Have you ever wondered what the hell you are doing inside that office? Have you ever asked yourself if that is what you want to do? Have you ever said to yourself, I'm a graduate of so and so major and yet I am here?
Nowadays, people tend to work as a something yet that is not what they studied for at least 4 years in college. This is a common problem here in the Philippines as the opportunities for a good employment is highly competitive. And for some, they want to look for a job which pays far greater than what they will earn if they follow the path laid out to them after they leave the halls of their school (or the halls of PICC). Others just accept the fact that their major is really not a money earner.
When I was in college, my major was Management Information Systems in one of the popular computer colleges here in Metro Manila. After that, I never did work as a programmer in any software company. I worked as a sales representative in a packaging company. I worked as a loan officer in a bank. I worked as a data encoder. I worked as a call center representative.
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| The Lesson |
Right now, I am working as an ESL Instructor teaching Koreans how to use the English language. The job itself is not difficult. What is difficult with being an language Instructor is the language barrier between the student and the teacher.
I remembered the time when the Head Teacher of this academy where I am currently working called me up and asked me if I was interested to be interviewed because they are looking for new instructors. Since I was looking for a job back then, I said yes right away. After asking for the details and directions on how to get to that office, I put down my phone and wondered... can I be really a teacher? Will the students learn anything from me? Would they like me? Will I like them? So many questions instantly flooded my poor, poor brain....
So I went. The school was okay, though it was a little quiet when I first came in. I was wondering how are things done in that school. It was very much different than tutoring one on one (one of the jobs I took to earn some more way back when I was in Indonesia). The head teacher called me and conducted the interview. It was a very casual interview. It was just all about my teaching experiences and she discussed how things are being done there. It was a rather quick interview then I was asked to observe some of the classes. The other instructors there are quite friendly. There was this female instructor who I was asked to observe an it turned out, I was the one being the topic of her class. She and her student, in turns, asked me to talk a bit about myself. It was fun, I admit. I told myself, I think I am going to enjoy working here.
A few after that, I started working there as an ESL Instructor. I was a bit nervous because it was the first time I was going to handle university students... and all of them are Koreans. My first student came in (by the way, I am handling 1-on-1 or, as they call it, man-to-man). She was a bit shy and tensed at first so made her comfortable by making some jokes and talking to her about her interests. So we had a good chemistry and it was good! I did the same thing with my second student and got the same result. Now we are somewhat close friends. They called me up from Korea on my birthday and I appreciated it very much. I had 5 students at that time, 4 girls and a boy. The boy was kinda close to me too. He ain't that much keen on studying but he does every homework I asked him to do. Now he calls me up from Korea to ask advice on what to do whenever he feels confused about something. The other two was quite close to me too. There was this shy girl who started coming out of her shell a few weeks before she went back to Korea. I just learned that she is the top of her class for two years in a row! And the other one, she is quite a good kid too! Not that much of a talker though but we still chat from time to time. She is currently in Los Angeles enjoying her vacation.
It was a very good experience. I have grown to love what I am doing. The pay is not that high but it teaches me things about myself that I have not discovered before. I may not be doing what I learned in school, but I like what I am doing so far. I don't know for how long but I do enjoy it. It is not always what you intend to do happens. It's a little bit funny that opportunities for discovering your other skills and talents come from the things that you were even thinking of in the first place.
This is not about riding but still... ride safe!
A few after that, I started working there as an ESL Instructor. I was a bit nervous because it was the first time I was going to handle university students... and all of them are Koreans. My first student came in (by the way, I am handling 1-on-1 or, as they call it, man-to-man). She was a bit shy and tensed at first so made her comfortable by making some jokes and talking to her about her interests. So we had a good chemistry and it was good! I did the same thing with my second student and got the same result. Now we are somewhat close friends. They called me up from Korea on my birthday and I appreciated it very much. I had 5 students at that time, 4 girls and a boy. The boy was kinda close to me too. He ain't that much keen on studying but he does every homework I asked him to do. Now he calls me up from Korea to ask advice on what to do whenever he feels confused about something. The other two was quite close to me too. There was this shy girl who started coming out of her shell a few weeks before she went back to Korea. I just learned that she is the top of her class for two years in a row! And the other one, she is quite a good kid too! Not that much of a talker though but we still chat from time to time. She is currently in Los Angeles enjoying her vacation.
It was a very good experience. I have grown to love what I am doing. The pay is not that high but it teaches me things about myself that I have not discovered before. I may not be doing what I learned in school, but I like what I am doing so far. I don't know for how long but I do enjoy it. It is not always what you intend to do happens. It's a little bit funny that opportunities for discovering your other skills and talents come from the things that you were even thinking of in the first place.
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| Follow the light |
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