Discover Something New #22 Request for Advice!

Hello everyone, and welcome to a special edition of “Discover Something New”! I’m your host, Caleb House, and as all you regular viewers will quickly recognize, tonight we’re going to do something very unusual for our program. Rather than me sitting here trying to find all kinds of fascinating and intriguing tidbits of information about the world around us, I’m going to simply share an interesting situation with you, and ask for your advice. That’s right, every one of you, from many different countries and backgrounds, to you I turn in this moment of puzzling events in my life.
Okay, so much for the intro! I’ll try to be brief. Please do not feel a need to read any farther than you are interested to read! A certain degree of this will be just talking out what is going on in my head, so those of you who are pressed for time shouldn’t feel bad about skimming/skipping this one. Here is what to expect:
1. Reporting the news about my application to JET, the teaching program in Japan.
2. Explaining the significance of this news
3. Explaining my reaction to this news
4. Reporting my short-term plan
5. Exploring the long(er)-term options
6. Analyzing the options
7. Asking your advice

1. For the JET program (As most of you will remember, this is the program for which I spend dozens of hours on the paper application and then flew to Boston just for the 15 minute interview, simply because it is far and away the best program in Japan. Yes, if anyone doesn’t know already, I want to go and teach English for one year in Japan), after many weeks of waiting, I have finally heard the results of the interview. It’s important to know beforehand that I was fully prepared to accept rejection or acceptance. I’d been praying over it, and since I felt that I was a pretty good candidate (I’ve since had reasons to question that, considering the qualifications of several friends who are now in the same boat as me), and I was praying that if God didn’t want me to go to Japan that he should interfere in the process and have me rejected. I would then have thought seriously about perhaps staying in CZ, or... something else. And if I was accepted, I would take it as an open door to Japan, and most likely accept (since I have to believe from my experience that God never leaves his path without signposts). I was prepared. The results? I’ve been put on the waiting list.

2. From my temporally and humanly limited perspective, this is worse than being rejected, because that would be clear at least. The exact wording on the email from JET was “I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) Alternate candidate. Notification of available positions for alternates can occur anytime between April and October. If you are not contacted by the JET Program Office by the end of October it means that we cannot offer you a position.” Please note that the program starts August 1st. Let me also say that JET is the thing that first drew me to Japan, and in terms of job security, reputation, support, salary, work-load, cultural immersion, language study, etc.... well, it’s the best I’ve found in Japan in all these categories. If there’s any chance to go with JET, I don’t want to miss it. Think about my position for a moment. It’s basically like being back at square one (meaning that I could go abroad ANYWHERE), except now it’s just as uncertain WITH the added anchor of JET around my neck stopping me from jumping on other opportunities.

3. My main struggle with this is trying to interpret this as a sign from God. Maybe it’s not, but it feels like one (any time I get in a situation where I can’t go forward and can’t stay where I am, I start to feel God winding-up a curveball. More on this in a moment). I’m just not sure where it’s pointing. I admit to a little frustration, since I feel willing to go, willing to stay, willing to go almost anywhere else, so why more waiting? But I’ve been through this before, and I feel confident that it will be clear in the proper time (but maybe JUST in time, and no amount of confidence can take away the stress in the situation. Maybe it’s not supposed to...). For now, though, I’m left wondering and wandering again. (Please, there’s no need for emails encouraging me that “God has something in his plan, don’t worry!” I appreciate it the reminder, but I have no doubt of this idea at all; the problem lies in finding and living according to that plan!)

4. My short-term thought is this: I wasn’t expecting to hear result from JET until the end of this month anyway, and there is the fact that JET sends thousands of teachers every year, so as they notify the chosen teachers right now, a certain percentage of them must refuse, thus opening up a large number of places. How many places, or what my chances are, or what place I am on the waiting list, I have no idea. But I’ve decided to at least wait until the end of April, and if I hear nothing by that time then it’s time to start looking forward. I can’t just wait around until October. Why? Well, that’s it: my Czech visa expires in May. This used to be a simple matter, but CZ has recently changed regulations drastically and there’s very little wiggle-room now. Basically, after May I’d be able to stay in the country legally for three months, and then I’d have to be out of CZ for three months at least. If I was caught coming into the country after August without a renewed visa, I could be deported. And the visa application process takes months, can be expensive, takes a great deal of effort, and I can imagine myself finishing the process and then the next day getting a notification of placement from JET. :-/ Anyway, even if I started the process now I might not finish in time! As you see, it’s one of those situations where you can’t go forward and can’t stay where you are. I’m familiar with these, that’s what makes me think God is in it, and is planning something unexpected, but thinking, processing, and trying on different plans has always helped me find the direction God eventually reveals...

5. As far as I’ve processed this all, I’d say that ALL my options fall into five categories: 1. Go to Japan with JET: This is of course ideal, but there’s no use thinking about it now. It’s just about waiting until I can wait no longer.
2. Go to Japan with another program: Possible, but more difficult and less ideal. The English teaching market in Japan has been really over-saturated recently (mainly by the sudden bankruptcy of the biggest language school in the country, which left 1000s of qualified teachers looking for work), salaries are down, work loads bring the phrase “English-factory” to mind, and the risks of dishonesty by the private for-profit schools seems to be rising (JET is a government program, non-profit, for public schools mostly). I’m starting to love Japan (having spent the last six months studying the language, culture, geography, and history), but none of the other work opportunities appeal to me much...
3. Teach in another Asian country: China was actually my first choice, since it will be more and more important to understand that nation. But honestly the main thing that changed my mind to Japan (besides meeting several wonderful Japanese people in the last two years, and the higher difficulty of the Chinese language) was that salaries in China would probably let me comfortably survive, while all participants of JET I’ve spoken to agree that it’s possible to save around $1000 a month. This would make my future travels (more about that in a moment) much more possible. Returning to the idea of China, which offers almost no saving potential, is hard to swallow. The language and culture don’t appeal to me as much as Japan, but I would not be opposed to this option at all.
Then there’s South Korea. I’m honestly not interested in the culture, country, or language (beyond a little traveling and sightseeing someday). But the salaries might be the best in the world (besides the Middle East), usually with paid accommodations and $2500-$3000 a month. You all should know that I do not have a high opinion of money, but this is still a draw, mainly because it would make it much more possible to volunteer later (see next point).
4. Go to a different country entirely: I had the intention of saving money in Japan, and then spending six months volunteering in each India and Kenya. I’ve considered skipping the Asian stop for the time-being and heading straight to the core of the “eye-opening, character-stretching, life-changing experience” I’m looking for in the next two years. Of course, going without much savings, and without the coming year to prepare myself for the shock, could be a bit much...
5. Stay in Czech Republic: This is where my heart really is, and I see myself returning here after getting some of the wander-lust out of my system. But life here is getting comfortable, and I’m not at all ready to settle down and be comfortable. What would I do here? Teaching English is fine to get by, but it’s no career. If I ever want to start a family, have a fulfilling career, and/or feel like I’ve made my mark on the world, then I need to move on. If not geographically, then in some other way. Although it’s an option, I’m not comfortable at this point in my life with the idea of being a financed missionary, for a number of reasons (mainly that I feel that if I can support myself in my mission work, why take funds away from those who can’t?). I’ll be honest, I had the idea to do this two years of living in widely-ranging places around the globe, and then return to Prague and write a book on the experiences/ideas/conclusions about the universality of man (or lack thereof, who knows!), and see if that led anywhere. What I think it all comes down to is that I’ve spent over 2 years increasingly focused on this “adventure” (though I’m hesitant to use such a light, fun-sounding word. The idea would be to get pushed, stretched, challenged and grown through difficulty every day), and it’s very difficult to imagine just dropping all that and staying where I’ve lived (off and on) for five years now. But (as I could say for all these options!), this may be where God wants me now, and if that’s the case then I know it will be better than I can imagine.
I think that covers #5 and #6!

7. Now I turn it over to you. Each of you reading this has knowledge, wisdom, insight, prayer-lives, and/or experience that I respect, and if you’ve read this far in the letter then I know you also have an interest in my life (Thank You!). I’d really like to know what you think about this situation, and how you would advise me. I’m as interested in hearing you various takes on the situation as I am interested in your practical advice! Be honest, whether you agree with my beliefs or not, whether you think I should go back to Carl Jr.’s Hamburgers in Chico or jump off a dock! In all my thoughts about this, am I missing something here? Is there an option I’m not considering? Is God trying to teach me something I’m not getting (so far I’ve got “He’s testing and strengthening my faith in Him,” and “The final path is too scary for God to reveal it to me now.”)? Any other thoughts at all?
Of course I could hear from JET tomorrow that they now have a position for me, which would change everything, but this situation is too interesting for me to not bring you all in on it. What do you think?!?!? Consider this as something like a “Caleb Reality Show”: “Write Now And Tell Us What You Think Caleb Should Do Next!!” :-D
Also, my parents are arriving in Prague in a few hours, and I’ll have company for the rest of the month, so sorry if I don’t respond to everyone individually! I thank you VERY MUCH in advance for your thoughts, ideas, advice, and especially prayers in this, yet another time of (possible) transition. :-) Take care and God bless! c:

P.S. If any of you remember the Xtrav documentary I was posting in parts on YouTube, I’ve ALMOST finished it! I hope to post it all, in entirety, soon, and I’ll let you all know when I do. Thank you to those who have expressed interest, and I apologize for the months of waiting!

P.P.S If any of you have a "seznam" email address, please write to me at c_house@juno.com. This address, for some reason, won't accept messages from seznam anymore. Sorry if I've missed you messages!