Possibilities

Not to jump to any premature conclusions, decisions, or modes of life, but get this:

When I returned to the States back in 2006 I did so for one very persuasive reason – pressure. As a semi-productive human being, looking to increase my chances of success in the professional world, I knew that I needed to make some big decisions. My Anthropology degree while certainly valuable on a number of levels lacks a certain edge of practicality. Unlike a skilled trade or a business degree, Anthropology is an academic craft, demanding the weighty commitments of more school, time, and money. While indeed I felt the pressure to make these commitments, nothing seemed to sparkle and grab me. I looked into a museum studies degree at CU, into law school, into tourism internships in Denver, into business school. Working a shat bottom end monkey ladder job, my eyes were open to these possibilities, but nothing really felt right. Also, I had this constant premonition that Brazil was somehow in my cards. It was hard to ignore, and in some ways kept me from truly digging in.

Fast forward to 2008. Before I left my lovely mountain town of Boulder, I had in some ways given up. I felt like I had been chasing shadows, that each time I grabbed hold of a possibility in life, some big head descended from the sky and said, “Uh, Uhhh”. I figured that I should just stop worrying about “finding my thing”, that life would present it’s own opportunities if I would just give up and let go. There is a time for everything in this world, and sometimes it seems that the universe in its infinite forms of chaos somehow knows “when”.

In Brazil things are different. The pressure to find work and to pursue a professional path is much more palpable here. On a shat monkey ladder job, I had a great life in Boulder. I had food in my belly, and nice place to live, money for hobbies and extra expenses. Bottom end living did not necessarily translate into a low end quality of life. In Brazil, you are in one of two classes. Top end, professional, school accredited, or bottom rung, no ladder, your F**ked. I exaggerate of course; there is some middle ground, but it often exists as the exception to the rule.

This means less time putzzing around, and more time calculating and acting upon possibilities. Last night, talking with my pseudo-Brazilian family (I wave as I write this), I was presented with one. Things are premature and un-researched, but I do see some real good things at the end of this tunnel.

So first off, English teaching is my income. Or at least my only current possibility at an income. Unfortunately, I lack experience and accreditation. If I am to live here for a significant amount of time, I need these things. Teacher training will increase my chances of landing a good job, or charging more for private lessons. It is necessary if I want to be top rung. Last night, I was encouraged to start TTC (teacher training course) at one of the top language schools. It is a six month course that meets once a week. Expensive? I’m not sure. There might be a chance I can work off the expense with tutoring time.

Good, get that out of the way. Now onto the long term.

Panamerica, the American school that I will be subbing at is going to offer quite the dealeo in August. Apparently, a professor is going to come down from the States and offer teachers a Masters Degree in Education. The classes are crunched into short period of time, over the course of a few weeks. These periods would eventually span over a two year period. This would provide teacher certification for k-12^th grade (applicable in the States) I believe, and also would allow teaching at the community college level (have to look into that???).

But want to here the great part? The cost of the program is $7000, split between the students that attend. If there are 20 students, the cost would be $350 a person. What? Yeah, that’s what I said. Cost has definitely been a prohibitive factor in pursuing graduate studies. To earn a master’s for next to no money is unheard of in the states. Ha. Welcome to Brazil.

If I chose this path, and of course things are to premature at this point for true commitment, I would end up with teaching certificates applicable all around the world (plus fluency in a foreign language). I know a good amount of people who are funding their adventurist traveler lifestyles with such degrees. If I came back to the States, I could get a reasonable job just about anywhere. If I stayed here, there might also be some opportunities to teach. Earning a steady income, I could then decide to focus some of my energies on my tourism business ideas, I could write in the off months of school, I could feel reasonably accomplished as a human being.

So, yes I will keep you guys updated. There is much unknown at this point. I am at step B, and staying in Brazil with thoughts of school is at step K on the gringo continuum.

Today’s Wish List: a printer, a motorcycle, a new tan

On the street Carnival Pics. This is a rare thing. Check out my sweaty red face.

This is my please no one kill me I'm having fun face.

Remember my "letting go" post. I got a picture from that too.

Taisa and I at Porto do Barra.