I don't really make resolutions, but i have 3 vague goals for 2010:
1. Get a job
2. Learn to drive
3. Learn German, enough at least to have a conversation
Number 1 is definitely in progress at the moment. The good news is that i've had three successful interviews & all three companies want to hire me. The bad news is that all three only hire freelance instructors (i'm looking to continue in the corporate Enlgish education field). This is probably because the benefits German companies have to pay their full-time employees are huge. Therefore, companies don't want to take on the responsibility of hiring their own trainers.
Also, i am starting back down the bottom of the teaching ladder. I'll be teaching seminar classes again, not in curriculum development or intensive training.
But on the more positive side, all three companies have mentioned other possibilities; for example teaching basic Japanese courses, running intensives, or becoming a cross cultural trainer. Also, as a freelance trainer, i can accept all three jobs & jigsaw them together.
So far, i have one confirmed class starting 10th February, but it looks like more will be coming soon.... I will finally be able to break free from the Hausfrau life!!
As for 2 & 3, not much progress has been made.
I am, however, in the process of changing my (unused) British driving license into a German one. No real need to do it (EU people can drive in EU countries), but i have no ID card for Germany, so i thought a driving licence issued here would be useful. Still, i need to learn to drive though....passed my test in 1997 & haven't driven since...
As for German, i have heard that there is the possibility of joining a government run intensive program (for free). Apparently, it's a nightmare to get through all the red tape (in German, which kind of defaeats the point - if you can do all the paperwork & bureaucracy in German, why do you need a German course?!) But a friend of mine knows a man who has successfully negotiatied the process, so i am going to pick his brain next week to find out if it is even an option for me.
And what else? The biggest & best news this year is that The German & I finally have our own place. And it came fully furnished, albeit in an old Italian lady kind of way (the former owner's choice of decor...) We even have a piano & the living room looks more like a salon for afternoon teas than somehwere to chill... It's in central Stuttgart, near a main road & tram but far enough away to be quiet. And we have a spare room, so guests are more than welcome. I will, hopefully, take some photos and upload them in the coming weeks.
And i had a birthday. My first German birthday & the birthday that officially marked me as closer to 40 than 30. Yup, i'm old(er). But i'm happy. 2010 is looking good!
4 comments:
Would love to come for a visit, don't think it's gonna happen this year though... delighted to hear about the progress in yr life. xo
So nice to hear such positive things! It was funny to read that "Japan wasn't much of a challenge for you," while Germany is. I had to leave Japan because it was too much of a challenge. I guess it's the newness and the language problem in both cases. We are trying to organize a trip to Europe sometime this year, so it's great that you have a guest room! I will let you know when we have figured out our plans. Gambatte with the job stuff and escaping hausfrau-ness!
Goals: We haz dem!
Ladies - thank you!
M - looks like i'm going to be for a while, so come whenever!
S - woohoo! You'd better come to Stuttgart! But i reommending avoiding the months of June/July (or whenever the world cup is on) as K & I might be in the midst of WW3 (ie England vs Germany version XXXI or whatever...keep telling him that England is going to kick butt this time, but he doesn't believe me...)
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