My tutoring student today for the 10th time in two weeks told me he had to work with his father, so I just dropped him off. (Very frustrating because he is getting behind in his English classwork - very behind.)
But today it turned out to be a very good thing - for me at least. Shortly after dropping him off, I received a phone call from the person in charge of the mission school in New Mexico I'd applied for a while back. Any Catholics here, could you please tell me what the abbreviation Sr. stands for? Maybe Mother Superior?? (its a woman).
Anyway, the Sr. and I talked for a good ten or fifteen minutes. She is sending me some more application materials and reference forms to hand out - then the next step would be they'd fly me out there for 3 days so I can get a feel of the place, and they can get a feel for me.
So ... I'm a step closer to having my first real school librarian job!!!
She told me if I get it, I'd be living in a mobile home and would be provided with a bed, a washer and dryer, and a table. There is no internet access, but ATT does work there - so at home I could use my 3g on the iPhone and anything I'd need a full fledged computer for, do at school. Or, I could look into doing the tethering thing ...
She was emphasizing to me how little there is to do in the town where they are, etc. I think I surprised her when I told her that I'd done some research on the area, and had seen that there was a town 30 miles away with a separate library just for children, etc. In other words, I let her know that I understood what I was applying for!
If I do go out there for the "look and see" trip, it would most likely be in mid-June.
I guess this goes to show, never give up!
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ETA - Is anyone else not getting notices of replies to blogs?
Heard from the Mission School!
April 30th, 2011 at 02:07 am
April 30th, 2011 at 02:23 am 1304126627
As a practicing Catholic, Sr. stands for Sister. If you need help with any other abbreviations after her name, I can help you figure out what religious affiliation she is with.
April 30th, 2011 at 02:27 am 1304126850
April 30th, 2011 at 02:55 am 1304128517
Yes, there is a St. Natalie. Sometimes novitiates or seminarians chose the name of a Patron Saint, but I've found that most people who persue religious lives come from devout families and are already named after Saints. The letters after the name determine what Order they are with: Franciscans, Benedictines, Jesuits, etc.
Sounds like a promising preliminary interview. We as Catholics usually have saints associated with particular causes, occupations, etc. I'm going to see if there is a Patron Saint associated with librarians. Maybe St. Jerome who translated the Bible? I'll see.
April 30th, 2011 at 02:56 am 1304128609
On various lists, you can find Catherine of Alexandria, Jerome, or
Lawrence listed as the patron saint of librarians. These are at best
semi-official designations and various saints are found over time to have
diverse interests. The one I hadn't heard of is reported by the Mars Hill
Graduate School in suburban Seattle, who tell the story of St. Wiborada,
of whom is told a charming tale -- and the charm of the tales is surely
the point of these things:
St. Wiborada lived as a recluse near the Monastery of Sankt Gallen
in the 10th century AD. Sankt Gallen was in the Kingdom of
Swabia, part of present-day Switzerland. During the 10th century
the monastery of Sankt Gallen had one of the most extensive
library collections in Europe. In 925 AD Wiborada had a vision
that the Hungarians would invade Sankt Gallen and that she would
be martyred. Wiborada warned the monks, who thereupon hid the
books, the wine, and themselves in caves in nearby hills. In May,
926, the Hungarians arrived to find Wiborada alone in the
monastery. They axed her to death while she prayed at the altar.
In Switzerland St. Wiborada is considered the patron saint of
libraries. She is represented holding a book (signifying the
library she saved) and an ax (signifying her martyrdom).
April 30th, 2011 at 03:04 am 1304129077
I'll probably need to also contact my Aunt. She taught in a Catholic school for several years as a Seventh-day Adventist. (which is what I am too)
April 30th, 2011 at 03:05 am 1304129126
April 30th, 2011 at 03:11 am 1304129500
I lived in Albq. when I was in elementary - from October of 3rd grade (just in time for the Hot Air Baloon Festival!) through graduating 8th grade. We lived right down the hill from a hospital. I think it was on the far North side. At the time, there were maybe ten or fifteen houses in our whole neighborhood (REALLY spread out.) I had two good friends around my age (both of whom found me on Facebook!) that I'd go bike riding with all over everywhere. I went back about six years ago, and I barely managed to find the house! Every inch of space that a house could be built on was covered. The traffic was horrible. I felt bad for the kids in those houses not getting the chance to do what I did with my friends way back in the mid-to-late 80's.
April 30th, 2011 at 03:26 am 1304130363
April 30th, 2011 at 03:35 am 1304130914
April 30th, 2011 at 03:51 am 1304131889
April 30th, 2011 at 03:57 am 1304132239
I have free housing and utilities (gas/electricity/water/trash,etc). I'm not sure about a landline phone .. but if my cell works, then it doesn't matter. She did say that if I want cable, that that would be up to me. So ... no utilities cost. Oh, and the trailer is part of the remuneration. They also include two free meals a day (I'm assuming at the school cafeteria)- not sure how much I'll be able to eat of them, but it may help with food costs a bit.
April 30th, 2011 at 04:18 am 1304133513
April 30th, 2011 at 04:24 am 1304133856
Sounds like a great opportunity.
April 30th, 2011 at 04:32 am 1304134327
April 30th, 2011 at 04:43 am 1304135010
Sicily,
No, there is an Adventist mission school on the reservation (closer to Albuquerque I think). This particular school however is Catholic.
Oh .. I went to Southern for two years. I loved it. Of course it was affordable for me mainly due to my dad being a minister. That gave me 70% off tuition.
April 30th, 2011 at 06:32 am 1304141567
April 30th, 2011 at 11:22 pm 1304202121