Thursday, August 23, 2007

Where to Start

So much has happened in the last two days I hardly know where to start. I think chronological is best.

Yesterday was the last day of our summer special school. We went back to our 'regular' schedules. That is if regular is 48 hours a week instead of 52. I'm not complaining.

With the end of summer school they decided to film all of the speeches and plays that we had been working on with the kids. They weren't very high quality but I found out from our manager that my boss liked my plays the best. Score one for me! He would never tell me that to my face because that might come off as a compliment but I'll take a second hand compliment.

Bombshell! Our boss will be leaving at the end of September. Apparently, he took a job as an account manager at a bank. Our manager/supervisor who we all like very much will be stepping up into the VP job.

Tensions are running high in the office because three teachers are at the end of their contracts. A little cat fight broke out in the office today. I knew it was only a matter of time. I decided to leave until everything cooled off a bit. One of the downfalls of living, working and hanging out together....eventually you just get sick of the other peoples' company.

I always wonder what people say behind my back. My role in a group of friends is always as the mediator. I always hear both sides of the story as people talk about each other to me. What do they say when I'm not around?? Because of this levelheadedness, my supervisor called me in to talk and ask what the cat fight was all about. As usual it was a lot of little things that just built up over time. Things get on your nerves.

After talking about the fight, he segued the conversation into contract negotiations with me. Yikes! He really wants me to stay. He offered me some time off at Christmas, a pay raise, and only a three month contract (or one of my choosing) so I would stay until the kindergarten graduation. I think he's going to be really disappointed when I tell him I'm not going to stay. He wants to play the game and asked me not to answer right away....to think about it. It is flattering to be thought so highly of. He said that Mrs. Lee thought I was doing my best and that the parents were satisfied with my teaching. (Both pretty lame compliments by American standards but huge compliments by Korean standards.)

Question of the Day: What do you do when people get on your nerves?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your doing the right thing. Stay calm, listen to others & give advice ONLY when asked to. Some people won't like the advice that you give, so you'll have to live with that.
On a lighter note, I had great fishing yesterday -- Holter lake --80 perch, 14 walleye, 11 trout & 2 suckers.

Anonymous said...

As we get older, we seem to tolerate other people & their problems. People don't get on my nerves any more (not even my kids). Tolerance is a wonderful thing.

Anonymous said...

hi,

any advice for your newest associate who arrives in about eight days. I've never taught so I am kind of nervous but yet very excited. I guess we will be roommates as well ??

WF said...

Hey John,
It is a little overwhelming at first but teaching is a lot of fun and after about a month you get the system figured out. I'm sure you'll do fine as a teacher. Keep an open mind, be prepared to work hard and have fun. What day do you get in? Management always confuses the day you fly with the day you land.

Anonymous said...

I land in Seoul on Sep 3 at 5 am. Mr. Lee is supposed to meet me at the airport. I leave the states of course starting on Sep 1.

Looking forward to it, and if you have any vital info i may need please forward it to jtowerpte@yahoo.com.

take care,
john