25 September 2000 - Julie (Engebretson) Helps ('00)

Things are great here. My paperwork hasn't come through yet, so I am definitely not working in a school now. I am volunteering at the Science Museum approx. 20 hours a week to keep myself amused. I never realized how great it is to have a job until I wasn't allowed to! I am really eager for my paperwork to come through allowing me to work. I have been offered a permanent position at the Science Center working with the school groups coming through and planning new exhibits, which would be interesting work.

I am not too sure about my teaching future. I seem to have found the one city in Canada which has no teacher shortage. U of C produces hundreds of teachers a year, and they all have the equivalent of one and a half years of student teaching as opposed to my semester. Needless to say, It will be quite challenging if I wish to pursue teaching. Who knows. I may end up selling insurance for the rest of my life! I guess we'll see in a few months. Actually, the Science Museum job sounds perfect. I will be constantly working with kids and developing new ways of teaching them science.

Other than that, things are great in Calgary. The city is great, the mountains are awesome, and the people are really nice. There's one problem though - it snows in September! We had two inches last week that stuck around for a couple of days. That will take a little getting used to.

I hope this school year goes well for all those in Valpo. Say hi to everyone for me!

Julie Helps

dehelps@telusplanet.net
1512 Edenwold Hts. NW
Calgary, AB T3A 3V2