Sorry, Closed on Tuesdays

I started this blog update yesterday, but never did finish it because it was one of those really busy, productive days. So I'm finishing this up this morning.

And now, without further ado, the news of the week so far...

Student wins battle to stay

I haven't said anything about this (though I remember telling Mom and Dad about it), but imagine my surprise when I found out that a year 11 student here at St. Peter's is actually a war orphan from Kosovo. I don't know Semirjan (pronounced Seh-meer-ee-an) personally, but I've seen him about the school and he seems a nice enough lad. Turns out when he was 12, he was brought to England after his family was murdered in war-torn Kosovo. A foster family took him in and he has become a son to them and a brother to their children. He has thrived at St. Peter's, learning English and doing quite well academically. According to one of the maths teachers, his first English word was "please."

He is a true success story--he is popular with his fellow students, well-liked by staff, and he has come through Hell itself to complete his GCSEs and not only survive, but thrive, in a foreign culture.

Imagine my dismay when I found out that this 15-year-old boy was going to be sent back to Kosovo because England rarely grants asylum to people from that country. I first heard of the story when I saw a headline on the Burnham Maldon Standard with his picture and the headline "Please Let Me Stay."

He's 15, for crying out loud!

His friends and foster family rallied around him, and last Monday, they all crammed into a courtroom in London to plea his case. According to the Maldon Burnham Standard:

The 15-year-old was told it would be his last chance to convince the Asylum Adjucator he should stay with his new family.

But he was warned that most Kosovans' applications are refused, and they are sent back to south Kosovo, which is now classified as safe.

The hearing was adjourned within minutes so the Home Office's barrister, David Harvey, could look through dozens of previously unseen letters from Semirjan's supporters and a petition signed by more than 200 people.

After a tense wait, it was revealed to the emotional group that, even without a hearing, the evidence was enough for the Home Office to give Semirjan leave to stay in England until he is 18 years old.

What a huge victory for this young man. He has been accepted to an electricians' course at nearby Chelmsford College.

What did Semirjan have to say about all of this?

"I feel excellent. Thank you to everyone who came, and everyone who could not make it, for their support."

Definitely a happy ending.

Sorry, Closed on Tuesdays

There's a farm shop between Kathy's house and the school. I walk by it each morning and love to watch them opening up. As they are open on the weekends, they close on Tuesdays.

Tuesdays are one of the days I have free periods, which is great. But I end my Tuesdays with one of my most difficult classes of the week, Tuesday Five. I never look forward to this class. So now, every time I see the hand-painted sign in front of the Limes that says, "Sorry, Closed on Tuesdays," my stomach sinks. I've started to associate it with this difficult class.

Wierd how we do that.

Four more!

I now have four more lessons with each year 8 and 9 teaching group. Last week I did Five Lessons, this week, I'll do Four New Adventures. These are the things I'm looking foward to.

1. Learning Seattle

I'm going to have a lovely city just a ferry away. From the very little of Seattle I've seen, it is lovely, so I'm looking forward to knowing it better.

2. Being near a naval base

This is not to say I want to catch myself a military man. I just love how they look in uniform...so the view is going to be lovely.

3. New Job

Whether I keep teaching or have to go into something else for a bit, I am determined to enjoy what I do. Life is to short to spend 8 of your waking hours stressed out.

4. New Friends

Meeting people in England was always easy becauseI was fascinating to them: "Oh! You're the American!" In Washington, I'll be just another American, but I hope to form more relationships and meet more exciting people. Trust me, though, they will not replace any of you!

And that's pretty much it on this end of the Atlantic. More tomorrow!

Cheers,

Meg