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Breaking The Shackles

Tales Of My Adventure Moving Away To Experience Life Abroad.

 

Nothing said...

I went into work today like nothing happened yesterday. Nothing was said to me by anyone there. Guess they got the hint?

By Thomas
On Wednesday, April 25, 2007
At 4/25/2007 01:53:00 AM
Comments :
 
 

Mr. Nice Guy

I've gone from not liking my job, to hating my job, to coming to terms with my job and at one point enjoying my job, but now I'm back to hating it. There are several things that have happened which have led me to this point, and I'm not quite sure what to.

First off, one of the things that started the ball rolling was when I was told I wouldn't have this one student anymore. He's a rich guy who pays for VIP classes, so they're one on one, and he refuses to buy a book. His English is horrible, and he just wants to talk for 2 hours. He can't understand anything, and doing these classes are a nightmare because the guy is incredibly boring. A nice guy, but boring. I mean, you can't really talk with him, because he doesn't understand anyone. So I agreed since they told me this would be the last time. Well the next week comes around, and guess what - I'm scheduled to teach him again. I mention this to the DoS who blabbers out some gibberish from his mouth dancing around the topic as he usually does. So what happens, I end up teaching him again.

I've complained about another class every week since it's started to EVERYONE in the place, and they refuse to do anything about it. It's young children ranging form 6 years old to maybe 8 years old. They decided to do what they call co-teaching, where they come two times a week, one class is w/ a Chinese teacher and the other a foreigner. I don't have a problem with this, I think it's a great idea. However the problem is they decide to put both classes on the same day back to back. 40 mins, 10 min break, 40 mins, 10 min break, 40 mins, 10 min break, 40 mins. So what do you think happens by the time I get there (I get the 2nd shift) - yup you guessed it. They're tired, don't want to sit, and were ready to go home 50 mins ago. It's horrible, and other teachers have complained about the same thing, yet they refuse to do anything about it.

Next, I was told that I was going to be given a morning class on Wednesday. Morning classes are usually on Sat/Sun. I'm off Mon/Tue - so basically that means one of my days off is now ruined due to me having to go to bed early. Well at least I get done early right? Wrong, because a couple hours after class is over we have the teachers meeting. Well you can go home after that is what you're probably thinking. Nope, because I have a class shortly after that too. I get screwed again by being given yet another split shift, after being told by the DoS that he tries to avoid giving out split shifts. You know, lately it seems like every time I go into the DoS's office to talk about the schedule I'm being given some bad news. This has been going on for about a month now.

I've done last minuet substitutions for other teachers whom are sick. I've only called in sick twice - once when I was feeling really sick to my stomach, the other time I think I had food poisoning. I've volunteered to do other activities on my days off before. Like grading papers for an English speaking competition that was going on. Yea, they decided to give me an extra day of Holiday - but that just makes the day like a swap, that's the least they could have done.

Today I had to go into work on my day off, since in China they do this weird swap thing for a Holiday to artificially extend the number of day's off, but really you end up working the same amount. So I go in and I'm in a bad mood as I have been for the past two days - people have physically seen a difference and have commented about it to me and themselves (I can hear them talking about it when I'm in a different room), but I quit caring. I get some good news that a class has been canceled. Fast forward throughout the day and now I'm walking to the elevator to go home and they stop me to tell me that the class they told me was canceled is no longer going to be canceled. Keep in mind now that it's supposed to start in less than an hour. Since I was told it was canceled I didn't prepare anything, or even plan anything. I tell them this, but they don't seem to care. They try to bargain with me to try and only do 30 minuets of the hour. I notice one of the receptionists is calling people now trying to get more to come. I sit there for a moment and contemplate my options quickly. I decide I'm not going to be Mr. Nice guy anymore and continue to get screwed. So I stood up out of the chair I was sitting in, walked to the elevator, hit the button - walked in the elevator and said bye. They said to me:

"You're going home?"
"Yep."
"Really?"
I nod and the door to the elevator begins to shut - as it's shutting I hear:
"No!"

I grin a little and press 1 and wait for it to go down.

I began walking home in the rain, holding my cellphone thinking they would call me to try and get me to go back. I make it to my apartment with no call, but soaking wet.

I noticed the door had been unlocked. I wonder if Doug came home and didn't lock the door completely before leaving. The window was open, and a bee/wasp had entered the apartment. It landed on an empty tea bottle so I picked the bottle up and walked slowly over to the window and chucked the bottle out the window w/ the creature on it. Hope it didn't hit anyone/anything on the ground floor - we're 19 floors up.

Anyways, I'm still upset and need to do something to relax. Bye now.

Holly - I really appreciate your comments. You didn't scare me off, I've just been thinking abut what you said, and trying to implement some of your suggestions. Sadly, this incident has crumbled the structure.