Macedonia Update

MACEDONIA UPDATE:

Well, one thing that is interesting is that Kosovo got independence from Serbia on February 18th of this year. To read more, check out:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23203607/

Also, on a personal note, my friend and fellow Peace Corps Volunteer Shauna fell in love with a local Macedonian guy during her service and they have been in the process of getting him a U.S. Visa for almost a year now, after she finished her PC service and returned to the U.S. Yesterday he was granted the Visa and soon he will join her in Nebraska. Can you imagine being separated from your fiance for a year??? I am very happy for them both and will attend the ceremony sometime next year.

In addition, I'll be attending a wedding in Japan next year as my friend Maki will be marrying her friend Fulgence, from Tanzania, that we visited on my trip there almost 2 years ago. I have Fulgence to thank for the opportunity to visit Tanzania and who really made my stay there an enjoyable one, as well as giving us a place to stay, and being a tour guide and translator.

Both weddings are tentatively scheduled for either spring or summer of 2009.

I am also happy to report that the National English Essay contest that I helped to start has been continuing thanks to other Peace Corps Volunteers that came after me, as well as local organizations. They are currently working on the 3rd annual contest. I am proud to be a part of the creation of this awesome tradition!

"I'm a guest teacher AND a real teacher"

Now in my second month of subbing, I just survived my eleventh day. There are not a lot of sub jobs out there, October was a very slow month. I'm realizing that everything has a domino affect. Due to the economy, there are less jobs, more people subbing and so, less sub jobs to go around. Budgets are tight for many school districts, so less teachers are taking part in professional development, so less sub jobs. Due to the Boeing strike, there are spouses of machinists that normally sub on occasion who now have a need to sub more regularly, therefore, less sub jobs to go around....you get the point.

So for awhile there, the only sub jobs I had were when I was requested, which wasn't much since I hadn't subbed before.

My first day of subbing was for the same class that I did my student teaching with (my teacher moved up a grade and kept most of the same students). They were excited to see me, which was fun, and were surprised to learn that although I am a guest teacher (a nicer term for substitute) I am also a REAL teacher now. This news also surprised a group of high school students I taught this week.

So, I have subbed grade school, a gifted class, middle school science (that turned out to also have a PE class!) and high school special ed.

I am currently subbing in Edmonds, Mukilteo and soon in the Shoreline school district.

I continue to apply for leave replacements, but with no luck. I had one interview last week for a private Catholic school up in Snohomish, but I didn't get the job and that was mainly because I am not Catholic. I am totally OK with not getting the job, the commute would've been tough.

I am now working on my science endorsement, and I'm taking the WEST-E exam next Saturday, the 15th. If/when I pass, I will be "highly qualified" to teach science, which makes me more marketable.

I'm considering pursuing a job in middle school science, so I just need to take a few more science classes, which I can do in the evening at a community college while I'm subbing during the day.

I'm also now tutoring a 6th grade girl in math.