Getting what I want, almost

I'm glad I'm going home today.


Okay, on to more interesting things.

See, the thing is, about Hungary and all? I applied to go to the UK. I wrote my application letter about wanting to teach English in the UK. My interview? Back in December? All three interviewers were former Fulbright teachers in the UK. All we talked about was teaching in the UK.

Hungary was never mentioned.

At all.


So, Saturday morning, as I was going out to my car to load it up with stuff for Sister and Niece, I saw the big fat FedEx package. I grabbed it, and ran into the house.

And in the second sentence, saw that my exchange was to be with a woman in Hungary.

Tears immediately showed up.

HUNGARY? I don't know a thing about Hungary, except the language there is one of the most difficult in the world to learn (language is actually scaled linguistically... One being quite easy to learn, such as Spanish, and Four being quite difficult, such as Chinese. English is considered a Three).

Okay... I know Paprika comes from Hungary, and it used to be a communist state... but that's all.

And, of course, I'm actually sent no information about my exchange partner, except her name. Nothing else. No e-mail address, no location, nothing about the school, nada, zip.

I'm told in my letter to contact my administrator, who has been sent all this information and more to get her contact information.

Which, is a problem.

Why, you ask? Well, our two-week spring break just started. No one will be back at school or the district office until April 9th. Yeah.

Oh, and I am supposed to accept or decline the assignment within 10 days of receiving the notice.

Argh.

I'm trying to be open-minded. I mean, this is my fault. I did check that teensy weensy box on my application stating that yes, I would consider other countries than the ones I selected.

What was I thinking?

So today I called Washington DC, and at least got her e-mail address. We've exchanged just the barest of details.

Well, she actually has all my application materials at her perusal. Even though we aren't supposed to see the other one's application, I guess her administrator over there handed mine to her.

Get this. She's married with three little girls. Wants to bring the whole family over. That means that they can't stay in my apartment. That means I'd have to find them a place to stay. Because Hungary is so much less expensive that the United States, I'd have to pay part of their rent, in addition to my rent there. Which, wouldn't be so bad if I could come back to my apartment now. Which I couldn't. Which means I'd have to sell or put in storage all my belongings I want to keep (my grandmother's dining table, and my mother's china and all).

Also, she teaches religion and English. At the only Jesuit school in Hungary. It's a Catholic boarding school folks.

Catholic. Mass, and communion, and rules galore.

Where's my open mind now?


Dang it.

If I go, it also negates my chances of going to the UK for at least six years through this program. If I don't accept, it means my partner gets screwed too. She doesn't get a second chance this year either. It's a one-shot deal.

Damn it.

Yes, it sounds all exciting and cool, sort of.

But see, the thing is, I've taught ESL before. At a private Christian school... that's what I did in Japan. I don't want to do that again. My skills, my expertise, is in teaching all of English. Not the American pronunciation of "Aluminum."

I don't know what to do.