This is The End, My Friend

The End - The Doors

366 days. Yes, my school is still milking every last inch of life out of me and having me, along with all other teachers, work an extra day on top of the year long contract; they don;t quite understand that if you start work on the 12th, your last day in a one year contract is on the 11th. But eh, after everything else that has occurred this year, THIS truly is nothing!

The countdown has been long and arduous. But it feels so, so sweet to realize I have only three more teaching days left. WOW! I have almost made it. Though, with how this school is run and in light of the not-so-recent, but 'new' financial issue I am apprehensive I will make it to the end. A school has closed. Pay has been delayed. Severance has been delayed. Purchasing of flights home has been delayed. Fingers are crossed that all comes through the wash right and in a timely manner.

When I look back on the person I was compared to the person I have become throughout my time here I am shocked and amazed at the great leaps and bounds I am made from the inside out. Though I look completely the same - seriously no changes there! - my being is internally altered for the better. I would not have been able to manage all of the stress that has come from this teaching position and along my travels if it was not for all the hard work on my part and others on my personal, self-improvement journey. I send out HUGE positive vibes, love, hugs and sanks to all of you who have been here for me along the way!

It is The Final Countdown, my last day is occurring as I type. I am observing my incoming as I type. Ah my kids are in good hands. Though I will miss seeing them dressed as Oompa Loompa's during the infamous performance in December. Hopefully Nikki will send me pictures and video :) One can only hope eh.

I am still shocked and amazed at all of the personal growth I have gone through this year. I am definitely not even close to the same person as when I arrived; thank goodness for that! I am appreciative of where I have ended up, minus the struggles to get here however haha.

Saturday of hell

Tomorrow is our schools big perforce. We have been practicing so much that both my kids and I have loathed performance practice since September. We are now being reward with a 12 hr unpaid work day of which we will be locked in a windowless room to babysit our kids. 

Face palm.

work environment

Most days this work place scares me. The environment is so tense and hostile. It truly is sad and awful and horrific! My being does not like it at all. Accompanied with the culture shock and shock of what my school is, my body is reacting in a manner to say "I am not ok with this."

I will give this a good solid effort for the year. Though there is an impeding fear of the school closing down and going bankrupt.

Let's hope my acupuncturist can help sort my insides out!

week three

The days are so looooooong but the week flew by. I am surviving on little money; no I am not running low, I am just spending less than anticipated. Will be paid this Thursday. Fingers crossed that the pension is been paid into ... !

Weekend was ok. Movie at my place Friday night, tried to go to the baseball game Saturday but it was rained out, hike Sunday. 

Now back to the grind ...49 more weeks to go.

It is starting to cool off quickly. Fall is approaching.

Never having something to say

In talking with people back home I feel like a blabbering baboon most times. During the week I don't do anything. My weekends are my fun times. I have new things to say and new experiences to share come Monday, but between Tuesday - Friday I only have enough words to complain about my school. Which is a hogwon though advertised as a Canadian International school utilizing British  Columbia curricula. Ballz ass lies!

People I love back home: please bear with me. I am trying. Honest. 

I love our chats/calls/texts/skypes. Please. Keep them coming. I need them. I miss them. And I miss all of you. Tons! More than I ever thought.

screwed

Though things are complete crap with the Canadian International School (CIS) that I work for, I am slowly learning to just let it go. It is what it is and honestly there is nothing I can do besides where a smile.

For anyone planning to work for CIS I would strongly recommend against it even though the money is better than most other schools. Look up the school WonderLust; they have a strong affiliation. They are basically the same school.

Hours are awful, the amount of work you need to do increases daily, nobody can tell you what's going on, your supervisors (Koreans) speak ok English-getting meaning across is hard at times, everyone (even the koreans) are feeling screwed over, basically no time off in twelve months, pensions not being matched .......

I am just wanting to put it out to the world. You, have been warned. If you do still come out, I would not recommend staying any longer than your one year contract.

All the best!

Week One

What a whirl-wind! I have come a LONG way from day one. I am still overwhelmed and feel pressure on a continuous basis and no one really seems to fully know what is going on. CIS is definitely not the school it says it is. For one, it is not Canadian, nor is it an international school; it is just a private Korean school - hence my severe lack of holidays and better pay. For any teachers out there, I would recommend not staying for more than a year (only one teacher has) or don't come at all. It will not be what you were led to believe.

I was hoping to test out the waters of the teaching world of elementary students. I had the thought I may actually be ok/happy to teach elementary back home, and what better place to test run that idea out. On a good day I feel like a drill sergeant with these kids. It's actually awful. I honesty don't see how any learning truly occurs.

I have started to establish the routine though. Working a split shift blows the big one, but I am saving cash money big time that way.

It is unfortunate though that the kids and I are unable to actually have fun and have creative lessons due to the schools structure.

I'm adjusting though. 1 week down, 51 more to go.