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.