To Prom -- Or Not to Prom

Me and my dearly departing Canadian friend at the opening night of the Proms last night.

It's my favourite time of year: Prom time!

No, it’s not a graduation dance for freedom-drunk teens – it’s one of the biggest classical music events of the year. Started in 1895 with the goal of bringing classical music to the masses, the BBC Proms is an annual eight-week series of concerts by symphonies and orchestras from around the world.

Short for Promenade Concerts, Proms refers to the walking or strolling some audience members used to do inside the hall. Now, it refers to the standing areas in the hall, where you can buy a ticket on the day for only £5. Queue up for access to the Gallery – where you can lounge on the cement floor high above the Royal Albert Hall. Or, you can stay standing at ground level in the Arena. Either way, you can’t get better music at a better price. (Extract from 24 Hours London)

With yet another expat friend heading back to Canada after a three-year stint in London, we decided to mark her departure with a final dose of British culture at the Proms. I've been to loads of Proms -- and the final night at Hyde Park, which has an atmosphere all its own -- but I've never been to the opening night. Due to broken trains, though, we didn't join the queue until around 6:45 pm, by which time it stretched outside the Royal Albert Hall, down a small side street, and back again.

The queue outside the Royal Albert Hall.

Sadly, we didn't get in -- we weren't even close! Still, we managed to drown our sorrows with a final pit-stop in Soho, so all wasn't lost.

The ornate facade of the Royal College of Organists.


The side of the Royal Albert Hall.

The Albert Memorial and the top of the Royal Albert Hall.

Summer in the City: What to Do?

This year -- for the first time in many -- we're having a proper summer. By 'proper summer', I mean that it's not raining every day of the week, the temperature's above 15 C, and you don't need to head out swathed in scarves to brave the elements. (I'm not joking. One year, I didn't even unpack my summer clothes.)

So to celebrate, this post will be all about my favourite summer things! (Apologies to followers of my Talli Roland blog for the duplicate, but I thought this post worked well for both my blogs!)

1. Pimms. Pimms is a yummy liqueur that you mix with lemonade, cucumbers, strawberries and gin. I know it sounds strange but it can actually be very refreshing. And lethal. A friend of mine once streaked through Richmond after consuming too much Pimms.

2. Proms. Every night from mid-July to mid-September, you can attend wonderful classical music concerts at the Royal Albert Hall for only £4!

3. The Serpentine Pavilion. Each summer, a new architect is commissioned to design a pavilion in Kensington Gardens. It's up for about two months and then they dismantle it.

4. Stripy deck chairs in Hyde Park. Plop one down by the lake, lean back, and watch the trees sway above your head. Bliss!

5. Regent's Park Open-Air Theatre. The only permanent professional outdoor theatre in Britain, Regent’s Park Open-Air Theatre holds over a thousand people. With its pitched seats, though, you’ll feel like you can practically touch the actors on stage. Founded in 1932, the resident company is the New Shakespeare Company. At least two Shakespeare plays are performed each summer – one of them usually A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which lends itself perfectly to the park’s leafy environment.

6. Swimming in the ponds at Hampstead Heath. Bizarre but true - if you fancy a dip in a secluded pond, head up north to the Heath. There's a men's pond, a women's pond and a mixed pond.

7. Opera Holland Park. Every summer, a massive open-air opera stage is constructed in Holland Park. Tickets range from £10 to £57 and if you're a young person (not me...) then you can get free tickets here.

8. Pavement Cafés. Being able to sit on the street and eat probably doesn't seem that exciting, but when you live in a country where the sun rarely makes an appearance then it's downright intoxicating (in more ways than one).

9. South Bank Stroll. I may have mentioned several thousand times that The Man proposed and we got married on the South Bank, so it's no surprise strolling along the Thames when the sky is brilliantly blue is on my top 10 list.

10. Sun. SUN! SUUNNNN! Although technically, I'm not sure sun can really be classified as part of a British summer, when it does make an appearance we appreciate it that much more!

Six Years in London

In all the excitement of last week, the six-year anniversary of my arrival in London slipped right by! This year more than ever, I really feel like London is my home. When I first landed here, I barely knew anyone; I was about to embark on a career in teaching; and I didn't know much about the city. Now, I'm married, I'm a full-time writer and I've written a book about London (and Paris, too)! And I'm going to have a novel published... set in London, of course. What a difference six years can make!

After the wedding ceremony at Dali Universe.

London has played such an important role in my life. The Man and I met on the South Bank and despite both of us being from other countries, we knew it was where we wanted to get married. With our ceremony practically under the London Eye and our reception on the Thames, our wedding felt like a celebration of London, too.

The Millennium Bridge from our boat on the Thames.

Career-wise, London was very helpful in quickly giving me guidance that I really did not want to teach here -- long-term, anyway (thanks, London... I think). It provided the subject matter for my first book, 24 Hours London, which taught me so much about the publishing process, promotion and lots of other details I'd naively thought would magically take care of themselves. Now, with my first novel set to be launched next year, I feel even more grateful. If I hadn't been living here, I never would have met the publisher who helped set my publishing career in motion.

The latest cover design for my new novel, under pen-name Talli Roland.

So... here's to six years in London! I hope the next six will be as brilliant.

London Marathon

It's a muggy rainy day here in London, yet the city is buzzing. The London Marathon is on! Most of the top runners have crossed the line now, and the crowds are about half-way through. Although I love to marvel at how anyone can run so quickly for so long, what really gets me is watching the 'regular' athletes struggle through.

The Marathon is a huge fundraising event for British charities and many people run on behalf of charities, donning a variety of costumes to do so. I've seen The Angel of the North (how anyone could run with such a sculpture on them is beyond me), a UK Mail parcel, and a rhino. You have to applaud the sheer bravery of someone willing to draw a rhino costume along London streets!

I'd love to run the Marathon. I even applied a few years ago, but it's super hard to get in. One day!

Can it Finally Be Spring?

This winter has been long and hard (by UK standards, anyway). Snow, snow, ice, cold... it's almost like Canada all over again! And if there's one thing I'm not so fond of, it's snow and cold. I don't know what it is, but I just can't stand piling on all that winter gear and hoping - praying - you'll be able to stop shivering at some point.


But those days are behind me now, because spring has finally sprung in London. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, the trees are coming out... people are even BBQing!


This summer is supposed to be the hottest summer on record (again - they say that every year!). But maybe, just maybe, it might be true!


Fingers crossed!

Hyde Park Easter Sunday

With gusting winds and a little bit of sun peeping through, The Man and I took a stroll yesterday through Hyde Park, stopping for a cheeky glass of wine by the Serpentine Lake. The wind was a bit fresh (i.e., cold) but the flowers were gorgeous.



Happy Easter!

Easter in London

Happy Easter everyone! I'm spending a quiet weekend with The Man, working away on last-minute Paris stuff and generally trying to corral my life into some kind of order! But for those of you who are out and about -- or just want to know what to do over the Easter weekend -- here are a few suggestions (with modified text from 24 Hours London: because I'm just that lazy!).

For the few seconds it's not actually raining, the parks are always a hit on Easter weekend. Stroll around, see some birds or even take a dip if you're brave enough.

Hampstead Heath

In North London, the ancient parkland that is Hampstead Heath provides a great spot to work off the Easter chocolate. London’s largest park covers 790 acres of grassy fields and woodlands and is one the highest points in London. If you work up a sweat, take a dip in one of the three outdoor ponds. They are open all year, and were originally used to provide refreshment for the River Fleet.
Tube: Hampstead. www.hampsteadheath.net.


Kensington Gardens

You’re spoiled for choice with Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. These interconnected parks offer a wide variety of jogging routes. Or, you can take a plunge in the Serpentine Lake. Enter the park from High Street Kensington. You’ll see Kensington Palace straight ahead. Saunter by the former home of Princess Diana and past the black railings where mountains of flowers were heaped when she died in 1997.

Run by the man-made Round Pound, taking in the ornate Albert Memorial through the trees to your right, and go down to the Serpentine Lake. So-named for its snake-like shape, the lake is actually a river that was dammed by order of Queen Caroline as part of the redevelopment of Hyde Park. As you jog by the long arm of the lake, take in the oval-shaped Diana Memorial to your right, then cool off by braving the water at the roped-off swimming area at the Lido.
Tube: High Street Kensington or Bayswater. For opening hours go to www.royalparks.org.uk.

Holland Park

One of the most romantic – and smallest – parks in London, Holland Park is a mix of secluded trails, open fields and romantic courtyards filled with blossoming flowers. Situated on the grounds of former Jacobean mansion Holland House, the park has everything from squirrels to peacocks, plus an up-to-the-minute playpark for kids up to 14. Relax in the Kyoto Japanese Garden built for the 1991 London Festival of Japan, grab coffee or a sandwich at the café, or have a spot of tea at The Belvedere, located in the Summer Ballroom of Holland House. Or perhaps become an opera buff – in the summer, the park is the site of the open-air Opera Holland Park.
Tube: Holland Park

St James's Park

If you’re full but want to watch others enjoy their food, go to St James’s Park. The first royal park to be opened to the public, it’s home to five greedy pelicans – one from Louisiana
and four from Eastern Europe. The park’s pelican tradition was first introduced in 1664 when the Russian ambassador presented Charles II with the birds. They’re fed 12 pounds of fish – along with a vitamin supplement – every day at around 2:30 pm.
Tube: St James's Park.

Something for Sunday - Take a walk through town or check out a market.

London Walks offers a selection of walks on Easter Sunday. Check out www.walks.com for more information.

Spitalfields Market and the cacophony that is Brick Lane buzzes as usual on Easter Sunday. Head down around lunchtime to really take advantage of the atmosphere. Tube: Liverpool Street.

Have a great long weekend!

Sing to Your Own Tune

There are some amazing buskers in Tube stations around London. One of my favourites was a Spanish guitar player at Tottenham Court Road a few years ago. The melodic chords of the music seemed so surreal set against the grimy white tiles of the station corridors. Some of the coolest buskers I've ever seen are at my 'home' station of Notting Hill Gate.

Buskers in London need a license to perform, and competition to get one is fierce. So Boris Johnson has launched 'Busker Idol'.

If you want to be a Busker Idol, you must do the following:

Entrants must upload a video clip of themselves performing on the ‘Rhythm of London‘ You Tube page: www.youtube.com/group/SOTUauditions2010 and complete an online registration form at: www.london.gov.uk by 6 April 2010. Judges will then select 100 people to be filmed performing at busking slots across London on 24 April and ask the public to vote for their favourite busker. The top ten will then perform live later this year at a ‘busk off’ for the final prize.

So: who will be the next Busker Idol (uttered in a Ryan Seacrest-style voice)? If I was auditioning, I'd sing my karaoke fail-safe: Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer'. (It's good! Really!)

What would you sing?

What Would You Do?

Today a press release pinged into my Inbox and instead of reading through it quickly then deleting it as I usually do, I immediately headed over to the link it provided. Here's a quick synopsis:

Co-Create London is a new social initiative giving everyone who has ever been to London the chance to change the city.

The project is designed to capture the everyday problems and ideas of the general public by asking the simple question ‘What Would You Do To Make London a Better Place?’

The best ideas from the co-creation workshop phase of the project will then be taken to Town Hall and presented to London Mayor Boris Johnson.


Now, I realise this is very likely a direct initiative from our beloved mayor himself (Update: a recent comment below by Fran shows I may have been overly cynical - or paranoid...). But hey, why not have a think about how you could improve your city? I suggested a book-swap-style kiosk in every Tube station so you could pick up new books to read and recycle those you've already read.

What would you do to make your stomping ground a better place?

Me and Mr Freud

I got a postcard in the post today. But while the address was correct, the recipient was not: it was addressed to Lucian Freud, the grandson of Sigmund and a famous painter in his own right (according to Wikipedia, in May 2008 one of his paintings was sold for $33.6 million!).

Did Lucian ever reside at my address? Unlikely -- our downstairs neighbours have been here since the 1960s and, as history professors, would be sure to have mentioned it to us. More interesting was the content (and yes, I admit to reading it; I was fascinated to see what someone would write to someone like him!). The front of the card was a sculpture by Rodin, and on the back the sender assured Lucian a current exhibition of Rodin artworks at an undisclosed location would more his taste. And that was it.

Lucian will never get his postcard, unfortunately. But the small peek into the world of a great artist made my day!

I'm off to Paris from tomorrow until next week. But I've scrounged up some of my favourite posts from the past to fill the gap. Hope you enjoy them!

Human Kindness

It was snowing and the streets of London were covered in a thin film of slush. But the household needed some vitals, so off I trudged into the late grey afternoon towards my first stop, Starbucks. While we're not giant fans of the chain, The Man and I both love the Columbian blend, which we buy in bags to make at home. Mission accomplished, I headed back out and onto my next stop, Tesco.

I set down my Starbucks bag for a second to take a closer look at the red wine (our supplies are low after the Christmas period). And when I turned back... the bag was gone. Now, I confess that I am often very absent-minded. I set things down and sometimes spend hours looking for them again. But I was quite sure I'd put the bag right beside my feet. And now that little parcel of coffee bean joy was nowhere to be found.

I ran through the aisles, my heart beating fast, scanning all the shoppers for any sign of my Starbucks bag. But after a futile search, I had to admit that it was over. I was coffee-less once more.

Feeling bereft, I paid for my remaining groceries that hadn't yet been stolen and walked back out into the cold. There are times, like when people steal your coffee, that I really missed my homeland. I could be wearing my rose-coloured glasses, but I was pretty sure that no-one in Nova Scotia would steal my Starbucks coffee. In fact, if memory served me correctly, a few years ago people in the Maritimes were proven to be the most likely to return a lost wallet to its rightful owner -- with nothing missing. Oh to be home again.

I couldn't go home without coffee (the thought of working all day without my shot of caffeine was, quite frankly, terrifying), so I retraced my steps back to Starbucks.

'You must like coffee!' the server said as I handed him my second bag.

I explained my plight as he ground my second batch of beans. He gave it back to me in a bag identical to the one I'd just lost.

'It's on the house,' he said, when I waved my Barclays card in the air.

I smiled as I walked away. Yes, there were days I missed home, but London wasn't so bad after all.

Writing on the Wall

In a city as old as London, it's no surprise that buildings are constantly reincarnated as new businesses take over the premises. One of the most fascinating things is the signs they leave behind -- quite literally.

Strolling up to Notting Hill Gate for our Sunday morning coffee, The Man and I came across two such signs within about 200 metre.

Now an antique shop and a money exchange, this building used to be - you guessed it - a timber merchants. Hard to imagine that nowadays in posh Kensington.

Not sure if this was for an business or if it was an advert, but if you liked the 'finest ever' marmalade then you'd come to the right place.

Hankering after more signs of the times? Derelict London has some great ones on their website.

Christmas Day

Hope everyone had a great Christmas! Here are a few photos from our day:


Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square on our way to the South Bank.



On the South Bank on a sunny Christmas afternoon.



St Paul's and Christmas tree.

The sun sets on a quiet London.

Turkey!

Oh the Irony

I have a confession: yesterday, on the way to The Times Online's Live London Q&A, I got lost. The Man was kind enough to point out the irony of the London expert getting turned around on her way to answer questions about, er, London. Not that it needed any pointing out, really.

The journey didn't exactly get off to a great start. A few minutes before leaving the flat, I went to get my trusty A - Z. But do you think I could find one of our many copies? No. Several minutes and multiple dust bunnies later, I was still scouring under the bed in hopes of finding one buried amongst the rubble of paper. I tried to calm my rising nerves, telling myself that I'd be alright. After all, I did have step-by-step instructions from GoogleMaps. How complicated could it be?

Well. I should have known better. When you go to East London, nothing is easy. You might start out on the right street but somehow miss veering off to the left and end up far from where you're supposed to be. Why not just look at the signs? I hear people asking. If only, if only. Locating a sign anywhere can be a task; they're so rare you'd think they're made from gold. My GoogleMap was soon rendered useless as I'd strayed far from the square inch mini-map of where I was supposed to be.

Luckily I'd left plenty of time to make it for the 1 p.m. start. So I quelled my growing sense of panic and stopped to ask a builder for directions. As nice as he was, said builder also happened to be Australian and although he tried to help by looking up my destination on -- argh -- GoogleMaps, he had as much of a clue as me (none).

Scurrying down the frigid streets back towards my starting point to start all over, I decided to ask another dapperly dressed gentleman. No joy -- he was a recent transplant from India and was lost himself. He shrugged as he wished me luck and we plodded off in opposite directions.

It was now 12:30 p.m. Standing in the maze of streets, my hands were blue-white and numb from clutching my GoogleMap. My vision was blurred by the wind whipping my fringe into my face. How on earth was I ever going to make it when no-one had ever heard of The Times, let alone how to get there?

There was nothing more I could do. The time had come to abandon myself to the street god of East London.

A ray of light blinked out from behind a cloud, temporarily blinding me. And as my vision cleared, I saw it: Wilton's Music Hall. Wait, I thought. I know this place! I'd researched it for my book way back in the summer, when the whole area looked completely different than its current bleak wintry landscape. I grabbed my crumpled GoogleMap. There it was! A landmark I was standing right beside. Now I only needed to go down the street, turn left -- and lo and behold, I'd make it!

I broke into a run, my heels clomping in the empty street. Almost there, almost there, my heart pounded out. The Times' sign came into view and I slowed my pace, trying to breathe normally and pull myself together. I was here. I'd made it.

I am a 'London expert', after all.

Let It Snow

Look closely... those white streaks are what's known as snow, a rare occurrence in these parts.

While it's nothing like last February's snowstorm, today's flakes were enough to send Londoners (and me) into our own flurry of excitement. Twitter was awash was tales of 'it's snowing in Westminster!' and 'it's coming down in Barnes.'

The view from my window.

I've obviously been away from Canada for awhile, because I was excited too. I'm not snow's biggest fan, but when it's almost Christmas it does have a magical effect.

Christmas at the Homestead

It's been awhile since I've been home for Christmas, so The Man and I have slowly been developing our own traditions.

The Man's stack of mince pies. He's definitely embraced British tradition. I've a long way to go.

It's quite interesting sharing my life with a man for whom Christmas has little-to-no significance, growing up in a completely different culture. Of course, he's familiar with all the rituals from watching American TV, but something often gets lost in translation. I'll never forget when he asked me when the 'actual' Christmas Day was -- sometime in late-December?

Our tree, squished into a corner in our flat.

I miss going home in December, but it's often too expensive and risky travelling to Canada in winter. One year we almost didn't make it home after a massive winter storm stranded us in Ottawa. So we've stayed put the past three years and I have to say, I love London at Christmas.

Holly from Portobello Market in our 'fireplace'.

The city slows down, people stay in, and a sort of calm descends. Not even the Tube nor buses run on Christmas Day, and most everything is locked up tight (except some pubs, usually open from around noon to three). We get up late, make a special breakfast, then open gifts. If the weather's nice, we'll head to the South Bank to drift down the walk alongside the river and wander across the bridge to St Paul's. After some fresh (usually frigid) air, it's back to the flat and time to feast on turkey and pie.

The Lights of London at Christmas

With the dark seeping in around 4 p.m. these days, it's a good thing Oxford Street has gone totally bonkers with its annual Christmas lights. Even the rain and blustery wind can't detract from that smidgen of festive spirit the lights kindle within you.

The rain had just stopped as I headed over to Marylebone on Monday night for my weekly writers' group, so I decided to take a few pictures on my way. Enjoy!


Oxford Street, just outside of Bond Street Tube station.


A very appropriate Christmas decoration... in London.


Column of lights heading towards St Christopher's Place.



Lovely shop window.

Teaching in the UK: Q&A with Victoria Westcott

Today I'm excited to have Victoria Westcott, a former teacher in the UK (and now a recruiter for teachers) talking about her experiences in England. Victoria's written an ebook called Guide to Teaching in London that I really wish I'd had when I first came over! She answers my questions about her three years here, what it's like to go back home and how the book came to be.

Victoria.

Would you like more insight into the UK educational system? Do you know someone interested in teaching in the UK? Victoria has three copies of her ebook to giveaway! See below for details on how to win.

Current Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Years in England: 3

Cities lived in: Essex; Bedfordshire; London, England (Islington and Notting Hill)

Why did you decide to come to England?

I graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Education in 2004 and knew that teaching jobs were scarce in Ontario, so I applied for teaching jobs in England. I had never been, but I heard that they were hiring teachers so I thought I should at least apply. I also applied for jobs in Northern Canada, but quickly realized that I’d rather be in a big city than in a remote location with all that snow. It all happened very quickly. I applied at the end of July and was on a plane by August 24th.

Did you have a job before heading over?

Yes, I did, although I wouldn’t recommend that other teachers do that now. I had an interview with a school on the phone, and accepted right away. It was quite remote (in Essex) and really, I wanted inner city London, but I was nervous about not having a job before I arrived, so I just took it. After two terms, my cousin who is a Deputy Head Teacher (aka Vice-Principal) came to visit and convinced me that I had more than that one option. I quit and moved in with her. After a couple of months I found a job teaching in London and recruiting teachers for the agency that brought me over in the first place. I loved London!

What did you find hardest about adjusting to life in the UK? Any tips for expats to adjust relatively easily?

I’m not a particularly quiet person, and I was “shushed” a few times by strangers. It was random – once in a pub, by a woman that joined our table for lack of seats elsewhere – she told me that she couldn’t hear her friend. I was horrified. Then, another time by someone on the tube. It’s not like I was shouting! I assure you, I don’t yell. I don’t think anyone in Canada would call me loud, it’s just that for British folk, I think I must be really loud. Eventually, I learned to speak more quietly, but not without a few nightmares and a bit of neurosis.

What did you enjoy the most about living here?

My social life. I live on Vancouver Island now, in a pretty small city (only 300 000 people! Is that even a city? I call it a town...) and I run Classroom Canada out of my apartment. So, I don’t get out much. Plus, I’m 33 and single in a city that locals say is for the “nearly dead or newly wed.” Needless to say, when I go to London every year I go out big time. I adore my friends there and am lucky enough to return for work every year, so I get my social fix there. You just can’t be bored in London! Not that I’m complaining about living here – it’s just the exact opposite of London. Here, I walk along the beach and stare at the Rocky mountains. I kayak, canoe, dragon boat and sail. There, I go dancing, out to dinner, to museums and art galleries, travel around Europe...you get the idea I’m sure. You were a teacher here, like me.

What do you think is the biggest difference between the English and North American school systems?

The million dollar question, Marsha! There are so many differences, it’s hard to pinpoint just one, but I’ll go with behaviour management. I think most teachers would say the same thing. Canadian students listen when a teacher tells them what to do (yes, a generalization, but if you teach in London, you’ll know what I mean), and in England it’s just not that easy. Teachers have to earn the students’ respect, and keep them constantly “in line.” It’s a lot more work on a day to day, minute-by-minute basis. At the same time, the lessons are better planned in England so you spend much less time planning than you would “back home.”

Why did you decide to write a book about teaching in England?

There wasn’t one out there. No one had written anything like it, and I knew that I would have wanted a book like this when I went to teach in London. Since I write on a regular basis and enjoy it, why not?

What did you find most challenging about the process of writing a book?

Well, first let me tell you the story of how this ebook came to be. It started with a crazy idea over drinks and dinner with my cousin and sister. We decided to take all of our talents and work together to complete the project in 3 weeks time. I had 7 days to write the ebook (Mantra: “JUST WRITE!”) and my sister, a professional screen writer, had 7 days to edit it and make it something people would actually want to read. Then my cousin, a professional designer, had 7 days to make it look all fancy-schmancy as an ebook. Most ebooks are a designers worst nightmare. As my cousin says “Just because your uncle Bob says he can design, doesn’t mean he should,” and it was important to all of us that it look and feel professional. And, you know what? We did it! 3 weeks later it was up online at http://www.guidetoteachinginlondon.com/. I’m ridiculously proud of it.

So, the hardest part?

Honestly, I don’t focus nearly enough on marketing the ebook. The actual writing part was very easy – I have a niche market, and I wrote about what I know, so really, I don’t think it could have been any easier. But marketing – getting out there and promoting it - that’s where I think I’m not doing enough. Other ebook writers send out thousands of emails and give freebies and the like, but... well, I’m busy with work and so I don’t really do that kind of thing. Maybe one of your readers will have some suggestions for how I can market it better. That would be great!

Any more books in the works?

Yes. I have been writing the American edition of the Guide to Teaching in London for over a year now. Okay, that’s a lie. I’ve spent a few hours over the last year on the American edition. I need to just sit down and get it done – I dream of completing it over the Christmas holidays. Then, the Australian edition and the Kiwi edition and...well, we’ll see how far we get.

You’ve returned back to Canada. What do you miss most about the UK? And what’s the best thing about being home again?

I love my life here in Canada. I work from home, live in the warmest part of Canada (no snow!), choose when I take my holidays and how many I take, and help Canadian and American teachers relocate to London, England. I am fortunate in every way. I get to travel to London as often as I like, and travel across North America with work. Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. I miss shopping in London and my social life and every once in a while I’ll have the thought that I should just pick up and move back, but my life here is really great as well. I have the best of both worlds.

Anything else to add?

Thanks so much Marsha! This was fun to write. If anyone wants to contact me directly, please see these websites: http://www.classroomcanada.com/; http://www.classroomcanada.blogspot.com/; http://www.guidetoteachinginlondon.com/; http://canadiansintheuk.wordpress.com/.

To win one of three copies of Victoria's ebook, email me at marshawrites@gmail.com with the answer to this question: True or False: Kids in the UK wear uniforms to school (Hint... they always looks nice!).

Contest ends Friday, December 11th at 5 pm GMT. I'll draw from the entries.

Observer of Life

Sitting at my desk, I often feel like my life is filtered by the confines of my window. Sometimes I grab a camera to capture some of the random (and strange) sights. Here's a collection from the past year.


A rare sunny summer's day. I love the intense blue of the sky.



One of the strangest sights spotted this year. Is it a car? Is it a motorised wheelchair?



The Gaza protest last January.



Sun sets in a winter sky.

One of the many horses that make their way down our street on a regular basis. Sometimes I manage to catch them, sometimes not.

A lone cab cruises down the road during the Great London Snowstorm (i.e., more than a centimetre of snow) last February.

Horses of the, er, white variety.

Brought to You by the Letters A and Z

I came across this photo today on London Daily Photo and it looked so much like my own collection that I had to laugh.

I'm going to float the theory that the number of copies you have of this handy book is directly related to the number of years spent in London -- I've been here for five years, and I own five! The book's called the A - Z, and it's kind of like having GoogleMaps in your pocket. Each page shows a different cross-section of London streets, (almost) down to the smallest passageways. Simply put, if you live in London you need to have one of these.

I first realised the importance of having one when I was called out to supply teach in a neighbourhood off Edgware Road, central London. Just off the plane from Canada, I'd taken down the fastidious directions from the recruitment consultant, naively thinking: how hard can it be?

Well. After getting lost in the maze of streets and finally getting to the job -- horror upon horrors -- late, the consultant (fielding my increasingly frantic phone calls) suggested I get an A - Z. When I wasn't chasing after errant children, I wondered what on earth this A - Z was. Vowing never to get lost again (OK, I didn't really know how to get home), I popped into a corner store and asked if they had one. The man handed me a coil-bound Inner London edition, and my A - Z collection was born.

I'd like to say I never got lost again. But little did I realise that my super-sized Inner City London edition didn't cover far-flung environs like Harolds Wood and Ponders End, where I was shunted off to supply teach. My wanderings prompted another A - Z purchase, this time covering the whole of London.

A - Z number three was purchased in a fit of panic when I mistakenly thought I'd lost one. I just couldn't bear to hit the London streets without my faithful companion in hand. Number four was a mini-version bequeathed to me by a friend returned to Canada -- great to store in your hand-bag but not so great when half the streets seem to fall in the centre crack and you need microscopic vision to see anything. And the fifth? Well, you wouldn't want your car journeys to be neglected, would you? It's nesting comfortably in the glove compartment.

This posting (not paid, honestly!) has been lovingly brought to you by the letters A and Z. I'm telling you, never leave home without it!