Support a Scholar's Journey to Teach Abroad
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Due to federal budget cuts, I received my rejection letter for my Ph.D. application in late January, which sent me into a pretty intense existential crisis. I love academia and do plan on pursuing my Ph.D. in the future, but this situation put me at a standstill. During this mental health crisis, my psychiatrist reminded me of something else I wanted to pursue: teaching English in another country.
It has always been a dream of mine to travel. Unfortunately, despite having both a bachelors and graduate degree in English, I get paid little-to-nothing in my current position (because, well, the US doesn't give a shit about the humanities -- let's be real). Although I am educated enough to teach college-level students, I'm barely scraping by -- as I know most of us are.
I have been given the opportunity to teach English in Madrid for 8+ months. While this opportunity is something I've been seeking for as long as I can remember, it unfortunately comes with a lot of money that needs to be saved. The initial costs are the following:
- Placement as a Language and Cultural Assistant in Madrid
- Visa application costs
- Spanish medical insurance
- Airport pickup and transportation for orientation with the program
- Four days of orientation including four nights of hotel stay
- Two weeks living with a Spanish family while I figure out where I will live
- First months deposit and rent in Madrid
I will definitely be able to cover the one-way trip out there, however, I will not be able to cover the 5000+ grand once I get there on my current salary.
It is with deep appreciation and a little shame that it has come to this. If you are able to donate, please do, but if not, a share is always nice. Anything helps. Hopefully my dreams will come true!
Organizer
Isabella Bairnsfather
Organizer
Hammond, LA