what now?

I found out today that I didn't get the position I was hoping for at the Haley Elementary school in Boston. Essentially, it was because I couldn't fly out to meet in person, and the principal didn't feel that he could get the proper "buy-in" from staff and parents to hire an outside person without meeting that person.

So where does that leave me now?

Well, I can still look into other JOI placements - though, to be honest, I'm not feeling incredibly optimistic right now. This has been an incredibly long process, starting with the application due in April, the rounds of interviews with JOI, waiting for placements, a couple phone interviews the past couple weeks for the Haley placement, and now it's back to square...3 or something. Or maybe square one, if no JOI placement works out. Add in the whole Green Corps application and interview process, and it feels like my other full time job has been getting a job for next year. I suppose that a process this lengthy (back to JOI) means either that it will be really worth it when I do find a placement...or it's time to pack it in. I'm not going to yet, I'll see what the other placements offer and whether I can see myself working at any of them for a year...but nothing is for sure.

Other options for this coming year? There's always the back up working at the Teva Nature Center, teaching Jewish env. ed. That wouldn't be a bad fit, right? Work there for the fall season, and figure out what next...could be NOLS outdoor educator semester, could maybe be working with some program like the Jewish Volunteer Corps overseas with a NGO anywhere from Thailand to Ghana to wherever else. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I'm feeling the itch to travel...so maybe this is all fortuitous? I think it's too late to do nols' year in patagonia this year...their waiting list must be lengthy. But I could look into it. And then the other big option is applying for the Arava Institute's Master program in Israel. I'd intended to hold off another year or two...but maybe the time is now? Don't know. The application is due in two weeks, which is enough time (barely) but means I need to decide this weekend if I'm going to apply for this fall.

Of course, year in patagonia would be pretty incredible...maybe I had better get myself on that waiting list...