During the period from Sept2009 to Mar2010, I have been meeting some ex-collegues here and there as I went around doing my errands, courses and classes. Even these few months from Apr2010 up til now, I have met more ex-collegues. Whenever I meet them, many thoughts are triggered, good memories, bad ones too. I look at them and see how they've aged? Remember the system and how hard I had to work, the admin, the cca, the teaching, the discipline. So many thoughts. And also the things that made me resign.
Met about 5 from my contract school, meant I knew them from Sept 2004. They have aged really. Mainly met them at Gombak area cos I went for driving over there and the school is near that mrt station. Surprised that they are still at the same workplace. In the period of 2004-2009, I have worked in 3 different schools. One for contract 2004-5, one for 1st posting 2006-2008, one after transfer 2009 and then resignation 2009. When I met them, I was unemployed, doing my courses and driving.
Met 2 other collegues from my contract school. They live in my area and I met them while running errands or walking around my area. One is the TA, so I just wave and smile. The other is my IT HOD, and we talked when we saw each other. That time, I have just started at my current workplace. He remarked that I looked happier and more energetic and healthy compared to what I looked then. I agreed with him, that's what I felt really. Then I asked for some updates about the contract school. He looks pak cek and tired I reckon. He sounded sian and told me he stepped down from his post.
Just yesterday on Sat, I met another ex-collegue from contract school at the stadium while I was carrying the sports equipment and settling up the place for Sports day. Had also met him when I went for driving at the mrt. I told him I joined my current workplace. He looks older and more aged than before too. Guess the six years since meant that we all grew older physically.
And just after gym today, I saw my ex-ex P from 1st posting school. I decided to be polite and say hi though I could have just walked off cos she didnt seem to recognize me until I called out to her. She told me that she heard that I've resigned and asked why. I told her I dont exactly get along well with my ex-P. She told me, that I could have contacted her and go back. But I pointed to her its still far from where I live. Then she said that I could come back anytime and that she could get me transfer to another school. Though at this point, there were many thoughts and not all pleasant, I smiled and thanked her and said bye. Fyi, she lives in my area, and I have never ever met her before in my area...
But all these meetings trigger many thoughts... which I wish to record down to revisit so that I dont forget.
First - I am very grateful for my current job at my current workplace. It was the highest pay offered to me, with decent work hours and days. Its very close to my home, saving on commuting time. My current one operates on normal office hours for a 5-day week, with the highest pay offered. I had gone for a series of interviews at tuition centres and even a so-called higher education centre but the quoted pay was low, as low as half my old pay, yet the working hours range from 5-5.5 days including weekends, they dont seem to care about my teaching experience. Also the working hours range from 9am - 10pm type. Quite a number of them are quite far from my place and commuting was actually troublesom and down-right long too. Involves taking feeder bus-mrt or a long bus-ride. All have just as long travelling times.
Second - I am grateful that the workload has been considerably light and manageable. I try to add-value by actively searching for resources for the activities, thinking about activities, even amending some of the older ws resources to be more relevant for the classes that I teach once a week. Also prepare needed materials and print the ws needed the day before the lessons to aid the ease. Then help other collegues in their normal lessons, sometimes I have ideas, I let them know, or I found an activity and suggest to them. Not that I dont find the teaching part trying at times, but I try to keep an open-mind and also be flexible, and not let incidents get to me. I help to translate parts of the jap documents for 3 of my non-jap collegues so that they are kept in the loop about events and their duties and stuff. For my jap collegues, I have helped out by helping them settle insurance claim and a mis-com with a supplier usually, the medium is English and I help them call and email to get responses. Also for my club, I have helped arrange for a friendly match with a local school thus far. And my jap counterpart is asking me to arrange one more this term. Yet I have found time to try out dessert-making, and they are very grateful I make for them to eat (too much for family and I to finish, just bring some back) Glad superiors so far has over-looked the part about me doing some occasional cooking at workplace. Another plus is that I am in a jap environment and can listen and practice the language, even pick up terms used for teaching. Though a slight downside is that its more of a serious and educational use of jap terms, such that when I reach home, I play animes to listen to jap used in lighter scenarios cos that's my idea of the jap language. Its cos I like the animes, comics, jrock music and soundtracks that drove me to pick it up, not that I worship their culture nor think they are superior. They have their strengths and weaknesses as a race just like every other.
Third - I am treatly with alot of respect by my collegues and even superiors and bosses. They have been most polite to me and even value my opinion. They would ask what I think of their events compared to local schools. I often praise the level of discipline, cooperation, teamwork, efficiency. Which my other local collegues agree with me on these aspects. Then at the parties, always praising my cooking (which I dont know what's the fuss? I am grateful they find it good and help me eat up so I can practice refining it) Then praising my strength (cos I was carrying quite a number of equipment, load up very heavy so that I dont have to keep making more trips walking from one end of stadium to another) I just tell them its nothing. That I am glad they like my cooking and eat what I made, that I am not good in running at all. I try to praise them also for their very impressive and succesful events like Chorus festival, Sports day. Its really different compared to my previous workplace. Not that there are no problems or tensions but doesnt really involve me. So they keep a very coordial and respectful working environment going on.
If you ask me whether I would go back to local education, I am not sure. At this moment, there are no plans at all in my mind to put myself through the system that squeezed so much out of me, drained my energy level, left my health in shambles, took all my free time and effort that I have hardly any left for myself, let alone others. Yes, the pay is higher, yes I took a pay cut, but I got everything else back now. I can make up the difference with my Investment and assignment income. What else is there to draw me back unless I was under bondage again?
I am reluctant to just leave and go to take up that 1 year stint in Japan itself. Cos it meant joblessness when I return. Too soon to just up and go, given the so many plus points. Doesnt look good on resume too. Would consider it given a few more years. The best would be that I can come back to the workplace in the same position, after the stint, but that would mean I need to have more 'value' to have such a hold. So for next year, I wont be applying for that. I rather save my $5k extra for a Jap holiday during the Sakura period, which I think I can make it IF during the first 2 weeks of work, I dont have to go back like the rest of the local staff. That I would have to check maybe in a few more months time. Its definitely different to be a tourist than to have to work there. Dont mind both, but for now, I wanna stay on.
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