Katarina in Denmark (Sept/Oct)

Dear Sandy and Beate!

Wow, time has really flown since I finished the TEFL Course. I still think about you and miss you lots. I wanted to bring you an update!

When I came home in July I spent a couple of weeks thinking everything through and deciding what I want to do. I made up my mind and applied for BA Languages at University of Pretoria. I’ll then study English and Sociology, so that’s absolutely perfect for me – and I did get accepted, so I’m so happy and excited about starting! Now I have tons of things to find out and do until then, and I’ll be back in January.

The first month I did some temporary work (the schools still had their summer holidays) and then I started at the end of August as a substitute teacher at my old school and substituted at the small children’s house after school. When the small kids finish school at 12 or 1 they come here to play until their parents pick them up. J That means they call me whenever someone’s sick, on a course or day-trip. It pays very well, but you never really know when you must work or for how many hours, which I wasn’t really satisfied with as I want to earn as much as possible! I’ve then been offered 8 hours a week teaching Danish and Religion starting from next week at another school, so it’ll be very nice to get “my own students” while their teacher is on a course. And while I’m already there it’s easier to get more lessons.

I then applied for a job at a youth school in my town. They’re run by the communities and it’s mainly kids with difficulties in school or with problems at home that come here in the evenings to get help – especially to get through their final exams. I got the job and I’ll start next week - two nights a week. I’ll have 2 classes, one for 7-8 grade and one for 9 grade, so I’m looking forward to this, both teaching and the social part of it as well. I’ve realised after being at the school that this is a HUGE part of it! Many of them of course come because the normal schools aren’t helping them out.

Besides that, I’ll be helping out a couple of times a week by being at the café in the school. It’s a place for them to come to – lots of young people don’t have anywhere to go, so it’s preventing them from running around in the streets. I’m very happy I actually get to do the things I like and maybe be a good role model for some – and earn money as well!

So now I have lots to do – I was getting a bit impatient with the schools, but after I had been at the schools a couple of times, it paid off because the school and teachers got to know me and they call me more and more – this week has almost been too much, I sometimes have to say I can’t come!

So how’s life in Melville? Much hotter I suppose! And I guess you’ve already started and finished another TEFL course…
This is it from Denmark so far. I hope you’re both doing well. Let me know how everything goes!

Love from
Katarina Thillerup