Yodeling (Come on...you all knew this was coming)!
Today I went on a job interview. Technically, it was my second interview. The first was pretty normal; held in an office, lots of questions and answers. This one was a "working" interview. I went on a field trip.
The first stop was a small primary school. Beautiful. I couldn't help being jealous walking into the teacher's lounge. School was charming and welcoming. No gate keeper at the entrance. Walked right in. In fact, I have no idea where the main office even is...Hallways were decorated with sculptures. Coat rooms were outside the classrooms. "Outside" shoes tucked under benches beneath their coats. Murals on the walls above. The teacher came out to greet us but not before we were spied by a third grader..."She's here already!" he reported back to the class.
We went in. 18 kids. Evenly split between girls and boys, all ready to practice their English. I had tried very hard to look "American" that morning. I had on an American flag pin on the outside of my jean jacket. And flip flops. Yes, flip flops. Very, very sparkly flip flops. She said, "Come as you are." I wear flip flops and jean jackets. Hire me if you want to. Don't if you don't want to. I really like this approach to job hunting. More investigating than hunting. I'm confident in my abilities. I know what I have to offer- either I fit in or I don't. And...it's okay if I don't. But I'm wearing flip flops if I do. By the way, the job description is perfect for me. English speaking with no knowledge of German.
We played a game involving naming (in English) musical instruments. Somehow yodeling came up. One little girl admitted to being able to yodel. Then she outed three other yodelers. She was shy though and didn't want to yodel but then she came up with a plan. She ran to her desk and pulled out her music folder. The other kids quickly picked up on where she was going with this. They all got up and ran to their desks. Turned to a song about yodeling. The teacher grabbed her guitar. Out of her back pocket, under the desk, I have no idea where that thing came from. But she started playing and they ALL started singing a song complete with the sweetest yodeling. Fan-tastic. I clapped. So, they sang another song, this time in English, "I love the mountains, I love the daffodils, etc." I never heard it before but it was perfect I learned this song sung in English in Switzerland by 18 of the cutest Swiss kids.
Next stop was a combined 5th and 6th grade classroom set in the mountains in an older, very tiny school. Parked at the stone church with the littlest grave yard. The field full of wild flowers next door. The cows grazing on the hill nearby. A mountain about 6 inches away rising straight up. Lake Luzern far below. A farm to the left date stamped 1647. These kids from this little village that isn't even big enough for separate classes, are all on their way to trilingual at 11 and 12. French, German, and English. Not to mention the kids that speak an additional language at home. They prepared three restaurants and were ready to take our order and serve us- all in English. Chaotic and fun. I ordered 'off' menu (nachos). They rolled with it. Next thing I knew I had colored paper nachos and green tissue guacamole (with a glass of white wine).
Best job interview ever.
The first stop was a small primary school. Beautiful. I couldn't help being jealous walking into the teacher's lounge. School was charming and welcoming. No gate keeper at the entrance. Walked right in. In fact, I have no idea where the main office even is...Hallways were decorated with sculptures. Coat rooms were outside the classrooms. "Outside" shoes tucked under benches beneath their coats. Murals on the walls above. The teacher came out to greet us but not before we were spied by a third grader..."She's here already!" he reported back to the class.
We went in. 18 kids. Evenly split between girls and boys, all ready to practice their English. I had tried very hard to look "American" that morning. I had on an American flag pin on the outside of my jean jacket. And flip flops. Yes, flip flops. Very, very sparkly flip flops. She said, "Come as you are." I wear flip flops and jean jackets. Hire me if you want to. Don't if you don't want to. I really like this approach to job hunting. More investigating than hunting. I'm confident in my abilities. I know what I have to offer- either I fit in or I don't. And...it's okay if I don't. But I'm wearing flip flops if I do. By the way, the job description is perfect for me. English speaking with no knowledge of German.
We played a game involving naming (in English) musical instruments. Somehow yodeling came up. One little girl admitted to being able to yodel. Then she outed three other yodelers. She was shy though and didn't want to yodel but then she came up with a plan. She ran to her desk and pulled out her music folder. The other kids quickly picked up on where she was going with this. They all got up and ran to their desks. Turned to a song about yodeling. The teacher grabbed her guitar. Out of her back pocket, under the desk, I have no idea where that thing came from. But she started playing and they ALL started singing a song complete with the sweetest yodeling. Fan-tastic. I clapped. So, they sang another song, this time in English, "I love the mountains, I love the daffodils, etc." I never heard it before but it was perfect I learned this song sung in English in Switzerland by 18 of the cutest Swiss kids.
Next stop was a combined 5th and 6th grade classroom set in the mountains in an older, very tiny school. Parked at the stone church with the littlest grave yard. The field full of wild flowers next door. The cows grazing on the hill nearby. A mountain about 6 inches away rising straight up. Lake Luzern far below. A farm to the left date stamped 1647. These kids from this little village that isn't even big enough for separate classes, are all on their way to trilingual at 11 and 12. French, German, and English. Not to mention the kids that speak an additional language at home. They prepared three restaurants and were ready to take our order and serve us- all in English. Chaotic and fun. I ordered 'off' menu (nachos). They rolled with it. Next thing I knew I had colored paper nachos and green tissue guacamole (with a glass of white wine).
Best job interview ever.
You loved it, didn't you?
ReplyDeleteI love it!
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun!! You will have to share more if you get the job!
ReplyDeleteI love this adventure because it is the First one of your blogs (at least from what I have read) of you on a completely solo adventure... from the start to searching the help wanted (would love to hear about that ...to filling out that application (must have been an expirence in its own right just the education portion), the 1st interview a, second working interview and on to the end what ever that may be. I must be so nice even kind of normal feeling to be in the middle of an adventure which is all of your own making. To have news to share with your family that is just your news, your experience, your perception without anyone else being there to add their perception of what happened. Perception is what matters I think that is why we can all tell the same story about the same party but it sounds like we were all at a different party and each is as fun to hear as the next. I love your perception on life.
ReplyDeleteAnn
And ...... did you get it????????
ReplyDelete