Welcome down under

Welcome back to all our returned exchange teachers! Many of you would have returned home just a week or so ago and you will still be re-adjusting to life back here. We hope you have enjoyed your year away and look forward to hearing about your travels. Thank you for your emails, postcards, Facebook and Newsmonth stories.

Welcome to our Year 2019 visiting exchange teachers from Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and New Brunswick. You certainly have come from exciting but cold places! And what a warm welcome you are having to NSW and the ACT!

We look forward to meeting officially at the Welcome Reception on 22 February and at various exchange events held throughout the year.

Reps and members, if there is an exchange teacher in your school, make yourself known to them and help them settle into their new community. As overseas exchange teachers have reciprocal union membership for the year, you might like to invite them to your next chapter or sub branch meeting.

Returned exchange teachers should also think about supporting the NSW Exchange Teachers League (ETL) now that your year on exchange is over. You will receive the next issue of the ETL newsletter shortly and included in it will be a membership renewal. The ETL is a wonderful group whose members have been on exchange themselves and provide social activities and friendly support to newly arrived exchangees.

The ETL meets on the first Wednesday of every month during term time at the IEU’s offices in Wattle Street Ultimo at 5.30pm. It has lots of great activities planned through the coming year. If you want to become involved, call me the Exchange Coordinator on 8202 8900. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

It is not too late to apply for an exchange position for 2020. Details on available exchange positions will be advertised in upcoming Newsmonth editions and also posted at https://www.ieu.asn.au/teacher-exchange.

There will be some exciting exchange destinations and positions out there. Email helen@ieu.asn.au or call me on 8202 8900 or 1800 467 943. Don’t wait for this; think about applying now and email a brief one page profile.

Here are just a few lovely ones to consider including a top double exchange to Alberta.

Red Deer Albert

Brice teaches Computer Science, Robotics, Visual Communications and is also qualified to teach Social Studies at Notre Dame High School in Red Deer. His wife Lindsay teaches Science (Biology) at Hunting Hills High School in Red Deer. Both are Catholic and have two children and a new four bedroom home available for exchange. Red Deer is a popular exchange destination; it is a large oil city with a great cross section of people into hiking, skiing, snow shoeing and ice fishing! This year, Red Deer is hosting the Canada Winter Games, the largest multisport event in the nation!

Calgary Alberta

Jodie teaches Foods and Fashion (Career Technology Foundations) at St Vincent de Paul Catholic School in Calgary. She has also taught Religion and Elementary Science, Maths and Art in the past and has excellent references. She is Catholic, single and has a newly renovated two bedroom home (interior designed by herself) in Calgary available for exchange. Relive the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary.

For those teachers who have already applied for 2020, your applications are in the hands of the overseas co-ordinators and we are eagerly awaiting matches. All the best for the coming year!

Helen Gregory
Exchange Coordinator