10 More Days of School!!!

Sorry I have not been blogging. I have been so busy that time has slipped away. There is nothing much to talk about but work because I have not done much of anything but work. There is only ten more days till school is out for the year.

I don't believe in coincidences but I do believe in signs. I just don't always interpret these signs correctly. First sign is I have had a roommate paying rent to me since January. The money has come in handy since I needed to go to the dentist recently for a root canal. While I have not been able to save very much money, I have had enough to not struggle. I was hoping that the extra money would mean provisions for moving this year but I see now that it was probably just living provisions.

The second sign is I have an interview with a company that will take me to Abu Dahbi, a country in the United Arab Emirate. It is located on the peninsula in the Persian Gulf. It is one of the riches countries in the world. If I get the job they pay for me to fly over, my pay would be almost 44,000 a year tax free. I would get a three bedroom apartment rent free, airfare to come home once a year, and great benefits. My interview is in Chicago in June. I have not given up on Oregon and I have three applications in for jobs there but so far nothing.

The third sign that I may be moving out of North Dakota is that we have not received any contracts as of today (5/10). This is good in that by law they have to give me 30 days to sign the contract. Last year I had to decide that I was coming back by 6/1/11. Now I will have till after my interview to sign my contract. Once I sign I have to buy myself out in order to break it so if I have another job it is nice to not have to pay off my old employer. Plus Oregon is just now starting to look for new teachers, so it is nice to have more time to look for a job there.

What will I do this summer? Well, I am going to teach summer school for the first month. Then it all depends on where I am going to work next year. If I have a job in Oregon, I will move back late July early August. If I get the job in Abu Dahbi, I will move my things to Oregon to store in a moderate climate and since in two years I will have paid off my student loans, I will be moving back to Oregon afterward (unless I fall in love with overseas teaching). After I move all my things to Oregon, I will drive to Texas to give my sons my car. Then I can see everyone before I go overseas. If I get this job I am spending Christmas in Bethlehem or Scotland or some place cool like that. If I am staying in North Dakota I will spend a large portion of my summer taking classes to renew my North Dakota license, and spend time reorganizing my room and planning my year so I am not struggling to keep on top of things.

If I stay for another year, there are some changes to prepare for. It has been decided by the school board that we are to give a pre-test and a post test and the student must past the post test in order to move on to the next grade at the end of the year. This means I must plan on what I am going to teach all year and test students on what they need to know to be a sixth grader by the end of next year. It might even help in discipline if the students realize they must learn or they will stay back until they do.

I started this year off with a cold and that is what I am ending it on as well. I have lost my voice and I have a sore throat but I will finish this year out and then....