Dream Job Dillema

Hhhm.

So, i got the interview for the Learning Support Assistant (TA) job, it's this coming Wednesday. Which is great. But, I have this niggling feeling now of whether or not i really want to throw myself into this whole new career.

I have applied for another job, and it is, the DREAM job.

In a nutshell, the title is Programme Coordinator and its for a charity/ company who organise experiences for young adults (age 17-25) to travel abroad and teach. Their head office is in Reading but they have sub offices in Australia and NZ.

The job would involve managing the programmes, the people on them, prepping the young adults and their families on what to expect, keeping in contact with them whilst they're out in the field, relaying with embassies - the works. It's like, the perfect job.

I get to deal with all the things I have done and would love for other people to experience and i get to organise it all for them and share their experience, whilst getting to stay put here - but with the possibility of short trips to the sites and sub offices - fantastic! The best of both!

The job requires someone who has a degree, managerial experience and travelled/ lived abroad - all of which i have done. I am just praying that my testimony in the app will get me through. I sent the ap today and tomorrow is the closing date.

If I could just simply get the interview for next week and then find out at the same time if either will make an offer, life would be brilliant. I really want this job, I mean, the teaching would be great and I'm comfortable with taking that career path but this, this would just be simply awesome.

Please God, help me succeed. Work has been so hard to so long, I'd love to have this opportunity to be able to know, feel and say "i love my job".

Fingers and toes crossed :)

It's not WHAT you know, it's WHO you know

Feeling much more positive and upbeat today after a fantastic day with my Sister yesterday. We ran 5 miles around Virginia Waters (I forgot just HOW beautiful it is there) followed by a pub lunch in the sun.

The weather here is gorgeous, which helps make the move back that much easier. We burnt our noses and shoulders would you believe.

In the afternoon we went shopping which was torturous (I resisted to buying anything - even a dress in Oasis which was reduced to £25!! Gargh!).

In the evening we went to her apartment and Billy ate with us. It was so cool for the 3 of us to be back together. My two favourite people to be with :)

We talked about my plans and Billy kindly offered to call his Brother who is Head of the 2nd top school in Surrey. I am now scheduled to go and meet him (date TBC) to get some help on teaching courses and who knows, maybe he'll be able to offer me a Teaching Assistant post at his school, starting in September or recommend me for another school. I can only hope and pray.

If i can get a post as a TA (Teacher Assistant) this means I can apply for my Mortgage as if you work for the Government there are special "deals" you can get. Then, I could go to college NEXT year once I have my mortgage and apartment. I think realistically I'll need to get a second job - but I don't mind, I'm use to hard work.

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but i sincerely hope not. Just think, that would give me about 8 weeks of summer to play with/ get a part time job/ go to Africa for a few weeks and then I could press on with LIFE in September.

Exciting...

Today the weather is spanking once again. So luckily my Sister has 2 days off work back to back, so we are taking a roadtrip down to Bournemouth Beach together - :) Best go pack up my bag, including my SLR so I can get some good shots and show my friends back in KL and HK that the UK isn't so bad either ;)

Amazing New Invention

Don't you just hate it when you try to sip your coke through a straw but try as you might, every time you put the can down, the bubbles inside the can push the straw up and out? Or worse still, the bubbles rise inside the straw causing little drips to land on the table the can is placed on, or worser still than that -to land on you???

Well, there is a solution! Created by designer J.nochinesemiddlename.Lim.corp in Kuching, Sarawak.

Who'd have thought this one nifty move could be the answer to all troubles as listed above?

Please follow the following instructions:

1) open can
2) slide straw through can ring
3) enjoy the icy cold drink



Thanks babes!!! hehe :)

Passport to Life

I have to say, I'm extremely impressed with the people's republic of China... i/e the China embassy, Malaysia. I'm not one for paper work and documents etc but getting my Visa for China really was very simple - or perhaps it's just me that usually over complicates matters?

A friend sent me the link to download the China Visa form. I completed it, attached a photo, took it to the embassy, queued up was in and out in no more than 15 mins (I went at about 10.30 so it was starting to get busy) on the Thursday and was told to come and collect it on the Tuesday. I headed down this morning at 9.15, paid myr 130 and within 5 minutes was out again with my passport, complete with Visa.

I think when it comes to these things it more the dread of getting round to doing it rather than the actual doing itself. It's like when I had to get a new passport. Yes, that was extremely annoying as I had to apply through the British Embassy here in Malaysia, it was massively expensive (£100+!!) and then I had to send it off to Labuan for my new employment visa. In hindsight I really only had to take 2 trips down to the Embassy, both times there was no one else waiting and I was served immediately.

I guess it's more the to and fro ing that's the most annoying. I must keep that in mind though, one of my really bad attributes is that I put off doing something because the thought of it makes me think "mah" but actually when it comes around to it, it's never really as bad as I think. And rather than sitting on something, putting it off and off, you may as well just get it done because all that feeling of 'dread' inside you isn't really healthy and only stresses you out for no major reason. Is this a longwinded way of implying that I am lazy? Maybe.

Next week I'll need to get my Vietnam Visa (once Kiwi gets his arse in gear and confirms the flights etc with me) and then that's it, I'm done. All trips booked and all visa's collected! I'm so excited for the coming two months, so much fun to be had (although a little concerned about money, I should be OK). Beijing is now looking more and more exciting as my friend up there has sent me info on Chinese cooking classes and tours :) How fun? We will actually get to go to a traditional market and handpick all the ingredients ourselves. It's gonna be fantastic.

As for this weekend, I am off to Penang to visit DanDan. If PhotoBoy can get us tickets then we will also go to the Hennessy event, which should be awesome. But mostly I'm looking forward to seeing the city and trying all the local food. Unfortunately Kuching has been taken off the cards. I can't say I'm not disappointed but well, you can't do everything. I'm just thankful that I agreed to go to Langkawi, at least I will get to have one holiday with Bombie and friends. That means that the long weekend I have booked off in KL, can be spent getting a hair cut (hate my fringe, wanna get rid of it again - lol), going for a mani and pedi (resorted to cutting and filing my own nails last night - very distressing) eating Durian (it's been WAY too long), going clubbing (Mambo Jumbo on the Wed night and then maybe Zouk/ MOS over the weekend), sunbathing/ relaxing and oh, job hunting.

As for HK, which seems so far away right now I was wondering too if I really wanted to spend my birthday there but yes I do, I want to spend it with H. On my actually Birthday (the day after the birthday junk) we are going to take an early morning hike up to the Peek (I've never hiked it before so that's gonna be totally cool) and have a "Birthday Brunch" at a restaurant up top. Hopefully Hong Kong Dim Sum would be great. It will be really awesome to have a photo up there too. You know why? Because I went there on one of my first days in Hong Kong and now, will be taking another, over 3 years on, just a few days before I leave, for good.

I'm also really excited about moving back to the UK, of course I still haven't made headway with what I'm doing. Some won't believe this but I've actually looked at taking my teacher training course... maybe it wouldn't be SUCH a bad idea... the only problem I have got so far is that you need A-C in English, Maths and Science at GCSE level. I have a B in English Lit & Lang, a C in Maths (would you believe it? And yes, I had private after-school tuition!) but in Science I got a D :( So I'm not sure where this leaves me. The news says that the UK is "crying out" for teachers, so maybe given that I will be a "mature" student, they will make an exception?? We'll see, I have a family friend who is headmaster at a local school, I think I'll contact him and ask. It's just another idea... so we'll see.

Gosh this was supposed to be me just blogging about how impressed I am about Visa applications and Embassy adventures. Oh well, I guess it's nothing out of the ordinary for me to ramble on, about myself. Have a nice day people :)

The New Chapter Has Arrived

Boo! Scared ya hu? :)

Time to start blogging again. Finally had a few weeks to get my head straight and things are progressing well. I leave my job in less than two months and have so much planned in the up coming weeks its untrue!

- Went to Perth the weekend before last to visit Shrek and have time out, it was just what I needed.
- Last weekend took a day trip to Cherating with "The Crew" was a blast. Got burnt.
- Have organized an un-pink party for my friends to help paint my apartment back white in two weeks time. So far the girls are game and no reply from the boys. I don't understand why - slave labour but yet they get free pizza and beer - what more could you ask for?
- Trying to squeeze in a trip to either Kuching or Penang here. Funds are being drained drastically and the clock is ticking.
- Langkawi weekend trip booked up with the same crew. One particular person I would like to join is not. Am working on this.
- 15k Pacesetters run the weekend after - just for fun. You know how it is.
- Trip to Bejing the week after to see some crumbling old wall.
- Finish work waho the week after
- Off to Vietnam to rough it up with a mate, hopefully popping by Laos and Chang Mai if we have time
- Over to HK to celebrate my Birthday for the weekend
- Flying home sweet home on the 18th June (not yet booked yet, will do it Thursday)

And that my friends is why it was worth working my arse off for 3 and a half years. Wouldn't you agree?

Now all I need to do is find myself one of those job-thingy-magigs everyone talks about. Hhhhmmm. So how?

A change of continent?

Have been spending some time looking at community projects to get involved with during my *cough* career break *cough*. I have been recommended this company http://www.madventurer.com/ I'm particularly interested in their projects in Uganda and other areas of Africa, besides, I'd like to escape from Asia for a while, i have 'done' Asia for too long now (or will have, by the end of the year).

I initially thought I'd be interested in a teaching post but I also really like the idea of working at the orphanage. Something else that appeals to me are the more manual labour opportunities there are such as actual construction work and community support. That would be a completely different angle to anything i have experienced before, althoguh i know i would enjoy working with children the most.

I only spent a few hours going over the site last night but it's going into the bank of ideas for sure. I've been harping on since 2004 (after returning from the Ratu Filse school in Fiji) that I was going to go "out there" and do "something" more. What better way to spend my bonus? On something I would enjoy but also, something that will help others. I'm game.