Tuesday 18 August 2009

Next Year

I'm thinking about what I want to be doing next year. I thought I'd get everyone's comments, and posting here is easier than going to everyone seperately. If you want to talk to me rather than comment, fine, but this is easier for me.

As most of you know, I'm having some substantial problems at the moment with work, partially due to them and partially due to me being 3/4 asleep at any moment of time. So I'm seriously considering whether I should be continuing there. Here are the different things I'm considering:

- Continuing at my centre, but on reduced hours - probably 3 days a week. I'd use the other 2 days to rest, take harp lessons, rest, and learn a language (Hebrew being my top choice at the moment)

- Going back to uni, either full time (doing honors in Arts) or part time (probably getting Early Childhood qualifications, and continuing to work at my centre). I would be paid more for doing the Early Childhood, but I'm not particularly interested. If I do Arts, I'll be writing on Shakespeare and ballet.

- Working at a new centre

- Applying to teach in a sessional kinder

- Teaching in a school. Holidays, shorter hours, more pay. Sounds great! Within this there is several choices:
1) Working in a Christian school
2) Working at my old school
3) Working in a government school
4) Working in a semi-rural government school near my Dad's. Free rent, beach, and the lovely one of my parentals. The churches nearby leave a bit to be desired, though I've only been to 3 of the 7, so maybe another one is ok
5) Working in a rural government school

- Travel. The nice thing about my job is that I can take time off and come back to a job any time, though obviously the leave would be without pay. There are some places I would like to go, and I have vague but specific plans in each that I have in mind. Here are the countries:
1) Africa. Specific I know. Two countries in mind, but I'm not going to be more specific. Sorry
2) Israel
3) Scotland



So, why am I asking for opinions? Well, I do like to talk things over with others, but also - these choices will effect YOU! Think about not seeing ME for a month or however long while I am overseas! Tragical, I know. If nothing else, you will get to choose what you're going to hear me whinge about for the next year or so!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Sam,

Some comments.

- I would consider deferring travelling at this stage until you are a bit more robust and/or are travelling with somebody else. Travelling on your own with ill health is probably not the easiest thing to do.

- While this does not narrow down options that much, working less at your current centre, working at sessional kinder or teaching in a school all sound like good options.

- Part time work would hopefully give you some space to allow your body to heal (even if only a bit). It does, however, mean reduced pay (as you will be well aware).

- Alternatively, full time work at school or a sessional kinder sounds appealing too. If you can manage to hold out to the end of terms, you can then spend the holidays resting/catching up on other stuff. This would also mean that you could continue on a (possibly increased) full time wage. And that certainly has its advantages.

Any way, they are my thoughts.

See you tomorrow,
Steph

- k o R i - said...

I agree with Steph on the second point. Reduced hours seem good for you. I'm inclined to say working in a school is great coz it means you'll be reaching out to more kids!

The person you are as I know is one who is always doing something so I'd say, do whatever you want whenever you can. =)

Sam-Is-Mad said...

Points from me:

- My health is unlikely to get any better. Hopefully with rest I will be better able to cope (read, not burst into tears over insignificant things) so there is no point putting off stuff.

- I have a few travel companions in mind for each place. And in all honesty, only Africa is likely to be of any issues there. The Scottish and Israeli medical systems are developed world medical systems.

- Schools do not equal more evangalism chances. In fact, at most school, you will be fired. That's one of the reasons I worked as a relief teacher - there's always another school, including Christian and Catholic schools.

- As of Monday, Sam works PART TIME! She is not due at work until 12!

Stephen Tan said...

You will be fired for evangelizing to kids???

Travel always sounds awesome! But you might die without ppl knowing. Bad.

Sam-Is-Mad said...

Yes. That would be intolerent.

But I know ways around it. You get the Christian kids to talk about it. Then YOU aren't doing it, and the bosses etc can't stop it, because THAT would also be intolerent.