Life here is average. I try not to recount the daily goings-on too often in an attempt to not burden you with my problems. I don't want to keep myself down either. So instead I try to focus on what's good. Unfortunately, one of the only really good things at the moment is having lots of free time, which I usually devote to thinking about what I might do when I get back.
So I thought I might just share a few of my ideas of the future with you. Maybe this way you can give me some suggestions.
1) US JOB/SCHOOL: Bilingual Education
Stats:
-3-year program at Columbia University Teachers College
-Teach in a NYC school while I earn an MA in Bilingual/Bicultural Childhood Education, which would most likely lead to working in an elementary school in an area of a large Spanish-speaking population
Pros:
-I finally make MONEY $$$$$ YAAAAA!
-I get to live in NYC.
-I get to be a teacher in the United States, where I likely have a better chance to be successful implementing the methods and training I've gotten here.
Cons:
-Program stipend might not cover all expenses. Potential student loans? Living in NYC? Cha-ching.
-Do I actually want to be a teacher? This is still an important question I must ponder.
2) US JOB: idealist.org
Stats:
-Constantly rotating job offerings through a website for people like me, who wish to go the nonprofit route
-One interesting lead was Open Books, a nonprofit organization in Chicago with after-school literacy programs and the like.
Pros:
-I (may) get to be a teacher outside of the school system.
-I have a real job.
-I get to live in a new city. Chicago sounds fun.
Cons:
-Who knows what will be available when I finish my service in March 2014? Will I be willing to commit to leaving shortly after arriving home?
3) JOB ABROAD: Program Coordinator at Supporting Kids in Peru (SKIP)
Stats:
-18-month commitment managing the Primary Education Program at a volunteer organization in a city in Peru
Pros:
-I am theoretically in a position of power, and unlike my current post, may be able to implement all I've learned into the curriculum.
-One of the main reasons I applied to Peace Corps was to perfect my Spanish, which I do not believe is happening. I thought this opportunity would allow me to interact with native Spanish speakers in a professional setting.
Cons:
-As this is a volunteer organization, the main audience and the majority of participants are English speakers, often either Americans, British, or Germans (as I can see on the website). If I'm focused on the Spanish, will I really improve surrounded by English speakers?
-Would keep me out of the US for another 18 months MINIMUM
So these are the strongest candidates as of now. No need to rush into a decision just yet, but with all this time on my hands, I thought, Why not think about it?
I truly appreciate any input you can offer.
No comments:
Post a Comment