Decisions
I spent last week volunteering at a learning center that is a 25 minutes-hour and a half drive from my condo. How long it takes entirely depends on traffic. The volunteering is a trial to see if I would like to work there full-time and if they would want to hire me to do so. This opportunity has caused me to do a lot of soul searching. The pay is perfectly good by local standards, but is like half what an American public school teacher would make starting out. So, it's not about the money although what I'd make would still totally be helpful to our budget. However, there are other things to consider like paying to park, the stress of the drive, and most importantly the hours. The center is open 9-6:30 M-F, and if you are full-time, then you can be scheduled at any time during the day, and it is not uncommon for someone to be there all day, but have a big gap between appointments, like maybe noon-3 you aren't working. The other employees mostly live in Mount Kiara, so they can go home and come back with little problem. I cannot do that since driving to Mt. K and back to the KLCC area twice in one day would be ridiculous without a good reason. I understand that the Manulife (sp?) Fitness First gym is the closest to where I am teaching, but I don't know how to get to it. If I could work out during my break, that would be helpful. If I could sit somewhere with my laptop that would also be ideal, but I haven't seen anywhere in the Solaris area that has free wi-fi, and if I am paying for wi-fi and buying a coffee every afternoon that will quickly eat into my pay. The long hours would also make it hard to come home and cook dinner because I will be starving and tired. Besides money, a benefit would be that I really like the other employees, and I like the center's mission, which is to make happiness a part of learning. They have a holistic approach and see 1-3 students per employee at a time. It's an educator's dream come true to work so closely with a student, and I would mostly be teaching creative writing and helping with English homework. They are also considering taking on some U of Nottingham students for tutoring, and I would especially be tapped for that job. II would love to do the work, but the hours and commute have me thinking twice about committing myself.
What do you think, and why?
Then also the editor of the American Association's magazine is moving, and I have been tapped as a possible replacement. The job doesn't pay, but it is good experience, and if I do say so myself, I think I could do a lot to improve it.
I choose absolutely not to do both the learning center job and the mag because I don't want to be doing too many things and not spend much time with Jack or focus on my writing.
Also I almost fainted Sunday and my left arm got tingly and cramped up weird which has me scared about the blood clots, so I am going to try to get checked out tomorrow just in case. This is bothering me because I don't want it to get in the way of my trip back to the U.S. We are set to leave this Friday for Houston, and I will return here April 14. Here's hoping for the best!
What do you think, and why?
Then also the editor of the American Association's magazine is moving, and I have been tapped as a possible replacement. The job doesn't pay, but it is good experience, and if I do say so myself, I think I could do a lot to improve it.
I choose absolutely not to do both the learning center job and the mag because I don't want to be doing too many things and not spend much time with Jack or focus on my writing.
Also I almost fainted Sunday and my left arm got tingly and cramped up weird which has me scared about the blood clots, so I am going to try to get checked out tomorrow just in case. This is bothering me because I don't want it to get in the way of my trip back to the U.S. We are set to leave this Friday for Houston, and I will return here April 14. Here's hoping for the best!