oy vey

Far be it for me to do the expected.

The expected of course was the plan to work in China starting last September. For a variety of reasons that didn't happen.

In late July of last year I started applying for jobs, I even got some. The problem was most of the teaching jobs I found came with their own problems. One community was too violent, another paid less than a living wage.

I think between July and this January I probably applied to somewhere around 90 positions. I had some great interviews, some not-so-great-interviews. I learned a lot about the geography of British Columbia...

Mom: There is a job posting in ________ you should apply.
Me: where the f@ck is __________?
Mom: Google it!

In October I discovered, through excruciatingly painful episodes, that I had gallstones. In that same month I had my gallbladder removed.

My savings ran out and that was terrifying.

I moved back to Bella Bella to stay with my Mother and TTOC at the school.
I was attacked with love and hugs from the moment I walked through the BBCS doors. One former student saw me from the end of a hallway, sprinted towards me and tackle hugged me. I got so much love and hugs that I had to take a day of bed rest because all the hugging irritated my stitches.

I arrived in Bella in early November and about a week in I got an interview for School District 70, Port Alberni/Ucluelet. They were interested in me because I was willing to move out to Ucluelet. I thought the interview went well and expected to hear from them but as days turned into weeks I resigned myself to remaining in Bella Bella for the school year. I was very happy there, spending time with the kids I've grown to love and the friends I'd made the year before.

Christmas came and went.

Then on a Friday night I got an email from the person who interviewed me for SD70:

Are you still interested in working for SD70?

My reply was an enthusiastic affirmative and on Monday I found out I had been hired for Port Alberni as a district TTOC (teacher on call or substitute teacher).

I packed up my belongings and by that Wednesday I was on route to Port Alberni with a suitcase and a handbag. I arrived there in the Thursday, did all my new hire paperwork, and found an apartment that I moved into the next day. By Tuesday I was in the classroom. In Fact today is the first day since I arrived here that I haven't had a call to go to work.

I'm still sleeping on an inflatable mattress and I have no real furniture yet but I'm happy here. My apartment is maybe 400-450 sq feet. The building is old and rumor has it once housed a brothel called the Goat Ranch or Goat Farm.

I am doing makeup for a production at the local theatre which is nice because it gives me a chance to meet new people. Anyway...that's it for now. I will try and update once a week from now on...try being the key word.