When I got back from Ethiopia my computer had died. Couldn't go without one of those so I had to buy a new one.
I have noticed that my hair is exceptionally dry. I don't know what the deal was with the water in Addis, but my hair is now like straw. I have been putting gobs of moisturizer on it to no avail so I broke down to make a hair appointment. Would you believe my beauty salon closed while I was abroad? Do you know how difficult it is to find a new hairdresser?? So I am learning to like my hair's new texture (not)
Then my iron died. Almost every summer item I own is cotton. Can't go around wrinkled. So I had to replace that.
Then my dishwasher died. I don't cook enough to justify buying a new one of those so instead I have sink full of dirty dishes to look at. (they don't seem to wash themselves)
Then I had to face reality that I am not independently wealthy and look for a job. Knowing that I can't complete my home study without a job, I don't get the luxury of trying out a new career. Better stick with good ole teaching. So I went on two job interviews. One was an hour and a half, four-person panel interview and one was five minutes. I got both jobs. Or so I thought. Truth to tell, I wanted to work where the interview was 5 minutes. Both were to teach preschool. Is a 90 minute interview really necessary? (oh, I forgot to mention the principal called me back the next day to ask me more questions!) I just want to work in a low-stress environment so I called to accept the 5-minute place. Then I got the news that it wasn't going to be preschool but 3rd grade instead. Oh. That means I'll have to teach the writing process and multiplication and cursive and grade homework and prepare them for the state standardized testing. More stress and more work. But they are still a cute age and I love teaching 2nd grade, so fine. No problem, I'll take it. It's a great school with an international student body, located in a lovely neighborhood not far from my house and the hours are 8-2. Well, today I found out that I can not be officially hired by that district until all the teachers who were in the county last year who want to change schools get placed. "Call me back in a couple of weeks and I will tell you what we have available," I was told. Yeah right. It's July 16th. School starts in 3 weeks. So tomorrow I have to call and accept the other position. The intense workplace in a building with no windows, located in the 'hood, where I will be expected to mentor other teachers and do research and professional development and the hours are 8-6. And I am on call til 8pm on my cell phone if the parents need to reach me! Um, excuse me but how am I supposed to have a life? How am I supposed to go to gym, run errands, go to happy hour???
And then there's the adoption. Do I stay in an agency where if something happens to the Ethiopia program I lose all my money cause they have no other choices for singles? Or do I go with the agency who said the wait time for a healthy infant for singles is over two years? Or do I start from scratch (and lose money) and research agencies to try to find one that better suits my needs?
And finally I went to a tropical disease specialist and even though I tested negative for everything, he still suggested I go on a 10-day course of treatment cause the tests can be a false negative and since I am still bloated and gassy (TMI-sorry) I probably still have an issue. Ten days?! The treatment is bad. Check out how I looked when I was on the 3-day treatment in Addis.
Oh and his office didn't take my $10 insurance co-pay but happily accepted my $385.:(
Had to vent.
1 comment:
I am sorry you are suffering from that sickness. I have Celiac, an inherited autoimmune disease that effects digestion of wheat and other grains, so I know how hard it is to have such problems. Hopefully yours will be healed soon.
I haven't been reading your blog long enough to know what your agency is or what you've been through so far, but I can tell you that it doesn't have to take two years for a single woman to adopt a healthy infant. I am single and in my 40s and I have adopted two healthy American infants in the past five years. Each adoption took only six or seven months from application to homecoming. It helped that I had connections with the agency, having done respite and interim foster care for them for years. I am white and my youngest sons are Black. I think it would be an advantage to you that you are Black because agencies are looking for families for Black infants and children. Both of my adopted son's first families would have preferred a Black or mixed adopting family but there were none in the queue waiting for them. You can email me if you want to talk more. cloudscomeATyahooDOTcom
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