mkate

One of my favourite, and often quoted sayings is that by the much herald non-violent civil activist Mahatma Gandhi "Be the change you want to see in the world". My mum recognised how this had touched me and encouraged me to help others, 'do what you can, when you can, but get an education first. Don't just be helpful, be intelligent'. The impressionable 12 year old self that I was took this to heart. So I participated in MS read a thons (raise money for multiple sclerosis by reading books e.g. my mum donated 50 cents for every book I read http://www.msreadathon.org.au/), I participated in the 40 hour famine (subsist on barley sugar and water for 40 hours whilst attempting to function at school) http://www.worldvision.com.au/40hourfamine.aspx, I traversed the neighbour hood ... read more

So it's quite clear that I've been rather remiss in updating my blog as the last blog I published/wrote was in fact on Australian soil. Since then I've set my size 8 (no longer stilleto clad feet) in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Macao, Hong Kong, and South Korea. But never fear, I've reset my password, made an internal commitment to continue blogging and perhaps most importantly I actually have an extrinsic motivation to blog. This motivation is strongly linked to the next countries soil that these feet will be stepping onto - Cambodia. Thus all the necessary boxes are ticked, and I shall be adding my warbling to the already massive amounts of warbling that exist on the inter-webs. You want more information you say? Well, I'm glad you asked. So after a year in ... read more

My thoughts at 1.18 am 13.02.2011: So, the countdown has begun - only 2.5 hours until I'm on the airport flyer and only 8 hours left in the country. I'm pulling an all nighter so hopefully I can sleep on the bus/plane. So far I've been up since 9 am so that makes it ... Ok not long at all. I'll update when I have a more impressive number. Sure this can back fire - I could possibly not be in a bed until 11pm tonight meaning over 24 hours awake (never good when combined with a different country, travel, different language, overly emotional individual). Surprisingly I don't feel emotional, rather I feel all cried out (semi-dehydrated from said crying) and pretty eager to just get over there so it can begin already! Don't get me ... read more

Never fear! Though my plans have changed they still include heading overseas and teaching. I just happened to have moved my relocation a few thousand kms to the North, a place commonly known as China. Yes folks, you heard right, China. My reason for this change stems mainly from the all round better contracts that are offered in China, namely: - flights are reimbursed, - accommodation is provided, - language lessons, - air port pick up (very convenient when you don't share a common language AND are in a different country), - westerner employers; they appear to be a bit more sympathetic and supportive (maybe us westerners are just soft!?), - potential for bonuses/travel allowance Plus a few other extras that vary from contract to contract. There are a few other ways that I have rationalized ... read more

SO! Today I paid for my passport - $208.00 dollars, $2.50 for bank statement with Toowoomba address, $10.00 for parking, almost 90 mins of waiting, and 3 different service people, 4 phone calls clarifying whether I had to make an appointment or not. Apparently this is the easy part, so I shouldn't complain - but really, I think it could have been a LOT simpler. Poor Jade had to fill out my application twice (the second time with black pen haha!). Ah well it is done now and I should only have to wait 2-3 weeks and it will be delivered! I'm very excited, this will be the first tangible step towards my trip. Also, it is exactly 1 month until I start my TESOL course. I have just started looking in Toowoomba for Vietnamese community ... read more