The day of the great milestone

Today, I believe, could become one of the most important milestones of my entire life. Let me start from the beginning.

In 2010 I completed my Thesis, thus graduating with Honours from my University. During this year I also taught one of the practical classes at the University, something I immensely enjoyed.

In 2011 I worked full-time at my job, spending my free time researching and saving money excessively for my planned trip to New York City, a place I had been dreaming of living in for years.

In 2012 I quit my well paying, comfortable job, and took a flight to Los Angeles and slowly backpacked my way around America, just making it up as I went.

In 2013 I finally returned home to Australia after 1-year of travel around America. Obviously, I was unemployed (which was a difficult time in my life... just joking, it was awesome!). I returned to my old University asking if they had any work available, and with my previous experience of teaching a practical class before, and of being an ex-graduate of theirs, one lecturer was happy to give me one of his practical classes to me.

Turns out that I got a pretty great score in the Student Evaluations for that class. Then as luck would have it, the lecturer whos class I took for the semester was to be taking long-service leave for the first-half of 2014. He recommended me to be his replacement in his absense.

In 2014 I got accepted to be a Lecturer at the University for two units (the units that are usually taught by the lecturer who was taking long-service leave). Wow!

My job title was 'Sessional', which is kind of like a contractor, seeing as I only work for the University on a temporary basis when a position needs filling. This means I could be teaching one semester, but then have nothing the next. I was just so grateful to have a chance to teach even for this semester, and especially as a lecturer which is a big step up from anything I had previously done for them.

Last week I got a surprise email from the Associate Head of School, to paraphase it went something like this:
"Hi Aaron, I understand you will be a Sessional with us this semester, taking over for Jason who is on long-service leave. How would you be interested in accepting a full-time contract with us instead?"

Woah...

It was a nervous week awaiting if my application would be approved or not. The cynic in me said it was too good to be true (the position really was beyond my wildest dreams!), while the optimist said to keep faith and hope for the best.

Today I am no longer a Sessional at the University... instead, I became a full-time Associate Lecturer, I will be unit coordinator for a unit and lecturer for another, and I start on Monday :D