Six weeks on update

Life is starting to settle down into a routine. The kids enjoy school and have made friends. We are getting to know different people in the area and at church and are sorting out where to shop and places to visit.

David is getting some work which should hopefully get more when he gets the official 'river wireless' phone and lots of new parts to fit systems for people. He is keeping busy working on a website he's designing and exploring other avenues of making a decent wage.

After all the waiting I got my local permit through on Tuesday afternoon which means I can teach as an unqualified teacher in 4 local schools. Three mornings of waiting for the phone to ring at 7.30 hasn't brought me any work yet though! I should get my full teacher status in a couple of weeks. I have been advised to go into the schools I want to teach in and introduce myself. I was at parents meetings at 2 of them this week and said hi to the person in charge of supply teachers. One of them said I wouldn't get much work in this area! Hmmm not encouraging. To be honest doing supply work in a new country with a completely different system doesn't excite me at all so I've applied for lots of other jobs. I've had 2 interviews this week the first was a shock as I hadn't applied for it but another company had forwarded my resume to them! It was to be an adult education lecturer in Oromocto. This first bit of the interview process was an exam!!!! I had 8 maths questions and 2 short essays to write, if I pass I'll get called for interview next week. It's 34 hours a week but not normal hours odd times mon- thurs then days off fri & sat and working sun10-1 so I'm not happy with that at all. The next interview was yesterday as a supply teaching assistant for a 3 year old girl with autism in a pre school centre in Fredericton. I got the job in less than 5 mins as I had a bit more experience than anyone else! I'm working 2 mornings this week to get to know her so when I'm called in she's not freaked out too much. It's a lovely little place and it's a foot in the door for some work. The lady who interviewed me took me aside after and asked me to join a working party that's been set up by a local principle of an elementary school and others looking into other forms of educating children with special needs appropriately instead of the inclusion system that's operating now! Sounds fun!!!

With the lack of supply work and only a part time income I'm also looking at other alternatives for earning money. I've narrowed it down to 2 ideas, the first is to set up a pre school in the Harvey area. There isn't one at all and parents are crying out for something but a lot of the pre schools run from the teacher's homes by dedicating a room as a classroom and having up to 7 3-4 year olds come for the mornings. Some are within a daycare setting where the 3-4 year olds have a set teaching time. It is a mine field to set up and I couldn't do it while we're renting unless I rented a building specifically for it which is a big outlay. The first thing I need to do is get my CPR & first aid before I can work with any children. Then I will look into the legal aspects of it all. The second idea is to run a cupcake business from the local farmers market. We've sourced ingredients, packaging, taxes, market stalls, food hygiene etc. I'm perfecting the recipes, logo, fonts, decorations, marketing etc. David tells me it's my apprentice moment!!! I always shouted at the telly when it was on and reckoned I could do better than them so here's my chance!!!! All I need is Sir Alan Sugar and a six figure salary incentive and I'd be fine, instead I've got a possible market stall starting at 6AM on a Saturday!