post torf.

decision made. i have accepted a job teaching grade two at ASFM in monterrey, mexico!

what a ride.

the international fair was an adrenaline-pumping emotional angst-fest. despite the fact that i wasn't nearly as nervous as many people, i still managed to ride an incredible rollercoaster of highs and lows. from the euphoria of an interview that you know you nailed to the waiting game once jobs begin to be offered to the tear-fest when i finally decided, i went through a wide spectrum of emotions in a 48 hour period.

I had interviews in uganda, thailand, guatemala, mexico, egypt and germany. each was incredibly appealing in its own way. at first, i envisioned myself in a romantic exotic desination - the pyramids in cairo, the beaches in thailand... but ultimately, i went with my gut. the organizers said over and over again that we are searching for the right fit - personally and professionally. locations will always be there, but at this point in my life, i am searching for a collaborative learning community, support for beginning teachers and a work hard/play hard atmosphere.

i never thought i had a chance at a school like ASFM. they tend not to consider inexperienced teachers, and the school has quite a reputation on a global scale. however, i pursued them, e-mailing them long before the fair even began. luckily, i scored a pre-torf interview (with a little help from some friends!). meeting the recruiters from ASFM was so comfortable. they exude such a warm, positive aura. the interview was more like a two hour conversation! i left hoping beyond hope that they would actually offer me a job.

the friday night was the craziest part of the whole fair. we arrived, picked up our registration envelopes full of (or not full of) blue cards requesting interviews and then bombard the gym en-masse to line up to request interviews. tension was running through all the candidates. there is nothing like being a part of 300 teachers racing like children into a gymnasium - getting pushed and shoved -- it is very easy to feel incredibly overwhelmed. i kept my cool but went a little crazy requesting interviews. by the end of the evening my entire schedule for the next two days was booked!

unable to sleep, i got only a few hours of sleep on friday night and returned to the faculty around 7 the next morning. my morning was jam-packed full of interviews... if nothing else, i knew i would leave torf with a growing confidence in my interviewing skills! by mid-day, i knew that the vibe i had gotten from the recruiters at ASFM had gone unmatched. there was a veryvery close second from a school in germany, but i knew i had to put myself out on the line for the school in monterrey. so, i sat down and composed a note to ASFM telling them that i had had several interviews and a few job offers (which was true), but that they were still my number one choice.

i did not get a note back from ASFM for 2.5 hours. they felt like the longest in my life. when a little pink slip finally arrived in my message box saying, "you're on! i am pleased to offer you..." i started jumping up and down, tears welling up in my eyes. i knew, at that moment, that i had made the right choice. i went right away to accept the job, and (obviously) burst into tears in front of jeff, the school director. tears of joy, of course.

torf was an experience like no other. i met loads of amazing people, got absolutely no sleep, made contacts at schools all over the world and changed the course of my life significantly.

wow. i am moving to mexico!