Love-Hate Relationship

What I LOVE about California:
- my new friends here
- my church
- Scott's one job... not multiple ones
- Will's school and teacher
- my excuse to get a mini-van
- the geography- lots to see and experience
- living within two hours of so many neat things
- my fresh start
- having a sidewalk in front of my house
- good neighbors
- smaller house- easier to clean!

What I HATE about California:
- the government

(oh, and of course, all the missing of my friends and family back home)

Before we even moved to CA, I took the time to start the process to get CA teaching credentials. There is no reciprocity between CA and GA, or other states for that matter, when it comes to teaching credentials. So, I filled out the paperwork, collected all the thousand of documents (transcripts, certificates, Praxis test scores... and it goes on). In June I signed up, paid for, and then took the CBEST test. By late July I had gotten those test scores back (Passed) and could send in my paperwork to the California Commission on Teacher Credentials. They received, documented that they received the paperwork, and listed my file on-line with an Aug 19 entry date.

Today is October 21. The Commission is only now evaluating paperwork submitted by July 28... I'm at least still a month away from finding out what else I have to do to be certified here.
In the meantime, I've decided to start substituting and just applying for positions for the heck of it. I actually had an interview Friday with a school near us. It was for a teacher aide, 3 hours a day, 5 days per week. I wouldn't make enough to cover childcare for Em! So, I declined. Then, the principal called my yesterday to see if I'd be willing to work in another way there. I told him I was filling out Sub paperwork already. He said he'd have me at least 2 subbing jobs per week, more if I want them, and possibly long-term subbing at well. Yeah! I loved the interview team from the school, so things were looking up.

Until I had to go to the county office of education today and APPLY for a 30 Substitute Permit. I said, out loud, "Seriously?"
"It's just how it is," the office of ed lady told me.
I then teared up and told her how I just want to go home.

I'm used to the county being the school district. Not so much that way here. There is a county office of ed, not sure why, because there are 18 school districts working independently within our county! If I have a 9th grader and an 8th grader, in two districts because K-8 is in one and 9-12 is in another, then I'd have 2 different district calendars, holiday dates, etc. And if I want to work in multiple districts, I have to apply to each individually...

Okay. So I paid $50 for the CBEST, $55 for the application fee for credentials, $70 to have a LiveScan (digital fingerprinted) done for the credential application, $76 to the county office of Ed to apply for a substituting (and an additional LiveScan), AND $57 to the state again for a Sub Permit. And, once I decide to get hired by a district as a full-time teacher, I'll have to do ANOTHER LiveScan for that district... $60.

Do I really want to teach? I think I'd make a heck of a secretary...