Skype Interview

A few weeks ago D & I received word that I had an interview for that school in Kenya. We were both super excited about the news and then spent some time gearing up for it. I was getting over a nasty cold bug and getting used to being at a 60% teaching load at school. It was a crazy week leading up to it. The day of the interview I had the faculty adviser come in from the university to observe me in the morning followed by the school district psychologist in the afternoon. By the end of the school day I was exhausted. So exhausted that when I came home, I took a 2.5 hour nap.

When I got up I had 1.5 hour to go before the interview. I spent that time brushing up on key teaching words/ phrases. D practiced asking me a few questions to help me get in interview mode. The interview was keyed to start at 9:30 in the evening (this is due to the timezone difference. Kenya is 11 hours ahead from where we are located) over Skype.

I don't think I have ever been so nervous for an interview before. Even though the interview was conducted over Skype it didn't help settle my nerves. When the ring tone came in for the interview to start my throat closed up. D got me a glass of water which helped alot.

The questions they asked for the interview had to do with the following:

• What do I know about the school & how I heard about the school.
• Why Africa? Why Kenya? Why Nairobi? Third culture aspect of the school.
• What grade was I willing to teach?
• Longevity-how long could we see ourselves spending there?
• How did we feel about living on campus?
• Extra curricular activities-what would I be willing to get involved with?
  
• Work Permits-have we looked into the details of getting one?
• How do our families feel about us moving overseas?
• How would I manage as a new teacher in a country in a different culture?

Overall the interview went quite well. There was only one answer I wished I could have answered differently as it caught me off guard. The interview concluded with them saying they would be in touch within the next 2-3 weeks.

So in the meantime we wait.... and wait....