on monday, i received the dreaded thin envelope* from the forensics program and therefore, i knew right away that i didn't get in. then, i had luke open the letter and it was official: i was totally rejected from my forensic anthropology dreams. this would have been devastating, completely and totally devastating, had i not been working at the school all this time. i've really discovered a surprisingly untapped passion for being in a classroom - frankly, i'm embarrassed i didn't figure it out sooner, because i've always loved kids and they've always loved me. so, with this newfound passion for teaching, i think i actually appreciate not getting into grad school (at least for right now). the universe has narrowed the field for me and focused my direction, which i absolutely needed (as if my recent experiments in retail, literary agencies, journalism internships, paleontology and nannying weren't indications that i have too many interests).
so, after hearing about grad school, i decided to bend to the will of the universe and drop my resume off at a preschool that was hiring new teachers. when i dropped by there on tuesday, they interviewed me on the spot. i adored the school and the other teachers and was thrilled to hear all about what the job entailed. it's the end of the school year in the kindergarten class and that's been insanely hectic and so when the preschool told me to expect a call next week, i quickly moved on to all the other craziness that is my life. i sorta figure that everyone in the world functions at the same level of busy insanity as i do, so when the preschool called on wednesday, i was completely sure they were going to tell me they'd given the position to someone else - the turn-around time was simply too fast. i was certainly not expecting them to offer it to me, especially considering my luck with applications lately. however, they did offer me the position, and very, very soon i will be working in a preschool! i am so excited. so excited. i'll have my very first salaried position, doing something i absolutely love. it's incredibly fantastic.
sadly, though, this new job means a) i won't be back at the elementary school next year and b) i also had to quit my nanny job today, because the preschool runs a summer program and i needed to be free to do it. both the kindergarten job and the nanny gig were my serious lifelines recently - the things that provided me not just with money in such a shiesty economy but also with the satisfaction of knowing i was productive and learning - and to let both of those positions go on the same day was a little torturous for me. leaving the school was particularly horrible, because all the little girls cried when we said goodbye - and there's nothing like a weeping six-year-old, using a tissue to dab away her tears, to really get you going.
it's all definitely for the best - i can't wait to start this new job with all the grand opportunities and education i'm sure i'll come across. it's just very, very strange to turn my whole life on a dime. in the span of a week, five days really, i've gone from anticipating forensic grad school and another year of public school assist work to knowing i'll be working full-time in a preschool. and, what's craziest, is that i'm completely and utterly content with and excited about this entirely new direction.
*the legal-sized envelope is a pretty solid indication of rejection, as someone who got into a program would get a huge manila envelope full of registration information and other success-related paperwork.
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