The great danger is slowing down, losing momentum - which strictly speaking is not inertia but deceleration (or even reverse acceleration) - but unless the ghost of Isaac Newton is reading this, we shall speak of inertia.
Returning hits you like an eighteen wheeler. Then you pick yourself up and start moving forward. And then...false starts, quicksand, running through treacle. Take your pick.
The initial plan was to get a teaching assistant job and as I did that I could clarify my feelings about teaching, look into my options and potentially apply for PGCE or GTP programmes. Appointments were made, term ended and Plan A became, at least temporarily, defunct.
Unfortunately, other than getting careers advice and writing this blog, there doesn't yet appear to be a Plan B. Now term has started again there is Plan A.ii. which is looking out for any emergent TA vacancies, but it's not a wholehearted plan.
I'm left aware that writing is one of my skills, part of my portfolio - but unsure of a way in which I can apply it to a career and make enough money to support my wife who will be in the same position as me only worse in six months time!
Suggestions welcome!
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Is McDonald's not hiring?
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog and commenting. It sounds like you're in the midst of making a very huge life change. Reverse culture shock can definitely be quite the load! I look forward to following your life experiences during this chapter of your life. The very best of luck to you and your wife! Have faith that everything will work out for the best! :) Cheers!
ReplyDeleteReverse culture shock is harder than regular culture shock. Find a job, any job. It will keep your self-esteem up and it will look better to employers because it shows you're eager to work. It will give you less time to think about the culture shock. And by giving you co-workers it will help you meet people to connect with.
ReplyDeleteI would think many people in your area don't know taiwanese or the taiwan culture. is there any sort of population there (from taiwan) you could connect with to offer english conversation and grammar courses...? often they come for university perhaps and need proofing for their writing, papers, etc. my mother in law who traveled a lot in asia does this sort of thing in ottawa.
ReplyDeleteHi Toby
ReplyDeleteYour blog is really engaging. I liked the trench digging story especially. It's strange to think that there were two Hippy Hotels taking in guests in The Crescent during the odd summer week during the early-mid 90's - perhaps at the same time. We should've had a Hippy Hotels convention, if only we'd known about each other.
Anyway, don't know if you know about this type of work: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/languages/english/presessional - I thought you probably did, but just in case not... I've had some friends who ended up with full-time university positions after starting out doing that. (Wrong time of year now, I realise).
Another place you might try: http://www.college.selfmanagedlearning.org/
I met Ian Cunningham (the main driving force behind it all) for the first time yesterday and he was really inspiring.
Hope your blog leads somewhere. Keep making it fun to read (though I'm sure less fun to be living right now) and maybe it will. I'll be keeping reading it anyway.
Best wishes for the future
Daniel (Clarke)