The thought just hit me again… slapped me upside the head: I’m living in Peru. Every once in a while I’ll have to give my head a shake and remember how cool that actually is. When I was a kid for some reason I wanted to be a teacher in Peru, and here I am. How many people get to actually do that? Achieve exactly what they dreamed as a kid. Well, I guess that’s what determination will get you. I waffled for many years and should’ve been here much earlier, but I’m here now. So, now the question is, “Now what?”
Things aren’t really working out to well with BrittanyGroup. They’re not paying me what they initially gave me the impression that they were going to pay me. I earned ½ of what I was told. I say ‘given the impression’ because in the email I got from the president of the school he said, “you will make about 1200 soles/month”. Ok, ‘about’ to me is 1000-1400, which is equal to about 400 dollars Canadian. Well, they’re telling me now that its not salary, but hourly. There were a barrage of emails going around trying to resolve these issues and they basically just brushed me off. 200 bucks is what I made last month and I need that just to live on this month. And being in Arequipa, I have to take the bus or a cab everyday and that all adds up. I have bills that come out of my account that equal more than I’m making.
Anyways, I’m not trying to complain, but things just aren’t going well here. So, Dad, when I didn’t answer your email about all those $$ issues, this is why. If I were to borrow something, I don’t know when I could pay it back.
I’m looking for another job though. Alfredo got me a list of all the English schools in Tacna and I sent resumes off to them this week. I like Tacna and I’d like to stay there for another while. But we’ll see. If something else doesn’t come up soon, I don’t know what’s going to happen. (Roxana if you’re reading this, please don’t tell that I’m looking elsewhere for a job).
Another thought that came up that could be a possibility is working on a cruise ship. You make about 2000/month USD. Even if I did it for 3 months it could set me up financially to go back to teaching. I’m not out to become a millionaire. I just want to travel and see the world and have enough money to live while I’m there. This one site I found had a $49 fee just to apply for the job. I wish I new how competitive it was. I’ll think about it for the next month and maybe in January I’ll do that. Why not, right? Just to get back in a better financial place.
The really sucky thing is that I have to give up my sponsored child in Thailand. She probably gets more money from me than I get from working at my job. Maybe she’ll sponsor me for a few months. LOL Unless, anyone out there wants to help out with her so I don’t have to give her up… just for a few months. Let me know cuz the next payment is on the 25th and I’m going to call them to cancel before then.
Anyways, on a happy note… where I live in Arequipa is great. Mapi is the receptionist at the school and she has this big house all to herself, so Jeremy, Barry and I are all living with her. We have a great view and a garden in the back. The garden has rose bushes, avocado trees and lime bushes (or whatever you call them). April, I would LOVE to share these with you! This living situation is actually in the top 5 places I’ve ever lived. And I’ve lived in a lot of places. We’re all really courteous, and we get along really well and we’re cooperative. Cleaning the house is so quick when we all work together. The only issue we had is the case of the missing sopa. Mapi had a package of soup and when she went to eat it, couldn’t find it. None of us have any idea where it could have walked off to. It just disappeared.
Well, this is getting long and I have a feeling you’re not all gonna read it so I’ll just stop now. Let’s hope the strike is over soon, so I can go back to Tacna.
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