Singing songs about the southlands

The last month has been a bit of a blur really. The Fulbright Commission made us wait until the last possible second before they put us out of our misery. They pushed back the announcement date a further week and when judgement day finally arrived they held out until 4pm before sending the email with our fate.

I was lucky, they had found me a match! When the email arrived, I was sitting in the waiting room at the dentist and I had to fight hard to resist the urge to demonstrate my victory dance to the other patients. My dentist was stunned at the change in me because usually I am an awful patient. She had never seen me so happy in her chair!

I've been paired with a lovely teacher from a school in Homewood, Alabama, where I will teach a 4th grade class. There are so many things to learn about the US education system and I'm going to have to adjust to having the same class of cherubs all day long. I've never been to Alabama and I'm so excited to learn more about my new home. I'll be there for the school year and I hope to travel some before I return to the UK the following year.

So what next? Well, I've been drowning under a small rainforest of paperwork for the last few weeks but I think I'm mostly up to date for now. Now I need to wait on some medical tests before visiting the US Embassy and sorting out my visa. My lovely partner and I are swapping long detailed emails, and skyping when we can, to get to know both each other and the job we will have to do. I'm taking this opportunity to gut and clear the tat from my flat before I go and I'm spending as much time as I can with my family and friends. 


I have no doubts that the year to come will be a hugely rewarding and fascintating experience and I'm very excited about 'The Big Move'. I have so many things to organise before I go that I've got lists for my lists and my penchant for buying stationary has paid off in spades. I'm begging friends for advice about living in the US, so if you've got any golden nuggets, leave me a comment below ;-) I'm off to make another list!


96 days and counting...The game is afoot!