Classroom Canada

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Victoria Westcott, the author of Guide to Teaching in London: A Survival Guide for Canadians and founder of the teacher recruitment agency Classroom Canada, scheduled an appointment for me at her office in Oxford Circus.

I freakin' love Oxford Circus! It's so busy and huge and colorful. The shopping Mecca of London. Everyone is happy on Oxford Street.

Deon, Victoria's colleague, greets me warmly and has me fill out the registration forms. They photocopy my passport, current visa, university degree, and Tennessee teaching license. Then Deon says, "So Victoria told me about you and your story. I know you've been placed somewhere where you never wanted to be, and you're really unhappy."

"That's right. I want to be in London. That's the whole reason why I moved to England in the first place."

"OK, there are plenty of schools in London! I'm not promising anything, but I feel confident we can find you something," he smiles. "Let's write down some of your preferences."

London. Good school. Year 6 (or 5th grade).

I can be flexible with what year I teach. And I can even be flexible about whether or not it's a good school. As long as it's not worse than where I am now, and as long as I'm in London, I'll enjoy my life a lot more.

Deon says, "Some of the better schools are reluctant to sponsor teachers, so it would really help if you could get that Tier 1 visa that enables you to work anywhere. Plus, if you don't like the school, you can switch jobs without the visa headache."

I'm really gonna try. That visa is really freakin' expensive.

I get the sense that Classroom Canada cares about me. Deon and Victoria are caring people, and they want to provide good services for their teachers. They'd take care of me.

Hope lifts my feet as I walk home tonight. What an amazing thing hope is! It pushes the tornado out of my life and ushers in clear, blue skies. Now all I have to do wait for the sun to shine.

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