Off To Teach Summer Camps

Well, applied online Monday night, June 22nd for two TEFL jobs. Sent one of them my CV and cover letter about 11pm. At 9am the next morning, I got a call on my mobile from a company called Plus Ltd.

The gentleman on the phone said that he had received my resume and was interested in hiring me. He told me that there were camps all over England and if I was interested in travelling and becoming a part of the teachers' team.

He suggested that I do 2 weeks in Portsmouth and 2 weeks in Norwich, starting July 2nd. Accommodation paid for and a weekly salary. Sounded great to me, so that means the whole month of July, I will be teaching at two English camps. He also said that there should be other stuff coming up in August, so hopefully will have a chance of making some money and travelling some more then!

I am really looking forward to the challenge. All I have to do is tell my landlords that I am going away and to keep an eye on my house and mail and switch everything off barr the fridge and freezer.

I got a freezer tonight, which I am thrilled about. That means I can stock up on frozen stuff now and not worry about going back and forth all the time to the grocery store or shops. It used to belong to my Uncle Tony who passed away about a month ago. Thanks, Uncle Tony! I also got loads of other stuff from his house that was going to be either thrown away or given away, so I am pleased that I was able to use some of his stuff.

I am off to Portsmouth next Wednesday, July 1st and leave at 9 a.m. and get there about 6pm at night. I am staying on campus and the camp starts the next day. It is mostly morning work and only 15 teaching hours a week plus one or two day trips with the kids. They are aged 10-18 and all international students. Should be cool and I am really looking forward to the challenge once again and of course making some money!

Sadly, my Auntie Margaret passed away this week, on Monday. She had cancer and was suffering quite badly, so in a way, it was better that she did not have to suffer anymore. I feel sad for her family and wish them all the strength and courage to get through a most difficult time. Unfortunately, I cannot go to the funeral as it is the same day that I leave for Portsmouth and would not be able to arrive on time for my camp if I went. I will go and visit my cousins this weekend and give my condolences in person.

Not much else going on. Just watching Wimbledon and running around the park. Taught a private class again tonight and have the final one, next Monday. Too bad that I had to give the student such short notice, but with my financial situation, I had to take the job I was offered, as 2 hours a week would not suffice my monetary needs. I will try and keep the blog updated while I am doing my camp, but am not sure about internet access. I am sure I can find it somewhere, so keep watching this space!

4 Season In One Day!

The weather here in Liverpool can only be described in one way; 4 seasons in a day. It is cloudy, sunny, windy and rainy usually everyday and you know what? I am not complaining at all...........

As long as you have a warm jacket or sweater, you are all sorted. You wonder why Liverpool has the greenest grass and the best trees? There you are........rain, rain, rain and more rain and cool weather.

Still job hunting as we speak, but waiting to hear about one job at Aintree Racecourse. I did start a private tutoring English job with a Brazilian man at Novartis Vaccines in Speke. It is not that far from my house and it takes about 15 mins on the bus and then a 10 min walk from the bus-stop. I did my first class on Wednesday.

The student wants to improve his report writing and needs some help with prepositions and phrasal verbs. He is eager to learn and I think he enjoyed the class. He said he wants to do 2 hours a week, starting next week. One class on a Monday and the next class on a Thursday. He wants to do about 4 or 5 weeks. I am working through a tuition company called, "Academy International." Hopefully, this will be a good start for me and I can acquire more work.

There is a camp coming up in July, in which we coach sports, but in a foreign language. It is 5 hours a day for 5 weeks, so that would be awesome. Some pocket money to help pay my bills and some good experience to add to my CV.

I am back on my good eating kick again and this time have made a really over the top goal. I want to lose 2 and a half stone, 32 pounds, 14 kilos by the end of July. I really want to slim down and get rid of this excess wait that I have been carrying for quite a few years. Last time I was at my correct weight for my height and build, was about 5 years ago, when I lived in Korea. I want to do it for my health, first and foremost, and also just to feel lighter on my feet and better in my clothes.

I am feeling great living in Liverpool and it is really starting to feel more like home, each and every day. Mind due, give me about 2 weeks anywhere and being a gypsy, it feels like home.

My friends, Jacqui and Alan have gone to Tenerife for 10 days, so they should have a good time and will come back nice and brown! They are going by themselves for a change, but have been there so many times, as Jacqui's cousin, John, lives there and has done for the last 5 years or so.

I met my cousins Yvonne and Gill at my Uncle Tony's house on Monday and cleared all the cupboards and closets out and took a lot of the stuff home to my place. I am all decked out now with everything that I needed and I feel good having things of Uncle Tony around me. It feels like he is here and all the things will be a constant reminder of my Uncle, which I am really pleased about . I still have a small freezer to come and a few stands and stuff, which Gill's husband, Albert, will help me get over here when he has the time.

Job Searchin In Liverpool.......

I went to a job fair on Saturday, June 13th at Aintree Racecourse. For those of you that are not familiar with the place, it is where The Grand National is run every year. That is the probably the world's most famous steeplechase race for horses and the fences are huge.

Anyway, I attended the job fair, filled out the application and had a 3 minute interview. The woman that interviewed me told me that her company had just attained the contract for the hospitality services at Aintree. I told her that I would do any type of work and she responded by asking me to wait a week and she would find something for me, for sure. It is all weekend work and that would suit me fine. Could be doing anything from waiting on tables to security to cleaning.........don't really care. A job is a job as far as I am concerned and I need to be doing something from now until September, when school starts. It would be good also, as I will not be able to work during the week while I am at school; it will be too intense. That will leave the weekends to work, which would be fine by me.

I also have an interview at a private tutoring company, today at 3pm. I called the company and then sent off my resume, or CV, as it is called in England. I then received a phone call last Friday and the lady asked me if I could come in at 3pm on Monday for an interview. It will be to teach one of the languages that I have experience in, either English, Spanish or French. I hope to get the job as it is great experience and also pays well!

Yesterday, had a roast chicken dinner over at Alan and Jacqui's. It was awesome. Had roast chicken, yorkshire pudding, broccoli, carrot and turnip, marrowfat peas, corn and lovely roast spuds with beef gravy. Alan cooked the lot and my compliments most certainly go to the chef. Jackqui's mum came over and we all sat outside and had a chat before going in to the feast.

After the dinner, we sat outside again, as it was a lovely sunny day and really great weather. Jacqui's mum left and then about 20 minutes after, we all went to Jacqui's nan's house and had a short visit there. I met Jacqui's aunt, Pauline, also. Nice people for sure! Alan and Jacqui dropped me off at home after and must I say, was full fed and a happy man........thanks to the Griffitheses..........lol.

Alan picked me up this morning and we went to town. We parked the car at Jacqui's nan's house and then walked to town, which was only about a 10 minute walk down Park Rd to Berry St by China Town. Alan and Jacqui are going to Tenerife for 10 days, tomorrow, so Alan wanted to pick up a few t-shirts for the trip

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I bought a 4 port USB adapter due to having my webcam and printer and external mouse and keyboard hooked up to my laptop and my ipod also. I had no ports left, so I had to buy an extension USB hub. It was only 12 pound and does the job perfectly. No more wires hanging around everywhere and no more unplugging and plugging back in devices.......sound as!!!!!!

The weather today is briliant and I am enjoying the sunshine flooding through my massive windows in the house. Looks like a busy week ahead, still job hunting and doing other things to get my life in order. All in all, I am quite satisfied with how much I have accomplished in the 7 weeks that I have been here now.

Next goal is to drop 20 pounds by the end of July. I have to really slim down as I am carrying way too much weight for my liking. Let's see if I can do it........game on!!!!!!

And The Beat Goes On........................

I have been back in Liverpool approximately 6 weeks now and the time really has flown by. In the beginning, with all the stuff that I had to do, time was going by steadily, but now I can't believe it is the 11th of June already. I have accomplished so many things in such a short time that even I have to take a breath and wonder how!

I had to get a government work number, called a NIN (National Insurance Number) which allows you to work. Without the number, you cannot work legally. It was a bit more complicated for me as I had no history here and had to produce all kinds of documentation to prove who I was. Same with getting a phone. I have no chance of getting a contract phone or anything where money is given to you first because I have no

credit history here. Once I have paid bills and showed some kind of credit worthiness, then I can start to get things by contract. Things on contract are generally much, much cheaper, such as mobile phones and other items that are kind of rentals.

I have gotten together with some of my family members, but not all due to me being busy and also them being busy. I am getting around a lot on the bus and making the best of my Arriva bus pass. 41 pound a month and I have unlimited travel around Liverpool. 5 pound discount, just for purchasing online.

I have been making a habit of getting on buses and just riding them to see where they go. It has been great for me, as now I am really getting to know the City of Liverpool. I knew key areas before, but didn't have any knowledge of street names or areas that I had heard spoken about, but couldn't take you there if you wanted to go......lol.

I have joined the library, which is great. Gotten a bank account, joined a gym, got my TV, Internet and phone hooked up. Decked my flat out with the necessities such as microwave, kettle etc. All with a lot of help from my friends, of course who have been absolutely marvellous. Got a mobile number, got internet banking, bought cordless phones, got a TV for a great deal through my friends, attended my interview at school, filled out loads of paperwork for everything from my address to a doctor's request to become a patient. Figured out where the laudromat is and have taken my laundry there once a week and did all my washing and drying there. And the beat goes on................................

I have applied for a couple of jobs and am waiting to hear back. They are tuition jobs, teaching children and adults. Hopefully have some good news about that.

There is a special memorial night on Saturday in Huyton, to commemorate my cousin Michael Laski that died in Afghanistan while serving his country. It is with the Air Cadets that he used to belong to before becoming a soldier. All the money is going towards a cause for all the soldiers on duty and I hope there is a great turnout and also it will be a chance to celebrate Michael's life for all of us, even if some of us, like myself, didn't know him that well. He is a hero to each and everyone of us and I will remember him for as long as I live and his spirit will live on forever.

The New Style of The Premiership!

Some History With Pictures!

Some of you will have no idea what some of these pictures are, but suffice to say that they are all pieces of my own personal history, which includes places and people from the country and city that I was born in until I emigrated to Canada in November, 1978

The bottom picture is of the hill that I used to do a handstand on my skateboard back when I was into all that stuff. It was a lot smoother back then, but I could never do it right from the top as I was going way to fast when I finished. It was quite a challenge and I fell many times. It is called Belle Vale Shopping Hill. There used to be a bridge at the top that went across the road to the entrance to the shopping center, but the bridge was taken down many years ago.

The top picture is towards the bottom of the hill and where the off-licence (liquor store) is situated. We used to get people to go in and buy us bottles of cider if they would!!!!! Famous place for all of us and fond memories of our first drink of alcohol.