dc koop

A few years ago I would have agreed with you. Now in my part of the world it's becoming more and more like a London suburb, lots of condos and townhomes all cramped together, postage sized back yards and ever rising association fees not to mention the traffic.

The call of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana grows stronger every day.

Jayney2

The weather won't be quite as good. However, I have a friend who is moving to Missoula MT for the very reasons you stated, and having been there, I can't blame her. I'm not so much of a hordes of people person. I get so claustrophobic when I go back to my Mums house in the UK now.

dc koop

My parents had a flat in Wimbledon. People above and people below. Half the time we stayed with them on visits we felt we were living their lives as well as ours

Ash UK/US

Garlic aloli is not a bad sub... I like the one Red Robin do, I just found a kraft one in the super market... I haven't tried that one yet.

Nutmegger

It's easy to make a middle eastern garlic sauce -- crush four cloves of garlic with some salt, pour in 1/3 cup olive oil, gradually whisk in three tablespoons of yogurt. Check for salt after allowing the flavor to develop a little. If it "breaks" while you are whisking, just whisk in a little warm water and it will fix it. I'm addicted to the stuff!

SultanOfSwing

As long as it gets the garlicy taste close enough, most things like that should work.

Cherrysoda

I returned to work after many years home with two small kids and I cannot get over how much more enjoyable teaching is here compared to the UK. No ofsted, less teaching to the test and just a much more creative approach to learning although I may have got lucky and be at a school with a refreshing approach.
And the pension is significantly better than anything I would have got in the UK- I am staying put. I worked such long hours as a teacher in the uk with so much pointless paperwork. Paperwork is minimal here, scrutiny is minimal and even though I have some kids with challenging behavior they are nothing compared to the intimidating kids I had to train with at an outer London comprehensive school. I really like teaching latino kids- they are pretty respectful and I feel that the family values are stronger in this population somehow. The UK kids ( unless you are in a good school or a grammar are just so disrespectful) I am really noticing the difference. The sweetest kids are the recent immigrants- they are just so endearing working so hard to try and master the language that you want to give them the best you possibly can. Most of their parents are working in low paid jobs just to give their kids a better future- it is very humbling to be around every day and makes me realise how lucky we are to have immigrated somewhere we did not have to learn a new language.

Steerpike

What can you say about the school itself? Is it private or public (in the US sense)? Montessori? Parochial? Your experience would suggest private to me.
ETA - or maybe not ... since you say the parents are poor.

Cherrysoda

It is an inner city school- title 1 which means the majority of our kids come from homes with low socio economic status. I was so nervous about starting teaching in a new country, new education system and I cannot get over how pleasant it is. Don't think I can go back to the UK to teach now. I actually can have a life balance- till working 7.45 till 4.3o every day but in the UK i was lucky to get out of school by 6.3o each night and then had a day of work every weekend. Just feel like I have escaped and am back in the 70's when teaching was actually fun. However I have got a great principal who really encourages us to make the learning is fun and about problem solving and the kids just fly with it.I am really appreciating the culture over here.

Cherrysoda

I actually taught in a very good state school in outer London where the students were just lovely but I trained in a different kind of school and that was enough to put anyone off- very rude disrespectful students compared to what I am experiencing here in an equivalent school.

Steerpike

I know someone who volunteers at a school serving very poor, mainly latino kids, and she loves it too.

Cherrysoda

That may be what it is- the latino kids are very easy to like because they are so unentitled and when they do something wrong they are so fast to say 'sorry'.You just do not get that in the UK. When you reprimand, you get serious attitude from UK students a lot of the time and these kids are immediately sorry. So, the latino families are doing something very right with raising their kids, is my observation so far. Maybe it is the Catholic culture- many of them mention being at mass every weekend and during the week, so perhaps this has an influence. Anyway I am happy to have been so pleasantly surprised by what great kids they are to spend my days with. I can take another 20 years of this without getting burned out. That is the holy grail of teaching so I hope I get to stay on at the
school.

Leslie

Everyone I've ever known, who taught at a Title 1 school, has loved it with an intense passion. One educator that I was acquainted with in the Dallas Independent SD worked in a Title 1 that had a lot a Hispanic kids but also a lot of Muslim kids from Africa and the Middle East, many of refugee status from war torn areas, she said she would never teach anywhere else.

dj6372

Hotdogs, yes I know they are made from lips and a55h@les, the mustard is yellow nothingness, but I love the damned things!!

Oh and they give me heartburn..........................

kimilseung

My daughters middle school is Title 1. We had a look at the nearby neighbouring school to see if we should request that one, as it has a good reputation via word of mouth. I have lived and worked in diverse communities enough now that the sameness of that school just left me cold. The sales pitch of the teachers was lacking in enthusiasm too, I was not hearing the right words that I expect from modern educators, that helped seal the deal. I have a sneaking suspicion that the good reputation is a dog whistle.
Its early doors at her new school but so far we have been impressed, and I was likewise impressed by what all the teachers (who are also diverse) had to say at last nights open house. Not only do I think that they have attended their training days over the last few years, but they seem to have understood them and internalized the methods.
I work at a title 1 school too, although that staff are not so diverse.