PaulRaynor

Just to add I never had any problems with the department accepting my PGCE

Worlo if you come to QLD supply work is controlled by TRACER Teacher Relief and Contract 'something' Register. It is a resource unit controlled by the Dept of Education and is brilliant! No need for agencies at all, not that there are many here anyway. The supply rate at $400 an hour is one of the best rates in Australia and to join you have to produce your Queensland College of Teachers registration number. After that schools and particularly individual teachers may ask for you regularly. Thereafter a Principal is able to offer you anything up to full time contract for a year. They can't of course offer you a full time position. once you are in it's not that difficult. I'm on supply and never short of work, except maybe at the moment but its the start of the school year everyone is healthy but in a a week or so it'll pick up nicely. Good luck Paul

You are right Marisa "Passed down to us in our folklore" Sometimes I wonder if its a question of pride. There is an old saying 'Pride comes before a fall.' I remember a teacher at school talking about the subject of pride many years ago. She suggested aspects of pride are positive. Pride in your children, your parents, the qualities of your partner etc, but if you feel the need to express regularly the pride of where you come from there might be an element of doubt in your mind, she offered. When I return to the UK in August this is something I will take with me and it is evident in "the first person plural" if that is the right expression. (Someone will correct me if it isn't). Our this and Our that. I hear it every day in the press, all media and everyday conversation. Our highest mountain, our deepest lake, our barrier reef and our boys who just thrashed the poms at cricket. I wonder if there is anyone in the UK who refers to London as "Our nations capital?" So it goes on, a film trailer on TV announced in that deep gravelly voice, "Starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney and "Australia's" Cate Blanchett. Why is there a need to do that??? But the best one I ever heard was "Our stars are better and brighter than those in the northern hemisphere." OUR STARS !!

Emptiness and loneliness are things that I too live with every day, but every day that goes by is a day closer to home!

Drat! I have to put my departure back to August now because my teaching job isn't available until September. Thought I was down to 88 days. Never mind. A crisp 37 degrees in Brisbane today, 41 tomorrow ! So much for the outdoor lifestyle huh?

1st April 2014 for me. After 15 years in Brisbane just 169 days to go! lol!