For anyone who doesn't know, I'm going to be working as the elementary school intern at the American International School of Dhaka in Bangladesh. For those of you who don't know where Bangladesh is, but don't want to ask, here's a map of Southeast Asia. No worries, apparently I pick the most obscure countries to travel. Bangladesh is the little yellow country just east of India:
Why Bangladesh? This is the first thing everyone asks me and the
question I feel like I've answered a bajillion times. So, let me walk
you briefly through my job search process and how I landed in
Bangladesh. I knew I wanted to teach abroad after working in Doha,
Qatar for six months, so I applied to Search Associates, an
organization that helps place teachers with quality international
schools. Each year they have a few conferences around the world. I
attended the one in Boston this past February. As a candidate, I
interviewed for full-time teaching and intern positions, knowing that
the job market would be rough for a young, inexperienced candidate like
myself. Most places require two full years of teaching experience, so I
got a lot of "You look great, but talk to us in two years!" I had
about eight interviews with different schools.
I accepted the intern position at AISD over full time positions in other
countries because it is everything I look for in a school. It's in
Asia, where I've never been and really want to be so I could travel and
explore. It is a highly diverse school, over 61 nationalities
represented among the students. It is a good size, about three small
classrooms per grade. They have a lot of professional development. The
school uses a PYP curriculum, the primary school version of
International Baccalaureate. It's very student driven, strongly
encourages world citizenship, attempts to link subjects, and create
lifelong learners. I really like the administrators that interviewed me
and they assured me (after I point blank said in the interview that I
wouldn't accept an intern position if it meant I would just be making
copies and putting up bulletin boards) that they would fully utilize my
talents. SO, as an intern, I will be working as a fourth teacher on a
team of three. They said I could co-teach, teach when a teacher was
absent, work with small groups. I will also be used a sub across grade
levels. **Cross your fingers someone gets knocked up!!** Haha!
I will be sharing an apartment with the two other interns, Kajori and
Konrad. I'm excited to meet them! I'm also really excited to share a
place this time around. While pretty swanky, my Qatari apartment was
quite sad and lonely at times. Kajori lived in Dhaka part of last year,
and went to elementary school at AISD for a bit, so she knows the city
pretty well. I'm excited to take advantage of her Dhaka wisdom!
I can't believe that in only five days, I'll be done with my Masters in
Reading Education and on a plane to Dhaka!! I'm so excited for new
adventures, but am sad to leave Charlottesville (and a pretty amazing
man might I add!) just as I was really figuring everything out! I
think I'll be back here in Cville at some point :)
OH! Almost forgot! Skype will probably be the best way to reach me!
Please add me: elizabethdepoy
or e-mail: emd3fa@virginia.edu
or facebook me!
If you for some reason would want to send me presents, packages, and things (at your own risk!):
Elizbeth DePoy
American International School in Dhaka
PO Box 6106
Gulshan, Dhaka 1212
Bangladesh
And for letters and flat mail only:
Elizabeth DePoy
ECIS/AISD
401 East State St.
Suite 405
Ithaca, NY 14850
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