Sunday, June 1, 2014

Job update

It's been ten long months of filling out job applications weekly, trying to gently hound my contact at Abbott laboratories in Wiesbaden, career fairs, and reaching out to every friend with a potential job contact (a heartfelt thanks to all of my amazing friends for your help).  While I've enjoyed the vacation / sabbatical / break, this was never my intent.  I miss being a contributing member of society.  Plus this past Thursday I peaked as a haus Frau with my greatest accomplishment in 10 months being getting a red wine stain out of my favorite shirt of Sam's.  Don't get me wrong my days filled with blogging, friend lunch dates, DIY projects, watching Sam's trials, traveling, and walking the pup have been great, and I know how lucky I am to have had this time.  Especially, since God knows everything and clearly inhibited me from getting a job this whole time, so I would be able to stay for a month with my sister and her family during the loss of my sweet nephew.   I will be forever grateful that I didn't have to battle with the thought of going back to Germany too early for a job.  


Well, the good news is that one of those job applications finally came through.  While, it's nothing close to what I really wanted to do with my Ph.D (research infectious diseases and make an impact on the world), it is a job opportunity in Germany.  Not on the economy, but on the Army post.  I'll be an adjunct professor for the University of Maryland University College (UMUC).  For those of you who don't know what an adjunct professor is, it's basically a part time professor who teaches and receives no benefits (i.e. you make a small amount of money).  I'll be teaching face-to-face at nights, twice a week, for three hours at a time.  Yay, I'll still time for my friend lunches, travel, and filling out job applications (yes, I still have remnants of hope for getting a real job)!  


The good new is I'll interact with soldiers and their family members, while using my brain, hallelujah!  The closest I've gotten these past few months to science is making Jello (not gonna lie, I swirled it around and looked for small translucent particles floating around like you would while making an agarose gel.  I almost put it in the microwave because I missed it so much...haha, don't judge me).  Enough about that, I will be making a difference in people's lives and if that's not contributing to society, I don't know what is.  It also opens up the potential to qualify me for teaching online through the university, which will give me a job anywhere we move in the future.  
Tomorrow's my first day, so wish me luck and pray that I have three hours of material prepared, eek!

9 comments:

  1. Good Luck in your first class Professor!!!!

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  2. Congratulations! I absolutely know how you feel - I had over 2 years of unemployment when we moved here and although admittedly I was taking language classes 3-4 mornings a week and studying long distance for a diploma the rest of the time, as well as teaching English to small children for pocket money (and of course blogging and lunching with friends! :) ) - and I was extremely thankful to have those challenges or I would have gone mad! - I also really missed contributing to society. Unfortunately I'm going to be jobless again at the end of my maternity leave this autumn - I am really not looking forward to starting another job hunt...

    But congratulations again and best of luck on your first day tomorrow! :)

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    1. I'm glad you filled your time while you were transitioning to living in Germany. Sounds like you were busy! Being jobless at the end of maternity leave isn't bad. You'll be spending quality time with your baby, and having one of the hardest and rewarding jobs out there, Haus mutter!!

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  3. Good luck, Michelle! I know you will be fabulous! Those students are very blessed to have you as their awesome adjunct prof!! :)

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  4. Congrats Michelle! You will do great! Can't wait to hear how much you enjoy it!

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    1. Thanks, Jenn! The first day was a success! I'll keep you posted on how the rest of the course goes.

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  5. Adjunct teaching would be fun and you will have an impact on students who will one day enter the field. I'm always looking for those jobs. Good luck with your continued job search. Natalie

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Your comments bring a smile to my face!

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