Katherine Jaiteh
Why did you decide to start working for the British Council?
I recently passed my CELTA qualification and began to look for work as a teacher. I was hoping to find something with the British Council because of the scope of opportunity of working for a big and reputable organisation. Luckily I came across the Teacher Support programme in Cairo and can’t wait to start.
My life...
If I had a lot of money, I would.. buy a bicycle and ride it all around Britain, then Europe and beyond, over many years, taking my time to get to know and learn about places and people.
The book or film that has influenced me most is..
Lost in Translation – you can find a friend or a soul mate in anyone, anywhere.
My most treasured possession is..
A leather handbag, bought for me by a friend, from a souk in Marrakesh.
A proverb I particularly like is: ..
“It always seems impossible until it’s done”
I think the best thing about life in Egypt will be ..
getting to know the place and the people, experiencing the culture, and I hear the food is good
My favourite city at the moment is ..
My home, Nottingham. It has everything from history to modernity, lots of cultural events, a cosmopolitan population and beautiful sights to see.
Three things I would take to a desert island are ..
assuming sustenance isn’t an issue, I’d take a Kindle loaded with thousands of books, my duvet and my specs so I can enjoy the view.
The route to happiness is ..
have goals and never stop learning and being interested in things, yet appreciate things as they are, and remind yourself how far you have come, not just how far you’ve got to go.
The one gadget I can’t live without is ..
My SatNav, not because I have no sense of direction, but because I’m a map obsessive. I just have to know where I am in relation to everywhere else!
My favourite cuisine is..
Caribbean
Something I hope to do in my first year with the British Council is ..
I would love to reach a conversational level in Egyptian Arabic within my first year.
The best piece of advice anyone has ever given me is..
don’t be too easily satisfied!