Newness
I have great good awesome amazing wonderful news. I'm going to do what I've thought of doing and hoped to do for the last three years -- I am going to teach!! Woohoo!!
I signed a six-month contract this afternoon with one of the colleges in town. So excited and, at the same time a bit scared. I start June 16!
Since there's always a story where I'm concerned, let me tell you it. *grin*
One day, out of the blue, I got a phone call.
"Hello, is this Sunflower?"
"Yes, Sunflower speaking."
"I am Mr XYZ, programme director at ABC College. I have your resumé on my desk in front of me and I was wondering if you would be free to come over..."
I'd stopped hearing anything by then. My resumé? On his desk? Where I got submit any resumé???
Puzzle aside, I went for the interview. He wanted me to teach sociology. I know nothing about sociology apart from having taken it as a subject under my pre-university programme way back in 1996. But, I thought to myself, how hard can it be to read up? Plus, sociology is interesting! So I said okay.
A week later, he called and said he was interested in hiring me, but first he had to finalise the schedules and stuff for next year, so that he'd know how many staff he'd need and where he'd need them.
A week after that, he called and offered me the job, conditional on the HR (Human Resource) department checking out my references.
Then we hit a snag. Turns out the National Accreditation Board (LAN) wasn't so happy with a law graduate teaching sociology. The funny thing is, my boss had already enquired about this prior to calling me for interview, and at that point, he'd been informed that it was okay. But when HR enquired, it seemed to be not okay. Confusion!! (Government bodies and their inability to make up their minds... haih)
"I'm going to sort this out," my boss told me. "I remain committed to getting you in." Always nice to hear that from a future boss ^_^
A week later, he called to say that he was still working on it, "But I think you have nothing to worry about."
A few days after that, he called again and told me that because of the LAN problem, he would have me teach English instead, which is what I've trained to teach (my Masters, remember?) and what I've always wanted/intended to teach anyway. "We are delighted to have you," he said, closing the deal.
What has me so happy is more than just the fact of being gainfully employed. It's also more than the fact that I get to teach English after all. It's the way my boss handled this whole process. He kept in touch with me throughout and continually updated me on what was happening. He didn't leave me to wonder what was going on. I thought that was very professional and very considerate of him. And the way he fought to hire me... I had no idea anyone could want to hire me that badly! It's a bit scary -- what if I mess up???
Anyway, I'm excited and a little scared at the same time. Still haven't figured out how my resumé ended up on his desk. In June 2006, I passed my resumé to a friend who works in the same institution, for that friend to pass it to his boss. But that was in 2006, and it was a whole different department altogether!
There ya go... the story of how I got a job I didn't even apply for. And at just the right time too! God does like to do things in unexpected ways...