Thursday, November 6, 2008

Lesson Plans and Life Plans

As someone who has had the blessing of knowing exactly what she wants, I have been overly frustrated with not knowing what my best path for myself once I return to Ohio in a few short weeks. I have had many options floating around in my head, along with their pro and con lists and the exhausting attempt to find a happy medium between too many factors (time, visiting family, money, the family reunion, what I really want, etc, etc, etc). I have been in kind of a funk because of this mental marathon and some extra chocolate has been in order. 

In the early stages of planning for this big adventure, the two main goals were clear; to learn spanish well enough to apply for RD jobs when I returned and to make the world a better place. I was dismayed to find that the volunteering options I could find on the internet were more interested in my wallet than my person being there. That wasn't what I had in mind at all! Teaching English became a means to achieve the first two goals as well as preparation for my future dreams of being a dietetics professor. Now that I'm here getting my TEFL certificate, I have learned that most jobs are in language institutes teaching adults; so much for the crazy classroom of hooligans I was looking forward to. I was also hoping to get a teaching contract that included reimbursement for my plane ticket and that may not be possible for South America like it is for Asia. 

So right now, I am currently considering (in no particular order) volunteering in an orphanage in Peru that also teaches Spanish and is affordable, being a nanny somewhere spanish speaking, being a dietitian, working at starbucks, working at a language institute, running away, adopting a sugar daddy, working on an organic farm abroad, climbing in a hole. Whew. 

I am trying to remember that it is a good thing to have options. 

As far as my TEFL, I am almost done with my third out of four weeks. I have taught four lessons and three went well. My other lesson, to the beginner speakers of English was pretty rough; I planned way too much and wasn't in the groove of explaining things well. I finished my lesson with my heart pounding like I had just finished running a race! My mentor teased me afterwards; "Holly, what was the thing about your lesson? That it is over?". Luckily, he is a talented teacher and had lots of constructive feedback for how to have turned my lesson around. Lots of tools for the future! Overall I am enjoying teaching the adults a lot more than expected, but I am not sure if it is what I want to do for a long period of time. For a while I was worried that I was wasting my money on this TEFL course if I didn't use it right away, but I've changed my tune. It can't hurt to have education abroad in the 'ole resume, nor will it hurt being a professor in the future. Plus, I can always work part time giving lessons. 

So that's about it. I am just mulling though things trying to figure it out. I can't believe I'll be back in the US in just over two weeks!


3 comments:

Abbey Trimble said...

I vote sugar daddy! Haha, I know you will make the right decision. That's crazy you'll be home in 2 weeks! I understand if we are unable to get together so I would definitely enjoy a phone call=). Have a great last few weeks and a safe trip home! Take care, Abs

Tanya said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tanya said...

Holly. We really need to talk. You sound exactly like me, one year ago...and here I am in Brasil (which I did not expect) teaching to...everyone...from 11 year olds to adults...from beginners to really advanced...and I think I am going to come back next year to do it all over again. :)