Today’s the day. After struggling through language barriers, cultural misinterpretations, unmotivated employees and immigration officials, today I will finally begin working in Lima. And of equal if not greater importance, the yoga studio near my apartment is officially open! With my new teaching schedule and unlimited yoga pass, I have the feeling that the next few weeks are going to be much more active than the last four months. I feel like things are falling into place.
To say that I have been dreading this employment would be an understatement. I want a job, yes. I desperately want a job. However, with this particular Institute I feel like I have been thrown around, mislead and forgotten about. I suppose that some of these setbacks are to be expected and I am trying to be positive about that. I am trying to account for the benefit of the doubt and also leave the past in the past. It’s not the ideal job, but it is a job. It’s not full time, but at least it is part time. It is something. I am learning to accept every small victory as one step closer to making this crazy Peruvian dream a reality.
Last week I had a complete meltdown as I feared that I would never, ever find a job in Peru that would pay enough just to cover my bills. Alvaro and I endured a very difficult conversation in which we both admitted, “Maybe this simply can’t work.” That conversation was enough to scare me into a serious job application mode.
The next morning, I scoured the interest for every language job and administrative position I could find. I have serious limitations when it comes to speaking Spanish and getting around Lima, which makes me job search field even more narrow. But I am determined to not give up. I am not ready to simply pack up and head back to the United States. Though it would be easier, it’s out of the question for me.
Instead of being upset about my half of a job, I am thinking of it as Phase 1 complete of my job search. If I could find another part time position somewhere, being independent in Lima might actually be a possibility. I feel like I am in a constant job search and I am trying to keep my motivation and hopes high, because I am afraid that if I burn out, I really will go home.
Having any sort of job, even this job that I was dreading, is helping me to see some hope in all of this. Perhaps I will progress very quickly, and this part time job will turn full time. Maybe I can make more connections here. Maybe another position will fall out of the sky and all my worries will go away. I have to think that it will happen at some point. I am a strong believer that with continued persistence, something good has to happen at some point. I don’t think the universe is so cruel as to continually throw obstacles and difficulty at someone.
So for today, I am teaching English. Four lessons to be exact. The school where I am teaching releases the schedule on a daily basis, so unfortunately, I am not able to tell how many lessons I will be teaching for the rest of the week, but I am hoping that it will be at least four per day.
Although I really am trying to stay positive about my job search, I attribute most of this positive attitude to the opening of the yoga studio. How could I be upset when a beautiful studio just a few blocks from my apartment is now in business? FInally, some time for namaste.
