Part-time job?!

Before I even have my first day working my new job, the training center, I’m offered a part-time job! At a kindergarten! Why did someone think it was a good idea for me to work at a kindergarten? I don’t like little children. They mostly annoy me. I prefer kids when they are old enough to speak and stop crying all the time.

I don’t really want the additional work. I’m told that I’d only have to work there for the rest of the month. If I take it, it will mean that I’m working 7 days a week for the whole month, but the pay is over half my regular salary! And I really, really like money. Money is the main reason I chose to start my TEFL adventure in China.

They also go for the hard sell, and are really good at it, so I feel that I don’t really have a choice but to accept it. And I just keep thinking about all that pretty, pretty money. After asking a few questions and for a little clarification, and ensuring that it really is temporary, I accept.

I go to my first day at the main job on a Wednesday and have to start the kindergarten, the next day, before I’ve taught my first class in China. I’m sure things will work out, right?

On Thursday morning, I’m met by someone from my employer, the person that helped con me into this job. They are mostly there to help me find the school and help with some of the language issues, as I don’t speak Chinese and the English skills of the teachers there range from good to non-existent.

I was lead to believe that there was a good chance that I’d be teaching today, but it was a job interview! Who doesn’t love a surprise job interview?

They wanted me to introduce myself. I made it through my name and country of origin fine, but when it came to my work history, there were some questions. Such as “Why do you want to work in a kindergarten?”. I didn’t think “I don’t” would have been a good answer. But it would have been closer to the truth than the answer I gave them. I think I said something about how I like teaching or some other vague bullshit.

After convincing them I wanted the job (I don’t really, I just want the money), I’ve taught kids before, and I could handle it (with some help), they showed me around the school. The massive school.

It’s brand new and still under construction. It has to be the nicest kindergarten on the planet. They have an art room, a library, a theater, a classroom, and probably another room or two that I’m forgetting. I also found out that they have 4 students starting on the following Monday. Yep, they have more rooms than students! At least, currently.

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I met some of the other teachers and the principal. And got asked to demo a lesson with 3 of the Chinese teachers playing the students. No one mentioned a demo class! Or what I should ‘teach’ them!

One of them cried. A lot. I gave her a hug. But I was able to get names, how are you, and taught them ‘orange’ and ‘red’ before a halt was finally, thankfully, called. I was running out of things to ‘teach’ since they really didn’t care what I taught and gave me no directions on what to teach (whatever is not what you want to hear when asking ‘What should I teach?’).

Then it was back down stairs for some more talking. If I’m going to have to do these stairs 5 days a week for a month, I don’t need to go to a gym. They’re 5 miles long! And short!

After a little more chatting, with adults being adults, the big principal stopped by. She didn’t speak English at all and just asked my escort about me. The teacher that was interviewing me translated a bit of it. Apparently, she asked if I could be there permanently.

I was then told to come back Monday when the students get there. A couple hours later, they decide they want me there tomorrow for a meeting and some prep.

In my short time there, I went from thinking I would be teaching to I wasn’t getting the jon to them wanting to keep me. And I haven’t meet a student, seen a lesson plan, or taught a class!

This is going to be interesting…