I wrote this post in "real time" so these are my (slightly edited) thoughts about the entire experience as it is happening to me.
The Night Before:
This is a BAD IDEA. This process is so stressful. I don't know if I should accept a likely offer from a school in Taiwan or interview and see what happens. (I could get a job in an awesome place or I could end up without a job.) The prospect of finding a job is a lot more intimidating than thinking about actually leaving the country. That doesn't bother me right now. But I just have several prospects that are very up in the air. Right now I am waffleing between a boarding school in Taiwan and a school in Thailand. They both sound great for complete different reasons. I don't know what I'm going to do.
What was I thinking?
I'm going to take a very long bath and curl my hair.
If I don't make it and you find this unfinished blog, post it as a chronical of my final moments of sanity.
How I feel:
After Interview Sign Ups. PreInterviews:
I remember what it's like to breathe (kinda). I had forgotten for a few hours.
Here is the first universal truth I have noticed at this fair. Whether you are 21 or 51 your mom (or dad/aunt/brother/grandma, but mostly your mom) is going to be worried about where you are going.
During the panel of people who had been teaching abroad, even the season administrators told stories about calling their moms telling they were moving to this country to the other. Everyone I met and talked to had a "oh my mom told me I couldn't go there" or "oh my mom told me I had to be by the beach!" story.
I just finished signing up for interviews: The experience is about 600 candidates in an exhibition hall, milling around tables, signing up for interviews. A few of the schools I went to looked at me with sad puppy eyes: "Oh, you don't have any prior teaching experience? And no masters degree? Well, we'll hold on to your resume."
Translation:
"HAHAHAHAHA. Go away."
Most schools were more receptive. In the end, I signed up for three interviews. It doesn't seem like very many, but unless I blow my interview with the school in Taiwan, they've said they're going to offer me a job. And that is very reassuring. They even bribed me with chocolate. I didn't hate that.
I signed up for a second interview (having already done one over Skype) with the school in Thailand, and I set up one for a school in Indonesia.
Almost all of the interviewers here are very jet lagged. It makes for some very interesting conversations with them.
Interviewer: "Okay, I will see you in room 1300 for the interview... or is it 1030? Grumble Grumble Grumble. Just show up on the 1000s, and I will find you."
Me: "Okay! Is that in this building or the Ramada"
Interviewer: "Yes, see you then"
Me: walks away confused*.
**don't worry, I asked someone else and figured it out.
I'm not certain where I will work, but at the very least, I will end up some place warm. Fun Fact: It was -30 degrees here this morning with wind chill. Without the wind it was -11. I am surviving this winter by repeating my mantra: "Last Winter. Last Winter. Last Winter." It doens't make me warmer, but it makes me feel a tiny bit better.
Post Interviews:
I got JOB OFFERS. I AM NOT A FAILURE!
The job offer I got was for a school in Indonesia. They have several campuses on Java. I would be teaching 7th, 8th and/or 9th grade. I turned down Taiwan because it didn't seem like it was the best fit for me.
Post-Conference:
My thoughts:
"YAY, JOB. YAY, JOB. YAY, JOB.
Oh HOLY CRAP." repeat
Wow, what an experience. The conference was great and overwhelming. But I am so glad I went. I made a few friends at the conference, including a couple who also accepted a job in Indonesia, so I know 2 people on the whole island!
I ended up accepting the job at the Bina Bangsa school in Indonesia. They have four campuses all across Java, and I don't know which city I will be in yet. But the biggest school is in Jakarta. The school is expanding rapidly, so there are a ton of job openings.
I only know the basics of the school right now. I will detail more information about the school once I know where I am going to be a what I am going to teach. And if you are the worrying sort, I have done research; it is just as safe as anywhere in the world is. No where is perfect.
Right now I am just content with being really excited. So so excited.
And thank you (yes you, reading this) for being supportive and wonderful. I certainly couldn't do it without you.
Fun Fact: There is no word in Indonesian for "privacy." The entire concept does not exist there. That will certainly keep my life interesting.
My next post will finally be from Europe. I leave Thursday to spend 9 days in Paris before heading to Italy.
I told my friend Alex, who I talked about in a previous post, I would share his blog. He's teaching at the school where I student taught and is doing a bunch of cool teaching related stuff online. I am shamelessly promoting his work: http://alexreinecke.blogspot.com/ Check it out for cool stuff on Social Studies for high school!
Until then, here are some pictures of Indonesia:
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| I think I can deal with this. |
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| Jakarta Skyline |
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