I need your advise .... Thailand? Or School? Hmmm...

Today I had 2 important meetings with faculty members:

1. I spoke with the advisor for the Masters Degree program about getting a Masters of Education degree in Counselling Psychology. Now what does that mean? Well, it means that (as long as I do my internship in a school setting) I am eligible to be a school counsellor! Something I have always wanted to do! My options are as follows:

a) 3 intense course summer semesters (July/August) which I can do while teaching. Also, if I moved to Vancouver to teach (which is what I am thinking of doing--perhaps Surrey or Burnaby) I can still teach there and stay with mom for the summer while I go to school in Victoria.

Or

b) I can do 2 full years of course work and take about 4 classes per semester.

I also plan on specializing in trauma and addiction.
However, in order to do the program I have to take 4 more specific classes so that means I have to do another semester of school before I can be entered in to the program. Furthermore, I want to take 1 class in Psychology course called "Drugs and Behaviour" so that means I have 1 5 course semester I need to do before I can do my masters program. ALSO, I have to take 3 of those mandatory courses within 7 years of doing the program so I have to plan when I want to take them.

I do plan on looking in to what is offered at UBC but right now I'm
just thinking about Uvic.

SO if this is what I want to do, I am thinking that instead of going to Thailand in January of 2012 when I have graduated with my Bachelors of Education, I might just take another full semester of courses (the 5 I talked about) and then go to Thailand in April/May, even though, the weather is said to be a lot better in January/February.

2. I had a meeting with the advising counsellor about my school placement for my practicums. I will be having a 2 week observation period, then in April I will have a 5 week practicum and then in September I will have an 8 week one. I have specially requested to be placed in an 'inner city school' and so I might be teaching at Parkland. I also asked if maybe I can do one of my practicums at Esquimalt High so we'll see.

The advisor and I talked about me being able to do a practicum in Psychology or Theatre. He said that during the practicum we only do 2 classes each time but there is an option of up to 4 except the extra 2 are kind of 'on my own time' type deal. So, I am thinking of taking on another class in Theatre, Psychology or even Spanish 9 depending on what is being offered and what the school administer will let me do... so cross your fingers!! Hopefully I can get some amazing experience!