Job Updates

My job situation has taken some twists and turns since my last update. After thinking it over and considering feedback from friends and family about the job I had accepted teaching English in the center of the city, I decided to quit.

The decision turned out to be fairly easy. A) Traveling into the center of town from my new apartment is difficult. It takes a good 40 minutes even with the subway. B) Walking around in the center of the city is stressful and lung clogging. You're constantly dodging traffic, you have to cross a 16 lane avenue to get there, and it's extremely crowded. On top of that, there was no easy way to get from this job to my job teaching the kids in Barrio Norte, the other side of town. C) The office in which I was to have worked was stuffy, hot, and the regular employees made me feel uncomfortable. I never felt as though I had been accepted and wasn't interested in having to earn their trust. What did I do to lose it in the first place? D) I had been scheduled for 1 to 2 hour intervals. The math on this is not good. If I have to travel the same amount of time to go to and from my classes as the classes are long, that divides my earnings in half. Hardly worth it to make the stressful trip into town. E) They kept calling me in for meetings, to which they were often late, that had no purpose really that couldn't have been handled either over the phone or through email, thereby forcing me to make the long trip downtown for no real reason. F) I had been offered a job teaching English in a nice part of town, closer to my apt, for 5 pesos more per hour, in a smaller more comfortable office on a tree lined street, and working for a calm guy who treated me very kindly during the interview. Ok, so this last one was a biggy.

In short, I decided that despite having given this woman my word (which I did under duress), I was not prepared to be unhappy for the next year. So, three days before I was to start, I contacted the office and let them know that I was stopping before starting, which I suppose is better than forming a relationship with students and then ducking out. In any case, I am happy with my decision, more at ease in general than before, and cautiously optimistic about the new English teaching job which will have me worknig steps from BA's China Town with employees of Hewlett Packard.

That said, on Friday, I have my 4th class teaching the two children from San Francisco. As it turns out, the kids are bright, easy to motivate, and I've kind of fallen into the uncle role (But, as a note to my niece and nephews, you have not been replaced. I miss you and I'll see you all in some months). Anyhow, creating assignments based on my personal views on what education should be has been oh so liberating. I suppose this is kind of what it was like in the days before standardized tests. That is, you could teach so that it revealed your passion for knowledge and learning instead of as an automaton who imprints data on widgets as they pass through the machine. As a class, we have created criteria for self assessments, given presentations on materials recently learned, learned how to give and receive positive feedback and constructive criticism, explicated the Declaration of Independence, explicated passages from Shakespeare, and engaged in 20 questions competitions. I sincerely feel that I gain sustenance from completing these activities with them, that I am helping to mold these kids into thinking, cultured, questioning, independent citizens.

This Friday, we're taking a detour and the kids are going to do a yeast lab by making pizza dough, exploring the process by which yeast works, and then studying the history of yeast and how to make it. In the future, I plan to do more labs like this that get the kids to understand basic processes and systems, how things work, how to make them, and their relationship to the world and other processes.

The final job that I accepted is with a tour guide/tourism company. I was only offered a position as a substitute tour guide. They didn't offer me one of the main positions because I have not been in Buenos Aires all that long, which makes sense. However, they felt I was a strong applicant and wanted to give me a shot anyway. In addition, they also offered me a position contributing writing pieces to their website, which I'm actually more interested in than I am in giving walking tours of the city. Next Thursday, I start training with this company by taking a 7 hour long walking tour of the city. If nothing else, I'll be able to give those who come to visit me a thorough tour of BA.

Nailing down my job situation has been a relief. It will be more of a relief once I get a handle on my routine and then can start adding in the really important stuff like running, swimming, yoga, and cooking. Amidst figuring out this job situation, I've been figuring out a cheap way to furnish my apartment. So far, I have a new refrigerator (which I never thought I'd buy let alone in South America), a used TV that just broke that the previous owner is coming to get tomorrow to repair for me, an old nappy table, a nappier chair, a new bed which is still on the floor because I haven't found the motivation to paint the frame, and I have my kitchen more or less stocked and ready to go(It's clear that my motivation lies somewhere very close to my stomach). On Saturday, I should receive my futon and at that point, I still need a dinner table, chairs, a tv stand, coffee table, and maybe a bedstand. I'm trying to accumulate stuff guardedly, knowing that if history is any judge, I may not be in this apartment that long and moving lots of stuff stinks. However, I do have to say that the apartment is fantastic, the most well constructed and fun I've ever rented, and the cheapest in basic rent too. At the moment, the toilet runs and the hot water heater gives me lukewarm showers, but I suppose there are kinks in any new place. The short of it is that I think that I'm really going to enjoy 3571 piso 7B Paraguay and wish that they had apts. like this in the states that even lowly school psychologists could afford.

Last night I went out to dinner with a friend and ate a large piece of amazingly cooked chicken. I'm learning that the way you cook meat really does matter. I can honestly say that I've never had a piece of chicken breast so juicy, tender, and flavorful that hadn't been doused in some type of buttery sauce or oil. It had a bit of semi crisp skin, and was garnished with two lemon wedges which complemented its simplicity beautifully. Sometimes I guess it's the simple things well done that are best. After dinner, my friend and I met up with 4 of her Argentinian friends and headed off to a cafe/bar. We talked well into the morning and I had a great time fielding questions about the U.S. and having the opportunity to help these folks form an understanding of my country. It's talks like these that I live for. First, it's in a second language which makes it still very challenging for me, especially at 2 in the morning. And, it's with educated folks who share a vastly different perspective and cultural background. The result is invigorating and fun.

Truth be told, though, I miss my family, my country, and the summer. Jumping into darkness and relative cold while ditching my family has not been all that easy. Then again, I was too comfortable and bored in Ohio. Now, I feel the opposite-challenged and stressed to the point of exhaustion and frustration. But, I know it will pass. I've only been here two and a half weeks and in that time have forced a great deal on myself: obtaining and starting 3 new jobs, moving into an unfurnished apartment, and at the same time trying to make time for friends. In time, I hope to settle into a routine that is both challenging and comfortable, the balance that I seek.