Hello all🤗

So I thought I would just give a brief rundown as to how things are going so far.

The good news is …I have a home and a bank account!! Wohooooooo!!! My bank account is still currently at ZERO pounds. (The only way is up👆) ….um and I am paying £800 a month, (roughly about R14048) for a ROOM, in a 12 bedroom house. (I kid you not😳.) One ROOM!!! For those of you who aren’t from South Africa….. I am currently renting my whole 2 bedroomed flat, 5 min from the beach, for a mere R7000 a month in Port Elizabeth. I know they say you shouldn’t convert…..but damn its hard when you are still spending those good old South African Rands.

So it has been a bit of a shock…..but unfortunately even though I am technically here to try and save money I honestly couldn’t bear the sight of some of the cheaper places. My house is at least clean and my room is gorgeous. The best part is the view from my bedroom, the loveliest brick wall you have ever seen in your life before🤣. So I just had to suck it up and pay the money……and hope to God I get a job by the end of the month otherwise I might be a tiny bit screwed. ( But remember we are having faith that the universe has my back so I will be just fine🙏) I have currently joined 4 supply teaching agencies …..my hope is to find something relatively commitment-free for the next 6 months….just while I get myself back onto my feet. I have officially worked for 4 days already doing day-to-day supply teaching ….which means I should be getting my first paycheck on Friday – which will essentially cover half of next month’s rent!👌💪

I have an interview for a year 1 class next Monday which is just until the end of the school year….so I need lots of positive thoughts on Monday, please.🙏🙏

Today I got sent to a reception class in Hounslow. Google maps said it would take me 48 minutes to get there…..it took me 2 hours on two buses. Had random thought while freaking out silently on the bus that I am not cut out for the anxiety that comes with this whole day-to-day supply teaching shit anymore…how the hell did I do two years of this when I was in my 20’s? 😳 Anyway, all was forgotten when I arrived at the school and got put into the sweetest class ever. About 80% of them were from India or Pakistan. They truly are the loveliest little children. My biggest compliment of the year was when one little boy asked me if I was a teacher. I said yes, and then asked him what he thought I was if I wasn’t a teacher. He said I was a child. I can live with that.😂

Another little boy came running over to me in the playground…very distraught and kept saying ‘My hat fell on the ground’ …I wasn’t quite sure what the fuss was about or what he expected me to do about this, other than to tell him to go pick his hat up. He clearly wasn’t very happy with my response and kept insisting on “my hat” on the ground. He obviously expected me to do more for ‘his hat.’ A few seconds later a sopping wet little boy walks over in tears . Child A rather indignantly points at him and informs me: “Seeeeee I tell you Mahat fell on ground” I apologized profusely to Mahat for not rescuing him sooner. 🤦‍♀️

I have to admit I absolutely love being back in London…..although it’s still bloody freezing mind you. (maybe I secretly hoped it might have warmed up in the last 8 years or so…..it has not.

I permanently feel like a very overweight Yeti due to my 5 layers of clothing underneath my way too small jacket !! First thing I’m buying when I get a proper job is a new jacket…that goes down to my feet! There is nothing sexy about freezing…..just saying!)

But far be it for me to moan…… let’s focus on some positives. I signed up for Bumble as soon as I landed. For those of you who are lucky enough not to have to date and have never heard of it😉….basically it is a dating app. It is very similar to Tinder except once you have matched with someone then the woman is responsible for messaging the guy first. It’s a dating app designed by a woman, for women. I love it! I have officially already had 5 dates in the 3.5 weeks that I have been here. I feel so Carrie Bradshaw-like 😜

It’s utterly amazing…..men in London actually ask you out. Who would have thought?? I tried the app in South Africa last year for about two months. I had 38 matches, of which only 2 were from PE. When I suggested meeting up for coffee one disappeared completely of the radar and the other I believe said he was “very busy at the moment”. So imagine my excitement to actually be going on real bonified dates. 😁

My last one was probably the best. I thought he was very attractive, funny, tall we seemed to get along very well for the first hour of the date. And then as if by magic POOOOOOFFFFF ….it was gone!!! It’s like we just completely ran out of stuff to talk about……I felt like I was continually trying to think of questions to ask….just to keep it going and in the back of my mind all I was thinking was: “Damn I wish I could go to bed now”. (ALONE!!- mind out of the gutter!😉) Our date ended at 8.30 on a Friday night …..that says it all! That being said I probably would have gone out with him again, had he asked….(first date nerves maybe??) …..but alas he didn’t. Clearly, the POOF affected him too. Honestly, I can’t say I’m too heartbroken. I don’t think I have too high standards when it comes to what qualifies as a good date.

Good date = Great conversation and not fantasizing about going home! 🤦‍♀️

But HEY!!!! I had a date!! And there will be more.

And that’s all my news for now

Have a super week guys!!

Lots of L💖 ve