First Day on the Job

Let me start by explaining the duties explained to us by the Fulbright commission. Fulbright told us that we are expected to work 16 hours a week, 4 days a week. So in my mind, that would be about 9am to 1 pm (because siesta is generally from 2-4), Monday through Thursday, or Tuesday through Friday.

The Fulbright commission explained to us that they want us to have the opportunity to travel, this is why they only expect we work 4 days a week, giving us 3 day weekends.

What are our duties? We are there to be an assistant to the English teacher; a model for the English Language. We can help plan and implement activities as well. Great, sounds perfect!

Well, as they say, it’s a lot easier said than done!

When I arrive at my school, they hand me my schedule. The first thing I noticed was: Thursday’s off.  Hmm, well that won’t work. Now since I’m pretty tired and cranky and still not adjusted to the time zone issue, I have no problem speaking up. Although they are disappointed and slightly annoyed, they work with me and change it. Now I have Thursdays as a half day, and Monday’s off. (Which isn’t so horrible considering travel and lodging is cheaper Sunday/Monday rather than Thursday/Friday)

Fine, then I am looking at it more thoroughly, and I see I will be assisting with not 1, not 2… but 5 gym classes a week, sorry phys ed majors… I mean “la educación fisica”.  And the teacher tells me to wear gym clothes to work everyday. What about all the clothes I just bought for this gig??? And all my gym clothes I left behind along with my athleticism?

Let’s get on with my day. My “teaching” kind of begins with gym, 6^th graders. There are 7 in the class. So the gym teacher earlier had explained to me (in Spanish) the game she wanted to play… I didn’t understand. First off, its Baloncesto (basketball) which I am rusty at, second, its explained to me in Spanish, third, its not Spasketball, Knock-Out or real basketball and those are the only two games which I’m familiar with that include a basketball.

Oh wait, gym gets better!!! Then a kid jams his finger. He's kind of upset, not really too worried. But this "game" or whatever just stops, and the teacher calls me over. I ask if she needs ice? No, no ice. She tells me in español, to go put cream on it and do this that and the other thing and signals to wrap it. Great, ive jammed lots of fingers, but never put a cream on it. So I take this poor Valenciano speaking child with me, the English speaker, and tell him in Castillan, "don't worry, my mom's a nurse, I know what I'm doing" when clearly I dont because I cant find the first aid kit.

Then it occurs to me: do I need gloves? Oh goodness, if I do something wrong will I get sued and held responsible??? Then I see 3 different creams. Great. So the kid yells to the teacher and she points at which cream goes on jammed fingers and I apply it glove free, in fear of looking like a complete blond headed goon. Then I gauze that kid up just like mom taught me, and attempt to wrap this tape around his fingers, which is more like a cement wrap than medical tape. Then the kid runs gleefully away and continues playing this game I still can't figure out. Continues dribbling, passing, blocking, everything. Guess I fixed him up good?   

After gym, I look more closely at my schedule, and realize, wait, Im not leaving this place until 4:30 three days a week???? 9 am until 4:30 I am required to be there. The catch is that I am only teaching for 16.5 of those hours. The siesta is 2.5 hours long! What am I supposed to do in those hours! I did not even begin to explain the lack of WiFi issue in this country, but laptop is NOT an option right now.

But wait, THERE’S MORE! Then some guy comes in, and in Valenciano (oh, the language the whole school speaks- the whole school except me!!!) anyway, explains in Valenciano that the school is in trouble because there is not enough English learning going on, or English teachers, and so on and so forth. So what is their solution? Oh since I’m there for “dinner” already (which is as big as a dinner, just at lunch time), I will spend dinner time once a week as kind of their tutor, helping all the teachers with their English.  As a reward, I will get a certificate for my time. Great. Can’t I Just not work past siesta one or two days?

So as you can see, this is going to b quite an interesting year here. Maybe it will get better, and hopefully it will not get worse (I think the lowest low was when a 5^th grader asked if I was Pregnant, thank you olive oil and bread)

Oh some plusses for today:

1) I was welcomed with a Tuna Empanada, croissants, and some Majorcan rolls

2) One woman did offer to drive me to and from work those 3 days a week. Which means I have a free, 20-minute commute rather than a pricey 45-minute one.

3) I learned how to use the coffee machine (which costs 50 centavos for a teensy coffee, but coffee is coffee none the less, and it’s necessary)