Last Day

Yesterday was my last day with the children at CPIMS and today was my last day at work. We had a final class party with an 'American' theme. The children all dressed up, the parents brought the most wonderful 'American' food and we had a great time. Some of the children were upset when it was time to leave, I told them we have had a fantastic year together and I will remember each and every one of them for the rest of my life. The Fulbright exchange is all about being a teacher in another country and without doubt, I have enjoyed every moment of my teaching experience. As Dr Seuss said, Don't cry because it's over, smile because it's happened. Hopefully the children in my class will always remember their eccentric British teacher and will continue to call the garbage can a bin and the closet a cupboard for many years to come. Seriously though, I hope I have broadened their horizons and touched their lives, as they have mine! In 2 sleeps we fly back to the UK. We are packed and ready, in more ways than one. We have had a wonderful, terrible, extraordinary year. But now it is time to go home.

A Dream Come True.

Apart from the teaching, the best part of my time in America came a few weeks ago when Ron and I spent the weekend in Woodstock. Woodstock is in New York State, it is only a couple of hours away from us but we wanted to wait until the weather was warmer before we visited. We picked the best weekend ever for the weather. The converted barn we stayed in was fabulous and we loved the small town of Woodstock. Full of eclectic shops and boutiques, restaurants and bars. We even managed to have our first Indian meal since last July! We enjoyed strolling round taking in the sights until Saturday night and the reason for our visit... a Levon Helm concert. Levon was the singer / drummer in The Band, without doubt mine and Ron's favourite band EVER! He plays a 'Midnight Ramble' most Saturdays in the studio of his home in Woodstock. This was such an amazing experience. We sat one row back from the great man. Literally close enough to tough. Ron actually shook his hand. For 3 hours we heard some fantastic music and loved every second of it. Everyone there was so friendly and the staff were fantastic, mostly volunteers who travel there every Saturday for the love of Levon and the music. As if things couldn't get any better than that, the next day we rented bikes and went off into the Catskill mountains in search of Big Pink. This is the house The Band lived when they wrote the albums 'Music From Big Pink' and Bob Dylan's 'Basement Tapes'. The ride itself was unbelievable. We had the winding mountain roads to ourselves as we passed deer, snakes and chipmunks. There are bears in the Catskills and at one point I was fairly scared a bear would jump out of the woods and eat me! The scenery was some of the most beautiful I have ever encountered and we had such an adventure (18 miles, only got totally lost twice, Ron stopping at one point to tell me he was dieing and we weren't going another inch!) When we arrived outside Big Pink (which is still a private residence) we took our photos and then one of the neighbours pulled up, but rather than telling us to push off and stop trespassing, he couldn't have been friendlier, asking us where we were from and telling us to 'hang and chill' for as long as we wanted! To know that we were standing at the epicentre of all that great music, on the same spot as Robertson, Danko, Dylan. Helm, Hudson and Manuel was awe inspiring. Without doubt the best experience of our lives. Like the whole year, more proof that with effort, Faith and luck - dreams do come true!

The Regulars Are Coming (Look it up Sarah Palin)!

Maybe I'm alone in this but I was never taught about the USA Revolutionary War at school. To the English, it is just another colony revolting. To Americans it is the birth of their nation. Is has definitely been interesting 'teaching' New York State in the Revolutionary War to my 4th graders. We have enjoyed learning about it together. They often feel they are being disloyal in showing support for the Patriots! When we heard there was to be a Revolutionary War re-enactment in our small town there was only one thing to do. Attend. In a Union Jack t-shirt! Yet they were (as all Americans are) so kind and welcoming to us. I was glad I had left my red coat at home.

Memorial Day Parade and BBQ

In England we have Remembrance Sunday to honor our soldiers, in the USA they have 2 days. Veteran's Day which is 11th November, as is ours, and Memorial Day. Americans love the armed forces. People 'in service' over here get all kinds of discounts and free entry to things. The number one tv show over here, NCIS is about Navel Criminal Investigation Services. You often see men and women in full military dress wandering around shopping malls and the like. If I was born an American , hell even now, I would be tempted to join up myself. To be in the military seems to be as close to being perfect as you can get. They are automatically 'heros' just from their job choice. Nearly everyone you meet seems to have a family member over in Afghanistan or 'Eye'rak. Personally, I feel the glorification of the military cannot ever be a good thing. If troops are 'drafted' that is one thing but people are rarely totally altruistic and the army is a job, with pay, as any other. Especially nowadays when the 'enemy' is such a media led device. However, Memorial Day is a big deal. We went down to Scotia for the parade and blow me if even a hardened liberal as myself didn't shed a tear to some of the old timey solders being driven past. The parade was VERY America. Cheerleaders, Little Leaguers, Classic Cars, Darth Vader. They were all there. I loved the fact that bringing up the rear were a group of pacifists with peace signs. That was my favourite part. We had a day off school for Memorial Day and attended a BBQ. This was fantastic, a 'real' American holiday. The sun beat down ferociously and we ate hot dogs and burgers. Americans are a very proud nation and sometimes I wonder if with all my liberal cynicism, I am not missing out on some good clean fun!

Zombie Attack

So a few weekends ago, now that Winter has finally gone, we were invited for some drinks and dinner in Saratoga Springs. This was also the day of the much anticipated Apocalypse and the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) has released information on how to prepare for a Zombie Invasion! This was actually tongue in cheek (I hope) to remind people in the US of the need for an emergency plan for more likely problems, tornado, flood etc. Saratoga Springs is a very well to do Spa town. There is horse racing there throughout the summer. Don Maclean wrote 'American Pie' here and it is immortalised in the Carly Simon song, 'You're so Vain' with the lyrics, "I hear you went up to Saratoga, And your horse naturally won". It is a lovely place. As I may have mentioned before, America can often seem like a giant parking lot. Last week in Woodstock ( blog to follow!) we heard a song about "strip malls from sea to shining sea" and that is not wrong! It is desolate and depressing. However there do exist pockets of lovely and Saratoga is one of these. Lively, artistic and lots of shops and bars! We sampled the (disgusting sulphuric) spring then found a rooftop bar at Apocalypse time, safest place in a Zombie invasion!

Maine and Mr Alfie Kohn.

I flew straight from Chicago to Portland, Maine. I say 'straight' but actually *shame* I missed my first flight. How did this happen? I am normally the person who arrives 2 hours early. Unfortunately I had not reckoned on Chicago rush hour and was stuck at the airport for 4 hours until I managed to get another flight!


Drama over, Portland is a fantastic city. It reminded me of Whitby, Bridlington etc. I was beside myself with excitement to find actual streets with shops, bars, restaurants. Not a strip mall in sight! The sound of seagulls also made me feel very much at home. I was all by myself in Maine. I have never stayed anywhere alone before and it was a strange experience, especially eating alone! The first night I tracked down a Maine lobster and it was FANTASTIC although not having anyone to share the fun with gave me new found respect for the majority of the Fulbrighters who have been alone for the whole year! The reason for my stay was the incredibly generous Fulbright exchange people had given me the opportunity for 'Professional Development'. This could be whatever I wanted (within limits - no Disneyland- not that I'd want to!) I had been to some training in the UK based on the writings of Alfie Kohn. An American educationalist, speaker and author. He is quite controversial. He is in favor of 'Progressive' schools. These would be schools that abandon 'official' testing in favor of teacher assessment, that do not give homework or grade children and that do not reward children with stickers or prizes. He believes rewards have to be intrinsic. That we should want to do something for the good of others instead of to get something for ourselves - even just praise. When I first heard some of his ideas I was very anti. I have always been very generous with praise and rewards, in fact I have always followed the 'Assertive Discipline' technique of reward good behavior, ignore bad behavior - as much as possible and found it to be very successful. However, in the UK I tried some of his techniques out with my Kindergarten class and they did work. Children did not stop doing the 'right' thing just because they were not getting a sticker for it. When I found out Alfie Kohn was giving a teacher's workshop in Maine, I had to go! The workshop was fantastic. A lot of the teachers there became very emotional as what he says is common sense - missing in so many school administrations. Children do not thrive through testing and labeling but through a rich and creative curriculum, tailored to their interests. It was an honor and a privilege to meet the man in person and I will be trying to implement his ideas throughout the rest of my career. (I am also incredibly lucky to work in a school in the UK where 'progressive' ideas are welcomed and supported).


The workshop was held in a Quaker school and I contacted the Principal and spent the morning in the school. What an incredible place. The Quaker principles are very similar to Alfie Kohn's writings. The teachers are all called by their first names. They are there to facilitate the children's learning. The school is on an island and the children spend a considerable amount of time outdoors. This really was principles into practice. The school had a joyous and calm quality. The children were respectful and intelligent. They were not all Quakers by any means but by being an 'independent' school, they were not held so rigorously to the state requirements. The kindergarten looked a lot like ours (The Parks) with natural furniture and child led activities. The difference being these child led activities could be a driftwood collecting search on the beach!


I loved the workshop, loved the school and loved Maine. Yet again, I am so grateful to Fulbright for these opportunities and experiences.

Chicago - End Of Fulbright Meeting

Re-entry and it's problems was the double-entendre laden subject of last weekends Fulbright meeting in Chicago. We arrived, from various corners of the US, the night of the wedding and spent the night in the hotel bar putting the 'finishing touches' to our end of year presentations. Last time I saw most of the Exchangees was in Seattle back in September and it was fantastic to catch up and compare stories. Just being with a load of British women was such a comfort! The irony, sarcasm and wine flowed freely! We stayed, as usual, in a fantastically posh hotel. Chicago was amazing although I didn't see nearly enough of it. Saturday was presentations and on the night trying a Chicago pizza (rank)! I can't stress enough the joy of being with friends and sharing a frame of reference and fun. Sunday came too soon and we received our certificates and filled in some fantastically interesting tax forms. I was lucky enough to be able to stay on for a n extra night with a couple of other Fulbrighters and we wandered the city and enjoyed cocktails and fantastic Chinese food. Nee How! All the Fulbrighters are bound by sharing such an amazing opportunity and while our personal experiences vary widely, we all agree that we would not change a second of this unbelievable year. We vowed to fight the re-entry worm and meet up back in the UK. I cannot wait!

Royal Wedding

Yes, I got up at 5am for the Royal Wedding. I watched at home for a couple of hours, went to work where I watched the kiss and then had a party with my wonderful class. A few years ago I would have been the first to decry the Royals as a load of upper class, inbred twits but after my year away, I see how valuable they are. Culture, identity, national pride. Things we take completely for granted normally. We Brits like to play things down and are big on the self deprecation. Sometimes we need to see what we have and sing it from the rooftops. A democratic society going back thousands of years. History, majesty and state. We are so lucky to live in Britain and have the opportunities we have. The Royal family are part of our history. I vaguely remember Diana and Charles wedding in '81 with the street parties and commemorative coins, Fergie, Diana's death - they are the background to my life and are intrinsically British. Americans have never been as interested in me and my country as they have in the build up to the wedding. They don't have the bitterness we do to the wealth of the royals. As interesting as Kennedy, Monroe etc were, they are long gone but our royals continue. I remember being at my Grandma's in '81. Being with my Mum in September '97 and, God willing Sian and her children will witness the wedding of Will and Kate's children. They are part of our lives and history.Thousands of miles, and 5 hours, away I cried as the crowds sang Jerusalem and I thought of my Mum watching in Yorkshire, drinking Pimms at the local. I have never felt so proud to be British and to be a part of something historical and a little bit magical. In a world where history nowadays is normally tragic or appalling I think that is very special.

Spring Break in Canada.

We already visited a fair bit of Canada last August but we loved it and were determined to return and got the opportunity this Easter when the only invitation we got to celebrate came from a British family 350 miles away! (So much for American hospitality!)

We travelled up to Canada on the train and it was a wonderful journey, relaxed and scenic (I saw deer in the woods!) Mo is my friend from the old days, she used to be Sian's childminder and we were staying with her and her husband Martin and their wonderful teenage girls Dominique and Katie. Katie and Sian are the same age and used to be best friends when they were 2! Mo lives in Oakville, Canada. We all fell totally in love with Oakville. There was a 'proper' high street with real life people shopping on it. Not driving from store to store but actually walking around! There was a 'beach' on the shore of Lake Ontario. There were 'British' shops where I was able to buy Lilt, Prawn Cocktail crisps and Vegemite. Thursday were drove 20 or so minutes into Toronto. Toronto is a fantastic city, loads of shops, bars, performance artists. Some really fantastic independent shops especially. I may have already mentioned this in previous posts...but I miss the city sooooo much! Friday night was a first as we went to a BASEBALL game! We found it highly ironic that we had to wait to be taken to our first baseball game by Brits to see a Canadian team! Well, most sport bores me but add in a warm roofed stadium and a bar and I'm happy! I would happily go to see another team play, it was easy to understand. Just like rounders! Saturday morning we set off for home but unfortunately Amtrak let me down. The train broke down in Rochester and we had to spend 2 hours stuck on a dead train followed by 2 hours in a dead end crudsville station and then 4 hours driving the rest of the way on a coach! The train was the only one of the day so I was just glad to get back at all! There is nothing like being stranded 4 hours from home with no one to call and no money to make you realise how totally alone we are in this big, lonely country! A fact that was driven even further home the next day as Ron, Sian and I celebrated Easter Day just the 3 of us in the flat (yet again)whilst my exchange partner and her parents (who are visiting her) spent the day with my family and a fantastic Easter meal! The trip to Maureen in Canada was a fantastic reprieve from the loneliness we feel over here. Still, 2 months today we fly home. Yipeeeeeeee. AND, there are still adventures to come. Next week I will be visiting Chicago and Portland, Maine.

The Longest Winter Since The Ice Age.

But look! Is that GRASS I see under the snow? I had forgotton what it looked like! No evidence of flowers or buds round here yet but the snow if FINALLY melting. Very slowly! I cannot wait for Spring. We will get our car parking space back!

New York City - St Patrick's Day

The weather was unbelievable. Hot. Hot enough to make you wish you had left your coat at home. And not a drop of snow anywhere. The Parade itself was a washout! There were SO many people thronging the area, most of them under 21 and very, very drunk! After standing on my tiptoes to take the top picture we escaped via the subway to Greenwich Village and our favourite Irish Pub in NYC. What a fantastic move! We sat outside in the sunshine to enjoy our lunch. Ron had Fish and Chips and Sian had Bangers and Mash. I had a less interesting Vegeburger as I continue to try to slim back to normal European size! After the Parade had finished we ventured back to Midtown and went to Madame Tussauds. That was great fun. It was wonderful being in a busy, vibrant city and feeling the sun on us! As a postscript to this blog I must mention how interesting I find it that so many Americans class themselves as Irish when the connection goes back to a great great relative! My grandfather was Welsh and my great grandmother Irish but I am very definitely ENGLISH! Ron's dad was Italian but he sees himself as ENGLISH. It must be a cultural thing!

Ouch! A report from The Davies Family's Chief Wellness Officer.

So far this month we have had 2 occasions when we needed medical assistance. This is after 7 whole accident free months, which is not bad for us! First Sian managed to cut her thumb on an electric saw in 'shop' (woodwork). The cut itself wasn't too bad but due to the position, the school nurse directed us to the local ER for stitches. My impression of the hospital was that it was very similar to hospitals in the UK. Right down to the Indian doctor and the crazy man shouting in the corridor! The only discernible difference was there was a flat screen TV in every room. This did come in useful to distract Sian as she was being stitched but was not really worth the $250 price tag of the whole incident. The school's insurance should cover it but we will have to pay first and then fill in endless amounts of paper work to get the money back. Sian is under strict instructions from now on to avoid sharp objects! Next up was Ron. He has been getting his asthma and COPD meds from England since we got here, delivered to us when people come to visit. But the day finally came when the doctor said no more! We knew this would be a problem when we arranged to come over here. Ron's medical insurance doesn't cover 'existing conditions' and we had been lucky to not need anything up till now. Eventually I found a medical centre who would see him without insurance. That was $40. Not too bad. Then he went to get his prescription filled. $40 dollars for his asthma inhaler, again - not too bad, but the preventative inhaler (advair) would cost $300. For a month's supply. There is no way we can afford that for the next 3 months. So Ron is now going without his vital medication due to the cost. A situation which millions of American's find themselves in everyday here. I have heard first hand from people who have had to cancel their medical insurance as they can't afford to pay it. If anything serious happened to them, from a broken arm to heart disease, they would be in real trouble. I'm trying not to moan too much about this, I knew what the medical situation was over here before I came and we DO have insurance if anything dreadful was to happen. But it makes me very proud to come from a country where free medical assistance is available to EVERYONE. It is something I had always taken for granted, complaining even when i had to pay a £6 prescription fee. Not any more though. The most puzzling thing is that intelligent Americans view our system with suspicion. I have had someone (a teacher!) refer to free health care in the UK as "Your Socialist system". Free healthcare, free education and democracy are the cornerstones of any civilised society. Oh well, as Meatloaf says... Two out of three ain't bad.

Hallowed Grounds

People say the English are obsessed with tea and this is true to a certain extent but pales in comparison to Americans love affair with COFFEE. Imagine if tea was so popular in the UK that almost everyone you saw on the street was carrying a supersized thermos flask to sip from when necessary, if there were drive thru tea shops on every corner where people went any hour of the day or night to spend literally hundreds of pounds a month on luke warm polystyrene cups of tea. Ridiculous? No - reality here in the US but with coffee! It was one of the first things we all noticed when we arrived. Everyone wanders round with portable cups of coffee. Check out any US TV programme and you will start spotting it. They even take their coffee into the Autopsy rooms in the police shows. At first I thought it was crazy and found it very hard to relate to. However my 'acclimatization'

continues apace and I have searched high and low to find a way to blend in! Haha 'blend' geddit? Firstly there was the single cup coffee peculator. The drawback with this is the coffee never gets really blisteringly hot. So now my prayers have been answered in the form of coffee BAGS and a large silver travel mug! This is a winning combination of filter coffee taste but tongue burning heat. Do they sell these bags in the UK? If not I may have to bring a suitcase full back in June! God help me I have even started bringing DECAF in the evening.

The biggest problem is however that there are NO KETTLES at work. So if you want (need) a hot drink you have to bring it in the morning or pop out to Dunkin Donuts when the urge strikes. A staffroom without hot tea on tap - the horror.

Visit From The Boss.

This past week I was lucky enough to host a visit from my Headteacher, Mrs Cathy Byrne. Mrs Byrne had applied for funding from Fulbright's Head Teacher Study Visit.

Mrs Byrne arrived via Amtrak at Schenectady Station on Friday night. We spent Saturday touring the delights of Schenectady *muffles snort*. Mrs Byrne agreed with me, that it is so strange to be 'downtown' in a city centre and for it to be so quiet and empty. We strolled up to Schenectady Museum and took in the exhibits there, mainly it seemed to be a collection of 'Washing Machines Through The Ages' plus we had to PAY!!! As I recall, all museums in Hull are free (for the moment!). We then walked round my favourite area of Schenectady, The Stockade. These are the oldest houses in the area and some have been there since the Dutch colonised the area. It reminds me very much of The Avenues in Hull. We stopped in The Van Dyke for a beverage and to avoid a snowstorm!

Sunday started with a visit to St Anthony's Church where we experienced a Catholic Mass in Spanish with my friend and teaching assistant Mercedes. This was lovely and the people there were so welcoming, it didn't matter that I didn't understand much. There was some lovely singing. We then took Mrs Byrne shopping at Walmart. Oh the fun never ends round here! The day finished with dinner at The Brudos's. Fantastic beef from their own cows and i tried beetroot for the first time EVER! It was OK really!

The reason for the visit, of course, was for Mrs Byrne to see the US Education system and Dan had set up a fantastic schedule for the week. Visits to other local schools, the High School and even lunch with the Superintendent of Schenectady! The week passed so quickly. Mrs Byrne reiterated our opinion that people here are so warm and friendly. Before she left on Friday, we held a British Tea Party for children and parents in my class. It was fantastic. I even bakes scones. (Yes Mum, second time baking this week!) It was fabulous seeing the class decorated with Union Jacks and everyone sipping tea from dainty cups and nibbling cucumber sandwiches over the strains of God Save The Queen. We shared out the Dairy Milk my Mum had sent across and the children LOVED it! I have had an excellent week and it has been great fun showing Schenectady and the school off to Mrs Byrne.

St Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day is a big deal in the US. I expected this before I came. Even in the UK I have never been over fond of Valentine's Day. It seems too forced. Why should you have to have a special day to tell the person you love how you feel? Oh yes, to make money. It is so contrived and focused on buying THINGS!! Also I dislike the way some people brag about what they got for Valentine's Day, the subtext being... see how much more LOVED I am than you!

Well over here, times all that by 10! Everyone is included in Valentine's Day, not just the ones in relationships (unrequited or not). All the children at school bought special child orientated mini V Day cards (which come in class packs). I received more cards for Valentine's Day than I did for Christmas. Some bought gifts for their friends, others bought cookies and cupcakes. During snack time we passed out the cards and gifts and ate the treats. It was very different. I also received cards and gifts from the children and (because I had an idea this would happen) I had baked heart shape sugar cookies for them. I can just about accept all of this in the name of 'Cultural Exchange' but I still fail to see how Valentine's Day is a 'holiday'. We are at work, it is made up by retailers. It is not a holiday. I suppose some things are a leap too far even for me!