Canada Day, Olympics & Life So Far

Canadiana Uno, here!

It's been a few months since I've blogged and for that, I apologize.

I've been busy as per usual, what with four children that I have to look after. My days usually start off around 6.30am -7.00am and I'm watching the kids until around 7.00pm at night (at least). That's at least twelve hours a day, five days a week, taking care of four children ages 10, 7, 5 and 2.

Coming from not having any children to being responsible for four at one time is a hell of a lot. One thing is for sure though, I now know for sure that I do not want four children! LoL I have the utmost respect and admiration for single mothers who are raising children on their own.




With that said, I do have bad days with the kids. I miss home terribly and I do miss being able to have time for myself during the week. I would say that the biggest thing I've learned since becoming an au pair is that it is definitely not easy and I am not ready for any children of my own right now. As with any job, there are the dark bits but if you do get an amazing family (and I do think I lucked out with a good family) who you can actually sit and talk to, those bad, dark days won't seem as bad. You are also able to talk about any problems you may be having with the parents which is a HUGE relief because it can be very overwhelming. Overall, I am glad that I took this opportunity and I cannot wait to get into teaching full-time.

The original plan was for me to stay here for 16 months, travel afterwards, go home and finish up school there. However, I've found a course here that I plan on starting next month that would give me the exact same qualifications I'd get back home AND as an added bonus, it is based on the UK school system which is vastly different that our Canadian system. So, I will be trained in the school system in which I'd like to work which is a great plus when it comes time for me to apply to jobs.

It looks like I'm more than just a pretty face after all. :-)

Now, I'm sure I've bored you all enough with going on and on about teaching and the kids. Let's get to some good stuff...

Where shall we go today??

As everybody in the world is aware (unless you don't have a television, radio or live under a rock) the Olympics and Paralympics are in London this year. Now, the Brits are not a usually very patriotic people but with the game in town, there has been an over abundance of British flags/bunting/paraphernalia around every corner!

Along the streets of Chinatown.

I was lucky enough to see the torch relay as it passed by my uncles place but as luck would have it, my camera battery died so I was unable to take any photos. My cousin has photos though and I will try to get them from him to put up so you all can see. It was a rainy day (surprise, surprise) the day the torch was going past our neck of the woods. The roads were also jam packed with people.

Since moving to London, I've come to realize just how much I am not a fan of tourists. That sounds funny coming from me - what with me being a tourist myself not so long ago- but the difference is the tourists that stop in the middle of the pavement with about 7 or 8 people all huddled and when you say excuse me to get by they give you the evil eye! When I told the lady I work for about my dislike for tourists of that sort, she congratulated me on becoming an honorary Londoner. Haha.

To be honest, I didn't actually watch the Olympics at all. I watched the opening and closing ceremonies (who wouldn't want to see the Spice Girls reunite?!) and a select few of the races. For the most part, I moaned about the absolute crowded mess that was our streets from East London (where I live) down to and including central London. There were -still are- parking bans around the city which doesn't bother me much as I tend to walk everywhere but even that became a problem with the sheer amount of bodies on the streets.

Other than the games taking place, I was also lucky enough to celebrate Canada Day at Trafalgar Square this year with Livs.

Stage @ Trafalgar Square.

Canada, eh?

When we had gotten there, our first thing to do, as any true Canadian would tell you, is to get an air brush tattoo that represents Canada, of course! So that was our first stop. I had chosen to get the maple leaf with the word "eh?" in the centre. Livs had gotten a Canadian flag done on her ankle.

The celebrations included food tents that served some Canadian favourites such as poutine and you were also able to meet & greet with some Mounties! A Timmies tent was rumoured to be about as well.

New friends made on Canada Day!

There was group yoga sessions as well that took place in the square. There was a lot going on and it was really good to see a sea of red & white and not be picked on for having an 'accent'. Livs & I made some new friends - because really, what is Canada Day if you do not meet new people and then go on to befriend them?- while we were at Trafalgar as well! Of course, we all happened to be from Toronto originally and bonded over that. We also chatted up a million other people as it's the Canadian way of life to talk to other Canadians as though you've known each other for a life time. :-P

Canadian Pub in central London.

Cheese!

It was nice to be able to celebrate Canada Day even though I was not back home. I did miss my family and being able to see everybody and have our annual bbq, but this definitely made up for some of the loss I felt. it also helped very much that I am lucky enough to have Livs living here in London as well with me so I'm not utterly alone. 

This move has been a great learning opportunity for me. I was so nervous before I left Canada and still get nervous from time-to-time being here, but I wouldn't change a thing. I needed this. I needed to shake things up and moving across an ocean to pursue my career and have all these life experiences has been an absolute blessing.

Alright, I'm sure you've read enough for one day so I will end my post here and write again soon as Livs and I have been taking little trips out & about in London. I've also joined meet-up groups to help jump start my social life across the pond. I will then have things to actually update about! Yeehaw!

Toodles! xx