So Monday morning I’m told that the co-teacher has spoken to the principal and my job is offered back to me. As suspected, they had never once discussed my performance and his judgment was based purely on my lack of socializing with the other teachers. (never mind that I tried for months before giving up). So he admitted he had no idea and deferred to whatever the co-teacher wanted, as she would know better than him.
Only – she gave me only until that evening to make up my mind! Meanwhile, I’m starting to get interviews to more desirable jobs that would put me in friendlier environments and I had started hoping to get those instead. I complained about being bounced up and down like a ball, and told them that I would stop looking for jobs, but felt it only fair to see what the other prospects had to offer, since I wasn’t in this situation due to any fault of my own, and it was only fair to allow me to have choices. But the following day I did some math, and I realized that no other great job would give me the pay scale or benefits that staying at the same job would, so I signed.
Well, things could be worse. I had a long talk with the teacher about my neglect, and she is making a conscientious effort to be more inclusive and informative and helpful now. Plus, the other co-teacher will be leaving, so a big source of stress – writing the broadcast book and the daily broadcasts will no longer face me every morning. I got the equivalent of two class hours for that, but I put in more like four…In exchange, I will teach after-school conversation classes again. It also means I won’t be going home for a visit (wah!) because I need the cash equivalent of the airfare more right now. And, it will allow me to get a new computer, as with the adoption reunion book my old macbook is once again overheating and dying. I dream of ten hour batteries so Momo can no longer pull out the break-away safety power cord…It also means I can wrap up my adoption work locally instead of remotely. I also get a nice vacation renewal incentive and get to carry over 6 days, totaling 45 days next year. So I’m going to have a school-free summer and maybe I can afford to rent a car and go on a road trip finally. I also get to spend a little more time with old friends and get to know new friends a little better.
Last night I began unpacking. It was good to begin, as I edited many things. Too many things in some cases. But now I have another year in which to edit and/or collect what I’ll bring back with me. And, hell or high water, this is the last year.
I had hoped to get Momo a friend (she’s >almost< a normal cat now) as soon as I moved so I could get some arts & crafts done in peace, but now that I’m not moving I don’t know if I can afford to ship another pet home next year. But I’d really like that…
A year is short. We can do this.
Hello Korea ! 
Have been following and wondering what the outcome would be! Well, it beats homelessness, I guess, and sounds like you’re ready to take it on and see it through. There seem to have been so many cultural disconnects in terms of professional mentoring and feedback. Like zip. I hope the year goes by quickly and offers up some unexpected goodies too. It’s so funny think of little Momo being almost rehabilitated now.
“There seem to have been so many cultural disconnects in terms of professional mentoring and feedback”
Yeah. to put it mildly! I did express myself as events unfolded the past two years, but not forcefully enough…probably because, like today, I had my head in the computer doing adoption-related research.
This year will be okay. I do like the kids even though we can barely hold a conversation, and I will be having evening conversation classes with them which will improve that with a handful – but it’s alsoa curse because there goes half my evening, but it’s also a blessing because I can do more adoption-related work in the down-time, but it’s a curse because when Momo is neglected she reverts to attack mode.
I’ll have one – maybe two different Korean English co-teachers and that could be good or bad. But it’s an opportunity to establish new professional expectations.
There were many things I didn’t get to do prior to leaving this time, so I’m excited I’ll have another chance to squeeze some of that in. I’m wondering if $100 a month more will make much of a difference though, to make those things possible.
But there persists on me, like bar-room smoke, the weariness of interactions limited or non-existent, when back in America that would be by choice vs. default. So living here another year amounts to another year of introspection and virtual communication.
Now, it’s been a long time since I’ve tried to make anything with Momo around. I wonder if she’d be against me sewing?
Congrats !
Talking about waiting to exhale ! I’m really relieved that things are back in order for you now and you are unpacking and know what/where you will be for another year.
Lisa
:D
Thanks, Lisa! Hope to hear you can exhale soon too…
Well, it turns out I have THREE new co-teachers in a few weeks. There will be more academic classes so hopefully I won’t have to teach at night. I’ve only met the head teacher, and he’s older than me. Which is a little scary, as I’ve only had experience with Mr. Lee at Baekyoung and that was a total nightmare. Hopefully my seniority here will mean I won’t have to change my methods much. And hopefully we can establish better communication, but also I know those intentions always begin well but never seem to materialize out here in the country when nobody lives here and nobody cares about me. All we can do is try, right?
Right now I am procrastinating. Some of these stories are just not fun to edit. I’m doing other research too and I have to wait until I buy a new phone to complete that. I’m going to get deluged next week, so I should work as hard as I can prepping lessons now…