Dipping a toe into the grown-up pool

Today is a big day for me, in a little way. I've just completed my first application of the year for a real, grown-up job. Yes, I had to apply to school boards last year to get a teaching job (which I did), but this is a little different. I'm applying to be a college professor.

The plan is this: I came to Dal this year not knowing what I would think of graduate studies, and so I viewed it as a kind of trial year. Well, it turns out that I love it, but I didn't decide that until after the deadlines to start my PhD this coming September were already upon me. So, I decided to take a year, work, make enough money for a down-payment on a condo, and then start my doctorate next September. And so, the question becomes, what am I going to do with myself for the year? I can certainly go back to teaching elementary school, which I do love, but which unfortunately doesn't have a lot of job security right now (I'd either be supply teaching or doing contract work, most likely), and isn't exactly super lucrative. Or, I can find a job that better prepares me for teaching university and might even help me get in to a PhD program: being a college prof.

I really don't know what my chances are of getting hired. Yes, I fulfil all of the requirements, but I'm young, I'm not quite done my MA yet, and there might be people applying who have PhDs already and more post-graduate teaching experience than I do. So, I really don't know what's going to happen. But I decided to try (and there are two other positions that I'll be applying for next week) and we'll just see how it goes. It's a bit strange to be putting myself out there into the world, when I've been a student for so long, but it's a welcome challenge. I really hope that something does come of this, because I've learned that I really enjoy teaching older students, and I love teaching English. So, I'll keep you posted, if you don't mind keeping your fingers crossed.