April was a lot of fun, but definitely flew by. After finding a job listing that seemed to be an awesome opportunity, I scrambled to get my application in on time. It is listed as an AmeriCorps position and the deadline was April 15th. I found the listing just a week before and still had yet to complete and submit my application to AmeriCorps. Thanks to my wonderful roommates who helped me edit my personal statement, I turned everything in just in the nick of time. My personal statement was very personal so it was a bit intimidating to share it with everyone as they read for grammatical errors. At the same time I was happy to share a piece of my life that has influenced me greatly. After a long while, we took a break and went to the next town over, Chosica, to relax and get some ice cream. We all enjoyed the day and each others' company as we sat in the grass in the park (a rarity for us, because there is almost no grass in Huaycan). This great day turned into a great weekend, as we celebrated my birthday by going out for dinner on the Friday night before, and then they surprised me with cake on Saturday, my actual birthday. On Friday we went into Lima for delicious Indian food and then delectable pastries for dessert. Saturday's for many of us, are the busiest so I didn't expect to do anything to celebrate. However, after dinner they surprised me with a yummy cake and a sweet homemade card. We hung around at home and played a fun pictionary-type game complete with lots of laughs. Overall, everyone made my 25th birthday in Peru really special =) I felt super special to even get cards in the mail from family back home. A birthday to remember indeed!
A birthday "present" that I did not expect at all, was the news of a possible job when I return in August. We had a short term volunteer come through for a week. She is an assistant principle of a public charter school in DC and wanted to come and see what LLI is all about. During her stay, she was able to attend a few of my classes and let me know that she thought I would be a good fit for her school. She said that I have a certain intuition in the classroom and that they are currently hiring for assistant teachers. I was completely floored to hear this news, as I'm very much hoping to find a job before I return home. I've also realized how much I do enjoy being in the classroom and how I thrive on the relationships I create with the children. They give me so much joy and I have learned so much from them. When I first got here, I only thought about teaching as a part-time or temporary thing that I could do. I didn't think I was destined to be in the classroom. However, it's become more of a natural thing for me, I feel now as if I could make a career of it. So currently I am in the process of waiting for a second interview. Leslie, the assistant principle, gave me the thumbs-up concerning the first interview, since we spent a week together. Now, I am waiting to hear back about the second interview (via skype). The waiting period is always a bit nerve wracking, but I'm confident that whatever happens is meant to be.
At the end of April, it was difficult to say goodbye to a couple of really great volunteers. That part is never easy. However, it's nice to know that May began with the arrival of more volunteers. I can't believe 3 months have come and gone. I realize how far away I really am when I hear about the semester ending back home and the next round of students getting ready to graduate. I really wish I could be there to celebrate with them, but I will have to send my 'congrats' through good ol' facebook =)
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