Has anyone been in this position? I am absolutely terrified of this. I have always enjoyed working but I've been a stay at home mom since early 2010 and now I'm so scared to go back. If it was my old job and my old home, maybe it wouldn't be so bad, but it's a new career (I finished university pregnant) and I don't speak the local language very well (enough to fumble through my job LOL, I'm an ESL teacher so my native English is the priority).

I don't care about leaving my kids with others it's just the fear of how to be 'professional' again, especially when you're learning a new career. Plus I have to re-learn everything again because my brain has revolved around Disney Jr and Cheerios instead of complex grammar.

Sacha, I haven't done the exact same thing, but I vividly remember the fear of moving back to the US after years in China. I'm also an ESL teacher, but even though my career stayed the same my contexts were so, so different: going from teaching motivated Chinese university students for credit to teaching a multicultural/multilingual group of adults in an evening class. I was terrified for my whole first semester. Then I took the job I have now, in the academic ESL department at a university, and was terrified again and felt like I was bluffing.

Listen, I don't know you, but I've been around 3FC long enough to know that you are consistent, dedicated, and hard-working in your fitness life, and I have no reason to think that you won't be that way in your career. Yes, there will be a learning curve and awkwardness at the beginning (because there always is!), but you can and will succeed.

Let me know if I can ever help, but I have every faith that you've got this!

Yeah! What she said!

I've been at my current job for over 6 years now, but I remember having butterflies my first day. I wish you the best of luck!!

You are gonna LOVE being around ADULTS again!

What they said!!!

You are one of the most focused, shoot from the hip, motivated, direct people here. Those are qualities that are sure you make you succeed. Can't wait to read your updates about how well you are doing! Good luck!

Oh thank you girls!! I really appreciate your encouragement. I think what scares me is learning to balance work and kids. I did well in my teaching practicums but I had nothing but school to worry about. Now I've got 2 babies.

Krampus- I spend time with other women once or twice a week. But holy heck is it going to be nice to talk with women who aren't going to talk about dirty diapers, right??? The baby talk bores me now.

JenMusic (and Krampus, if I recall) do you guys have any advice for teaching books to read??? I need to re-learn everything!!! I didn't even know what a freakin participle was last week

Ha! I never taught grammar in China (only Chinese English teachers did at my school, so it could be bilingual instruction) so when I got to the States and started teaching grammar I frantically stayed a unit in front of my students. I also said, "I'm not sure, but I'll check on that and give you an answer next class" a lot.

Are you specifically talking about grammar? I love anything by Betty Azar. She has a textbook series for students as well as some resources online. Those are a good resource. Swan's "Practical English Usage" has come in handy. For Listening and Speaking resources I just do tons of various things from the internet and other things I've put together over the years. For pronunciation, I like Clear Speech and the Well Said books by Linda Grant.

That's very scattershot; let me know if you want more specific ideas or suggestions. There are other, more pedagogical, texts if you'd like, but I don't know how much theory you're interested in right now.

I have no idea - I'm now in the "medical welfare disability advocacy" field. Buuuuuut good luck with things, JenMusic is clearly the better person to ask!

I'm going to Quebec on Saturday and Sunday (Montreal). I'll wave!

You'll rock at your new job! What level are you teaching?

Thanks y'all! It's funny Jen b/c I've got Azar out right now!

Krampus: I'd come say hi if it wasn't my son's birthday! If you head out to Monteregie let me know

Turbo: I haven't started yet but I'm looking at the high schools on the south shore.

I can offer approximately zero assistance, having been out of the general workforce since 2006 and having lapsed my business license for my personal business just this past December. I'm probably never entering the workforce again, just doing volunteer work once my last homeschooler is out of the house.

So I can't empathize at ALL.

With that out of the way, I'm cheering for you on this! I'm certain that you're intelligent and adept enough to pick up on the professional 'culture' again without nearly as much difficulty as you might anticipate. You're a bright woman, changing gears back to work-mode should be cake . Let us know how it goes!