Sunday, September 14, 2014

Apparently I'm Really Freakin' Good

I have been doing this job for two years now, pretty much none stop.  I've memorized nearly every book in my school and lesson plans are ingrained in my brain.  I don't need more than five minutes to think of an hour lesson, especially if I've used that book before.  I'm experienced, really experienced.  I've done a lot, seen a lot, taught a lot.  I love what I do every day, I get tired of course, but I love it still.

Recently I was made the Manager of the Foreigner Teachers at Aston.  The position is no easy task, a lot of hours on and off the clock, scheduling, lots of meetings, trainings for FT's and for Chinese teachers as well, keeping up with all the rules and following them yourself, dealing with language barriers, dealing with money, dealing with any quarrel or problem that arises from someone else's life. It's hard work!  But I like hard work, especially when I get paid for the hard work. Plus I am super organized when it comes to work, and I have a good sense of leadership and team-building skills.  Also I like being a BOSS!!! It's just cool (I mean I'm only 24!).




With my job comes a lot of surprises.  I got one this week out of the blue. One
of the CT's I work with called me up and told me I would be teaching a demo/promotion/parents meeting class the next day.  I said okay without asking many questions.  Why? In China they never have the answers you want or think of, they usually know a very small amount and the stuff they tell you usually ends up being false anyway.  Example they told me I would arrive by 4:30 by bus with a CT to the school, it would start at 5pm and I would finish at 5:45pm only having to teach for 10 or so students for 20 minutes. They also told me everything would be prepared for me at the school  So, everything they told me turned out to be false.  When 4pm rolled around I thought oh I will take a bus, but a CT informed me the other CT's had left already and I should take a Taxi and that I should take all the teaching materials with me (which also turned out to be the wrong teaching materials). Rush hour traffic no taxi so I took my bike (luckily it wasn't pouring at that time).  I had been to the school by bus and by taxi many times but never on my bike.  So I rode around and I knew the school was around me somewhere, I was only sort of lost.  I asked some old ladies for directions and they pointed me the right way I was just opposite it.


Once I arrived at the school, I realized that I was 10 minutes early. Go me!  I found my CT's and the cafeteria was packed full of parents listening to the Head Master of the Primary School speak about upcoming events.  We waited an hour more for the meeting to actually stop.  I get into the cafeteria, my CT begins to talk then another public school teacher comes in, says something then 90% of the parents leave.  Apparently there was another meeting happening and since the Head Master had taken so long all those parents had to leave.  I was pissed and embarrassed for my school.  

Anyways some parents were left, about 10 or so and about 12 children too. I got on stage grabbed the mic and began to teach the students who came onto the stage about animals.  Played two different games/activities with them and then said goodbye.  

Later on that evening I learned from my CT, who had never seen me give a Demo before, that I was amazing!  She said I couldn't have done anything better and that all the parents had signed their child up to get an interview at Aston school on the weekend.  She also told me the other parents heard about me and are all talking about me, so other students will be coming to Aston as well. You know I was surprised by all this. Why? Because I know I am experienced, but well I don't think I am great.  I'm good with little children for short periods of time, like 40ish minutes before they start driving me crazy.  I prefer older children of about 9 or 10 and older.  One thing I know I do very well is my greeting and my goodbye, I think the goodbye always hooks the students in and the parents as well.

So in the end I saw nearly every student come to my school to be assessed into an
Aston learning level. Some of them even brought their friends along.  I made my school a lot of money.

Experience is not the reason I am a good teacher, it's because I love what I do and I enjoy it!  That's the key to being great!




Thursday, September 11, 2014

Been A Long Time Coming!

I just realized recently how long it's been since I've posted here.  Yes being busy has definitely kept me away and kept me from writing, but in all honesty I love being busy.  People every day complain about their jobs and how tired they are, well even I do that, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  I can't believe it's been over 6 months since I have written here. I can't believe it's been over two years since I've been back home to the States.  Everything is changing around me, everyone is changing around me and sometimes I feel like I am the only one staying the same.

I'm still in Hefei, Anhui, China and I'm loving every minute of it.  This city is big enough to suit my foreigner needs; such as variety of good foreign restaurants, enough English, work, Universities, booze and yes other foreigners to interact with, but this city is also small enough so that it's not very difficult to navigate once you explore a bit, a good transit system, friendly people everywhere, and enough of a Chinese cultural influence so that you still get those hits of classic traditions that make you say why?  Being in China will always have it's ups and downs and sometimes it will feel like more downs than ups, but if you expect it, nothing really gets to you. 


China can make you crazy, especially how much of a polar opposite business and
management works compared to western cultures.  Like example a) usually the manager or boss will have everything prearranged like a big list so to speak, but here you need to be on top of everything yourself.  If you are not in constant contact or asking the right questions or checking in with things, then well you will probably be left behind. But I can't complain too much since I agreed to deal with those types of situations on a daily basis.




Yep, I am officially the Foreign Manager at Hefei Aston. I am in charge of all the foreigners at 5 different Aston schools in and around Hefei. So, I am in charge of about 8 foreigners, making sure every week that their schedules are as correct as I can make it.  I initially declined their offer to be the manager, but after having many conversations with the school management and negotiating some terms, I agreed to take the position.  I knew I would be good at being a manager, but I didn't know if I wanted to be a manager or a teacher more.  So I agreed to be both.  I do 20 teaching hours and 10 office hours every week.  I get to keep my usual classes and my wonderful public school students, plus I get to be super organized and plan lots of things for foreigners to do.  Hopefully this term proves to be easier than I believe it's going to be.  If it gets easier and communication becomes clearer then perhaps I will stay at Aston as a manager for longer.  I enjoy my working hours.  I don't need 3 days off a week, 2 is enough for me because a) I like to keep busy and b) if I have nothing to do then I am super lazy.  



This summer has been a whirlwind of emotions because of my cats.  In March, Tiffa
got spayed which took about 2 weeks for her to heal completely, and then in August Aerri also got spayed, but she took nearly an entire month. I brought her to the hospital about 6 different times because she wouldn't eat, drink, pee or poop so I became incredibly paranoid.  These cats are my babies and they are my only family here, so it was a very traumatic experience. 


I have a new roommate, she is from the Philippines and she is 31 years old.  She loves my cats and plays with them every day.  I'm so happy because she is super nice to my cats and nice to me.  Hopefully she stays awhile, if not I will get this apartment to myself as the manager. I love this apartment, everything in it is mine and was bought by me in order to make this place homely.  













One of the saddest things that has happened recently is my best friend in China
has moved so far away.  I met this friend during my training in Cambodia and we have been near each other for 2 years.  He got engaged recently and he is now expecting his first child, a baby boy, in October of this year.  He moved back to his wife's hometown in China and I remained in Hefei. By train it's about 19 hours, so talking in person is no longer an option.  I will go and visit them after their baby is born.  I will miss my friend very much. AND I CAN'T BELIEVE HE IS HAVING A BABY and that HE IS GOING TO BE A DAD!!!









My new adventure has begun...

(I will try harder to keep up my posts on here!)