Teaching in Algeria Two years have gone by since that hot July day I graduated on. Now, I'm not one for hiding behind cheap excuses and am wise enough to know that nothing good could come from such expressions as "if only I...," or "I wish I had...". However, since my own indolence is what accounts largely for two years of postgraduate inactivity, I don't mind giving myself a good old-fashioned dressing-down. Come to think of it, I might as well have taken my sweet time to finish my degree. I might as well have repeated the year twice too. It wouldn't have made an ounce of difference. The only redeeming thing is that I have worked as a substitute English teacher twice during this time. Both experiences lasted no more than one trimester. It's very typical here in Algeria ( and in your part of the world?) to have it rough in the first years of job-hunting if a career in the teaching business is your thing. Money-wise, teaching relatively pays well in Algeria. But on the flip side, as one teacher put it to me " everyone else lives to be 75 or 80 , everyone else except teachers". My couple of months in middle school taught me that as much as teaching can be fun, it's also taxing. The Department for Education has announced 12 000 teaching job openings. For male candidates, to be eligible, you must be free of military obligations. Now, I haven't done my military service because I haven't received my second call-up papers ( You get called up three times. If you don't comply after the third, you could be in serious trouble - you could be snatched from a traffic stop...etc). The irony is that when they need you to stand in for another teacher, they waste no time to give you a call. They don't ask about your military status or how much experience you have up your sleeve. But when you want to enter a competitive examination that will secure you a permanent position, well, let's just say that there will be plenty of maternity leaves coming your way, son. Mithering is easy. But the truth is I'm thankful because things could be a lot worse, eh?