Interviews, World Youth Day, and Teaching

Wow, what an adventure this last 6 months has been! From starting interviewing for jobs in May, and having to take days off of my long-term sub job for the interviews, to still actively job-searching in August. The anxious hours and days of waiting for a school to call either to schedule a first interview or after an interview are over, and I'm glad to have that behind me. My emotions went from high to low with each series of such phone calls. The excitement and "high" would begin when I got the call for the 1st interview and would last until I was on my way to the interview, when nerves would set in and try to tell me that I couldn't do it. I usually felt pretty good leaving the interviews, but it was hard to know how they went. For all but one school, I got a call for a 2nd or 3rd interview, which kept the emotional high going. It would end in a great deal of disappointment when I got the phone call that they chose another candidate and gave me the reasons why. Most of the time, it was simply that I didn't have the experience that they were looking for. One, however, told me that I didn't seem to have the passion for working with children, which felt like a slap in the face. I interviewed with 6 different school districts and had a total of 11 interviews. The rollercoaster was long and difficult, but I know that I ended right where I am supposed to be.

In August, I still did not have a job and was still toying with the idea of making the pilgrimage to World Youth Day, which I had considered a year before but had not made plans because I figured that the timing would be bad as I'd "hopefully" be starting my first job and busy with professional development. Last fall I looked into going with my home diocese, but they didn't provide much information and I thought that my trip with my uncle in January would satisfy my desire. But, in August, still jobless and frustrated, the idea was still lingering. One week before WYD I got the last call that I was waiting on from a school district, and it was another "no." The principal told me that the interviewers said that my answers were too "spot on" and exactly what they wanted to hear. They wanted somebody who had to think a little bit more. Hmm, I guess after 7 other interviews, I knew my answers and how I felt about things! I hung up the phone and out of frustration and through tears, I declared "I'm going to Spain!" I got that phone call on a Saturday, and I spent the day discerning making the trip and praying about where God wanted me to be. I took a kayak ride and felt the message to "Not worry" and that I should just make a decision and go with it. That brought some peace, and I went to bed with that. When I woke up, I was truly feeling the message to "walk by faith and not by sight." So, I got online and looked at ticket prices, and they were cheaper than they had been the week before. I checked with my parents about my decision and booked a flight! I called my Mexican brother living in Madrid and made arrangements to stay with him and tried to get my registration around for WYD. I spent the day trying to figure out what all I'd have to do and enjoying the excitement of my new adventure. That day in Mass the priest offered a special blessing for the parishioners he knew of who were going, and after Mass my grandma excitedly told him that I was going. She was happy for me, too!

The Friday before, I spoke with a friend who had taught in a school about 45 minutes away from my home last year. It was his first year of teaching and he decided that he wanted to move on and do his Masters after his experience there. All summer he had been telling me that there would be a position open there and that I should keep it in mind and apply when it opened up, but I was not interested. He was a good teacher, and if he burnt out from it I was concerned about it. He'd told me several stories throughout the school year that made it sound less than good, and I was interviewing for elementary positions anyways. But, after talking with him about why he'd left and with my sister-in-law who did her student teaching in that district, he convinced me to apply. He was going to be at the school on Monday turning in his keys and wrapping things up, so he encouraged me to take in a resume and cover letter and hand-deliver them that day. I made the decision to and took my stuff. As I was getting out of the car, I looked over my stuff one more time and realized that there was a mistake on my cover letter! He didn't have any way for me to fix it, so after he showed me around the school waiting for the principal to show up, I was grateful that she wasn't there. Unfortunately, she showed up just as I was getting ready to leave! She was sad for him to be leaving, but he introduced me to the principal and we talked for a few minutes. Before giving her my materials, I told her that I had discovered a mistake and would prefer to mail her copies that were correct. We talked about what the mistake was, and she said that she needed the copies, so I could just give them to her. I told her that I didn't want her to see my mistake, so I asked if I could e-mail her a fresh copy of my cover letter as soon as I got home and she said that would be fine. I let her know that I'd be gone to Spain the following week and she made a note of that. My leaving was a little awkward because my friend was there to have a meeting with her, and I'd had my mistake. I left and had no idea how to feel about what would come next!

Later that day, after returning home, I got a phone call from a school in a district that I'd already interviewed with. They wanted to set up an interview that week for a middle school position. I set that up for Thursday. On Tuesday I got an e-mail form the high school teacher in the district where my friend had worked, asking if I'd be interested in applying for the position, as he'd gotten my name as a recommendation from the Department Chair and Methods professor at my college. He obviously didn't know that I'd already handed in my materials. Through him, we set up an interview. They hadn't been planning to do interviews until the following week, but since I would be in Spain, we set it up for Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. So, Thursday I had an interview and then planned for another one on Friday. Just before leaving for the one on Friday, the school from Thursday called with another "no." Great way to head into another interview! However, I felt good after leaving the last one, and they asked if I would like to be contacted while I was in Spain if I were the candidate that they chose. I said yes, and that I'd be available for phone interviews via Skype, as I'd set up calling credits with Skype and gotten the headphones/microphone needed for my iPod touch. Saturday was spent packing, and Sunday I was off!

I had very few expectations going into World Youth Day. My feelings were very jumbled as I was dropped off at the airport and waiting for the flight. It had been such a journey in getting to that point, and I had no idea where God wanted me to be. I didn't know if I would come home from Madrid with a job, a future spouse, a new purpose in life, etc., or still wondering why I had gone at all. I didn't know what to expect, but I still felt that I was making the right choice. On the flight to Amsterdam, I sat next to a woman in her forties with her 6-week-old daughter, who was not a happy camper. I was able to be of help to that woman and her child as she was struggling with her own challenges, and I knew that I was in that seat (not my original seat, but one that I requested to have more leg room) for a purpose. We developed a special bond and the woman gave me her contact information. She felt confident that I would get the job (Friday's interview) for all the help that I had given her on the plane, and she wanted me to notify her if I did or not.

Arriving in Spain, I was greeted by my Mexican brother and spent some time with him, before going to figure out my registration. Being there for World Youth Day was amazing, and getting to speak in Spanish, visit with my brother and his girlfriend, see so many other Catholics sharing in the faith, and explore a beautiful city was amazing. There was so much going on at all times that it was hard to know what I wanted to go to and what would serve me best. I was able to meet up with my friends from my university parish, which was really neat. I got to see Christopher West, explore the city on my own (with the benefit of knowing my way around a little from having been there in January), and see friends from home. On Wednesday, I had a feeling that I would get a good e-mail. I wasn't able to check my e-mail until later that night, but sure enough, there was an e-mail from the principal! She said that she would like to offer me a 2nd interview and at the end of the interview, I would choose whether or not I wanted to accept or decline the position! God is so good!! The rest of World Youth Day was very good. I didn't leave with any new life convictions or anything huge, but I had enjoyed my time and the ability to have gone and see so many people from other countries. The number of people there was absolutely incredible, and hearing about the persecution that some people face in their own countries when trying to practice their faith or uphold Christian values was so eye-opening and heart-breaking. It made me feel truly blessed to live in the United States, where I can practice and share my faith without persecution. Seeing the Pope was very neat, and praying the Stations of the Cross was probably the most moving and special part of the whole week for me. They had youth from all different countries carry a wooden cross from one station to the next, and in the book we had it explained the burdens of those youth. Some of them, for example, had previously been drug-users; some were from Iraq; and still others were from Haiti and Japan, who had been affected by the recent earthquakes and hurricanes. What a moving experience that was, and the most powerful Stations of the Cross that I had ever prayed.

I believe that I left Spain with the knowledge that I don't need to worry. Throughout the last year, and all of my life, God has given me countless examples of times when I had worried and it had done me no good. From worrying about where I would work, if I would have a job, to whether or not I would go to World Youth Day, God provided. He always has and always will.

Upon arriving back in the USA, I took the afternoon and the following day to catch up on jet lag and to unpack, then Tuesday headed off for a 2nd interview and to sign the contract! Wow, that felt good. That evening I headed off for a workshop for the job. I had to spend Tuesday and Wednesday night with some friends of my aunt and uncle and attend a workshop for my new job, along with the high school and elementary Spanish teachers from my district. I returned home Thursday night and started looking for housing in the area. The following week, Monday-Wednesday, I attended professional development at my new school, commuting from home and staying one night with some friends of ours who were halfway between home and school. (It ended up being the husband who found me the house I'm in!) On Wednesday night we had an Open House in the school, then I met my dad and grandma at a house with the owner to look at it. I got Thursday and Friday to rest, got a call on Friday that I could rent the house, spent Saturday and Sunday packing, and moved on Monday. School started on Tuesday! Talk about jumping right into things! All summer long I had dreaded not having a job much in advance of the start of school, but it all worked out. Yet another reminder that I shouldn't worry. :)

School has been good. I learn something new every day and hardly have a moment to sit and relax, but weekends are nice. I'm enjoying getting to know my students and the staff in the building (who are all great!) and adjusting to living alone. The distance from home to school is great, and I can return home on weekends without any problem. I've got a friend in Clare who I can walk with and enjoy a few meals, and who's starting her career working in schools as well. I'm excited to see what the rest of this year will bring and where I will end up in the future!

What a journey... Thanks for reading, sorry so long!