The Lost Months of Chick in the City: August 2011 - Great Expectations

So you've heard all about the proposal and I've told you about gaining my degree - so what comes next? Well, that same question came bouncing off of the lips of many of may friends and family:  "What are you going to do now you've graduated?"  If i was asked once i was interrogated 100 times.

I'd always wanted to be a teacher.  I'd done plenty of voluntary work in a school during my year out from uni, so naturally when i saw an advert for a Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) i HAD to apply.  As I'd got so much classroom time under my belt already, i was a shoo in for an interview at least!  And so the invitation arrived "we would like to invite you to interview for the English GTP".  I was told to inform them of any requirements i had due to disability. 

I dutifully responded to confirm my attendance and to put in my requests:

• A parking space
• Access to disabled toilets
• A stair-free day

Everyone knows that those with reduced mobility are best to stay on the ground floor, no?!  Well evidently not.  On the day all three requirements were forgotten.  No space was reserved for me to park in, i had to ask multiple times before knowledge of disabled loos were surrendered and i was forced to climb sooo many stairs i just wanted to lay down and cry.

This experience showed me that until those in charge of schools can learn to negotiate the needs of disabled people, they will not provide 'us' with a happy working environment (unless of cause you legs are paralysed-even the most idiotic admin worker seems to understand THAT!).  After the interview day i was poorly for two weeks.  I am NOT cut out to work in a school; I had no idea how physically demanding the job would be.

So this brought me back to square one, "What are you going to do with your degree?"  Well the honest answer is, I'm already doing something with it, I'm a writer.  But until my name is plastered all over billboards and my books are in WH Smiths this answer is unsatisfactory for most.  So I made a really controversial decision...

I now tick the box that says 'Housewife'. 

I am a modern day feminist living the life of a 1950's housewife, and do you know what?  I'm happy.  This arrangement suits all three of us - me, my fiance and Arthur.  While my other half gets to live in a clean and tidy home, with his dinner in the oven after work, I get to indulge in my true passion; writing.  Meanwhile, once the chores are finished Arthur gets his own way too.  Although when Arthur's having a particularly demanding day, there's no job that I have to do that cant wait until tomorrow (the future Mr Chick isn't a tyrant you know!)

Maybe I should move to Wisteria Lane...

This blog was created by Chick in the City www.facebook.com/chick.inthecity