Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.

Whoever came up with that particular saying had clearly never taught. Particularly teenagers - they are a handful! However, the majority of them are so keen and eager to speak English (and try and trick me into speaking French) that classes are great fun. There is such a range of abilities, even within the same class, that I am constantly challenged to find something where they will all be able to join in. One thing is for sure - I'll never get bored at work!

Their curiosity about me and about Britain is extremely endearing as well. I've had questions ranging from the normal (Where do you live) to fantastical (Are you friends with the Queen) to borderline offensive (Why don't you have children - do I look that old???) but I love the fact that they are so eager to learn anything and everything I tell them. I was playing a game about Britain with Sec 3 students (Year 10) this morning and I had a hard time convincing them that the Channel Tunnel really exists, or that we really do eat yorkshire pudding with roast beef! I found myself singing "Englishman in New York" after class, because I really think the kids believe I've come from another planet! I am indeed a legal alien here!

In other, non-Canadian news, I now have 3 new baby cousins. Congratulations to Stephen and Elaine, and Richard and Lindsey - I can't wait to meet Daniel, Hope and Clark!

Crossing the 3000 miles back to this side of the atlantic, and there is more going on in ma vie besides starting teaching. This weekend, there was a mass gathering of assistants in Quebec city for Nick's 21st birthday and much fun and laughter was had by all. I also realised I am developing an addiction to Poutine that is far from healthy. When you start having chips, squeaky cheese and gravy for breakfast, you know you have a problem! I can justify it though - it is Quebec's national dish, I'm merely immersing myself fully in the culture! On Saturday evening we all met up to go to the Moulin à Images, a huge light show on the docks in Vieux Québec depicting 400 years of the province's history. It was absolutely amazing how huge it was, and just how many people had squeezed onto the piers and roads to watch it. We spent the rest of the evening in various pubs and dancing at an extremely cheesy discotheque, where we ended up having a breakdancing dance-off, followed by the customary late-night poutine at 3.30am when the club closed. Sunday was a very relaxed and quiet day in comparison, lots of hanging around in coffee shops and attracting curious glances from the locals as we were all speaking English but ordering more coffee in perfect (ahem) French.

Anyway, that's enough from me for now, I have a class of English specialism year nines waiting for me.

A bientôt!