Musings of a 26-year-old Job Seeker

Quite awhile back I mentioned that I was looking for a job in the UAE. It's funny how this whole thing has  taken on a life of its own and evolved greatly.


When the idea first started to form and it was just a little seed of curiosity, I told myself that I'd love to go to the Middle East but there was no way in hell I was going by myself. I would have to find a friend who wanted to go with me.


But as the weeks went on and I began to feed my little curiosity seedling with blogs, videos, news stories, and history books full of information, I started to think to myself, "Well, there are a few countries that I could probably handle going to on my own."


Namely, the UAE, Oman or Qatar.

Krakow-ka-kow-kow-kow-kow

Once upon a time (back in late October... yes I realize this is a rather belated post), my friends and I spent a lovely autumnal weekend in Krakow, Poland.

Wawel Castle

Krakow is tiny. It's also one of the coolest European cities I've been to. Maybe it's because it's so quick and easy and unpretentious. Having lived in the Czech Republic for so long, I've developed a liking for the matter-of-fact, no-bullshit attitude most Central and Eastern Europeans tend to have.


The journey started on the night train on a Thursday night. It was a long weekend for us as well as my friend's birthday so we took advantage. Since it was me and five other friends, we managed to get a couchette cabin all to ourselves. Three fold-out beds on either side. Of course given that we are a bunch of 20-somethings on the way to a vodka-themed weekend in Poland, there wasn't much sleeping done.

Party in our cabin!
-from Olga

What there was, was a lot of champagne, vodka, beer, sandwiches, chips and mingling with the 10 to 12 random Erasmus students who were on the same train.

Your mom

I suck at New Year's Resolutions. But if you read this post, then you already knew that.


I will say that although I'm still kind of sucking with money, I'm living within my means. And I'm totally knocking my book goal out of the park. I have read 15 books out of my goal of 24 for the year putting me 25% ahead of schedule. Which means I'll probably be taking up more substantial books for awhile. On to Guns, Germs and Steel!


As far as blogging twice a month, well, to be honest not much has been going on until recently and even that is only moderately blog worthy. So instead I'll leave you with this little window into the life of teaching English to children:

The PUB

So about once a month, I go to The PUB (Pilsner Urquell Bar) with friends, some of my old students and their friends. 


It's very multi-cultural and generally one heck of a party. 

Me and some of my favorite (former) students!

The PUB has huge wrap-around booths and each one has its own stand in the center of the table with four taps that are attached to what I believe is probably a phenomenal amount of Pilsner Urquell, one of the Czech Republic's most infamous beers.

Village Life and Seven Things About Me

I made it. It's halfway through February. Everything seems to be under control.


Last week I was supposed to be on Spring Break, but since I had no funds to go anywhere, my bosses asked me to cover classes in a smaller town just outside of Prague.


In reality, I was staying in said small town, M'lada Boleslav, but I was working in these two tiny little villages. I <3 village life. 


It was a little hectic simply because I never taught the same kids twice all week, I don't know the books they use there or they just didn't have books and all the classes are entirely different from the ones I teach in Prague. I spent a LOT of time lesson planning every night. However, I think if I taught those classes all the time it wouldn't have been so much work.


My regular schedule in Prague is nearly all kindergartens. I basically spend all my time with children ages 3-6. I have three classes of first and second graders, which just means I get to see kids 6-9. I only make four lesson plans each week.


Anyway, the kids I was teaching in the villages were all ages. I had a couple of kindergartens and then literally taught one or two classes of every grade from first to ninth. That means I saw kids as young as 3 and as old as 15.

Children Are Like Petri Dishes

I have a cold. It's relentless. And I'm positive one, several or all of the something like 200 kids I teach gave it to me. 

I stayed in bed all day Wednesday and Thursday. Went back to work on Friday. Stayed in bed most of the day Saturday until I just couldn't take it anymore. Sometimes, a girl has just got to get the hell out of the house. 

So I played darts for two hours with my friend John. Good times. I forgot how much I enjoy playing darts. Hopefully we'll do that more often because it was essentially free. 

I like free. 

New Year Means New Rules

OK, I realize I have completely failed you in the past few months, but I haven't felt all that motivated and I've just been a bit out of sorts what with not knowing where anything is going these days. 

However, I think I have stuff figured out at least for the next eight months, so we'll just go with that. 


"What do you mean you figured stuff out?," you ask. Aw yes, Well, I'm staying in Prague at least through August. I'm (hopefully) moving to Dubai for the 2012-2013 school year, but more on that later. I've started a new job in Prague that will get me through the summer and provide me with a slightly more stable income, albeit not necessarily a larger income. At least I can budget now. 


So here I am back to teaching kids, because kids can't cancel classes. 


After a very chill Christmas - my first away from home - and then a very insane new year - again, my first away from home - it's time to make some new rules. Most people call these resolutions. But resolutions are easily broken. Rules... Well, they're made to be broken and all, but I feel a lot guiltier when I do.