Prep Time

Luckily for me, I have had since January to prepare myself for my year in Neuchâtel. There certainly is a lot to do when you are about to leave the country for a year! I have been getting my act together in many ways.

Upon hearing that I had been hired, my first concern was to plan for my return to the classroom. I have been retired quite a while (although I have done some Long Term Occasional jobs filling in for teachers on leave) so I reached out to some wonderful colleagues at Woburn C.I and York Mills C.I. who shared many resources and strategies with me. I have done all my reading; have purchased some books; and have joined a professional organization for drama educators. Most importantly, I have been in frequent contact with the woman who has developed the English, Writer's Craft and Drama curricula at Neuchâtel. She has been most generous, and has assured me that everything is waiting for me in files in my classroom in Switzerland; to be doubly certain that I received all her materials, in April, she mailed me a USB key full of resources. I feel very ready for "show time" and look forward to teaching new literature and new courses in September.

I read this one for the first time and loved it!

I reread this Nobel prize winning memoir.

It had been several decades since I had read this great Canadian novel.

I also decided to bring more order to my life. This initiative came out of necessity when the Swiss authorities requested copies of my professional documents. They wanted to see my diploma - issued in 1974! "Where the heck is that?" I asked myself at the time. Fortunately, I found it after a few hours of looking. It was inside the dust covered envelope it had been mailed in, sitting on top of a bookshelf in my bedroom. I was not as successful in finding my marriage certificate, but I did locate a copy - good enough for now. After days of frenetic searching, I resolved to be more organized and so began much sorting and culling of papers, clothing and any other things that I have accumulated living in the same house for 34 years.

In order to live as economically as possible while away but keep our house running smoothly, I have called nearly every service provider we use - cable, telephone, Internet, cell phone, car insurance, house insurance, health insurance, our gym, newspapers, magazines - and have haggled about cost, or cancelled or reduced coverage. Bob and I have hired an accountant for the first time and have seen a lawyer. I feel I have become an expert in household management, a skill I hope to use in the future.

I have also visited all my doctors and I have been deemed "good to go" by everyone. Incidentally, I will not lose OHIP coverage because I will not be out of the country longer than 212 consecutive days - good to know. This is one of the many nuggets of knowledge I have picked up in the last six months.

I definitely have done as Margaret Laurence suggested in the title of one of her great short stories: I have "set my house in order". All in all, I feel very well prepared for this exciting phase of my life.

Pinch Me.

When my elder daughter was in her final year of high school, one of her friends attended Neuchâtel Junior College in Switzerland. Two years later, my son had a buddy who did the same. These experiences barely registered with me at the time; all I knew was that there existed a school in Switzerland that offered a unique learning opportunity for students in their graduating year.  A "finishing school" overseas was well beyond the ken of someone who had grown up middle class in Cornwall, Ontario, - although my brother tells me that one of his classmates went there in the late 50's. Clearly, Neuchâtel had been around a long time, but I, busy with the demands of my life, had not been aware of its unique qualities.

The old school building

All this changed three years ago when my former colleague, Susan, told me that a good friend of hers would be working there as Deputy Head of School. On occasion, I would hear about her time there; I discovered that the teachers were generally hired out of Ontario and that the OSS curriculum was taught; I was also told about the many opportunities for travel during the school year. What a lucky woman Susan's friend was to be employed at Neuchâtel! The more I heard about the place, the more intrigued I became. Even though I was retired, I might be convinced to return to the classroom if it were in Switzerland. With my husband's encouragement, I sent my resume in to the principal. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It has all worked out as I have managed to secure myself a position there this September. I couldn't be happier!!

In less than a week, I will journey to Switzerland where I will live for most of the next twelve months. With the exception of my years at University, I have never been away from home for longer than 30 days. This will be an exciting and unique opportunity for me to live and work abroad. This blog is designed to help me capture this special year in words and pictures. I hope you all enjoy it!