Two notable things about my last week in Austria:
1) From my last post youĺl know about my standing up for myself to secure better working conditions. Well, not only did they apologise for putting me in such a situation......they have offered me more work in October/November. Now that I know I can take care of myself I had no hesitation in accepting. Ka ching goes my travel fund!
2) The second occurrence of note is that as there were only eight students this week, myself and the other teacher, Chris, were able to join in on the sailing course. I learned how to do knots and everything! On Friday morning we had our exam - which I did in German, thank you very much! I am now the proud holder of a certificate in Basic Sailing from the Austrian Sailing Association.
Apart from the giddy delight of falling head over heels with a new sport, this has also been a great boost for myself and MsAmused and our plans (hopes) of signing on as crew on a yacht sailing from Darwin to Indonesia next spring. All I have to do now is find out the English names for the knots I know!
On Saturday, once I had waved goodbye to Chris and the last of the students I set off for Bratislava.
I was really excited about my first foray into Eastern Europe. I´ve been here two days now and I´m still pinching myself!
My two friends met me off the train, right on the platform. It was a strange and wonderful moment. When I had said goodbye to this couple in Winchester in July I had promised to visit them in Bratislava before Christmas. I meant it with all my heart, but I can´t deny there was a lurking suspicion that it would probably be financially impossible.
Lo! and Behold! Seven weeks later I´m hugging them at Bratislava Hlavna Stancia (main station)
God is very, very good to me. (happy sighs)
And thanks to getting work organised for October-November, Iĺl now be able to keep my other promise to my Polish friends to visit them!
All this is BEFORE I go travelling! heh heh. I am sooooo in love with life right now!
In the next post I will do a proper report on my stay in Bratislava and my reaction to Soviet Chic........
Live long and prosper.
Monday 13 September 2010
Tuesday 7 September 2010
An adult! Who......me??
I was presented with an oppurtunity to `grow and mature´last week. Adult speak for almost finding myself up the proverbial creek without a paddle.
I was informed that I would be running the language camp on my own this week as there would only be 7 students. My heart sank as I read THAT email! The prospect of being effectively on duty from 3pm on Sunday to 12 noon on Saturday AND with no increase in salary mind you!
Well, to begin with I sent back an email of begrudging acceptance but the longer I thought about it the more indignant I got. Until it wasn´t long before I had my high horse all saddled up and ready to go.
I sent off texts / emails to my parents and former TEFL boss, canvassing second opinions - even on my high horse I felt the need of a little back up!
The jury returned a unanimous verdict - No Way Jose!
Thusly vindicated I phoned Head Office and made it clear that sole responsibility was unfair and that as they had neglected to send me a contract (despite my repeated requests), I was under no obligation to stay and could just toddle off to Bratislava a week early.
Which could have really inconvenienced my hosts, but Head Office didn´t know that!
HQ texted me back with an offer: a wage increase of €100. I emailed back a polite refusal. It wasn´t about the money I said. I was terribly grown up about it and used words like ´morally irresponsible´, ´legally suspect´, and even, my favourite: "let´s be frank about this.."
Hah! Get me!!
I braced myself for leaving work a week ahead of schedule, but instead, in fairly short order I received a text and email from HQ apologising for putting me in this situation and reassuring me that I would have a teacher sent to me on Sunday.
RESULT!!
What surprised me most about the whole affair was what it revealed about how I see myself.
I am 33 years old and have been working professionally since I was 20 and yet when put into a mildly confrontational situation, I still had to work up a head of steam and gather a posse of supporters before standing up for myself. Then feeling ridiculously proud of myself for doing so.
All of which begs the question: When will I finally realise that I am, in fact, .....a grown up??
I was informed that I would be running the language camp on my own this week as there would only be 7 students. My heart sank as I read THAT email! The prospect of being effectively on duty from 3pm on Sunday to 12 noon on Saturday AND with no increase in salary mind you!
Well, to begin with I sent back an email of begrudging acceptance but the longer I thought about it the more indignant I got. Until it wasn´t long before I had my high horse all saddled up and ready to go.
I sent off texts / emails to my parents and former TEFL boss, canvassing second opinions - even on my high horse I felt the need of a little back up!
The jury returned a unanimous verdict - No Way Jose!
Thusly vindicated I phoned Head Office and made it clear that sole responsibility was unfair and that as they had neglected to send me a contract (despite my repeated requests), I was under no obligation to stay and could just toddle off to Bratislava a week early.
Which could have really inconvenienced my hosts, but Head Office didn´t know that!
HQ texted me back with an offer: a wage increase of €100. I emailed back a polite refusal. It wasn´t about the money I said. I was terribly grown up about it and used words like ´morally irresponsible´, ´legally suspect´, and even, my favourite: "let´s be frank about this.."
Hah! Get me!!
I braced myself for leaving work a week ahead of schedule, but instead, in fairly short order I received a text and email from HQ apologising for putting me in this situation and reassuring me that I would have a teacher sent to me on Sunday.
RESULT!!
What surprised me most about the whole affair was what it revealed about how I see myself.
I am 33 years old and have been working professionally since I was 20 and yet when put into a mildly confrontational situation, I still had to work up a head of steam and gather a posse of supporters before standing up for myself. Then feeling ridiculously proud of myself for doing so.
All of which begs the question: When will I finally realise that I am, in fact, .....a grown up??
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