I'm Back, Babydoll!

It has been over 14 months since my last posting, but, let's face it, if I had decided to blog during my one year hiatus from work, it would have looked a lot like this:

"Grad school is currently sucking what little life I have left in my body. With an average of 3 hours of sleep per night, I'm having trouble focusing and staying on trzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz."

In hindsight, the education I received from the USC online MAT program was incredible. Sure there were glitches in the program that sometimes made me want to scream (OK, sometimes I DID scream), but I was able to learn from some of the brightest and most innovative minds in the TESOL field today. I'm not just talking about my professors. I learned so much from my cohorts as well. Not many people have the opportunity to "sit" in a classroom and discuss current ESL/EFL trends with teachers who are actually in the "trenches" in various states and countries. It's one thing to read about a popular method on paper, but nothing compares to the insight that teachers can bring when they have actually used that method and are able to compare it to another teacher's experience in another state or country. Long story short, I recommend the program to anyone interested in getting a MAT in TESOL.

Anywho...back to my first blog of 2012. I'm finally finished with grad school (actual ceremony is May 11), so it's time to go back to the world of work. And I'm ready! Work is WAY easier than grad school!

Some of you may be confused, however, about job announcements that I made over the past year. I like to refer to myself as "the little boy who cried job" because over the last year, I accepted three jobs in three different countries, backing out of each one for various reasons, the number one reason being grad school stress. (shout out to my cohorts who worked full-time! you're superheros!)

The first job I accepted was at a private kindergarten in Hong Kong (sweet!), but then after looking at my contract, I realized that I may have to work "some" saturdays and sundays. Also, there are cameras in each of the classrooms that enables parents to log on to see what is happening in their child's classroom. All of this sounds fine, UNLESS YOU HAVE EVER WORKED IN A HOGWAN.

The second job I accepted was at a high school in Bangkok, Thailand. It was actually a very prestigious school (I mean, it has it's own wiki page. It doesn't get more prestigious than that), and it is the oldest school in Thailand, BUT they wanted me to work on a tourist visa. I know this is very common in Thailand, but I'm a big chicken when it comes to breaking the law in other countries. I mean, come on, I've seen Brokedown Palace. No cockroach in my ear, thank you very much.

The last job I accepted was in Bali, Indonesia. Life and grad school just got in the way of that one. Plus, I wouldn't have enjoyed my year in paradise writing papers and stressing out all the time on top of going to work. Sadly, now Bali is not an option because making $700 a month with student loan payments just isn't an option :( Don't worry, Bali. I'm still coming for you!....eventually.

Two weeks ago, I interviewed in NYC for a position in Abu Dhabi, but I did not get it (sad face). I've been asked to come to NYC for another Abu Dhabi interview for a different school, but I don't think that I will attend the second interview. I just have a gut feeling that the UAE is not right for me at this time.

Now, it's time to get serious and find a job before those student loan (eek!) bills start rolling in. I'm pretty much applying everywhere in Asia and Southeast Asia, along with Poland and the Czech Republic. If you hear of any good jobs, please let me know (NO HOGWANS PLEASE)!

I'm excited to see what the future holds! As always, Fight on!