Russia? Really? This seems to be the reply I have gotten from many people when they hear I am packing my bags and moving to St. Petersburg, Russia this August.
As many of you know, I have been pursuing an international teaching position for over a year now. Originally, I had come to accept that I might have to put in a couple years in a less-desirable location to break into the international teaching scene. I had offers from schools in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi for the current school year but chose to turn those down and wait for something better. This led to another year at Santan Elementary, where I looped with my kids from second to third grade. It has been the best year of my career. God's timing is not always the same as ours.
Then the hiring season came around for the 2010-2011 school year. I had interviews with reputable schools in Hong Kong and Sofia, Bulgaria. I thought the interviews went well, but I ended up not getting either job. After some gloomy days, I saw that the Anglo-American School of St. Petersburg had an opening. I applied, and...they liked me!
Why am I doing this? For one, it is simply an opportunity too good to pass up. My dream to see the world is coming true and I will be earning a salary as well. Not too shabby! I am so excited to immerse myself in this great city, though the Russia winters may be a bit hard on this Arizona transplant! I am currently in the paperwork stage of my new job, but will be updating this blog as my move draws near. August will be here before I know it!
