The BIG Adventure

For the past year Brenda and Scott have been planning to teach overseas. We have been talking with family members, friends, and colleagues and have been asked WHY many times. One of the main reasons is to look at simplified our life and our children' schedule. With four children and with each participating in one activity, the time away from home as a family became a challenge. Alone time as a family as well as couple time became more difficult to juggle. The other significant reason was to provide all family members, particularly the children, with an opportunity to emerge into another culture and encounter how others in a community may live. You know, there is a bigger world out there than Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the McLeans were going to experience it. So where do you begin? That was the question that Brenda asked. She began researching through the internet as well as talking to friends and colleagues. She signed up for on-line resources and search databases for international teaching opportunities. Over the winter (2005)months there was no question that Shaw internet lost money as Brenda was constantly on the computer. We must have reviewed hundreds of potential school websites or information databases. At the same time as all the computer work was the actual written documentation of the resume/curriculum vitae, portfolios, headshots, and reference letters. All of this hard work would come to a climax in February of 2005 in Toronto .... or so we thought! Brenda and Scott had registered for a job fair and attend the 3 days in Toronto. Was that an interesting process as there were over 40 international school recruiters and over 200 available teachers wanting to experience the "international flavor" of teaching abroad. The first night was the actual sign-up for interviews. Brenda was the assertive one in the couple as she secured several interviews over the next 2 days. Scott was really not prepared to be part of the "meat market" and was a bit overwhelmed. Regardless, Scott and Brenda prepared for the interviews. What you must remember is that as a teaching couple the interviews were together as a couple. For those of you who know us, Brenda and Scott have a bit different approach and demeanor. Very interesting dynamics in the interview but overall, we think that we dialogued very well, presented who are, and showed the assetts we would offer to any teaching position or international school. The realization of the unlikelihood of securing a position hit us hard on the last day of the event. We had not secured positions, while other participants were excited and energized about their new endeavors to positions outside of North America. Matching the school's vacant teaching positions, demographics, a lack of international teaching experience, and having four children were our barriers. Scott and Brenda had basically conceded the fact that teaching overseas would be a distance goal. However, upon returning home from work a message was on our answering machine asking if we are still interested in teaching abroad and would we be interested in an interview. The caller represented a small school in Kenya, Africa. Although the call got our heart rates up with anticipation, we were well aware of disappointment of the last set of interviews. Regardless of the outcome, we did our preparation and were interviewed in our home city of Calgary, called that same evening and was asked to come the following day for a further debriefing. We attended a second interview and then waited for over ten days to hear the news ... Yes, on April 22, 2005 we were offered teaching jobs (Brenda - physical education to K-5th grade; and Scott - guidance counsellor with primary responsibility for grades 6-12 with some support to K-5th grade).The AGA KHAN FOUNDATION - Mombasa Academy School in Kenya, Africa had just hired two Canadian teachers with their children (Jordan - 11 years old, Tait - 9 years old, Kyle 7 years old, and Ty - 5 years old). The journey begins ...