While my blog and my facebook may portray an image of a "dream life" in Wales, let me assure you that it has not been all tourism and fun. I am, after all, running a household, cooking, cleaning, shopping, and caring for two furry cats and buying petrol and driving. We are doing the mundane things of life like watching television, walking in the neighborhood, eating, sleeping and showering each day. School training days begin this Thursday and Friday, with students in attendance on Monday, next. Then my one way 45 minute drive will begin on a daily basis.
While we have been lucky to see some fantastic places and make some new friends, we are also learning a lot about regular daily life here. Some things are the same, no matter what side of the pond one lives on, and others are very different. There are comforts of home that are absent and social transitions for both of us. Central to the comforts of home that we miss tremendously are the super size washing machine and the tumble dryer. We have had to adjust to doing smaller, almost twice-weekly loads of laundry, in order to allow it the time and provide for the space needed to dry. While we have clothes lines outside, the weather is so unpredictable from one point of the day to the next, that clothes cannot be left outside to dry all day, especially if one leaves to go out; that's if they can even make it to the line to begin with.
Cooking is something I have always loved to do, and when I have the time and the luxury of money for the necessary groceries, I have been known to whip up some brilliant food. Cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen, with unfamiliar appliances and utensils is not too easy. Small items, like a garlic press and a coffee pot can become luxury items when away from home. Ingredients are sometimes not too easy to find in the grocery, and there are about four different grocery shopping options, as far as stores are concerned. It can be confusing as to which is the best, in the end it depends on your budget, comfort level with the organization, its cleanliness and availability of items. Micaela and I have done "walk throughs" of four different stores in an effort to familiarize ourselves with each. American grocery stores are loaded with a myriad of products that cannot be found here. The size of American stores are doubled many of the stores in the local area and brand names that we take for granted are not here.
Maintaining a clean household has also always been something I strive to do. While it is not always an easy task with busy schedules, the size of my house at home, two shedding golden retrievers and two children to clean up after it was a priority. Keeping this fantastic little flat clean is not difficult. Sweeping and mopping the floor is a bit different, without the familiar Swiffer and Mr. Clean products, and I think both Micaela and I are very conscious of keeping everything neat and tidy, especially since it is not our own home. Changing cat litter, however, has never been one of my favorite things to do, and now I am changing, scooping and dumping and cleaning TWO cat boxes, as there is one for each cat! Not my favorite thing, and I have never been able to stand the smell of cat litter while it is still in a bag never mind in a litter box... so it's really not fun. The cats, however, are nice cats and while one is more sociable than the other, they are good company.
Buying petrol is also a different experience. Petrol is relatively expensive here, and is measured out in liters. There are approx. four liters to a gallon. Being unfamiliar with the car I am not quite sure how many liters actually fill the tank, nor do I know how many "miles" to the liter this car gets. (Yes, in the UK, road distance is measured by miles, not kilometers as common myth would have it.) I have yet to run the petrol tank down to what I think is the lowest I can get and then "top it off" to determine how much I may be spending each week in gas. Remember, at home I travel 5 miles a day, if that, and can get almost two weeks of driving from my 12 gallon tank. Yesterday, as I left the driveway to head out, the gas tank light was on, on the dash, indicating that I needed petrol. Not having too much cash with me, and not expecting this to occur, I qued (to get in line) up at the pumps, which are not "pay at the pump" pumps, and put in 10 pound worth of petrol, just so I could make sure I would not run out.
Good thing I did too, because, I got lost going to my destination and drove around for almost one hour, lost amidst narrow hedge lined "roads" which all look exactly alike, without any cell phone service to call for further guidance. For the first time since arriving here, I was in a panic, trying to remain calm for Micaela's sake, which all came to a crashing end when I found myself driving down a particularly narrow lane, with a deep trench on the left side where the rain had caused a washout which turned out to be a dead end. At this point I had to back up and turn around, trying to avoid putting the car into a ditch and navigating myself back up the lane without taking off the left hand mirror. While I have adjusted to shifting with my left hand, the thing I was most nervous about, and driving on the right hand side of the car and the opposite side of the road, my confidence all goes out the window when I am anywhere other than a dual carriageway or main road through a village. When I am driving and see an oncoming car on one of these country roads I tend to overcompensate and the left side of the car inevitably brushes the hedges. I am so tense when driving on these roads that my jaw clenches, my shoulders stiffen and I get a serious cramp in my right leg and foot which is controlling the accelerator. I have still not driven anywhere in the dark so my nights are spent in the house watching television, cleaning, reading or writing my blog. No nightlife for me at this point in time. If these roads were not so "claustrophobic" with the encroaching hedges that tower to six feet in some places I think it would be a bit different.
British television is an interesting thing. The satellite service that most everyone subscribes to is called SKY. There are a myriad of station options depending on the level of service one subscribes to. Unfortunately, my exchange partner, not being a sport enthusiast, does not get any sport channels with her service so I have not been able to learn much about rugby, cricket or watch a proper British football game. I have viewed my share of BBC, CNN and SKY live news. These stations have a lot of coverage from America. Top stories this week from the US have included the Jaycee Duggard kidnapping story, Ted Kennedy's funeral, and Michael Jackson's drug use and homicide. There is not much sport news though, so Red Sox updates, thank goodness for the internet. Top British stories have included the Lockerbie bomber's release and the deal that is rumored to have happened, a story about a man who poisoned his estranged wife with mercury so that he could nurse her back to health and rekindle their relationship, alcoholism in the UK, national health service scandals and stories of children drowning at sea. Top sport stories have included "Bloodgate" which involves a cheating scandal for a local rugby team where a player used a packet of fake blood in his mouth to allow him to come off the field so a kicker could be subbed in. Apparently this is a trick used often my some teams, and is used when they have exhausted the number of subs they are allowed to make in a game. Overall, broadcast news is very similar. Formats of the news are similar, and those annoying scrolls at the bottom of screen continue here too.
There are a lot of options to watch American shows, although usually one or two seasons behind. In some cases more, like Prison Break Season One, was on this week. "Deadliest Catch", "House", "CSI", "Law & Order", "The Mentalist", "Missing", "Dr. Phil"and many more shows are also on. Surprisingly I have not yet seen the Oprah Show or Britain's Got Talent. Some of my favorite British shows include "reality" shows like "How Clean is Your House?", "Relocation, Relocation", "Trawlermen" and "Four Weddings." One thing about television that is exactly same... commercials...the number of them, not the actual commercials. They are a bit different, and sometimes its the exact American commercial with a British voice over and can be a bit freaky.
Showering and getting ready each morning is also a bit different. The showers work differently here in the UK. There is a pull switch mounted to the ceiling which activates hot water. The shower mechanism is mounted on the wall and has controls for water pressure, hot/cold mix and has an on/off button that is pushed to start the shower. Here, in the UK, it is illegal to have electrical outlets in bathrooms here (aka, "the lu") so hairdryers, flat irons, curling irons, etc cannot be used in the bathroom. All this has to take place in the bedroom.
It will be interesting to see how this works when both Micaela and I, hair dryer/flat iron queens, are trying to get out the door in the morning... as we get ready to make the drive to school.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monmouth & Raglan Castle
This weekend Mr. and Mrs. Sheppard brought Micaela and I to visit Raglan Castle, a medieval castle, dating back to the 15th Century in the Welsh border district of Gwent, only about 14 miles from where we are in Gilwern, Wales. This castle served as a strategic location in the Wye valley and offers some fantastic views of the countryside.
After our tour of the castle we headed to the village of Monmouth. Monmouth is home to Geoffrey of Monmouth, responsible for translating the History of British Kings and giving rise to the legends of King Arthur. It is also home to Charles Stuart Rolls, of Rolls Royce fame, and was visited by Admiral Horatio Nelson. There is a large collection of Admiral Nelson's belongings in a museum in the town. King Henry V was also born in this area.
Below you will see the slide show of our afternoon.
After our tour of the castle we headed to the village of Monmouth. Monmouth is home to Geoffrey of Monmouth, responsible for translating the History of British Kings and giving rise to the legends of King Arthur. It is also home to Charles Stuart Rolls, of Rolls Royce fame, and was visited by Admiral Horatio Nelson. There is a large collection of Admiral Nelson's belongings in a museum in the town. King Henry V was also born in this area.
Below you will see the slide show of our afternoon.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
High Stakes Testing...
I attended "Results Day" at Fairfield High School today.
Results Day is the day that students in Wales and England receive the results of their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) national exams taken at the end of Year 11. Some students do take one or two at the end of Year 10, but the majority of pupils take between 5 and 14 exams at the end of Year 11. Year 11 is the equivalent of Grade 10 in the United States. Most year 11 students are 16. Age 16 is the end of compulsory education in the United Kingdom. All students take at least five exams in science, math, (maths, as they say here), English composition, English literature and a humanities area (history). They then can take multiple exams in specialized areas of interest such as drama, sport, technology, animal care, and other vocational areas of interest.
These exams are scored from grades of A* (which is the highest to a G)...although G is still considered passing, the goal is to get a C, since these are the scores that calculate into the overall success of the school and the student. The exams are taken nationally anytime between June and July and the results are released all at the same time in August.
Performance on the GCSE in each of the subjects areas determines the path the pupil may take in the fall following Year 11. Most students hope to go on to "Sixth Form"college, where they will further their studies in a particular field of interest and prepare to take their GCE A-Levels, which are General Certificate of Education exams taken at age 18. Performance on these exams will determine if a student can go on to University. Performance on the GCSE at age 16 determines if one will attend a traditional Sixth form college or go to a vocational school to prepare for a job. Some students will not further their education at all and will enter the workforce or go on the dole.
These GCSE results are a BIG deal in in the UK. Students and parents eagerly anticipate receiving their scores, especially if the student has a competitive Sixth Form college they plan to attend in the next few weeks. Information about these exams has saturated the media the past few days. Results are sent directly to the student's school and they must go to their school to pick them up. Reports are generated for the teacher's to see the student's individual results, as well as the overall percentage of "passing" scores. The goal of each school is to have a 65% passing rate, grades C-A* According to the news media reports, the national average passing rate this year was 62% of students scoring a C or better on any number of GCSE's taken... a figure totalling over 5.46 million exams taken. According to the national media, 750,000 teens took these exams this year. Generally, schools strive for a 65% passing rate, and if there are exams that score fairly close to a C, the school can appeal and try to get that exam rescored to a C, thereby increasing the overall passing percentage in the subject and credited to the school.
Not unlike the release of the MCAS exams at home, teachers eagerly await these results as well, as the results ultimately determine the success of the school, here they also determine whether certain programs can continue to be offered, and in some cases, whether schools can continue to operate. Like the MCAS scores, which allow teachers to asses what and how they teach a certain subject, the GCSE's do the same here. Like the MCAS, the stakes are high, as these tests determine the future of a student; for the U.S. student a high school diploma hangs in the balance, and for a UK student the choice of college and university hangs in the balance. Like the U.S., student motivation is the immeasurable, often uncontrollable factor in the results; we all have the student who we know should do exceptionally well, but just does not want to and are determined not to succeed. Thankfully, that is the exception, rather than the rule.
What is noticeable, is the seriousness which the students take these exams and how they receive their envelopes. Watching as an observer, it was interesting to note many students arriving at the school with their parents and how anxious they are when the envelope is handed to them. Some students eagerly tore open their envelopes to find out their many scores and others were apprehensive about opening them at all. Still others, a group of girls obviously all close friends, had pledged to open their envelopes simultaneously together. Others took their envelopes and immediately departed the campus to open their envelopes in private. There were squeals of joy, frowns of disappointment on some faces and still others were pleased that they had done their very best, worked very hard and had gotten the very best score they could.
While some students will go on to sixth form college without receiving acceptable scores in certain subjects, they will be allowed to "re-sit" those exams on which they need improvement. Like the MCAS, which can be taken multiple times until a passing score is received, prior to graduation.
Fairfield is generally successful, and is consistently a school with some of the highest performing students, usually achieving the 65% passing rate in each major subject area.
I guess it should not be a surprise that the future of young people rest on their success of performing on a "test", whether one or 14, that is what education has become, across the globe. High Stakes testing ...here to stay...no matter where you live.
Results Day is the day that students in Wales and England receive the results of their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) national exams taken at the end of Year 11. Some students do take one or two at the end of Year 10, but the majority of pupils take between 5 and 14 exams at the end of Year 11. Year 11 is the equivalent of Grade 10 in the United States. Most year 11 students are 16. Age 16 is the end of compulsory education in the United Kingdom. All students take at least five exams in science, math, (maths, as they say here), English composition, English literature and a humanities area (history). They then can take multiple exams in specialized areas of interest such as drama, sport, technology, animal care, and other vocational areas of interest.
These exams are scored from grades of A* (which is the highest to a G)...although G is still considered passing, the goal is to get a C, since these are the scores that calculate into the overall success of the school and the student. The exams are taken nationally anytime between June and July and the results are released all at the same time in August.
Performance on the GCSE in each of the subjects areas determines the path the pupil may take in the fall following Year 11. Most students hope to go on to "Sixth Form"college, where they will further their studies in a particular field of interest and prepare to take their GCE A-Levels, which are General Certificate of Education exams taken at age 18. Performance on these exams will determine if a student can go on to University. Performance on the GCSE at age 16 determines if one will attend a traditional Sixth form college or go to a vocational school to prepare for a job. Some students will not further their education at all and will enter the workforce or go on the dole.
These GCSE results are a BIG deal in in the UK. Students and parents eagerly anticipate receiving their scores, especially if the student has a competitive Sixth Form college they plan to attend in the next few weeks. Information about these exams has saturated the media the past few days. Results are sent directly to the student's school and they must go to their school to pick them up. Reports are generated for the teacher's to see the student's individual results, as well as the overall percentage of "passing" scores. The goal of each school is to have a 65% passing rate, grades C-A* According to the news media reports, the national average passing rate this year was 62% of students scoring a C or better on any number of GCSE's taken... a figure totalling over 5.46 million exams taken. According to the national media, 750,000 teens took these exams this year. Generally, schools strive for a 65% passing rate, and if there are exams that score fairly close to a C, the school can appeal and try to get that exam rescored to a C, thereby increasing the overall passing percentage in the subject and credited to the school.
Not unlike the release of the MCAS exams at home, teachers eagerly await these results as well, as the results ultimately determine the success of the school, here they also determine whether certain programs can continue to be offered, and in some cases, whether schools can continue to operate. Like the MCAS scores, which allow teachers to asses what and how they teach a certain subject, the GCSE's do the same here. Like the MCAS, the stakes are high, as these tests determine the future of a student; for the U.S. student a high school diploma hangs in the balance, and for a UK student the choice of college and university hangs in the balance. Like the U.S., student motivation is the immeasurable, often uncontrollable factor in the results; we all have the student who we know should do exceptionally well, but just does not want to and are determined not to succeed. Thankfully, that is the exception, rather than the rule.
What is noticeable, is the seriousness which the students take these exams and how they receive their envelopes. Watching as an observer, it was interesting to note many students arriving at the school with their parents and how anxious they are when the envelope is handed to them. Some students eagerly tore open their envelopes to find out their many scores and others were apprehensive about opening them at all. Still others, a group of girls obviously all close friends, had pledged to open their envelopes simultaneously together. Others took their envelopes and immediately departed the campus to open their envelopes in private. There were squeals of joy, frowns of disappointment on some faces and still others were pleased that they had done their very best, worked very hard and had gotten the very best score they could.
While some students will go on to sixth form college without receiving acceptable scores in certain subjects, they will be allowed to "re-sit" those exams on which they need improvement. Like the MCAS, which can be taken multiple times until a passing score is received, prior to graduation.
Fairfield is generally successful, and is consistently a school with some of the highest performing students, usually achieving the 65% passing rate in each major subject area.
I guess it should not be a surprise that the future of young people rest on their success of performing on a "test", whether one or 14, that is what education has become, across the globe. High Stakes testing ...here to stay...no matter where you live.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Observations while Shopping...
Having finally made it to the nearest ASDA without the pressure of being at the mercy of a good natured chap who had been up for 12 hours straight, I was finally able to browse the aisle of the UK version of Walmart, at a leisurely pace, and take note of the items available to me for the next four months.
I arrived armed with a list and 80 British Pound; the equivalent of $132 USD. This was the first trip to "stock up" so I was prepared to spend a bit of money on this trip. Micaela and I started by browsing the Health & Beauty department. Bad news: my facial, shower, hair and make-up products are not here! Can it get any worse? Not even under brand names with similar labeling, as many other products are...they simply are not on the shelves. I may need a care package halfway through my stay here.
The choices of brand names and various products are just non-existent here in the UK. There are no Helluva Good Dips - indeed, there are no dips available in the dairy aisle at all. Cracker Barrel cheese is not here either, and blocks of cheddar cheese are expensive. The snack and cookie aisles don't hold familiar products. Pre-bottled juice drinks like Hawaiian Punch and others don't exist. The bottled juices that are here are called, "fruit squash." Powdered drink mixes are not existent. Instead there are liquid bottles of products called "Robinson's Fruits", with emphasis on "No Sugar Added" and these are liquid juice concentrates to which water is added in order to make a glass of fruit drink. Capri Sun is available.
Meats are extremely expensive...it doesn't matter if its ground beef, pork or lamb, chicken, beef, lamb, stew meat... if you want it fresh it is expensive. Better to buy meats frozen. I can guarantee that I won't be eating any ribeyes while here, and since I don't have a BBQ to cook it on anyway I wouldn't bother buying it. There are an abundance of pre-cooked meals, frozen meals, pre-cut fruits and vegetables, prepared and packaged meal selections in both the fresh food aisle and the frozen aisles. Rotisserie chickens are indeed available. Fresh pizza's are also availabe and you can have them made to order. ALL grocery stores sell liquor...not just ciders, ales and wine...but hard liquor too.
Lays potato chips are Walker's Crisps here and one cannot buy a big bag in which you can stick your hand...they are in bags of six pre-sized lunch sizes. I am not sure of the reasoning for this? How would one serve these at a party in a big bowl next to a bowl of dip? The staple item at a Sunday afternoon football viewing in front of a large television.
Macaroni & Cheese is not available in a box, you can however buy it in a can :(, frozen or in a side dish bagged package. :( "Spaghetti O's" are called "Spaghetti Hoops". Gatorade is called "Lucozade". Land-o-Lakes Butter is called Anchor. Pringles come in so many flavors I can't name them all, perhaps the most unique would be "Prawn Cocktail", which would be "Shrimp Cocktail" to us...they are surprisingly quite tasty and have a bit of a bite. Indeed, Walker's crisps come in the same flavor. Salad dressings are not abundant...the only thing remotely familiar to our taste buds at home include Newman's brands and there are only about 4 to choose from. Most things available are called "salad creams" and look more like mayonnaise or sandwich condiments than what one would put on salad. One can find pomegranates...but more amazing, one can purchase a package of pomegranate seeds...already removed from the fruit. If you ask me that removes the fun of eating a pomegranate in the first place!
In my quest to satisfy the items on my list I looked for fair substitutions and, being highly conscious of the exchange rate and doubling every "pound" in my head into dollars, I was quite price conscious of what I was buying. Something I usually am not all too concerned about at home, since I usually have relatively small shopping trips each week or am just buying enough for a week at a time. Having Micaela with me was expensive. She proved to be quite the "impulse" buyer, causing me to stray from the list, and, in an effort to keep her happy, allowing her to buy items that she found appetizing, probably caused me to spend 20 pound more than necessary. Next time she will not come. Finally tally of this trip: 75 British pound....$124.00 USD.
One thing I did find, that I can no longer find in the US, which I loved more than anything, especially at the holidays, was frozen mashed potatoes! Not the OreIda version that I loved with a passion, but still they are frozen mashed! I did not purchase any on this trip (they weren't on the list), but next time I will work the weekly menu around this item!
There is an abundance of Indian jarred curry sauces, pre-cooked and un-cooked rices...Uncle Ben's is here...so my diet may begin to include an abundance of Indian dishes in an effort to satisfy my love of hot and spicy foods; rather than the Mexican foods I would normally eat at home.
It would appear that the British have a fetish with frozen foods - having two chains that "specialize" in selling only frozen foods - Farmland and Iceland. These stores have multiple rows of freezers and have pre-packaged foods ranging from fish, meats, vegetables, frozen chips/potatoes, deserts, ice creams, & pre-cooked foods. There are some dry goods in these markets, but the majority of the goods for sale are frozen. The prices are much less than in the ASDA, so I will probably shop in these stores more often.
Today I am going to attempt to make sauce...it will not be the sauce I am famous for at home, lacking the ingredients and the necessary tools - such as my food processor and a very large pot, but I am going to use freshly chopped garlic and onion, mushrooms and some interesting choices of sausages that I we don't find in the US. The choices in the canned tomato aisle were limiting, so this sauce is a mixture of canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes and pre-jarred sauce. Not my favorite, but it'll do.
I have also noticed that stores do not stay open late here,although many are open on Sundays. Most shoppes close at 5 or 5:30, with the exceptions of ASDA and stores along those lines. Nightlife will not consist of browsing shoppes...indeed, I'm trying to figure what nightlife will consist of, since as of yet I have not even been to a proper British pub. :( Most take away places in the center of Abergavenny do not open until the supper hour (5/5:30 p.m.) and do not open for lunch. There are many coffee shoppes and I did find a nice hair salon - something most important. A nail salon is next on the list.
Over the weekend we explored the Cyfarthfa shopping center in Merthyr Tydfil. A very small scale version of our Blackstone Valley shoppes. There were many clothing stores here, a pharmacy, a TK Maxx (the UK version of TJ Maxx) and just as hit or miss as our own version, a catalog store - similar to our old catalog store in Auburn, the name escapes me at the moment, and there was a store similar to a Home Depot and a Pizza Hut! Micaela was also happy to see a McDonald's, although it is a good 20 minutes or so, away from our location in Gilwern. The shoppes here had a variety of clothing styles and prices and will offer a good alternative to going into Cardiff, the nearest city. Micaela will be going into Cardiff on Wednesday, hopefully I will have the chance to explore it over this coming weekend and she will able to guide me!
So - that's it ... my first observations about shopping in the UK.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Driving to the Top
I have not yet attempted driving this one tract country lane in the driver's seat, however, I have been in the passenger seat many times. I have finally developed a sense of direction for my new surroundings and once I have a vehicle again I am ready to "give this a go." I feel confident that I can handle driving on the main roads at this point, even though I had one very brief driving lesson. I have paid careful attention to the rules of the road, the flow of the traffic, the navigation of the roundabouts and I am eager to get back behind the wheel of a car. '
I have attempted to videotape the drive from the Heads of the Valleys road up through Station Road and onto Station Terrace. I am not sure if the steepness of the drive is conveyed through this tape, but the narrowness of the lane certainly is. Those of you in the states will appreciate it because it really is not like any "road" most of us drive on a regular basis. Pay careful attention the the sound of the beeping horn as the "S" curve is navigated.
Bear in mind that Mr. Sheppard, an experienced UK driver, is behind the wheel and I will not be driving half as fast, in the beginning.
I have attempted to videotape the drive from the Heads of the Valleys road up through Station Road and onto Station Terrace. I am not sure if the steepness of the drive is conveyed through this tape, but the narrowness of the lane certainly is. Those of you in the states will appreciate it because it really is not like any "road" most of us drive on a regular basis. Pay careful attention the the sound of the beeping horn as the "S" curve is navigated.
Bear in mind that Mr. Sheppard, an experienced UK driver, is behind the wheel and I will not be driving half as fast, in the beginning.
See Video Above
A Walk in the Neighborhood: Exposition continued.
It's been almost one week since Micaela and I arrived in Wales. Our home on Station Terrace is, in comparison to our home in Northbridge, very remote. The stillness of the surroundings is almost overwhelming. The beauty of the area surpasses my ability to describe it, so photos must speak for themselves. Indeed, living on top of this mountain, while not far from a very busy thoroughfare at its base, one feels very isolated and alone. Add to this the fact that the clutch in the vehicle at my disposal gave way after my first driving lesson, (which went smashingly well, I will add) and you have a very social butterfly with clipped wings! So the butterfly has been exploring the immediate neighborhood. If only I could fly....
I have met some of the family living next door; Debbie, Lucy and Katie. Lucy and Katie have taken to Micaela and are taking her on a shopping trip this week to the closest major city, Cardiff. They will take the train, and for Katie and Lucy this is "old hat", for my daughter it will be her first experience with major public transportation and I am somewhat nervous about her going to an unknown city without me in tow, but I will.
I have explored the tiny village of Gilwern at the base of the mountain, but I have yet to make it to the next largest town of Abergavenny. The walk to the village is much easier than the walk back. There are two choices, to return the same route one takes down, which is pretty much straight up...or to meander down along the canal and to take a gradual uphill route past sheep and horse farms, and continuing along the old railroad, now a bike path, where one meets many people riding bikes or walking dogs. While it is "gradual", it is the long way back and I did find myself huffing and puffing by the time I made it back to my little place. My goal is to take this walk a few times per week and to increase my cadiac stamina, while getting a good workout.
On one occasion I decided to walk up the lane. A stones throw from the house is an open field where the sheep quiety graze. I did this walk close to sunset, and it was a sunny afternoon, so the views across the valley and into the Brecon Beacons were phenomenal. Along the way I met dog owners and came across more grazing horses. The stroll across the top of the mountain was pleasant and quiet, although the high hedges that line the roads block the sight path of some amazing views.
The grit boxes and the classic British red phone box at the top of the hill brought chuckles to my lips. The grit box would hardly be accessible from my little car park area in icy conditions, and the phone box just seems out of place in this isolated remote area; it is almost like a piece of modern art that doesn't look like art at all. Why, I asked myself, is this here? I just don't get it at all.
My exchange partner's parents, Pat & John Sheppard, have been more than kind to both Micaela and myself. Unfortunately, they were also suffering from car troubles for a few days and were unable to get to us also. Thankfully, my new colleague, Mel, was able to fetch me for my scheduled lunch in Peterchurch, England with the ladies from Fairfield this past Friday. My first drive to Fairfield from Station Terrace was daunting to say the least. Keep in mind that I am very accustomed to a short 5 mile drive to NHS, which is pretty much a straightline. This drive is at least 40 minutes in one direction and the majority of it is through narrow, twisting, hedgelined English country roads. This alone will be an adjustment and I am sure to expend many pounds per week in petrol, as the prices of petrol are astronomical in comparison to our prices back home...yes, even at $2.25/gallon.
On arrival at Fairfield I was greeted with a strong odor of goats... it is, afterall a school where farm animals are kept. The classrooms are pleasant and spacious with much natural light from the large windows. The views are spectacular and the animals are all unique. It seems to be a relaxed and friendly environment, with an ecclectic group of staff and students alike. The campus and building itself is completely different from the modern,comprehensive, expansive, suburban high school that defines Northbridge, but I am looking forward to spending more time there and meeting more people. Fairfield is an "arts" school with emphasis on fine arts, music and performing arts, while Northbridge is much more defined by its athletics, so that also will be a change for me...Miss Northbridge Super Ram Fan. Miceala finds it different that she will have to "go outside" to change classes, as most classrooms are "mobile" structures that are annexed to the main building, where the English classes are housed on the top floor. Yes, she most certainly will get wet on any given day. It has rained for a portion of the day - everyday.
I will be teaching years 7 to 11 (ages 11 - 16) so that too will be a challenge, as I am entrenched in my upper class curriculum back home. Teaching little ones will be a change for me; but I will rise to the challenge. Teaching drama classes will also be a change for me, although I think there is a bit of a drama queen in every teacher, as we perform each day for our students, so I am sure it will be an enjoyable experience. I will do my best to teach the curriculum here, although I am most certainly bound to make mistakes, as my counterpart is most certainly bound to do also. Reaching out and asking for help at those times is the thing one must do and all will go smoothly. In the end, it is an opportunity of a lifetime for all involved, students and colleagues alike.
After a wonderful "ladies luncheon" at a quaint restaurant in Peterchurch called "Food for Thought" with my coworkers, Jayne, Jo, and Mel, as well as Mel's daughter Penny and my Micaela, we were treated to a drive through the countryside to see Mel's farmhouse, which about 700 years old. Mel and her husband, Ian, raise beef cattle and this farmland has been in Ian's family for many years. It sits beside mountains that offer spectacular views...again.
On Saturday I met Sam's friend Sian and Sam's boyfriend Ryan as we visited Cyfarthfa Castle in the town of Merthyr Tydfil. This visit provided a good history lesson on the iron industry in the region and also a great day of shopping in the nearest shopping center. Micaela and l learned about the stores which would provide the best value for our dollar. Sian was an excellent tour guide and we got along quite well, so I look forward to spending more time with her in the next few months.
When finally Mr & Mrs. Sheppard were mobile again, having their vehicle back on the road, they were kind enough to take Miceala and I to an old countryhouse manor on the outskirts of Newport, Wales called Tredegar House, where we recieved a guided tour. This again was a rich history lesson and we both enjoyed the day very much. We then took a drive through the city of Cardiff to explore the coastline in Penarth. The contrasts of the the hillsides, mountains and sheep-filled pastures near Abergavenny, with the the rugged cliff-lined coastline near Penarth did not go unnoticed. I completely understand why we live in "New England"...this area of the world has the fields of Connecticut, the harbors and green trees of Massachusetts, the mountains and hills of Vermont and New Hampshire and the coastline of Maine. Also famous for its apples and ciders! Perhaps our region should be called "New Wales", as Wales is a complete entity unto its own, with a unique history, culture and language, as I am slowly learning.
We had a wonderful dinner, at a restaurant called Harvester, which reminded me a bit of home, and is only 10 miles from my Welsh home, where I did sample a cider called Bulmers...and it was ice cold! No warm cider or ale here! I will probably find myself here a bit more often. Their signature dishes include rotisserie half chickens and popular jacket potatoes.
All in all, the first chapter of this journey has been a good one. I have settled in nicely. Micaela is a bit more jetlagged than I, but most of that has to do with staying up late to chat with her friends on the internet, which is definitley going to change as we approach preparing for school. I have learned a lot about the history of the area and seen quite a bit of it, despite the troubles with the vehicles. I miss my pups and some familiar foods - also miss my tumble dryer, as this weather is not quite conducive to drying clothes on a line in a timely manner. It took two days for the last bit of laundry to completely dry. I will enjoy living here for the next four months, I wish it was a tad more metropolitan, but the quiet will do us good for a time and we may come back living a slower paced life with less intensity and more of an appreciation for what we see around us at home.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Entering Wales
It is a bit past 1 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon as I write this post. In the US it is only 8 a.m. and that,my friends, is the time schedule I am running on, as I have just sat outdoors in the back garden to have a cup of coffee, after a somewhat fit night's sleep, to be, ironically, awoken by a pack of barking dogs! Micaela...well she is sound asleep as I write. The weather is like New England fall and indeed I was somewhat chilled yesterday afternoon and had to put the heat on to get the chill out of the house, such is the body when you have just left a New England heat wave with all its oppressive humidity. Can you imagine...running the heater in August? Wearing a fleece in the evening? This morning, however, the windows are open, the sun is shining and the breeze is refreshing. In some ways I feel like I am in a very old part of New England and then in other respects I feel like I have just stepped into a movie set of a life I should have always been living - or it may be more fitting to say that I have just stepped into the pages of a novel and am the main character. In the paddock across the road horses are grazing and it is country living at its best.
I can clearly understand why the hustle and bustle of my New England town is somewhat disconcerting for Samantha. The pace of life is generally relaxed, I can tell that by being here for less than 24 hours. The sheep graze openly on the hills at the outskirts of Brecon Beacon National Park and its like they have there been for thousands of years. The shale caps and terraced houses are rather quaint and the architectural construction itself is something completely different, yet familiar.
The roads...well that's a different story. Most are three lanes, two in one direction, one in the opposite and those two/one configurations switch back and forth as you drive. I am craving a "t" intersection instead of all these "roundabouts" and I am deperately wishing I had stolen Michael's GPS off his kitchen counter as I left on Friday morning. I may have to buy one while I am here. I will have my first driving lesson today, and being a passenger on the left side of the car has actually given me confidence that I will be able to do it. Navigating the manual transmission car up this steep one tract country lane may be another story entirely, but I am going to make myself do it. Michael told me three things before I left. First, "Make it Happen." ; second "There is no such thing as 'can't'." and third, "The day has arrived for me to leave and the day will arrive for me to come home." So that's it. I can drive there so I can drive here. I will drive. I can teach there so I can teach here. I will teach here. I can live there so I can live here. I will live here. It's that simple.
Micaela and I departed Boston in a timely fashion, having navigated our way through the airport check in process with all our six pieces of luggage and were pleasantly surprised to find out that we could each check two bags for free. When the woman in front of us was forced to repack her bags because one was 54 pounds instead of 50 I began to sweat a tad bit. The cost for that bag was going to be $150! I packed and repacked, weighed and reweighed each piece of luggage several times over at home before heading out the door, so I was sure I had hit the mark, but if my scale at home was not correct I would be in trouble,. Thankfully each bag came in at just under 50 pounds or exactly on the mark in one case... the lady at the check-in made a comment praising my Fulbright status and that I deserved it for having packed this luggage properly!
A transatlantic flight is a daunting thought alone, never mind when it is your first one and you aren't seated anywhere near your mother...about 20 rows behind her in fact...and then you have to enter the plane before her also, but to her credit Micaela battled through her first bit of anxiety after I promised I would switch seats somehow. Each of us had aisle seats as bargaining chips so I was fairly confident it could be done. Sure enough, when I got to my seat I put out a blanket request to the others in my row if someone would be willing to switch seats for an aisle seat with my daughther 20 rows back and I got a volunteer, so I gave up my aisle seat to Micaela, moved her into my row, and off we went.
When we arrived in Amsterdam we had to find our gate for KLM airlines and it was a good hike across the airport, thankfully everything was on time so it was not a mad dash to make to our gate. The funny thing about this flight was that we had to board the plane from the middle of the tarmac so we had to take a tram out to the plane and stand in the open air to board it...Micaela was just in shock about this. Thankfully it was rather hot in Amsterdam and not pouring rain or something. It was a quick "cityhopper" flight and we arrived in Cardiff to overcast skies and a chilly 69/70 degrees. Thankfully all our luggage arrived as well and the only glitch was the absence of Mr. and Mrs. Sheppard at the arrival gate. As our flight had arrived a bit early and they hit some traffic on the way to the airport they had found themselves a bit behind schedule to greet us, but as we made contact with Sam's friend Alyson in our panic at not having a ride, we spied them walking briskly hand in hand to greet us and simulataneously they saw us and we waved as if we were old friends. Seeing them holding hands instantly made me realize that we would get on quite well during our stay.
Loading our luggage into two separate vehicles I drove home with Mr. Sheppard paying close attention to the the traffic patterns and road signs, at the same time trying to decipher traffic rules while asking many questions about driving without being too much of a nuisance. I got a great history lesson about the area as well on this drive, and just as I was mentally telling myself that I could drive here with careful practice we turned onto the steep one tract country lane that I would now be having to navigate to get home for the next four months. My confidence took a plunge. It is not like anything I have ever had to drive on at home so it could be a tricky thing to do. Let's put it this way, there are "s" curves on this lane where you must beep your horn or blink your lights as you make the turns, and if there is another vehicle coming in the opposite direction there would be no choice but for one or the other to have to reverse direction for quite a bit of the lane. I will have to keep track of the number of times that happens to me. Learning to navigate this is not an option...it has to be done in order for me to get to school each day so I have to "make it happen."
Samantha's home is lovely. Quaint, small and typically Welsh. Exactly how I pictured it to be from the photos she had sent to me earlier on. It is a unit in an old Station Master's home, built with bricks and mortar, and there is a set of concrete steps that goes down to the old platform where the old train tracks have been converted to a bike path. The quiet surrounding this home at present is stark in contrast to the noise of trains running at the turn of the 19th century I am certain. The neighbors have a lovely wide open yard with beautiful flowers and grass and it is a lovely view from all around. If there was a view of the ocean from this little "cottage" it would be a perfect spot for me to spend the rest of my life.
Micaela has a room in the back overlooking the back garden where there is an outdoor fenced area with a green garden gate. The old coal storage units are still in place and the moss and ferns grow out of the brick walls surrounding this area; it truly is a nice area to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee. There is a grassy area and beyond that there is an old chicken coop and a horse stall. It has great potential for a beautiful flower or vegetable garden and that is indeed in Sam's long range plan for her home. It really is quite beautiful and I can fully understand why she loves it here and is homesick.
The front garden is also surrounded by a low cottage fence with a swinging gate and crushed stone walkway. There are a variety of flowers and shrubs in colors of oranges, yellows and purples and they are entering that stage of autumn decline we see in late September or October. It is a welcoming place to be. The windows in this home are large four pane glass, trimmed in natural hard wood, decorated with simple window treatments that allow the light to pour through the glass. The floors are all the same natual hardwood with a beautiful antique fireplace trimmed in decorate tile and it reminds me somewhat of the administration building fireplaces, although not as large or ornate around the mantel. The design of the tiles includes a flower pot with some flowers, perhaps tulips, entwining and winding up the the tiles alternating colors of red and yellow. Just as my own fireplace in my own home, made of fieldstones from the hill above Rockdale, has its historical significance, so does this fireplace and indeed all of this home. Just as my home was built to house a foreman and his family from the factory down the street, an essential part of the industrial revolution in our own country, so does this home have its importance in housing a railroad worker, also a vital worker as part of the industrial revolution in this area of the world.
My journey is in progress, this is the exposition.
I can clearly understand why the hustle and bustle of my New England town is somewhat disconcerting for Samantha. The pace of life is generally relaxed, I can tell that by being here for less than 24 hours. The sheep graze openly on the hills at the outskirts of Brecon Beacon National Park and its like they have there been for thousands of years. The shale caps and terraced houses are rather quaint and the architectural construction itself is something completely different, yet familiar.
The roads...well that's a different story. Most are three lanes, two in one direction, one in the opposite and those two/one configurations switch back and forth as you drive. I am craving a "t" intersection instead of all these "roundabouts" and I am deperately wishing I had stolen Michael's GPS off his kitchen counter as I left on Friday morning. I may have to buy one while I am here. I will have my first driving lesson today, and being a passenger on the left side of the car has actually given me confidence that I will be able to do it. Navigating the manual transmission car up this steep one tract country lane may be another story entirely, but I am going to make myself do it. Michael told me three things before I left. First, "Make it Happen." ; second "There is no such thing as 'can't'." and third, "The day has arrived for me to leave and the day will arrive for me to come home." So that's it. I can drive there so I can drive here. I will drive. I can teach there so I can teach here. I will teach here. I can live there so I can live here. I will live here. It's that simple.
Micaela and I departed Boston in a timely fashion, having navigated our way through the airport check in process with all our six pieces of luggage and were pleasantly surprised to find out that we could each check two bags for free. When the woman in front of us was forced to repack her bags because one was 54 pounds instead of 50 I began to sweat a tad bit. The cost for that bag was going to be $150! I packed and repacked, weighed and reweighed each piece of luggage several times over at home before heading out the door, so I was sure I had hit the mark, but if my scale at home was not correct I would be in trouble,. Thankfully each bag came in at just under 50 pounds or exactly on the mark in one case... the lady at the check-in made a comment praising my Fulbright status and that I deserved it for having packed this luggage properly!
A transatlantic flight is a daunting thought alone, never mind when it is your first one and you aren't seated anywhere near your mother...about 20 rows behind her in fact...and then you have to enter the plane before her also, but to her credit Micaela battled through her first bit of anxiety after I promised I would switch seats somehow. Each of us had aisle seats as bargaining chips so I was fairly confident it could be done. Sure enough, when I got to my seat I put out a blanket request to the others in my row if someone would be willing to switch seats for an aisle seat with my daughther 20 rows back and I got a volunteer, so I gave up my aisle seat to Micaela, moved her into my row, and off we went.
When we arrived in Amsterdam we had to find our gate for KLM airlines and it was a good hike across the airport, thankfully everything was on time so it was not a mad dash to make to our gate. The funny thing about this flight was that we had to board the plane from the middle of the tarmac so we had to take a tram out to the plane and stand in the open air to board it...Micaela was just in shock about this. Thankfully it was rather hot in Amsterdam and not pouring rain or something. It was a quick "cityhopper" flight and we arrived in Cardiff to overcast skies and a chilly 69/70 degrees. Thankfully all our luggage arrived as well and the only glitch was the absence of Mr. and Mrs. Sheppard at the arrival gate. As our flight had arrived a bit early and they hit some traffic on the way to the airport they had found themselves a bit behind schedule to greet us, but as we made contact with Sam's friend Alyson in our panic at not having a ride, we spied them walking briskly hand in hand to greet us and simulataneously they saw us and we waved as if we were old friends. Seeing them holding hands instantly made me realize that we would get on quite well during our stay.
Loading our luggage into two separate vehicles I drove home with Mr. Sheppard paying close attention to the the traffic patterns and road signs, at the same time trying to decipher traffic rules while asking many questions about driving without being too much of a nuisance. I got a great history lesson about the area as well on this drive, and just as I was mentally telling myself that I could drive here with careful practice we turned onto the steep one tract country lane that I would now be having to navigate to get home for the next four months. My confidence took a plunge. It is not like anything I have ever had to drive on at home so it could be a tricky thing to do. Let's put it this way, there are "s" curves on this lane where you must beep your horn or blink your lights as you make the turns, and if there is another vehicle coming in the opposite direction there would be no choice but for one or the other to have to reverse direction for quite a bit of the lane. I will have to keep track of the number of times that happens to me. Learning to navigate this is not an option...it has to be done in order for me to get to school each day so I have to "make it happen."
Samantha's home is lovely. Quaint, small and typically Welsh. Exactly how I pictured it to be from the photos she had sent to me earlier on. It is a unit in an old Station Master's home, built with bricks and mortar, and there is a set of concrete steps that goes down to the old platform where the old train tracks have been converted to a bike path. The quiet surrounding this home at present is stark in contrast to the noise of trains running at the turn of the 19th century I am certain. The neighbors have a lovely wide open yard with beautiful flowers and grass and it is a lovely view from all around. If there was a view of the ocean from this little "cottage" it would be a perfect spot for me to spend the rest of my life.
Micaela has a room in the back overlooking the back garden where there is an outdoor fenced area with a green garden gate. The old coal storage units are still in place and the moss and ferns grow out of the brick walls surrounding this area; it truly is a nice area to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee. There is a grassy area and beyond that there is an old chicken coop and a horse stall. It has great potential for a beautiful flower or vegetable garden and that is indeed in Sam's long range plan for her home. It really is quite beautiful and I can fully understand why she loves it here and is homesick.
The front garden is also surrounded by a low cottage fence with a swinging gate and crushed stone walkway. There are a variety of flowers and shrubs in colors of oranges, yellows and purples and they are entering that stage of autumn decline we see in late September or October. It is a welcoming place to be. The windows in this home are large four pane glass, trimmed in natural hard wood, decorated with simple window treatments that allow the light to pour through the glass. The floors are all the same natual hardwood with a beautiful antique fireplace trimmed in decorate tile and it reminds me somewhat of the administration building fireplaces, although not as large or ornate around the mantel. The design of the tiles includes a flower pot with some flowers, perhaps tulips, entwining and winding up the the tiles alternating colors of red and yellow. Just as my own fireplace in my own home, made of fieldstones from the hill above Rockdale, has its historical significance, so does this fireplace and indeed all of this home. Just as my home was built to house a foreman and his family from the factory down the street, an essential part of the industrial revolution in our own country, so does this home have its importance in housing a railroad worker, also a vital worker as part of the industrial revolution in this area of the world.
My journey is in progress, this is the exposition.
Photos above: A view of Brecon Beacons National Park; The view of the front garden from inside the living room window; The view of Cardiff from the airplane; A view of the famous jagged cliff lined Welsh coastline.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Experiencing Firsts...
So here's the interesting thing about being hostess to Sam this week... I am privileged to be here with her as she experiences the "first" of many fun things she is sure to encounter as she takes up residence in my beautiful town of Northbridge. In some respects I am eagerly anticipating my own "firsts" when I arrive in her town of Abergavenny, but for now, I am enjoying watching her be the star of the show as people ask her a million questions about her life, all in an effort hear her Welsh accent. I have watched her eat her first grilled burger, hot dog, clam chowdah, lobstah and steamahs. I have watched her walk into SuperWalmart and a Shaws grocery store...both of which I am assured are larger than anything I will find on my trip. I have watched her try her first Margarita and sip rootbeer. I have watched her savor many bitefuls of triple chocolate something Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I have watched her gaze in wonder at every house with a swimming pool. I have heard her many comments about the lovely landscape and green trees and large houses as we drive through town. It has all been quite interesting...and while I would gladly snap many photos of her experiencing all these new firsts, as a new mother would, I happily respect her photophobia and so I too, as all her friends back home, only have stray body parts in my photos. There is another first left... driving... I will let you know about the first drive in my car.... enough said.
Fulbright Orientation - Washington DC
Something I have always known is that teachers are often the worst audience. We talk while others are talking, we fidget, we hide our phones to send text messages, we are late to "class", we come to class unprepared, and we all learn with multiple teaching styles... in short, we are much like our students. Add to all of this the challenge of addressing a multi-lingual, international group of 120 of teachers, and you better have some good tricks up your sleeve. When one is preparing to "teach" this group "of teachers one should plan on being extremely creative to address such a diverse group or it could be a long week. While it was an overall positive experience, there were times when I felt like I was sitting in pointless professional development meetings and I was impatient with anticipation to talk with Samantha about our own individual schools, curriculum and lives.
Throughout the whole of our communications with the Fulbright AED staff in the US everything has been very organized, the few snafus we have had have not been their fault, namely the crazy hoops the American contingent had to jump through to get our visas. My counterpart had a very organized "field trip" to the British embassy for all the UK participants where they quite nicely got their visas in an expedited process. Makes a lot of sense to me - so overall, for the participants next year I hope that the British Border Agency steps up and makes the process a bit easier. The AED staff is a crew of young, polished, professionals who have worked very hard with the Department of State to make our experience with our Fulbright journey a successful one, and overall the orientation week was a great experience, however a bit of adjustment could be made including more one on one time with our individual partners and more dynamic presentations and cultural tours or experience to provide one on one time with our partners and other teachers from all the other countries represented.
The hotel accomodations at the Renaissance M, on New Hampshire Avenue, were very upscale and clean with a very friendly staff - so friendly at times I wondered if indeed I was really in Washington, DC. Americans eat a lot - three full meals a day - so the food was always plentiful, although there were times when in the middle of a break I was looking for something salty and a can of coke - when all I could find was a glass of ice tea - which was also good. The Illy coffee cafe at the hotel was fabulous and I quickly discoverd my coffee drink of the week , "the caramello machiaotto" to go. I found myself sitting on the sidewalk cafe, savoring this very drink, when I first spied my exchange partner, Sam alight from her shuttle bus. I had no idea what this young lady would look like, as she is extremely photophobic and never posts any pictures of herself, so all I had to go on was a description of "long, curly hair" - luckily she was the only person to fit that description so she was not hard to spot at all...and I just observed her from afar as she gathered her baggage, bantered with other travelers and made her way into the hotel. I decided I would not follow her into the lobby, but I would let her check in and I would wait for her to come down to the lobby in her own time.
I gradually made my way from the hotel coffee shoppe to the hotel bar, and as I was indulging in my favorite drink, a margarita, I spied her at the Fulbright check-in table, called out her name to which she promptly responded and from the first moment we met I could tell that I would like her very much. I am generally very guarded and my circle of very close friends, who serve as whole-hearted confidantes are few - but yet from the start I had a feeling that she would become one of them. Certainly the week I have spent with her has proven to me that I am definitely making a life long friend in Samantha - "Sam" as she prefers - and despite the fact that our exchanges will be spent apart, I know we have become fast friends. I think, that in this process, bonding with your exchange partner is a crucial part to the success of the exchange experience.
The week in Washington, DC, for many of our fellow participants was the one and only time these people had to actually meet in person, chat and spend time together before departing for each other's homes and schools - and sadly, there was a lack of opportunity in this short, fully scheduled week, for personal bonding as we spent most of the time in "professional development" lectures, which varied from very interesting and enriching, such as the very last session of the week on Friday with other Fulbright alumni where we were inspired to organize our own cultural projects and/or exchanges with our students, to sessions that were irrelevant to our personal experiences and exchanges.
In the end, the five hour walk through the city that Sam and I engaged in proved to be the most valuable part of our week. When finally given our first "official" session with each other we decided to escape from the hotel, despite the "debriefing" session we were asked to attend, and we took the Metro across the city to the Smithsonian Museums. We wandered through the Native American Indian Museum and the National Air and Space Museum and then meandered our way through the city, all the while chatting non -stop about everything from curriculum and discipline procedures at our schools, to taking care of our respective pets and commiserating over past relationships. In those five hours we soldified the foundation of our friendship and worked to develop trust with each other, both of which will ensure that this exchange is successful. We are also lucky in the fact that Sam has "moved" into my home under my guidance and we have this entire upcoming week to share more information about our school's and our lives before I depart for "Whales". NO, I did not make this typo... it was actually spelled this way in our email contact list.
My week in Washington was an overall positive experience in that I did get to meet many of my fellow UK Fulbrighters and I feel that some of them too will remain lifelong acquaintances and we will always have this experience in common. The first international teacher I met was Gillean from Aberdeen, Scotland and she was very pleasant and I had a wonderful conversation with her on the first afternoon, albeit I had to listen very closely to her when she spoke as her accent was very new to my ear, however, I found myself sitting with her at many of our meals and when I return to the U.S. this winter, she will still be in Virginia and I am hoping that in the Spring she will visit me in Massachusetts. "At the end of the day", as Sam would say, that's what it's all about; to make lifelong contacts, friendships and learn as much about educational systems in other parts of the world.
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