First entry, phew.

Well, as some of you may, but more likely may not, know: I'm currently on my year abroad, as part of my university degree, teaching English. Wanting to enter the profession once I graduate, I thought this would make for some good experience of teaching, in the profession itself: instead of having a very romanticised, lone wanderer leftist idol view of myself in 5 or 10 years time

Before we were let loose, so to speak, we had a training week in a castle. Now, castle sounds more impressive than it actually was. Back in the days of the Hapsburg Empire, this would clearly not have been a military castle: This was the sort of castle that the flamboyant, purple cloak wearing socialite of the family would have built for him. Very pretty, but no more sturdy than a roll of newspaper stood on its end.

140 American assistants, 100 English assistants. Our situations were a little different. The English assistants are still at university, doing a compulsory year abroad. The Americans have all graduated, so are on the whole 2 to 5 years older than the Brits. I have to say, I enjoyed the company of the Americans much more than the company of the Brits. Perhaps it was a maturity thing. Left the whole experience with a great sense of command and confidence in front of a class.

Currently living with a family in a mountainous (or "Hilly", depending on where you're from) village. Really nice family, a real pleasure to be living with them. Teaching in Graz, in two schools: one is a standard comprehensive school, the other is a "BAA Für Kindergartenpadagögik". So: a Kindergarten teacher training school. Yet to go there yet, but the comprehensive school is awesome. The kids (apart from one class so far) are all lovely, really eager, keen students who're very happy to speak to you once they've established that you're not a teacher (so, not marking them...considering I'm only an assistant).

I'm quietly confident that this is my calling. I walk home from this every day with a smile both on my face, and buried deep within my chest. The opportunity to broaden people's horizons, and to help bring experiences and ideas into the lives of young people- and to learn from them also, is an experience i'll no doubt be forever grateful for.