So my list is starting to intimidate me. Everytime I cross something off I seem to add a few new things. I was on hold with the OHIP people today for 45 min and NO I did not get to talk to an agent. Passport photo done but when can I get downtown???? I have almost a year left on it but don't want to have to deal with it in Oz. Oh where oh where has my visa application gone? Don't worry Andrea has put it in a binder for me. I am NOT spinning my wheels I am just going to hurry up and wait. So how was your day?
G'day eh!
Bern
PS Did anyone hear me laugh at that white stuff falling on the ground last week? : )
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope you all enjoyed a lovely turkey dinner with your friends and family. This is the perfect day to count our blessings and reflect on life......... or clean the sewing room, or the garage or rake the leaves. Being the multitasker I am I may just take on all of those jobs. While I do I will put on the latest CD my friend Gord made for me. He called it "come fly away with me." Lots of possibilities there. Gobble till you waddle! Happy Turkey day!
G'day eh!
Bern
G'day eh!
Bern
Thursday, October 8, 2009
And the prize goes to......
I would like to thank Jane and Terry for trying to guess the location of the lighthouse. That particular light house is situated on the cold but beautiful Bay of Fundy at Margaretsville. Just head up the North Mountain from Middleton. That was my only NS beach visit this summer. I did manage to get to Cabot Provincial park in PEI on a whirlwind trip with my friend Les. Yes I put my feet in the water! It was WONDERFUL! I have just been reading about sea wasps or box jellyfish who swim off the coast of Australia and their sting is deadly. If one more person tells me about poisonous snakes or spiders in Oz I may have to scream. Not to mention the sharks. Come on guys-how many of you have actually seen me swim? I love the ocean. I love the ion therapy. I love the smell and the sound of the ocean. I love to walk the shores and beachcomb looking for treasures. I figure I could make a fortune selling rocks to the upper Canadians-right Philippa? Swimming is not high on my list.
Andrea was over tonight and we spent 3 hours filling out forms. Yes I know I did feed her chocolate but I owe her. My head is still spinning from it. We made a list-in a scribbler. Andrea organized all the papers and even threw some out. It will be worth it when I get to walk on the beach and look up at the stars in the Southern Cross. Yes it will indeed be worth it.
G'day eh!
Bern
Andrea was over tonight and we spent 3 hours filling out forms. Yes I know I did feed her chocolate but I owe her. My head is still spinning from it. We made a list-in a scribbler. Andrea organized all the papers and even threw some out. It will be worth it when I get to walk on the beach and look up at the stars in the Southern Cross. Yes it will indeed be worth it.
G'day eh!
Bern
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Learn something new everyday
I think we should all learn something new everyday. Some of the things on my list include filling out visa applications and what kind of stuff to put in the gas tank to store my car. Also on my list is how to attach pictures to a blog. How can you possibly "see" Australia through my eyes if I can't post any of my pictures. Of course that would imply that I am going to learn how to use the new camera I got for Christmas. So I am going to try this one right now. 10 points for who ever can guess where this lighthouse is. Can someone-anyone-attempt to comment please. It is lonely here in cyberspece. G'day eh!
Bern
Monday, October 5, 2009
Techno wizzard
Yes folks that is me-the techno wizzard! Hey I am figuring this out as I go. Those of you who are reading this certainly know that I don't do details well. I also don't type well. I also don't spell well. I do have lots of other gifts-honest! So some of you were asking for details. I have always wanted to go to New Zealand. I met an exchange teacher from New Zealand at Fallingbrook School several years ago-in fact she taught Amelia in grade 4. So the seed was planted......
Jump ahead to 2008. There have been lots of changes in my life. The time is right to stop dreaming and reach out for an adventure. I started the application process with the CEEF (Candian Educators Exchange Foundation). I had lots of help from my friends-particularly Jane. She helped with a big chunk of the 27 page application. I needed a floor plan. I contacted a real estate agent and the company who built my place no longer exists and it would seem neither do the floor plans. No problem for my friend Jane. She comes over with a pad of graph paper and a measuring tape. The next day at school she shows me the brilliant floor plan she had created on the computer. WOW. Next I need some pictures of my house. No problem for Jane. Over she comes with her trusty camera and voila my house looks amazing. WOW. So I submit my application and wait. I finally hear back from the CEEF-it would seem that my timing is a bit off. New Zealand is in the midst of reforming their education system and have just hired over 700 new teachers and are not permitting their own teachers to exchange. Drat. Plan B-yes there should always be a plan B. Where is the next best place to go on an adventure-why Australia of coarse! So I get out a map then call my former student teacher Andrea for some help. Andrea has visited Australia because her brother has married an aussie and now lives there. OK so the closer you get to the equator the hotter it is. OK so the logical thing to do would be to start my request at the bottom of the country. So I started in South Australia and went around and up. I even included Tazmania-heck why not? Initially I was offered an exchange outside of Sydney. I googled the area and it was very close to a National Park, the coast and Sydney. OK that works. The exchange partner has a husband and two sons. OK the bubblegum pink bedroom has to be painted-sorry Amelia. The way the exchange works is that you exchange jobs and houses. The CEEF does not recommend you exchange cars but they leave that up to the exchangees. So now the paperwork has to fly back and forth between the agencies, school boards etc. I get a notice saying that my partner had to withdraw and a member of her extended family was ill. Drat. The I get an offer to teach a primary class in the city of Adelaide in South Australia. Gee that name sounds familiar-oh yes Andrea's brother Kevin and his wife Cassie just happen to live there. Could that be an omen? Yes I think it must be. Pick me, pick me, pick me! So the paperwork starts to fly and the things grind to a halt. It would seem that the Aussie's have approved me BUT my partner is having some paperwork issues. DRAT. I was supposed to be notified before June 1st but because of the delays did not find out until I was down east in July. I have since made my travel arrangements and will be leaving over the Chirstmas holidays. My exchange partner and I have been in contact and we are both very excited. I am not sure how I will manage a 28 hour flight-any suggestions would be most welcomed-Pauline you must have some suggestions. My partner had emailed me to tell me that I will be arriving in their summer and a possibility of 40 degree plus weather. Gee do you think I should tell her what she might be arriving to??????????? I did ask her if she has ever done yard duty in -28 weather. I think she said no. Don't worry I did send her some pictures of my crab apple tree in full glorious bloom. I also offered to lend her my skates and skis and all my winter gear. I have a very nice down filled yard duty coat that goes to my ankles. Oh and I do have a new high efficient furnace and a gas fireplace-what more could she want?
So friends this New Year's Eve will be very very different for me than last years. So when you have a toast think of me. I will be a day ahead of you for a change. I may be at the beach and I hope there will be shrimp on the barbie! G'day eh!
Bern
Jump ahead to 2008. There have been lots of changes in my life. The time is right to stop dreaming and reach out for an adventure. I started the application process with the CEEF (Candian Educators Exchange Foundation). I had lots of help from my friends-particularly Jane. She helped with a big chunk of the 27 page application. I needed a floor plan. I contacted a real estate agent and the company who built my place no longer exists and it would seem neither do the floor plans. No problem for my friend Jane. She comes over with a pad of graph paper and a measuring tape. The next day at school she shows me the brilliant floor plan she had created on the computer. WOW. Next I need some pictures of my house. No problem for Jane. Over she comes with her trusty camera and voila my house looks amazing. WOW. So I submit my application and wait. I finally hear back from the CEEF-it would seem that my timing is a bit off. New Zealand is in the midst of reforming their education system and have just hired over 700 new teachers and are not permitting their own teachers to exchange. Drat. Plan B-yes there should always be a plan B. Where is the next best place to go on an adventure-why Australia of coarse! So I get out a map then call my former student teacher Andrea for some help. Andrea has visited Australia because her brother has married an aussie and now lives there. OK so the closer you get to the equator the hotter it is. OK so the logical thing to do would be to start my request at the bottom of the country. So I started in South Australia and went around and up. I even included Tazmania-heck why not? Initially I was offered an exchange outside of Sydney. I googled the area and it was very close to a National Park, the coast and Sydney. OK that works. The exchange partner has a husband and two sons. OK the bubblegum pink bedroom has to be painted-sorry Amelia. The way the exchange works is that you exchange jobs and houses. The CEEF does not recommend you exchange cars but they leave that up to the exchangees. So now the paperwork has to fly back and forth between the agencies, school boards etc. I get a notice saying that my partner had to withdraw and a member of her extended family was ill. Drat. The I get an offer to teach a primary class in the city of Adelaide in South Australia. Gee that name sounds familiar-oh yes Andrea's brother Kevin and his wife Cassie just happen to live there. Could that be an omen? Yes I think it must be. Pick me, pick me, pick me! So the paperwork starts to fly and the things grind to a halt. It would seem that the Aussie's have approved me BUT my partner is having some paperwork issues. DRAT. I was supposed to be notified before June 1st but because of the delays did not find out until I was down east in July. I have since made my travel arrangements and will be leaving over the Chirstmas holidays. My exchange partner and I have been in contact and we are both very excited. I am not sure how I will manage a 28 hour flight-any suggestions would be most welcomed-Pauline you must have some suggestions. My partner had emailed me to tell me that I will be arriving in their summer and a possibility of 40 degree plus weather. Gee do you think I should tell her what she might be arriving to??????????? I did ask her if she has ever done yard duty in -28 weather. I think she said no. Don't worry I did send her some pictures of my crab apple tree in full glorious bloom. I also offered to lend her my skates and skis and all my winter gear. I have a very nice down filled yard duty coat that goes to my ankles. Oh and I do have a new high efficient furnace and a gas fireplace-what more could she want?
So friends this New Year's Eve will be very very different for me than last years. So when you have a toast think of me. I will be a day ahead of you for a change. I may be at the beach and I hope there will be shrimp on the barbie! G'day eh!
Bern
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Where do I begin?
I am just back from the CIBC Run for the Cure. I had a marvelous breakfast with some of the crew from the "Ridge." I am not in panic mode yet but soon will be as I realise that my "Awesome Australian Adventure" will begin in less than 3 months. So much to do and so little time. Of course I have made lists-I just don't know where I have put them. Yes I am still working on my masters in procrastination but I may wait until later to complete it. OK Nicole I hope you can follow this. I also hope I can figure out how to post the pictures. It's going to be one wonderful year. I am open to all and any possibilities. The world is my oyster!
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