Decision Making 2

Do you believe in astrology, horoscope or whatever prediction of life? I don’t, though sometimes I peek at the horoscope section in magazines and newspapers for pure fun. But recently I have grown a special interest in knowing my future. It should purely be attributed to the fact that I’m now completely in a mess pertaining to a career choice which need to be finalised in few days. Oh God! I cannot believe that I’M making a career choice. How my tiny shoulders are going to bear the burden?

In Malaysian education system, the teachers are given a choice pertaining their posting. So one can choose the state which she or he wants to teach in and sometimes if you are lucky enough you’ll get what you want. Unbelievably, according to my lectures, my seniors have got their state of preference, so there is a rumour going around that there are chances for us to get the state we want. And paradoxically, that’s what have been niggling me though many seems relieved by the news. As a result, many of my friends are thinking of asking for a school nearer to their home. Well, I have nothing against teaching somewhere near my place though that limits the level of exposure one might get. And also, getting posted somewhere near my home hinders my cognitive as well as personal development. On the other side of the coin, if I were posted near my home, I don’t really have to worry about anything else apart from my job as my accommodation, food, and even financial is taken care of (what else are parents for?). My parents have tried pleading, scolding and even threatening to get me posted near home, and so far I have maintained the “No” though I know when I go back for my holidays in 5 days time, they will manage to brain wash me :p

Another reason I’m dreading posted somewhere near home, is that I want to work in rural areas. I want to teach the really illiterate students who are in need of teachers than anybody else. Before you go on thinking that I have taken ‘the noble job’ thingy seriously, let me assure I’m not such a person. Much to the disappointment of the Malaysian Education Ministry who has been sponsoring me for past 5 years, I’m not an overly-keyed-up-enthusiastic- dedicated teacher who wants to spread the light of literacy. I’m just a very amateurish teacher to be who is still pondering on the rightness of the decision which I took 5 years ago. Well, the real reason I’m hoping to be posted to a rural area is that I believe that students in urban areas are not really in need of teachers as they can afford having private tutors. And seldom I see, urban students who respect teachers as the sole knowledge transmitter. So basically, I don’t want to be standing in front of class where nobody bother to listen to me. What is the point of serving people who can’t or don’t want to appreciate you? That summarises well my focal point I guess.

At the same time, being posted somewhere in a rural area where phone coverage and internet connections visit once a blue moon is certainly not going to help my plan of furthering my studies to the postgraduate level. And I’ll do anything to get hold of Masters before I reach 27. So my friends as well as my parents have been influencing me to apply for urban areas using my education as an excuse. Rural area or furthering your studies? This is the choice I’m left with. So, now I’m desperately looking for some signs which can guide me through this difficult decision making phase.