It's Peru, Baby.

It seems that turning 28 may have affected my brain in a quite bizarre and unforseeable way: I am applying to do a secondary school level PGCE next year. Of all the things I have ever wanted to do for a career teaching has certainly never figured. I have always sworn I'd never do it, somehow missing the fact that I have indeed been teaching all along. Interestingly, a lot of my friends are in fact also teachers, and virtually all of them say the same... that they never wanted to teach. I think it has all boiled down to the 'settling down' instinct. Teaching is secure, with a decent salary, benefits, pension, and of course... those holidays. I have accidentally been teaching for 7 years already, so walking into a classroom is as natural as breathing for me - essentially this a career which will not require re-wiring my brain at this stage of my life, and that appeals to me. I yearn to become a writer, and teaching seems to provide a base which will allow me the security and the time to do so. I would, of course, teach English literature and language - which I believe has the potential to be quite inspiring for me (despite whatever it may be for my students!). These are some of the positive aspects, and believe me, I've spared a thought for the negatives too: the disciplining, the paperwork, the lack of low-cut tops from my working wardrobe. I am not guaranteed to get a place on a course, and I am not guaranteed to get home student funding ('A home student is one who has lived in the UK for 3 years directly before the start of their course, except for temporary absences, and not including years spent in full-time education')... and I suppose I am not even guaranteed to get a job after even if I do get both a place and funding. Nevertheless, I am going to give it a shot. Same goes for the writing, I have officially begun work on my long-imagined complilation of short stories. The important thing is to enjoy both, and try my best, no? Gambarimasu!