Sunday, May 17, 2009

Poland?

So, anyway, I'm on this listserve for AP Calculus teachers, and someone on the listserve announced a job opening at an International school in Krakow, Poland. They are looking for a teacher who can teach all of high school math (from Algebra I to Geometry to Algebra II to Precalc to Calculus) to classes ranging in size from 2 to 9.

And of course it's crazy.

I mean, I live in a house I own and I'm committed to it. I have a dog and I love him. I have a job, and in this economy that's really saying something. I live within ten miles of all of my immediate family members (or I will in ten days when Amadeus leaves his mountain paradise for our land of 10,000 lakes). The spring and summer here make me so happy I feel like I'm on drugs. Or what I imagine it must be like to be on really good drugs with no side-effects (unless you count winter). In short, Minneapolis has always been the place for me.

Besides teaching all of high school math is a pretty big chunk to chew especially if you want to do it well.

But.

Well, Minneapolis sucks for the elderly single women out here. Our friends are busy with their families. We can barely even find anyone to share a bottle of prosecco with us on a Saturday night. We've tried dating these shy, lonely Minneapolis men, and frankly it's bringing us down.

And so, I've been fantasizing. Thinking about my little class of two calculus students, my eight eighth graders in Algebra I. Dreaming about living in Krakow, walking the streets, ditching my car. I've been imagining the friends I'd make among the teachers at my small school. I've been wondering about the apartment I'd share with Buddy (he gets to move to Krakow in my fantasy), and dreaming about traveling Europe during my vacations.

Also, I could write a book about moving to Krakow to teach the math, and be famous and do book tours and sign autographs and answer nervous questions from young aspiring writers, while wearing a black dress and a flowered scarf and leather boots and maybe even glasses (which I don't need) and looking bookish and sexy at the same time.

I won't do it. Probably. But I'm giving myself a little more time to fantasize about it before I tell myself that.

8 comments:

Andrew said...

Alex, as you know, the most important thing in life is that other people feel jealous of you. And if you are living the glamorous life of an International Woman of Mystery, they will feel SO jealous of you. Do I need to say more?

I remember going to work one day in Rome and suddenly stopping and thinking, wow, I walked over the Tiber to get to work. It was a feeling like I've never had before: I just about had to sit down right there. Imagine yourself crossing the Vistula: while living away from your family will be really tough at times, will you ever have that chance again?

I'd say: apply for the job. You might not get it, after all. But applying for it will give you the chance to find out more about it, and think more specifically about what it would be like for you.

Alex said...

What a good point, Andrew. People might be jealous of my lifestyle now (especially if I wouldn't talk so much about Buddy's intestinal problems), but imagine how jealous they'd be if I lived in a whole different country.

I might just take your advice.

Katie said...

But you WOULD be close to some other friends... We would love to have you near by! You should apply! Deciding can always come later.

Also, if all of Buddy's shots are up to date - he can come too. There are dog and cat travel agreements between the EU and US and taking him to Poland requires nothing more than flashing his vet records. We've traveled back and forth with Maxik twice.

jenn said...

Run to something, not away from something.

I think it is a fantastic idea, really not sure how to share it with Cat & Finn, but that is really not a thing to worry about today. Apply for the job, create the opportunity, remember that applying != going, just creates the variable. I think we forget that in education, just applying doesn't create the job.

I would be so thrilled/jealous/sad for you.

I could have gone, done the american school thing, had a friend in europe at the time who encouraged me, I think I stayed here for the dog, so I understand that one. Sounds like Buddy can go with, so!!

Crap, what am I saying. Stay home. Don't apply, Cat & Finn NEED you.

ppc said...

I'd rather regret having done something than regret not having done it.

If you want the adventure you should definitely go for it. If you expect to find something there you haven't found here, you should probably still go for it but, don't get your hopes up. Things are always more enjoyable when you don't place unnecessary expectations on them.

carrie said...

Oooh, you are SO going to move to Krakow, live the mysterious international life, and marry someone named Zbigniew. I'm jealous already.

Alex said...

Thanks everyone! I'll be talking to Krakow on the phone sometime early this week. Trying to take it easy until I know anything.

The Maiden Metallurgist said...

Do it!