Vietnam baby!

So, after convincing myself that I hadn't got the job last week and coming to the conclusion that it wouldn't be so bad to make a move in a London type direction; I got home last night and found a job offer!

It's not quite the job I applied for, of music leader in an already established primary school. However it is still very interesting or possibly more so. The position is music teacher throughout a brand new, purpose built, bilingual primary school. 

I have gone through quite a lot of emotions today - mostly feeling pretty scared if I'm honest. However it seems that these days when something scares me, I run to meet it rather than run away from it. The commitment to another two years away is, I think, what I am finding daunting. However I know how quickly that time seemed to pass here in Ecuador. I know for certain that I want to explore that part of the world and in the end, what's the point of applying for a job if you're not intending to take it?

I believe that this job would be far more challenging than I have found teaching for a while and it's probably about time for me to be challenged professionally. I might even have to work hard! Shock! Horror!

So I think I will accept the offer, once I've had a few questions answered.

Back to School...

I had the interview for Vietnam on Monday evening and really have no idea of how it went. Technological issues with having a phone interview made me very nervous (as had hanging around all day waiting for the phone call). It took four attempts to get a reasonable phone connection and it did make me wonder why they weren't using skype? I know I answered questions well, but am feeling pretty insecure, partly because the interview didn't seem to last for very long - about 40 mins. I suppose the insecurity means I want the job - right? As yet I haven't heard anything and it is now too late in Vietnam, so hopefully I'll have an answer when I get up on Monday.  I'm not taking the wait as a bad sign though as I know they were also interviewing in London this week. I am hating the wait - am not the most patient of people with this sort of thing.

One thing that is helping me to keep my mind occupied is some supply teaching in my old school. It's pretty easy really, the only difference being that I am teaching secondary rather than primary kids. To be honest, with some of the classes I have not noticed many differences to primary in their behaviour!

You know you're back in Quito when...

• You don't get home from the pub till about 9am the next day.
• Taxi drivers say, 'Fiona...aaah, Shrek!'
• You constantly hear cars beeping at you and not all of them are taxis.
• Karl makes you drink shots.
• You get stared at and possibly groped on the Ecovia.
• You are suspicious of everybody.
• You have to think about where the toilet paper goes again!

Return to Ecuador

I've been back in Ecuador for almost two weeks now and it is really lovely to be back. I have caught up with some good friends and still have more to see. 

In the first week back I stayed in Quito at my friend Jake's which was lovely, but I felt embarrassed by my lack of Spanish when trying to communicate with his mum. I got well fed, including trying guatita, which is cow stomach lining - no I didn't eat very much and no I won't be trying that again. I've definitely been well brought up as even after being told what it was I still tried some!

Last Friday I moved back down to Cumbaya where Ais and Adrian have very kindly said that I can use their spare room as my base. It's lovely to be here as I know my way round, but also quite strange to be two doors away from my old apartment. 

This week has been fairly exciting for two reasons. Firstly, I heard from and have arranged an interview with the school in Vietnam. Feeling quite nervous about being interviewed as it's been a while and am hoping my usual teaching interview magic still works. Of course if I get offered the job, I then have to decide if I want it. The idea of living in Vietnam is very exciting, but do I want to commit to another two years away from home? At the moment I'm not sure.

The second exciting thing was getting to see my friend Sarah and staying with her in Cuenca. We went to Ingapirca on Thursday which is the main Inca ruin in Ecuador. I found it interesting and was glad to see an area of Ecuador that I haven't been to before. It took about two and a half hours from Cuenca to get there - bus travel is much easier when your travel companion speaks fluent Spanish!

Back to Quito yesterday and saw some of the usual suspects in Ho's and Finns.

Bye bye Norfolk.

Wretham Woods
Originally uploaded by Fiwit

So tomorrow morning I'm off on my travels again. I start in Ecuador and then plan to spend about 6 months or so travelling in South America - this will include carnival in Rio, which is very exciting.

I'm really looking forward to seeing friends in Ecuador and making new friends along the way. It has also been absolutely lovely to catch up with friends here, in Norfolk and London.

It has been an amazing six months since I left Ecuador. I've had an awesome amount of fun and done so many things. Living in Bosnia for two months with my best friend Lou was awesome, as was a summer of partying and festivals. The last two months have been more family orientated which has also been fantastic, especially my cousin Josh's wedding. I've had another trip to London; went to a burlesque night in Norwich and saw Jimmy Carr at Hammersmith Apollo. Christmas with my family was brilliant too, especially my nephews and niece!

I've had a week of feeling a bit stressed and nervous, but am now just feeling excited again.

So here's to another new year; a new chapter of life; a new adventure; a resolution to get back to blogging more regularly!