GOAL ACHIEVED: TAKING RISKS- I GOT MY DREAM JOB!

One of my goals this year was to take more risks when it came to my career. I felt that last year, I missed out on some opportunities because I was too afraid to take them. I made a lot of lame reasons not to do things.

So this year,  was more a yes year. Fortunately, it has paid off as I have been offered a six month contract to teach in Outback Queensland! I've always wanted to try country teaching.

It's all happened so suddenly too. I had a phone interview with them last Thursday and then by Friday I was offered the job. I have to move to the tiny town by this Thursday too! So you can imagine the flurry of activity back at home what with the packing and organising to do. My friends have been really nice and have decided to throw me a going away party despite their own busy schedules.

There are some perks to teaching in a rural school. The government offers free removal services and flights for the teacher as well as cash bonuses and cheap rental accomodation. At first,I was overhelmed by the suddeness of it all and all the documents I had to read and the forms I had to sign but now I've come to adjust to it all. It's like my whole life got flipped upside down because I'm moving away from everything familiar.

The school is in central Queensland and has about 150 students. The principal said that most of the children are from farming families. I'm not going to be teaching right away, I'll be doing an induction program before I get my own class. I hope the students like me and I get along with the rest of the staff. I'm also daunted by the idea of having my own class, considering how I have only been a relief teacher for three years. While I am trained as a teacher, I'm lacking the experience of being a full time teacher. I worry about unit planning and assessments. I hope I get it right!

The town is small but with most modern conveniences, it has two supermarkets, banks, cafes, a library and a small museum. I will be living within walking distance to most ammenities. The bigger towns are about 2-3 hours away. I'm a bit hesitant about taking that kind of long drive in the desert. Fortunately, there is a train service to the nearest towns that are twice a week and one can fly out of the town every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

I still worry about being on my own. I know I'm almost thirty and I'm an adult but I've lived at home all my life.  My parents are ultra conservative and think that unmarried women should stay with their families until marriage. But now that I'm a spinster of 29, they don't care as much! My parents are Asian. Welll.. they do care a bit. They want to come with me for a week to see me properly settled. My dad bought me a smoke detector to go into my new apartment and an extension cord for some reason, in case I need it I suppose.

I also worry about what to do in my spare time. I'll find something to do.. I'll make a list.

My contract is for six months but may be extended if they approve of me. I think if offered, I may stay on for another year. I am thinking I might like to stay on for maybe three or four years. Maybe I will end up loving the place and never leaving. Or I might stick with the plan. Maybe I'll end up at some other country school.

I do plan on going home for the holidays on occasion and inviting friends and family to spend time with me. . Australian schools usually have two week holidays per term. For the next holiday in June or July, my family plan to come visit me. In September, I want to fly back home and have a big 30th birthday bash.

There's still so much to do. I don't know when I'll be able to blog next. Mainly because I don't know how soon I'll be able to hook up the internet at my new place. Stay tuned for my adventures in Outback Australia.