teaching positions. The process was fairly straight forward:

• STAGE 1: Submit your CV, build your online profile, submit necessary documents
  This is beyond easy since the website is set up lead you through the step-by-step process, one document at a time
• STAGE 2: Have interview with assigned consultant
  A little tougher for obvious reasons - it was done literally the day before I flew home via Skype. Basically it was your general interview (What has your experience been like? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your classroom management skills like? etc.) with a getting-to-know-you slant. My consultant, Winney, was friendly, engaging, understanding, informative, honest - everything you could hope for, given the intention. It went very well.
• STAGE 3: Documents are vetted by the Compliance Team
  Quote: "Your documents have now been sent to our Compliance Team who will ensure you meet our vetting standards.  If there are any documents or information that is still required the Compliance Team or your consultant may be in touch"
• STAGE 4: Interviews

I had an interview not long afterwards with Eton House Shanghai but...I just don't think they're for me. They were very keen on specific teaching methods and philosophies and, honestly, I could barely keep track of which is which and who is who, let alone all the what and why, while I was in teacher's college, let alone two years down the road.

I have another interview tomorrow night with a school in Beijing. After that, I'll be spending the weekend at Auntie Eileen and Uncle Peter's because, yup, that's right...COMIC CON! *happy dance*

Why I'm Not Flying Air Transat Again

I admit, my second year in London, which featured trips to Madrid and Dublin, a return home for Christmas, and a visit to Warner Brothers' Harry Potter Studios, was beyond sparse on the blog updates.

I came back home to Canada in July, flying into Ottawa where my mom picked me up. I was NOT a fan of the return flight - I flew with Air Transat. Remember Mr Hip? On his account, when I fly, I need to request the seats with more leg room and usually the airlines go out of their way to accommodate this. Air Transat not so much. Let me explain...

On July 4, 2014 I booked my flight from London Gatwick to Dorval Pierre Elliot Trudeau for July 15, 2014 and immediately after booking called to arrange my seat. I explained to the attendant I spoke to about Mr Hip and how it was imperative that I have extra legroom for the almost eight hour flight. (FYI: If my hip spends too long in one position (like, say, sitting) it has a tendency to lock and standing up or walking becomes not only painful but difficult later on. I was given seat 14A as a result and, unlike with any of the other airlines, actually had to pay the extra fees.

On July 14, 2014 - the day before my flight - I followed the email instructions for online booking and found that my seat had changed to 19G. When I called to learn what had happened, the attendant I spoke with couldn't find any reason for the change and the best he could do was change it to a two-seater window seat instead (26K).

During my flight, Mr Hip predictably locked, keeping me in my seat for most of the flight and complicating disembarking on landing. What is more, adding insult to injury, I learned from a friend sitting nearer the front that the person who had ended up with my original seat of 14A switched to be nearer her children.

When I emailed Air Transat, they responded to let me know 14A, as an emergency exit, had to be given to someone physically fit, hence the initial change. They also made sure I understood the blame lay with that first attendant I'd spoken with. They then went ahead with refunding the extra I'd paid, sending it back to the account I'd paid through. Which was not good because, hey, I'd closed that bank account what with coming home and all. I called the airline, got the run around as they transferred me to one department after another, and was finally told to email again. So I emailed.

Two days later the bank called to tell me my closing bank account had funds in it and asking me what to do. Grrrrr.

Air Transat? So not cool. Last - LAST - time I ever fly with them.

Things I Miss From Canada...

So, it's been almost a year now that I'm in London, UK and there are definitely some things from home I'm more than little longing for. *cue sigh here* I mean, obviously my family and my cat and my books top the list, but it's more than that; I'm also missing some of the smaller things, the things you can swing by a store and snag on your way home, the things you can find lining the shelves of countless stores.

1) Kraft Peanut Butter

I find that the UK's take on peanut butter tastes like sawdust - almost as though they forgot to shell the peanut before making with the squishing. I have to Kraft smuggled in with visiting friends and family, LOL.

2) Twizzlers 

Well, any red licorice would suffice - even the store brand versions - because for some strange reason the only red licorice I've seen so far in the UK is stuffed with marshmallow. Ew.

3) La Belle Province 

Specifically, I miss my steamed hot dogs with coleslaw, ketchup, and pickles. I'll take the watered down Pepsi and not-fried-enough fries too, but it's the hot dogs I'm after. The UK concept of hot dogs seems to be more like a German sausage wrapped in a piece of bread. Not remotely the same.

4) Chef Boyardee Ravioli

It has a pull-tab lid. You open it, pour it in a bowl, microwave it, and eat it. It's meaty. It's got nutritional value (and even if it doesn't, let's just pretend, okay? I'm happy in my denial, thanks). And, best of all, it's easy!

5) Cinnamon Buns

There ARE some cinnamon franchises around - like Cinnabon - but they're a bit pricey.  I miss being able to grab one along with my morning hot chocolate, since most coffee shops (Costa, Starbucks) don't offer them. *sniffle*

6) Compatible DVDs

Thanks to DVD region codes, DVDs sold in the UK can't be played on North American DVD players. This means that while I can watch the DVDs I brought along with me on my laptop and personal DVD player, any DVD I buy in the UK can only be viewed in the UK, which does me little good when I don't plan to be here permanently. Oh, how my collection doth suffers. I'm already a season behind on Supernatural!

7) Froot Loops 

So, sure, there's Froot Loops available in the UK. Except that the UK Froot Loops have only three colours of loops (green, orange, and purple) and a much more bland, decidedly less fruity taste. Total disappointment that left me aching for the real stuff.

8) Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

They're my favourite part of Halloween and my hands-down favourite candy bar of all time. So, naturally, it's unavailable in London. Or, if it is available, it's either not original recipe or else not in its natural form. Oh, how I mourn.

9) Tim Horton's

I miss Timbits. I miss Timmie's hot chocolate. I'm Canadian - do I really need to explain this one?

10) Winter Coats

The UK's idea of a winter coat is Canada's idea of a fall coat; nowhere near as warm or as comfy. I brought a coat over with me of course, but I still miss the option of readily available alternatives, if you understand what I mean.

What I don't miss about Canada:

It's beyond amusing how London shuts down for an inch of snow - it's freaking adorable. That being said, I most certainly don't miss Canadian winters. Putting aside the fact that the cold temperatures make my hip so stiff its like moving through molasses, I don't miss the fact that you can gain three feet of snow in as many hours. I don't miss that you get snow up to your thighs. I don't miss the winter roads or the winter driving. I don't miss having to walk outside in a Canadian winter. I don't miss the snow plows getting to work. Heck, I don't even miss snow days. Canadian winter as a whole is not on my "Oh, how I long for thee!" list (um, except, apparently, to mention how much I don't miss it). Blah.

Dating

I went on a date last night. Yes, I'm shocked too. I signed up for an online dating site, nothing fancy - it's one of the free ones, Plenty of Fish (or POF.com) - and took up chatting with a couple of guys. Tonight was the logical progression of one of those chats: the first date.

At 7PM, we met by the Eros statue at Piccadilly Circus. We went to supper - the Italian place Spaghetti House (I like it, okay?). I had salmon, he had pizza. We then went to a movie at Cineworld right there off of Piccadilly Circus. We saw Percy Jackson at his suggestion. Our chatting went okay, no awkward lulls, which is always nice. He's a pretty good guy, or seems like it, with a firm grasp on the concept of sarcasm. He's also shorter than me, which is a bit odd, average in the looks department which is no big deal, and works as a procurement analyst.

We've been texting sporadically since. We'll see how it goes.

X-Men and Photo Shoots

So, the most exciting thing to happen last week was that on Tuesday I went and saw Wolverine with Christa, taking advantage of our new found Tuesday Saver cards for Vue Cinema. It was a pretty great movie that made me even more excited for X-Men: Days of Future Past (which I really, really hope erases several of the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, hands down the worst X-Men movie EVER).

Today was much, much, much more exciting; Christa and I went on a photo shoot! I'd gotten a call last week saying I'd gotten the chance for a free booking with Vanity Studios, a full service photography service located near Oxford Circus. At 11AM this morning, Christa and I arrived. We had several outfits with us, wore no makeup, and our hair was free of any products (which meant mine had to be semi-tamed by braides instead).

When we arrived, we were shown to a sitting area and offered a drink (I opted for OJ, Christa for tea) while we waited for the stylists to arrive and filled out some paperwork (mostly asking about our preferred styles and such). After about twenty minutes, the employees arrived and the work began.

The Procedure Pre-Shoot:

1. Mini Manicure - My hands were given a quick massage with moisturizer and then my nails were filed and painted Barbie pink. 
2. Hair Styling - Since this is me we're talking about here, I opted for my hair to be curly and left loose but otherwise left it open to the stylist to decide. Using a curling wand, she twisted my hair into loose and bouncy curls, taming the frizz with an olive oil based spritz. Once my hair was curled, she used four bobby bins to sweep it up on one side. It was very Charlie's Angels.
3. Make-Up - My face and neck were treated with various creams ranging from moisturizer to foundation to concealer. Blush, eye-shadow, and mascara were applied to give me a smoky, sultry look and a pale pink lip gloss was smeared on my lips.

The Photo Shoot:

Christa and I were sent over to an area with a series of curtained cubicles, just like a clothing store's changing area. We were told to change into our most formal outfit while we waited for the photographer to arrive. We had three other outfits to rotate through during the course of the shoot. 

Mine were:

• Halter neck dress - it was a silky red fabric covered by a black gauze - skirt was loose and fell few inches above my knees
• Blue denim London Bongo Jeans (= skinny jeans) paired with my navy blue crew neck t-shirt and white knit holey sweater over top
• Blue denim London Bongo Jeans (= skinny jeans) paired with a sleeveless dark brown jersey shirt with inch-wide white and aqua spots
• Blue denim London Bongo Jeans (= skinny jeans) paired with an orange muscle shirt and loose white jersey blouse

All were worn with my knee-high black boots and the silver jewelry Jamie and Lori gifted me with one Christmas a few years back.

The photographer took tons of photos: indoor, outdoor, standing, sitting on the floor, sitting on couches, turned to the side, straight-on, full-body, head shots - you name a pose, I probably did it. It was awesome!

Afterwards:

We changed back into our street clothes and returned to the sitting area where we were again offered drinks (declined this time around, but did snack on some pretzels that been set out). After about twenty minutes we were led into a back room where we reviewed our photos with a consultant and paid for the day. The cost of the day was £100 for me, with 2 photos to take home on a CD. Christa paid £50 more to have an extra photo thrown in. 

The Results:

Last Week and on to Vacation...yay?

I am officially on vacation for the next six weeks. Due to my complete lack of plans, this does not excite me as it should. *sigh*

On the brighter side of things, there has been happenings.

MONDAY.

I worked. No, seriously, I did. At my favourite school to boot doing Nursery. I basically got paid to babysit. It was awesome, made even more so because I totally didn't expect to have any work at all this week, what with it being the last before summer vacation and all. Plus, it was great being able to see all the kiddies one last time. *sniffle* I really do love the little rascals.

Kate Middleton finally had her baby. The new prince (and potential future king) is named George Alexander Louis. Isn't he a cutie?

Of course, given the average lifespan of a British Royal these days, it's going to be a good long while before he ever sits on the throne.

WEDNESDAY

Christa and I made the trek over to local library and got our memberships sorted. Their selection wasn't the greatest, but there are several other locations so we have other options.

I spoke with both Moynul and Nicole today. Nicole's working out an MIA pay issue and Moynul was letting me know I'd be going back to my favourite come September at least three days a week. Colour me happy, LOL.

THURSDAY

Remember those "other options" I mentioned concerning the library? Christa and I went ahead and checked one of those options out. It had a much better selection, better organization, and a better building to boot. If it weren't such a pain to get to (both Tube and bus were involved), it'd be promoted to Go-To Library, no contest.

Linda.

I received some sad news recently; my mom's best friend, Linda, has died. Linda was a remarkable woman. I remember hearing stories about how she danced at my parents wedding and did the limbo like her spine was made of rubber. About how she became my mom's friend is high school when my mom was the new girl at school with the funny accent. About how she dragged my mom into water skiing (which lead to my mom being black and blue just in time for her first date with my dad) and taught her how to drive (a complete disaster, I'm told) and sail (they totally capsized). She was a legend, through and through.

At some point, Linda was misdiagnosed with MS and I can't remember a time when she wasn't in a wheelchair. After a decade of living under the assumption she had MS, Linda learned she actually had primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), a rare neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness in the voluntary muscles. She never let it slow her down though, raising her son, Sean, even as her marriage fell apart and her health continued to fail.

I used to play with her son as a tot and when I was twelve, it was Linda who came with my mom and I to find me a dress for my elementary school graduation. She was fun and she stubborn. She was daring and funny and brave; a true role model in every sense. She was the sort of person you wish you could be and, failing that, you could raise your daughter to be. The world's suffered an immeasurable loss with her passing.

SAID the Lion to the Lioness-'When you are amber dust,-
No more a raging fire like the heat of the Sun
(No liking but all lust)-
Remember still the flowering of the amber blood and bone,
The rippling of bright muscles like a sea,
Remember the rose-prickles of bright paws
Though the fire of that sun the heart and the moon-cold bone are one.'

- Edith Sitwell 

The New Digs

And now, ladies and gents, boys and girls, may I present my new digs! Because, really, we all know you've been dying for the picture tour, have you not?

So without further ado...ta da!

So, clearly, I've missed living in a yellow house because here I am, once again, living in a yellow house. One day this will no doubt be my claim to fame: the woman who lived in yellow houses her whole life. The front yard is basically stone, no green except the odd flower. That window on the right? That's my bay window. Christa's room is right above me. You walk through the gate, up the stone path to the front door, and walk through into...

This little entry way. There's a little area there with two doors on the left, stairs on the right, and the kitchen dead ahead. You see that door? That lets you close off the little area and behind it is the cupboard under the stairs where the vacuum is kept. No Harry Potter though. I checked.

Remember those stairs on the right I mentioned? There would be them. At the top are the three doors for the three other bedrooms (Florian's, the smallest, is straight ahead, Erik's is on the left, and Christa's is on the right)

So, you walk into the house and there are two doors, as I said, on the left. The first one opens into this - called a "water closer" - and it's basically a sink and a toilet.

And through door number two on the left is the shower. Just the shower. And nothing but the shower. It's light and fan switch is outside the room, in case you're wondering.

This is that infamous "little area" as seen from the kitchen. Because, um, you know perspective is everything and all that.

The kitchen and dining area (right side). In that cupboard on the far right are all the pots and pans and plates and bowls and cups and glasses and so on. The table, as you see, fits three. And, oh, look at that - a red checkered table cloth. Isn't that quaint? 

The kitchen and dining area (left side). The drawers of cutlery are first, followed by two mini-fridges. We each of us have our very own mini-fridge - these two belong to the guys, Florian and Erik. The stove is a bit old but functions well enough and the small cupboard on its right holds some small appliances like a sandwich toaster and a slow cooker. Then there's the washing machine and sink (unseen). We each of us also have are own cupboard - mine is the first one to the right of the water heater, Christa's is above the drying wrack, and the small cupboard above and to the right of the stove holds communal stuff.

That white appliance that's mostly cut from the picture is a dryer. And that white appliance sitting on the counter is a microwave. Two things my old place did not have that I have missed terribly. It's nice to have them back. The two fridges pictured are mine and Christa's and, unlike those of the boys', ours have freezer compartments, thank the gods. Mine is on the left.

Pan out a bit and, oh, what's this? It's a television! I now have access to a television! I can watch Dr Who and Sherlock LIVE people! *sniffle* It was a happy realization.

The couch area - not a fan of the colour scheme but, hey, at least it's soft and comfy. And, really, when you're sitting there I don't think your attention is meant to be on the couch anyways.

The backyard. It's a bit on the dusty/dried out side but, hey, at least I'm not expect to tend to it. I have enough trouble trying to keep potted plants alive. 

And now the part you've all been waiting for...MY ROOM!

The much talked about bay window. The drawers where I keep my clothes and, as you can see, the roosting place of Big Mickey, Simba and my CCG teddy.

The bed, where Ollie sits. I have my Prom picture of Daddy and me, my cell, some Tylenol, a book, an alarm clock, my Newfie Moose, a note block, and a lamp on the 3-drawer night stand. There's also a chair tucked into the opposite corner. Just because.

The bed...plus some of the room, like the closet. And also my Alchemy Gothic fairy calendar.

Desk, the Ikea chair, a lamp, and the closet. You can see the feet of the Mickey collection on the shelves, along with some books, drawing stuff, writing stuff and movie stuff. Clearly calling this the Hobby Area.

AHA! And I bet you thought I was done showing the window area! But, clearly, I'm not because here it is again...only now with a radiator...just because.

My door with Westen the Owl hanging as guard. Also a mirror, lamp and corner of the Hobby Area.

The Hobby Area! With my books and Mickey Mouse plushie collection and DVDs and...stuff!

 Open the closet and you get...a sink! And shoes! And toiletries! OMG!

And, also, I may have photobombed. No idea how that could've happened...

And, you know, you get clothes too when you open the closet. Because, um, yeah, it's a CLOSET. On an unrelated side note, I need more hangers.

And there you have it, boys and girls, the new digs!

Moving Day!

Finally, at long last, I am free of passive aggressive Post-It notes and condescending Facebook PMs. I will no longer be growled at or have my attempts at conversation met with curt, vague answers. I will no longer need to hear iPod music being blasted or be haunted by the Friends theme or have random people turn up to spend the night on the couch without so much as a heads up. Ah, freedom. Somebody, quick, call the Munchkins and cue the song!

Okay, so technically, it should be "witches" since we're talking about two people here but you get the idea.

I am officially moved out! I have to fork over £300 towards the last rent and I have no doubt that they will stiff me on the return of my deposit but sweet lords it's good to be free!

On Friday night, I dragged poor Christa over to get the keys and hear the official moving in spiel from the landlady. We made two trips that night carting my stuff over. Christa then slept over at the old place so that Saturday we could get going ASAP. Big shock - as soon as I left with the first load that morning I got a text reminding me to leave the keys or else I'd need to make a trip back to return them. Like, no, really? I never would have realized that without the timely reminder. *eye-roll*

We only had to do two trips (and I did in fact leave the keys behind). I then made a trip with Christa to her place. Ironically, we got all the way there and she realized she'd forgotten her keys for her old place at our new place. Thankfully, her roommate was around to remedy the problem. Christa had still been in the process of packing so we only made the one trip and then ordered pizza from Dominoes.

Today I've been to the grocery store and finished my unpacking while Christa made two trips with her stuff. Unfortunately, it takes about 3 hours per trip so it's slow going. One of my belts (the one I use most, of course) has gone MIA but everything else is accounted for. I have oodles of storage to work with so it's a huge change from the old place.

This could be the start of a beautiful friendship, LOL.

Jamie and Lori Visit!

So, my aunt works for one of those companies that every now and then rewards their top sales people with cruises. My aunt is a total all-star so, no big surprise, she won the cruise this year - a Mediterranean tour, if I recall, for her and a guest. Obviously, my uncle was her guest and decided to make it a twofer: prior to embarking on the Mediterranean company cruise, they opted to first go on a cruise of their own choosing going around Northern Europe (Russia, Finland, Sweden, etc). Want to take a wild guess where they spent the three days between the two cruises?

LONDON!

My Uncle Jamie and Aunt Lori...obviously not in London, LOL.

They came to visit me and I was totally, completely psyched out!

SUNDAY. They arrived, coming in on a British Airways flight to Heathrow. I met them outside their hotel (which, FYI, could have used a bigger sign or...something to help it stand out from its surroundings - I actually missed it twice) just off of Bond Street. We walked from there up to Trafalgar Square and back again, chatting and catching up, while I pointed out some of the more spectacular sights and some of my favourite haunts and then we grabbed supper at Bella Italia. I can't begin to tell you how awesome it was to see them, to have that little taste of home brought to me. I felt the urge to pinch myself a couple times just to be sure they were really, truly there. Turns out, yup, they really were - how cool is that?

MONDAY. I had to work so the plan was to meet up with Jamie and Lori afterwards outside of Ripley's Believe It or Not. I just had to text them when I finished work to be confirm the plan. So, naturally, on my way to work Mr. Hip locked, I fell, the phone went flying and, presto! I ended up with my cellphone's screen shattered. And for those of you playing at home, that would be my smartphone with a touch screen which, obviously, no longer functioned with its screen turned into one giant spider web. Needless to say I had to rush from work to the nearest cellphone seller (in this case Carphone Warehouse) and buy a new one. This time with an insurance plan to cover it should it be dropped again. Grr.

Went on to Piccadilly Circus. Lori texted to let me know they'd relocated to a coffee shop across from the Ripley's gift shop. You know what's almost impossible to find if you don't already know where it is? Ripley's  had to ask the Ripley's guide hanging out in their lobby for directions. We went to a pub off of Leicester Square for supper - Bear & Staff - and caught up on their day.

TUESDAY. This time around we met up along the Thames, right by the National Theatre which proved a nice bit of luck with where my bus dropped me. Jamie and Lori had done oodles of walking that day so it was good that the restaurant - Nando's - was just a bit further up the Thames. Afterward we took the Tube back closer to their hotel and walked the rest of the way. I got presents, which is always nice (snowglobe, doll-like knicknack, Finland socks, two pairs of shorts and a jean skirt). They flew out the next morning so parting that night was beyond bittersweet. I was so totally homesick afterwards but I wouldn't have traded those three days for anything! My only regret is that I had to work and couldn't have had the whole day with them.

Christmas (and my trip home) cannot come too soon!

iDay and House Hunting

So, iDay was a dud. Or, to put it another way, I went, I saw, I did not conquer. Sniffle.

I arrived at the Institute of Education (it's over by Russel Square) at 8.40 Monday morning after spending 20 minutes playing lost and found in the surrounding area. Because I'm that kind of awesome. I interviewed with four of the five schools I was scheduled for, the fifth having filled its positions earlier in the day. The interviews themselves went well but, alas, I did not seem to be what they were looking for. Got to love coming in second. A lot. At least I still have my GPS so, you know, silver lining and all that.

How did the interviews work exactly? Well, essentially I sat in a room with other teachers waiting for consultants to come find me and direct me to the little cubbies where the school reps were interviewing. The interviews were pretty basic - strengths, weaknesses, opinions, processes, etc. - and went pretty well in and of themselves. We were served lunch (salad bar and buns with a choice of lasagna or some kind of vegetarian stew, steamed veggies and potatoes), which was pretty awesome, and I'll be paid for the day so, all-in-all, not to bad a day just disappointing results.

*sigh*

Friday night, Christa stayed the night. We ordered Chinese and watched Kindergarten Cop. On Saturday, we went house hunting. We had three appointments set up, all in the Wembley area since the prices are a mite cheaper up there.

#1 - Wembley Central
We had to go back three times because the landlady was a bit of a flake. Finally got inside to see it was caught in the middle of construction and, oh yeah, the two rooms she was advertising? They were in different houses. FAIL.

#2 - Wembley Park
It was on top of the world's steepest hill so right there I was not a fan. The house itself was something of a slum with tape on the windows, dirt and grim on every surface, stains on the beds I'd rather not think about and...well, I'd prefer just to forget the entire viewing. *shudder* I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised to learn there were rats nesting in the walls. I exaggerate nothing. FAIL.

#3 - Alperton (pictured above)
You know what they say about third time being the charm? Turns out it's true. The location was great - within walking distance to both the Piccadilly and Central lines, close to a Sainsbury's superstore and around the corner to several good bus routes. The house was clean, spacious, and nicely decorated. The landlady was friendly and understanding. And perhaps the best point of all? It had two bedrooms available and one was downstairs. WIN!

We signed a 6 month lease that can be cancelled anytime thereafter, made £400 deposits each, and need only to pay first month's rent before moving in next weekend and we're set.

My new room (just because I can):

Yup, that's a sink, boys and girls. And that window? It's a bay window. I've always wanted to have one of those! Also, the bed clothes are included and I think the drapes are just kind of random. As you can see below, there are a bunch of seating options AND a desk and OMFG I HAVE SHELVES! I'm totally counting this as an improvement in accommodation. Oh! Oh! OH! And you know what else? It's £50 cheaper a month than my current place with all the bills included save for the electric/gas bill which comes quarterly. 

Talk about your good news, bad news weeks!