Upon my arrival back in the States, it became time to do some things that people despise more than jury duty summons and drivers who won't turn right at a red light. Job applications and interviews.
First there is the actual job search. The endless time spent looking online; the company websites where it takes you forever just to locate their career page and the weeding out of job posts that advertise as "entry level" but then require seventeen years of experience and a PhD in astrophysics. Then there is the waiting time period as your resume is now lost somewhere in cyber space... (Insert X-Files theme song here.)
As I have been back, people are naturally curious about my time spent living in a third world country. The general response is; "Teaching in Cambodia? That must have been quite the (awkward pause) experience," or sometimes "So what made you decide to live in Africa?" But I will occasionally run into the skeptic whose right eyebrow will rise so high that it disappears completely into their hairline.
Actual conversation from one of the many interviews I've been on:
"So I see you graduated from the business school at SDSU in 2010, but your last work experience was teaching in Cambodia.. Hmm." Here is where the skepticism began. "Why did you decide to leave America and not pursue a job in your business career path?"
I was at least prepared for this one and I explained that "Teaching abroad was something that I had always wanted to do and being a recent graduate I came to realize that this was the perfect time to do it.... It was one of the best experiences of my life and I learned a lot of valuable lessons which will cross over to a job in my career path." Short, sweet and kind of vague. In my interview experience I have learned that it is best to give answers which will lead naturally into other questions as to steer the interview away from an interrogation and into a conversation. Unfortunately for me, this led to more questions such as:
"Okaayyyyyy....... Were you actually paid for this job?"
"Were you running away from real life and now you're coming back to reality?"
and my personal favorite:
"Tell me about your biggest achievement, excluding Cambodia, because that is a little irrelevant."
So after I apologized for punching my interviewer in the face, I diplomatically and calmly answered each and every one of their stupid judgmental questions. During that part of my interview I felt like I was defending my decision instead of highlighting the amazing experience that it actually was. Needless to say, I got a generic Email from that employer; "After careful consideration, we regret to inform you..."
Now I'm not trying to somehow make it seem that living in a developing country, where you can't flush toilet paper or where you have to wonder if that bug in your soup was an accident or an ingredient, somehow makes me superior, nor do I expect people to react in the same way. But, I do expect at least some level of respect instead of assuming I was involved in the drug trafficking circle in south east asia.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you don't always have to do what is expected of you just because society is is telling you it's the right and only thing to do. To all the world travelers, jetsetters, my fellow English teachers abroad who work hard to make a difference, to those looking for a job, seeking a new job, hating the job you're in; Now is your time to spell your mothafucking name in flaming gasoline in giant letters that can be seen from outer space while you shout from a very tall place "This Earth is my BITCH!" This is your life, your world, you are in control. Do something you love, or at least something you know you'll be good at.
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| The tallest place I could find. |
To all the judgers, eye brow raisers, and haters. Go back to your fucking desk in a windowless corner somewhere and leave the cool jobs for someone else.
Don't worry I eventually found a job.
