This past weekend, Friday through Sunday, I worked at an English camp for a language center. The camp was fun and a title challenging. I've heard about how schools and language centers can be disorganized, but I finally got to experience it. Day 1: I never said I would teach, I was just coming to a meeting to talk about teaching at it. I was greeted with a buttons with my name on it and asked if I need to print anything. I had no idea that I was teaching, much less what to teach, so I had nothing prepared. Finally, the following four teachers asked, what are we teaching? By the way, only one of us had done a camp like this. Well, of course we got different answers from different people. We did the past we could in the hour we had until the camp started. Day 2 and day 3 were similar, except at the end of the previous days we were given suggestions on what to teach the following day. "Maybe you can teach some conversation. And maybe you can teach some listening. Maybe read them a story and then ask questions. Maybe some grammar, too."
This brings me to today, Monday. The language center also operates a bilingual school. Actually, two of the days of camp were held at the bilingual school. They want me to teach full-time here. I will have 3 class at 1 hour each per day, but I must be at the school 8am-5pm to 'help out' with other ESL activities. From what I gather, schools promise light class loads to make the comparatively low pay seem reasonable, then they add on extra classes or bury you in extra duties. The plus side to this offer is they will provide me with the necessary visa and work permit. I have no idea about the pay. The school is about 20km from my apartment, not a fun drive on a scooter when it's pouring like today. Alas, I'm about to hit 'Publish' and be on my way to the school.
I haven't talked to the universities or many other schools, so I doubt I will accept any offer today. I'll keep you updated.
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