Endless questions. Endless worries. All I can do is take it one step at a time but for me that is nearly impossible. I love having a plan, I live for it! So not being certain how it will go and not having an exact idea of how it will all turn out is the worst for me. I can try to answer at least some of my questions though.
Where will I live? Near the most convenient tube stations:
- Harrow on the Hill
- West Harrow
- Rayners Lane
- Eastcote
- Rusilip area
- South Harrow
- Sudbury Hill
- Sudbury Town
- Alperton
- Park Royal
- North Ealing
- Ealing Common
- Acton Town
Can we find an affordable place? I sure hope so!
I've been looking at both flats hares as well as furnished flats/terraced houses. So far it's looking like we can get a reasonable looking room for between 400 and 500 pounds. I really hope that we can find just a little place together so that we don't have to have a ton of roommates. I share space well enough but I also like a quiet house...which I may not get if I have a ton of roommates. I'm confident that we'll find a good place for what we can afford because I'm guaranteed 480 pounds (gross) a week so it'll still leave me lots of wiggle room for travel, exploring and lots of other fun things. Maybe some savings too, haha! The only thing that bothers me about looking for places is simply that I can't go see anything and I can't agree to renting a place until I get there. The waiting is hard. I want everything to be sorted out!
What will work be like?
From what I've heard from a friend who is working there already...work is going to be tough. I've heard that the students are very rude and by the sounds of it that's quite common. Even for their regular teachers. I'm thankful that I've come to Prince George to get some experience teaching and I hope that I'll be able to use what I've learned here on the kids in England. Though by the sounds of it, the kids here in BC are angels by comparison!
Will I even GET a work visa?
I don't see why I wouldn't be able to get my work visa. I think I just worry because looking at the website they talk about all the different things you need and it just seems so strict and so I worry. Though I don't think it'll be an issue. Well I'm hoping so anyways! Again this is one of those things that I just can't plan and therefore drives me nuts.
What should I pack?
I won't lie, I think about this FAR too much! Mostly because I can't go to a place like London and NOT look fashionable! I have to make sure I take all my favourite outfits (along with all my practical teaching clothes as well!) All fashionable clothing aside though, I also think about things like my hair dryer and other styling tools, extra shoes and things like that. Things I wouldn't necessarily have to worry about if I were just going on a short trip somewhere. I don't really know the cost of things in England so I don't want to leave some things at home only to get there and find out it's super expensive in London. So I have to really make a plan for what I want to bring. I know I'll buy lots while I'm there because I'll be there for a year, it's kind of inevitable...so I need to have room to bring it all home!
What should I do first?
This one isn't really a concern so much as it's "London is huge, where do I start?" As far as I know there's a Wallace and Gromit museum (sounds promising!) as well as a ton of free museums, great shopping, the lush countryside and I have no idea where I want to start. Good thing for me I got a good old fashioned travel book..which is at home in Victoria so I can't dog ear pages for things I want to see, so I think during my visit home next month I'll just have to bring it back here with me so I can start looking!
Two other things on my mind have been trying to open a bank account in England as well as get a cell phone. Both are things that I'm going to need while I'm there however I do have a consultant who is in London currently and who can hopefully help me out with those things so that it gets set up right away!
Hopefully after all of these questions have been properly answered I will begin the greatest adventure of my life! Working and living abroad has always been a dream of mine and I am so thrilled that it's going to come to fruition so soon! Anyone who knows me knows that I dream big and I can change my mind on a dime and that I have so many dreams that there's no possible way I can do it all. I am so very glad that this is the one dream I never gave up on, it was never unrealistic..just a lot of work but here I am, halfway to a new and exciting adventure and I couldn't be happier. Especially since I get to share it with my sister!
Until next time!
Hollybee
