Last Day

Today was my last day at work for the summer. It really doesn't seem like all that long ago I started work, though it was at the beginning of May. In some ways it has flown by, yet in others it has dragged on and on.

Remember earlier in the summer when I was trying to figure out what to do with my life since I didn't get accepted into the education program? Well, I have decided to go back to school for another year and take some teachable courses (English and History) which will help should I go into the education field next year.

The courses I have chosen for my first semester are Children's Literature, TESL (teaching English as a second language) and a writing course. Second semester will be the second half of the TESL, Maritime History after 1800 (which is the history in my neck of the woods), and Post Exilic writings. This last course is a religious studies course, and I took that should I decided to pursue a third avenue - which I won't be able to do until fall 2007 anyway.

To review, my three avenues of possibilities for my future are:

1. To get my Education degree and become a teacher
2. To teach English as a second language overseas
3. To get my M. Div. (Masters of Divinity)

With regard to the education degree, the door was closed for that this time around. I don't know if God is closing it because it isn't the right time, or if that is an avenue He does not want me to go down. In all honesty, I don't know if I want to teach school anymore. I'm not sure if that is because of my rejection in the program, or if God removed that 'desire'. I'm still praying on it.

The TESL course I am teaching will give me a certificate and qualify me to teach English as a second language here in Canada, or around the world. This is something I am thinking I might do (for a year at least) to help me pay off my student loans quicker. I have been talking to some people who have done this, and they say it is a great way to get the loans paid off. Again, it is something I am praying about.

My third avenue was suggested to me by my pastor's wife. She told me this past July that she and her husband (the senior pastor) had been discussing my future and what I should do. They think I should go and get my M. Div. in Christian Education - I guess it's something they think I would be good at.

When I was worried about what I could do with a BA in Biblical Studies, someone commented (I believe it was Joe from Joe's Jottings) that I could/should do Christian Education. At the time I didn't know anything about that. We have a Board of Christian Education at church, which I am on, but there is more to doing CE than this. So, I wondered and thought that maybe God was confirming this suggestion for me when the pastor's wife mentioned this out of the blue when she heard me tell someone I didn't get into the education program.

I've contacted the university where I would have to go to get my masters, and have found out that it is a three year program and I would be living off campus - ain't no way I am going to live in a dorm at my age! Besides, even if I was to live on campus in the dorm that would be calculated into any student loan I would get.

The program, after three years, would put me roughly 21,000 dollars further into debt. That doesn't include rent, groceries, bills, etc. So, if I were to add that on to what I currently owe, I would be looking at nearly 50,000 bucks worth of debt when all is said and done. OUCH!

So, if I can get my TESL certificate and go teach somewhere like Korea or Japan I can get my current loans paid and save and do my masters. From what I've been told, if I do this my airfare to wherever I go would be paid as well as accomodations. The people I've talked to said that if you live off the money they give you to live off, you can bank your wages and pay off the loan. So, in theory if I am there a year (which is generally the length of contracts - they do it on a year by year basis) and can live off what they give me for accomodations and food, I would/could get about 2000 a week for teaching. I could save that up and in a few months have enough to pay off my current loan. Then, if I could save the rest, I could get partial student loans to get my masters and have some money for rent and stuff. That is if it all works out that way. It would be hard to do though.

But, like I said, I don't really know what avenue God is leading me down. I am continuing to pray about it and unless I end up getting into the education program for the fall (I've been told I'm on the waiting list) I think what I will do is the latter - teach English overseas for a year and then go get my M.Div in Christian Education. I think I will have to do more research into it because I have no idea the pay would be like in something like that.

Anyway, this post is way longer than I had thought or intended for it to be. I'll end here so I won't bore you all to death. I'm still praying about my situation, and if you think if it please pray for me as well.

God bless and have a Christ filled day!