I passed my TEFL

WOO HOO PASSED THE TEFL

Wow, apparently Im ok to Teach English as a Foreign Language now... as I have officially passed the TEFL, AND the additional grammar module.

I have already started teaching at my daughter's school - scary really that they didn't require some level of qualification other than being English. But ok, so far I am loving it! I start teaching privately on Tuesday, a couple of the girls from school are coming for an extra hour lesson at home!

All Good!

London Office

Scheduled a day in the office en route to my Amsterdam holiday, at the start of the French school holidays, to coincide with NHS Doctors and Dentists appointments (that multi tasking thing never lets up!)

Having never known anyone to wear much other than ripped jeans and hoodies in the office, i donned my best prada lookalike jeans, new boots, matching dior t shirt and top, then a few other layers (as UK is roughly 7 degrees colder than Marseille) and took a taxi to Witham station in the dark.

As you commuters know, its like an expert thing to know which sign or flower pot to stand opposite to have any chance of getting near enough to the doors of the train to acquire a seat for the 40 minute ride into the city. I am that expert and had no problem getting a seat.

Arrived on schedule for my first meeting - at Mcdonalds: the 8.15 hash brown, egg muffin and a copy of the Metro... (France may have great croissants but they don't do McDonalds breakfasts).

9am meeting with my boss - (obviously I wouldn't want to forfiet my job by disclosing top secret company details here), but needless to say that my boss has engineered a couple of not too testing projects for me, that I am happy to run with.. whilst still working from home in South of France on London money!

Coming into work really was like meeting old friends, hugs for Dara and pleasantries with the new faces.. though within half an hour, once the fresh croissants were all out on the plate and coffee in hand, we were like old friends too... I find it so refreshing to be around like minded people, and even noticed their dress sense had smartened up quite a lot now in the main building! (much less rips)

The new faces in my team couldn't have been more welcoming - designer who has lived in France for 4 years and has a couple of houses here and a developer who is obviously well set up too. In case I never mentioned it, im a developer, building websites. My colleagues spent the rest of the morning showing me pictures of their houses and we talked cars and geeky stuff about how to get around the new download laws and the internet costs - it was great.

Then lunch with my boss and my friend Dara. Great food in a nice little restaurant in Bourough. Two bottles of chardonnay, talk of finding investment properties and a taker for the Private Island Deal (see previous entry) later we returned to the office!

2 coffees, a croissant, more talking about geeky stuff and my day at work drew to a close, quite sad to be leaving so soon really. So sad that I managed to stay for their regular Friday Wine Down to finish off the day :)

Smiling Hard on the train home, knowing I have to make this project extend into something more longterm... then life could be really sweet!

What a great start to my holiday in Amsterdam - really feel like I will enjoy it!

Back to work… Marseille style

I know that when you act and think positive things it is true that good things happen to you…

Well, now I’m working from home for a bit, the same same contract website work from London without the grey sky. Fantastic, what I have always thought COULD happen while living out here but never has. A short contract but enough for a taste, something I won’t give up easily and perhaps a chance of extension or future work (after the long summer on the beach)!

So, what IS it like to work from home in the South of France – watch this space and I will let you know – so far so good – no pressure for the first week AND probably some hectic days to come will compensate for that…

As UK don’t really log on until 10am my time and certainly not really chatty til 11 ish (midday my time) – And, bearing in mind I'm up and free from early – like mid-dream for people in the UK…

My week went like this…

Monday – everything I wanted to do, as didn’t have any logon – Nails, shopping, Ikea...

Tuesday – 2 mins on MSN, wardrobe clearout, complete clean through

Wednesday – 5 mins on MSN, Taxi-mum, theatre show, Chronicles of Narnia movie

Thursday – Centre of Marseille to get Jag plates and car service - 2 mins MSN + 2 min phone call –

Friday – Yes got logon, also 4 washes, bleached the bathroom and got the metro to town to look at a lycee, still managed to access all the databases, get a brief and have idea of the project b4 weekend.

Also managed to find time to chase everybody for everything – this is France no further explanation should be required on that one.

To set up a network, buy a video camera, check out dishwashers, look for some holidays, plan a paradise island, nurture/discipline children, speak to mates, book flights, some other stuff and even meet a man about a .. erm dog..

Anyway – phew hard week at the office LOL…!!!

SOMETIMES I REALLY LOVE I.T. – no really I DO!!!

Thoughts

I know not many people are going to understand this feeling inside me that enables me to forgive a man who may not in everyones eyes deserve to be forgiven. But its a love greater than that that flows and flows and gushes and makes it all worthwhile - a happiness from within to to the outside. Without it i feel like a normal human, with it I am empowered beyond this life to do WHATEVER i want to do, to really see myself acheiving everything i ever wanted and more for the betterment of myself and my family. I got to make it work - i know i love this man and this is the way.

This moment when i am waiting on my beach front apartment to come through, my s type jaguar to roll up, a job thats in limbo but im sure could work very well... im still very happy and confident - strollin in life, striving for the best no matter what the weather. (which incidentally in Marseilles is pretty good, very sunny at this time of year but windy)

Theres nothing more than i could ask for my whole family to be happy and me to be working partly in Marseille and partly in London, driving Jaguar S and visiting my beach apartment in Narbonne - wicked! Got to sleep on that thought and about do i deserve this...? im already sure i do... :)