Well, it's been about a month since I've last posted. Things have been quite busy, stressful, and emotional. What a way to get back into the swing of things after the 2 week break and visit with my parents!
School has been pretty much the same, other than the fact that it's getting hot so the ACs need to be on. The girls are good and they are learning and growing. I love it! I love seeing and hearing their English improve. The 4th graders are on a reading kick and it's wonderful. They want to read to the class and they choose to read books when they finish their assignments!! I love it:) The 3rd graders verbal English is skyrocketing! They are now able to have detailed conversations about their weekend or what they did after school. Some are even understanding my jokes. Lamya comes in every day and tells us that she made cupcakes (or some other dessert thing) with her mom and I always ask her "where's mine?" Today she told me "Oh Miss you don't want one you just say you do!" I was surprised that she understood that I really didn't expect her to bring me one. Although I must admit it would be nice if she did! If school was just teaching I think it would be so much easier to go every day. It's all the paperwork and time wasting meetings that I can't stand.
So after feverishly looking for a job and applying for several in the States, Dubai, and even Al Ain I have made a decision. I will be accepting a 4th grade position at Emirates National School in Al Ain. This was a tough decision that I had been praying about for a long time. Let me fill you in on the process.
Mary's (I go to Bible study with her) husband is the principal at Emirates National and I happened to ask Mary if she knew if there were any positions avaialable. She asked Brian and I interviewed and found out that they were going to offer me the contract. No problem. That is until I found out that South Lyon had moved my application from step 1 to step 2. Now, step 1 is just where they look through the applications and step 2 is just a 15 minute screening interview. Step 3 would be an interview. I guess they had so many applicants that they had to narrow it down. So I was in contact with someone from the central office about the screening interview. I had to find out if it could be done over the phone or if it had to be done in person. There was no way I was going back to the States for a 15 minute interview. I found out it could be done over the phone May 8, 9, 16, or 17. This was just about the time that I had actually gotten the contract from ENS and they were only giving me a week to decide. So back to South Lyon with my next question, could it be sooner. Nope. The dates were set. That meant I was going to have to make a decision prior to the interview in South Lyon. This is where the stress and emotions come in. This was a very difficult decision, but I decided to take the job in Al Ain since it was a job and there wasn't a job in South Lyon, or even the possibility of a job. Just the possiblity of an interview. Now I know many people would say take the job in Al Ain and then if you get the job in South Lyon take that one and tell ENS no. Well, I can't do that. I have to be honest. If I tell them "yes" then it's "yes" and I will sign the contract. What I have decided to do is do the screening interview in South Lyon and if they move me to step 3 and want an actual interview while I am in the States I will do that as well and then I will kindly ask them to put my application on hold as I have already signed a contract. Who knows what will happen though.
So with the decision made it's making going to work even harder. Not the teaching part. I am a teacher and I love teaching and I will teach up until almost the last day. It's the paperwork and meetings. Once my evaluation is finished on May 9th it will be even harder to do all the paperwork and attend the boring meetings in Arabic that are a waste of my time.
One last comment. It's amazing how God can change my mind and attitude about something. I look back at the beginning to middle of the year and how I really wanted to go home and now I'm staying. That's not to say that I don't want to go home, it's just easier to stay. I know that I will get home one day and that God will provide a job for me in the States.
Oh sorry, one last comment really! I am going to be debt free! I can hardly believe it! All college loans will be paid off! That means everything that I earn and send home can go into savings and I'll be able to have a down payment for a house and have some money to live off of, if I don't have a job right away when I return to the States!
