Sunday, June 26, 2005
Taiwan Bound
Rather a lot has been happening in my life since I got back from my trip to South Africa a month ago, (not that I've been writing about it here, due to the chaotic nature of everything.) However, here's the long story short:
I got back from SA, spent a few days in Michigan, then went to visit family in North Carolina, thinking that it would be my only chance this summer before I had to teach at the community college all summer. While I was home for the week, I got a call from the international teacher recruitment service that I had kind of given up on, offering me a for-sure job in Taiwan. However, I could only take the job if I could be there by the end of June, rather than the beginning of August as I had been told was a possibility before. And of course, they needed to know right away.
I accepted the job, got out of teaching at the community college easily, since the summer session is light, and have spent the entire rest of the month packing up my apartment, selling my furniture and car, saying good-bye to friends, etc, etc. I drove the 12 hours from Michigan to NC in my parents' completely packed minivan (with all unnecessary seats removed) this past Friday, unloaded it all yesterday to store at my loving parents' house, and am now reorganizing the basic necessities to take to Taiwan for a year of English teaching. I leave tomorrow.
The information I have right now about what I will be doing is scant at best, but since I'll be teaching at a Catholic girls' school, I suppose it's fitting that I'm taking a lot of this on faith. When I first get there, though, I'm supposed to be working at a summer camp, so I have no idea where I'll be living or if I'll have internet access. For an idea of where I've been told I'll be teaching, eventually, here is the Sacred Heart school website, and here is the English version. I'll probably set up a new Taiwan-dedicated blog when I get there, but I think I'll keep this one for linguistics stuff. I'll write next from the other side of the world!
Rather a lot has been happening in my life since I got back from my trip to South Africa a month ago, (not that I've been writing about it here, due to the chaotic nature of everything.) However, here's the long story short:
I got back from SA, spent a few days in Michigan, then went to visit family in North Carolina, thinking that it would be my only chance this summer before I had to teach at the community college all summer. While I was home for the week, I got a call from the international teacher recruitment service that I had kind of given up on, offering me a for-sure job in Taiwan. However, I could only take the job if I could be there by the end of June, rather than the beginning of August as I had been told was a possibility before. And of course, they needed to know right away.
I accepted the job, got out of teaching at the community college easily, since the summer session is light, and have spent the entire rest of the month packing up my apartment, selling my furniture and car, saying good-bye to friends, etc, etc. I drove the 12 hours from Michigan to NC in my parents' completely packed minivan (with all unnecessary seats removed) this past Friday, unloaded it all yesterday to store at my loving parents' house, and am now reorganizing the basic necessities to take to Taiwan for a year of English teaching. I leave tomorrow.
The information I have right now about what I will be doing is scant at best, but since I'll be teaching at a Catholic girls' school, I suppose it's fitting that I'm taking a lot of this on faith. When I first get there, though, I'm supposed to be working at a summer camp, so I have no idea where I'll be living or if I'll have internet access. For an idea of where I've been told I'll be teaching, eventually, here is the Sacred Heart school website, and here is the English version. I'll probably set up a new Taiwan-dedicated blog when I get there, but I think I'll keep this one for linguistics stuff. I'll write next from the other side of the world!
