Hig and Wee's VIF Hot-tub...

So getting to that time of year Hig where all the little newbies will be joining us on the board. So thought that we might do it in a little American style in our virtual hot-tub. Hig and Wee, the VIF guru's will guide you gently on the biggest adventure of your teaching lives while sipping champagne (ok, so it is fizzy water....) in the luxtury of our hot-tub....

So when you do a search...here were are....

 

So getting to that time of year Hig where all the little newbies will be joining us on the board. So thought that we might do it in a little American style in our virtual hot-tub. Hig and Wee, the VIF guru's will guide you gently on the biggest adventure of your teaching lives while sipping champagne (ok, so it is fizzy water....) in the luxtury of our hot-tub....

So when you do a search...here were are....

 

Bo&&ocks to fizzy water... I want beer... or vodka

Is there a hot barman available to mix the bubbles?

 

Well, if there isn't, we know a man that can...;-)

Let me dance on the bar at the grill and I will invite him in!

 

You two girlies need to get out more

 

Yo Ho....10001....come join us in the tub...you can help heat the waters

Got the vodka...as the famous line from Bridget Jones says....

"I chose Chaka Khan...and Vodka"

As for getting out more...Higgie...Sat night....build your own Chimmichanga....

So how is life in China, me old mucker? Just finished writing an implimentation plan for a course of study that I have written for my class that I am taking at NC State on Asia. What are the plans next year then? Hig and I have decided to stay put and help another cohort of VIFer's though the traumatic experience of living in the Fast Food Nation...

Rice and chopsticks anyone?

 

Just got back from an all over Chinese body scrub. You lie down on bench -completely starkers- and some Chinese man, scrubs you from head to foot with a heavy cloth. He then pours a salt solution all over you and scrubs that in too. It stings like hell but feels great. The old hot tub sounds like fun but its a bit far away to go for the weekend. Anyway, I might get my ring-binder and lesson notes wet if I joined you in it. We couldn't have that now could we?

 

Actually, we have floating desk spaces so a damp lesson plan is really not a problem.

BTW why do we need to get out more if your excuse for not having a splash is concern about a soggy notebook?

Wee, the bar is soooo packed these days that you need to be 5'8" just to get noticed and served... not that I'm saying your little or anything.

 

Hello ladies, how u diddling? Just had some info through about the car situation with Chapel Hill Leasing and was wondering what advice you'd have for me on that one. Is it really the best deal to lease for the 3 years? or should I just buy? what hav u done?
Another quick one is that I dont suppose you know of any vif's who have taken their boyf/girlf with them? Is it possible? My girfriend is at uni in uk and was wondering how easy it would be for her to do a semester or two in the states and have her courses converted? Just a long shot but was wondering if you know of anyone in a similar situation or if it is at all possible?

Keep up the good work, and don't let your skin wrinkle in the tub!

 

Bobby my love! How lovely to hear from you, always a pleasure, now ease yourself in and let Auntie Higgi tell you about the cars. The following words may have to be rearranged in order for them to make perfect sense but... the general concensus of the car program is blind you rob.

It is possible to buy a car within the first few weeks of arriving but it's a stressful thing to do straight away, especially if you are casting around for a place to live or find your school. In addition to that, remember you have no credit history and would not be able to lease a motor, meaning you'd need to have enough cash to buy a car outright.

It isn't easy if you haven't done it before.

My suggestion would be, lease a car for 1 year. That will take some of the pressure off and enable you to get you get used to US road and taxation rules as well as obtain your drivers licence. In this time, you should be able to collect enough cash to buy a car and hopefully make a few interesting contact and maybe build a bit of a credit history.

FYI, I've leased for the last 2 years and every so often I think about buying a new motor but I'm not car savvie despite being wery car fussy; my dream motor is, at the mo' a new, red Pontiac Sunfire or a denim blue Mustang, '05 natch! I'm spending wads of cash of the lease (my friend's eyes goggle when they find out how much; I could lease a nice beemer for less!) but I'm too lazy and nervous to buy one.

Now please, when you haul yourself out of the hot-tub, could you adjust the sunlamp? I think my tan is fading.

Oh, and tell your girlie that she'd need to enquire at her Uni about doing time abroad...

 

Yo Bob....what about ye...

I concur with Hig. However, if you are a wise wee bob and you have been putting away the pennies in the last few years and have some cash, I have a reliable car dealer that will sell you a really reliable, if not very sexy car. I bought a Buick (granny car...stop laughing Higgie!) - BAB's (Big Ass Buick and our surname...no disclosure there...) is very nice if not a tad unsexy but gets one from A-B, cost $3 Grand and aoubt $350 every 6 months to insure. Easish on Gas. Insurance is the getter because of the lack of Social Security number when you first get here, but you can get CHL insurance for the first year. The option is up to you. My insurance guy would be happy to look at you, but he is NC so it might be different for Virgina.

As for girlie, there might be a transfer program. Otherwise it is a visitors visa for three months unless she takes a J1 and gets a sponsor here for her studies. She has time to check this out with her university.

So Bob...how is the water for you. Was thinking of getting a bar installed beside the hot-tub with beer on tap...suggestions for type please

Hig...have Vodka on intravenius drip if you care to try...have turned up sunlamp to keep that lovely Carribean tan...

 

Oh BTW...10001...I have had one of those scrubs (not with nice Chinese man though...) and I concur...they are divine....hmmmmmmmmm if only I had the money right now. Bet it cost next to nothing? Recently had a mud bath...totally violated!

So what is the job situation like in China for a lowly Social Studies teacher like me...suppose they only take maths and english, right? Times have changed...MrWee is no longer gainfully employed so the world is our oyster. Not liking the thought of going back to ripoff Ireland next year after third year of VIF so looking around for alternatives...

BTW...bring your salt man to the hot tub next time...my back is killing me!

 

Very quiet in the tub these days....at least there is room to stretch....

 

hi hig and wee,
i am really glad that i finally found something about vif in the internet (except their own homepage)...i was searching hours in the internet to find something about teachers with vif experiences...i am an elementary and secondary teacher in germany and i am planing to leave germany for working in the states next summer...and i am very confused about how to start all that...i would love to work in raleigh, cause i have been there in february and i really like that area... i will be in raleigh again in may and i am thing about visiting a school there to have a look around...do you think there will be an opportunity for me...to find a school...that will be able to show me around for a day in tier school?..how can i manage this?
i have so many questions about the schools in the states and about vif...du you know any german teachers that came to the states with vif?
thanks so much for helping me...

 

Hemera,
welcome to our world. I'm taking it from your post that you've already been accepted onto the program? If you have then let the reps. in Europe know that you would like to be placed in Raleigh and the reasons why; it should certainly count in your favour the fact that you have already been here to visit. Bear in mind that you are generally based in a county rather than a city. Wake County (of which Raleigh is a part) is a huge area so you could be placed in a school some way from the actual city.

I teach in an Elementary school in Raleigh and if you had already been cleared by VIF, I'm sure my principal would have no problem in you dropping in to spend time with my class and I. Please remember that May is testing time in NC schools so there will be a week, beginning May 9th when you would have to forget about visiting schools, it's just too stressful.

I have not met any teachers from Germany coming through NC before now but I'm sure it's happened. I suppose it would be much like coming through any country where English is not the first language, there would be a steep learning curve and a period of cultural adjustment, like there is for all of us, and then things level out.

Post your email and we'll drop you a line. Post again and we'll answer your questions.


Now, where's Sven for my shoulder massage? Could someone add more bubbles?

 

hi higgi....
thanks for your fast reply...i am already not accepted by the program...cause i filled out the forms for this summer...but then my principal here said to me...that she can´t let me go this summer...so i deleted the application....what a pitty...i was quiet sad about it...but i hope i can pass the vif interview and the go in summer 2006...i already know...that the wake county school area is quiet big....and i am alos thinking about the durham public school area...but i would also prefer to communicate by e-mail...my addresse:

killer-barbie@gmx.de

you don´t see a chance for me having a look at an american school middle of may, if i am not already accepted by the vif program...?

thank you so much for your help....

 

Hi Higgi and Weewoman, just a quick one, so won't be splashing about too long in your bubbles!
Was just wondering if there are any advantages in the fact that I already have a social security number? I know you mentioned something about car insurance. Hope you're both behaving in there!

 

sinus headache...neckache...crappy day....I'm coming in!

Teaching 3-digit subtraction to 7/8 year olds is causing me to twitch uncontrollably!

Where's the margarita machine?????

 

Higgie busted the Margarita machine last week by trying to put vodka in there with bubble bath to get more foam in the tub...silly girl!

Simpathise with you, Texas Chick...I have to teach Language Arts at Saturday Academy tomorrow for the EOG's so not looking forward to working...in fact working for the next 5 saturdays...go figure on that. So will be in the tub soothing my wounds.

MrWee is out of the country doing evil things...

Bob....you have a SS number..you lucky beggar. That will help ALOT! Just reactivate it here when you get in and bob (who is your uncle, not you...) ....is your uncle...Bring with you proof that you have insurance in UK etc...and it also means that you can do the driving test asap so that you can get your license which you need to get insurance. Sweet...you are well ahead of the game.

Plunging into the tub with a nice bottle of Icehouse...Higgie...get your fingers out of that sauce bottle and put that bloody book down....

 

Have you seen my scrubbing-brush anywhere? All these damn bubbles are getting in the way. When I was a boy we couldn't afford proper bubble-bath liquid so used Fairy Liquid instead. You didn't get as many bubbles but it was always a laugh.
O.K., so where has it gone then...?