What a week it's been! Getting my dream-job has been so relieving... I feel like I'm floating through Praha. Now that my Visa situation is under control, I can start enjoying this city. The first ten days we were here, we were trying to figure out what the heck was going on, how to get to the grocery store, where we could get Wi-Fi, learning how to pronounce street names and food items... Then the TEFL course started and we were slammed for the next four weeks (we were kept busy for nearly twelve hours a day, more than five days a week with barely any time on the weekends to just relax!). After the TEFL course was over, I spent all day, every day, cooped up inside my room on my computer looking for work and feeling guilty if I went out during the day because I felt I was 'wasting time.'
Now that I know my Visa is underway and I have work lined up, I can finally start checking out the museums and churches and amazing architectural structures here. I can actually experience this city fully, truly. It feels so great to be able to enjoy each day and not be a crying, psychotic heap on my bedroom floor. I feel like a human being again and not a stress-machine. Thank you, Universe! :)
So here is my current line-up of work:
- I am giving two Czech students individual lessons once a week for about an hour. This is mostly so I at least have some food-money for the week and to keep busy before everything gets going in September. They are both really sweet and have young children, so I think they are greatful not only for the English practice, but also for some adult-time without their kids around. :) Plus, they totally feed me massive amounts of food when I go to their houses, and one even invited me to their cottage over the weekend!
- The big job that is getting me my Visa starts in September, on the first Monday. I will be there Monday though Friday, from about 8am to 3pm. I will be one of two English teachers for the school, and I believe I'm primarily working with the kindergarten class, though I will also spend about ten hours a week between 3rd and 4th grade.
- My weekend-job starts the first (or second??) Saturday in September. This will only be on Saturdays and is an acting/dancing/singing program for kids ages 6-18. All kids rotate between all the classes, and the program puts on a play bi-annually (academic year, not calendar year) for parents/community. I'm the acting teacher and second-in-command below the director of the program.
- And this last gig I haven't quite figured out the details for yet, because it's super open-ended and I can actually create this position to be however I want it. Basically I will be in charge of coordinating some after-school dance clubs for a K-12 grade school in the city center. This would more or less be teaching various kinds of dance, 1-3 days a week throughout the school year. This starts in the first or second week of September.
So dear friends, I will leave you with this happy thought: things are looking up. :)
- Nova.
