The Pain and the Pleasure

Some days you long for events to happen, others you hope will be delayed. Life though has a way of continuing on no matter your individual preferences and sometimes like a roller coaster you just have to hang on and go with the flow.

I have for the last 2 years done everything possible to obtain a position at Repton Dubai the new Secondary School opening in Dubai in September. I was shortlisted as 1 of 4 for the post of Head of Department. I doubt there is an International Teacher anywhere in the gulf region who would not have exchanged places with me to be 1 of 4 interviewed for such a prestigious and exciting post. However 2 minutes ago I sent an email withdrawing my name from the short list. One of the hardest emails I have had to write in all the time I remember writing emails, purely because it has brought to the end, for now at least the dream of working at Repton, Dubai.

The reason though should not be looked on with sadness (The Pain). I have tonight signed a contract to work at the International Academy Amman in Jordan from September as Head of Technology (The Pleasure).

Technology in the IB MYP program includes ICT and DT so with this post I get to utilize all my skills and abilities as well as developing a department that will still only be 6 months old when I arrive. Needless to say the Package is acceptable with a good tax free sum, free high quality housing, an allowance for utilities costs and medical cover, as well as annual flights.

So although my heart was and perhaps for now still is in Dubai, my head is definitely on my shoulders and come August the 12th will be on its way to Jordan.

The benefits are multi-layered. There is the fact the time difference is only 2 hours (Ahead instead of 6 hours behind). That it is a 6 hour direct flight to London, rather than 26 hours and 3 changes. That the salary is substantially better by 11k a year to what I get here in Colombia (albeit cost of living is far lower here) and that it is of course Tax Free. But that it is also a brand new school built less than 6 months ago (So by the time I get there the teething problems will be all but sorted out (You would hope). That the department has Interactive white boards in every room, and I will be able to set up my Graphics room the way I believe it should be, as well as looking at teaching Robotics, Jewelery Design, and Architectural Modeling in 2d and 3d, in fresh new classrooms with a decent 6k per year budget and a CAD/CAM system on route as I type.

For now the future looks bright, yes I am sad I have had to withdraw from Repton but now over the next few months my planning and detailing will be 50% focused on the TES here and the other 50% focused on the IAA.

Its a new challenge and one I am looking forward to come August.

Chao mi Amigos...Manyana