So... I just posted the last of my entries from my European trip... I wrote the posts about 3 weeks ago and basically left them as they were, just adding photos after I sorted through the 1000+ that I took. One reason I think it took me a while to get them all done was that I have needed to not remember the holiday for a bit. Confusing I know, but I've been rather miserable and looking back at the photos would have depressed me more about being back here.
I've mentioned some problems at work - we have a pay dispute going on at the moment that is creating some unpleasant tension among the international team. I've done my best to keep my personal and professional lives separate, so I don't think anyone from work has any knowledge of this blog nor knows details to search for it, but just in case, I won't explain what's going on, except to say that this has pretty much been the final straw for my decision to leave here as soon as I possibly can.
The school year will finish May 25th, but we'll be expected to stay for 4 weeks of summer school after that, meaning I'll be free from the end of June. I'm in the process of job hunting, but that usually requires me finding some really interesting jobs, bookmarking them, writing about 5 sentences of a cover letter and then taking a break and watching a TV episode or 17 and not coming back to them. I've always hated job hunting (apparently, that's human) and my current state of mind is not exactly conducive to selling myself. What I really want to write is: "Dear __________, I really really really really really want to work at your school because I hate where I am now and please give me the job!" Not quite what HR people are after :(
At any rate, my goal, which has always been the long-term plan, is to get a job in Europe somewhere, ideally Germany, Switzerland or Austria. However, EU jobs are not easy to come by for non-EU citizens due to the pesky process of obtaining work permits. If nothing pans out over here or anywhere else, I'll come back to Australia and find a job there again. I hadn't thought I wanted to work in Australia again, but you have no idea how enticing and wonderful it is to have legal rights and avenues of mediation and dispute resolution.
So, apart from the staff tension, work has been so-so. My application to attend a TESOL event in the UK in April was rejected by administration, partly because the international teachers are not allowed to do any type of external professional development, which really annoyed me. The curriculum is as weird as ever. Our 12th-graders have just finished a unit on "Psychology and Observation" and we're now moving on to "Carbon Dating". No joke. I'm an English teacher and I'm supposed to teach carbon dating. Then something I can't remember and then a unit on maths. Another factor influencing my decision to leave. The one joy has been my 12th-grade Critical Thinking classes. I've got half a dozen or so students preparing to take Critical Thinking exams for university entrance, so I actually get to use my brain for a couple of hours a week. I should mention that I like all my kids, but the subject matter is not always appealing which dampens my joy for teaching.
In spare time I've been catching up with church friends or hanging out with colleagues and partners, but mostly just relaxing at home. I mentioned on Facebook that I loved watching "Mozart in the Jungle", and this week I've finally gotten around to watching "Sherlock", and kicking myself for not watching it sooner.
Anyway, I'll leave this here.
Lots of love,
Annie.
I've mentioned some problems at work - we have a pay dispute going on at the moment that is creating some unpleasant tension among the international team. I've done my best to keep my personal and professional lives separate, so I don't think anyone from work has any knowledge of this blog nor knows details to search for it, but just in case, I won't explain what's going on, except to say that this has pretty much been the final straw for my decision to leave here as soon as I possibly can.
The school year will finish May 25th, but we'll be expected to stay for 4 weeks of summer school after that, meaning I'll be free from the end of June. I'm in the process of job hunting, but that usually requires me finding some really interesting jobs, bookmarking them, writing about 5 sentences of a cover letter and then taking a break and watching a TV episode or 17 and not coming back to them. I've always hated job hunting (apparently, that's human) and my current state of mind is not exactly conducive to selling myself. What I really want to write is: "Dear __________, I really really really really really want to work at your school because I hate where I am now and please give me the job!" Not quite what HR people are after :(
At any rate, my goal, which has always been the long-term plan, is to get a job in Europe somewhere, ideally Germany, Switzerland or Austria. However, EU jobs are not easy to come by for non-EU citizens due to the pesky process of obtaining work permits. If nothing pans out over here or anywhere else, I'll come back to Australia and find a job there again. I hadn't thought I wanted to work in Australia again, but you have no idea how enticing and wonderful it is to have legal rights and avenues of mediation and dispute resolution.
So, apart from the staff tension, work has been so-so. My application to attend a TESOL event in the UK in April was rejected by administration, partly because the international teachers are not allowed to do any type of external professional development, which really annoyed me. The curriculum is as weird as ever. Our 12th-graders have just finished a unit on "Psychology and Observation" and we're now moving on to "Carbon Dating". No joke. I'm an English teacher and I'm supposed to teach carbon dating. Then something I can't remember and then a unit on maths. Another factor influencing my decision to leave. The one joy has been my 12th-grade Critical Thinking classes. I've got half a dozen or so students preparing to take Critical Thinking exams for university entrance, so I actually get to use my brain for a couple of hours a week. I should mention that I like all my kids, but the subject matter is not always appealing which dampens my joy for teaching.
In spare time I've been catching up with church friends or hanging out with colleagues and partners, but mostly just relaxing at home. I mentioned on Facebook that I loved watching "Mozart in the Jungle", and this week I've finally gotten around to watching "Sherlock", and kicking myself for not watching it sooner.
Anyway, I'll leave this here.
Lots of love,
Annie.
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