MY FIRST JOB: easy come, easy go!
LOOKING BACK...the faces of my students are still fresh in my mind! how they annoy me at times yet making me feel like a surrogate mom each day I am with them. I feel lonely remembering the situation wherein I need to inevitably leave them despite the strong disapproval within me... I have to!
But what really is the story behind?
I love children and I love teaching.. put them together...well, i probably am destined to be a TEACHER... aside from being a "soon to be nurse".
I am one of the 80,000 nurses who took their NLE board exam last November 2008. I know nothing with regards to the real world. After submitting the 5th exam paper to the proctor in the last day of the exam... it is as if the doors are widely opened and lights around it twinkles then a deep voice summons.... "WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF JOBLESS!" Hahaha... I am totally CLueLess. Like most of the nursing students, I stayed like an ultimate BUM in our couch... for days, it was all SLEEP.EAT and GIMIK! Nothing more... nothing less...
But when more days passed by, my superego is already calling my attention. I guess that began when I found it inappropriate to ask for an allowance from my mom just to spend it on leisure. Also, my bank account was...ahmmm... GONE?!LOL... And then i said to myself... IT IS Now Time Tammy...
yah... got the picture! But how? i have too much nerves to face my fear---> apply a real job! well, my friends are there to the rescue...(special mention to DOTTIE). She handed me the opportunities. And this time, i dont need to be alone because I will be walking around the city, Job Hunting, with my friends! And yes, we end up to Matina street and applied in a quite BIG Korean school... I and my friend Val took the exam.. It is more of grammar and sentence construction. Good for me, i can still remember my strict teacher in College... ma'am B...... (strict in a good way). The exam was over... so whats next? The-waiting-for-their-call-time! It may not be as depressing as it looks, but, the moment wherein your smart friends have already received their calls yet you have'nt, that is the most frustrating part. And that literally happened to me. I was even questioning myself... why...why... why... emo effect! Then, just psyche yourself... that you will pick somethng better in the future.. IT's not for you... That actually worked! And I forgot about it!
One memorable day, when i was with my memorable classmates in a memorable event.... I got a call! WHAT? yayah... quite a memorable pop-up info! I need to attend the interview... but I cant cause i am in a memorable place...so, I asked the HR if we can postpone the interview... good thing they did allow me.
And the day came... i need to face my fear... i will be interviewed today!!! When i reached the place..i went to the office...and asked "Maam, i am looking for maam ----------, I have a scheduled interview today." and she replied... just proceed to room B103. HUH? okay... when i am already there... I saw a lot of familiar faces... too many familiar faces in fact! So that made me less anxious and more comfortable now. And the head started speaking in front.... WAAAIIITT!!! This is the orientation already! I am not suppose to be here!.. it continued until the contracts were distributed. That made me feel anxious again... cause if i am trully misplaced.. it is a huge embarassment... so, without second thoughts, i approached the head and clarified. And she told me... "YES yOu aRE hirED" WWWHHHHAAAATTTT! can you hear that? I am hired...! yIPPEESS... It was handed to me like a present... no interviews this time.. but I am still hired! yipppeeee....what a glee..
So, time passed. i enjoyed every single day i am with my students. Not just because of their nice greeting "Anong hasayo..." But also, I am learning a lot of things from them.. it was a two way process. And 2 weeks passed. It got harder and harder, especially when heavy rain fell down like cats and dogs and your body is on malaise and FEVER, simultaneously. I went home like a vegetable yet i needed to wake up late at night to make lessons for my students. I pushed myself more even if I cant. My mentality was, " I need to teach them... i need to tackle things the next day. I have to be a good teacher..." But on the third day of my fever... RASHES started appearing on my torso... WHAT? rashes on the torso (Vesicular in fact!).. well, this definitely is CHiCKEN POX... waaaaa... I am contagious! And after it was confirmed by my pediatrician... I need to voluntarily isolate myself.
I was planning to just take a 3 day absence excluding the weekends.. But the admin of the school decided to temporarily stop my contract until the end of the camp.. for the student's sake. Well, i undersood them pretty well, because I myself don't want to cause harm to my students... so i gave up what i want... and just psyche myself again..." my 2 weeks experience in the Korean school taught me a lot of things" and that learning is worth keeping.
That time, I pictured myself as a glass filled with just a quarter yet gave importance to that quarter part and overlooked the huge empty chunk.
Now, i feel thankful with the good moments I have with my students and the friendship we had despite the limited time. i will trully miss DaNA, JEYLA, JENNy, ANNA, Andrew, LauREN and LUCY.... of course- the other students, i will miss the admin, my co teachers, manong guard and of course.. VAL, NInA, DOTTIE and lavishing Jeff....
see you around guys!:) "Anong Hasayo..."
