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Hi, I'm Alex. This is my beautiful page.

I'd like to keep it simple, so here goes ...

In 1999, I finally finished my two-and-a-half-year Master's course at the University of Birmingham (England). That and my Bachelor's degrees in history (1979) and education (1980) from Queen's University in Canada, round out my formal schooling. Now, I can give my attention back to making a living from what I've loved to do since I was a kid. Yes, teaching - from showing my brother the curveball, or teaching my friends how to swim or play chess, to having taught English (and on occasion Spanish, French and Japanese) to over 7,000 children and young adults.

My career has taken me to three countries, the first of which was Mexico, where I taught and lived with the engineers and support staff at a very isolated mining camp. The prospect of making a living teaching, travelling and learning quickly appealed to me, so I've been doing it since. Mexico was followed by two years as a high school teacher in Northern Quebec (Val d'Or), one year in Vancouver, and fifteen years in Japan. I now live in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, where I supply teach for the DSBN. I also take the occasional three-month ESL contract at Brock University when I can.

Yumiko is my wife of sixteen years, and we are a happily married couple, see the flattering picture below.

I started Niagara International School (now CANSTAY International) in 1989 because I found that intensive language study in a real setting, where participants are genuinely motivated by need and desire, is the most effective way to learn. The students who've attended so far, have all come back to Japan with a better grip on the language, and more important, a much higher level of confidence. The England school (sister to the Niagara School) which opened in 1996, rounds out a varied menu of exciting travel and learning experiences - hope to see you this summer!

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Hobbies: Travelling, languages, team sports, MacOS (but I like my IBM ThinkPad too).

Favourites: Graham Greene, George Bernard Shaw, The Power and the Glory, Arms and the Man, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Quebec City, Buddy Holly

Rants: Major League Baseball is really no fun anymore.

C/V: I'm too established, and satisfied with life, to be sending resumes around, but for those who have not seen the results of what I've done, and are interested, I have provided a summary for you to read.

email Alex

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