An all to familiar scenario occurred on Wednesday morning. I was getting ready for my next lesson, when I was called into the Headmaster's office, and told the Vice Principal was waiting there as well. As soon as I entered his office it was clear that the news was not good. I was told that although I was not being fired, they no longer have a position here for me at NIS for next year. The enrollment for this grade level is only at 12 students, which means only one teacher is necessary. In this case my teaching partner has been here for 13 years, so it's obvious who must go. The situation is more complex, but I will get to that. After hearing this news I immediately went into meltdown mode. As hard as I tried to fight the tears back, they won. I was excused from the meeting and told to let him know about recommendations, which he would be happy to give. I made my way to the nearest restroom, and promptly had a panic attack. I am not a particularly dramatic person, but given the circumstances and the fact that this very same thing happened to me already within the last year, it makes sense that I completely lost control. It's like someone has just punched you in the exact spot that has already been bruised and it just really hurts. There is also the fact that I am currently living on my own in SE Asia, with no back up plan or safety net. Starting over yet again is a frightening prospect.
The rest of the day is a bit of a blur. I pretty much just went into survival mode. I had to avoid my closest friends at lunch for fear that as soon as I saw them I would lose it again. After school brought more tears, a pedicure, take out and an early bed time. Then waking up in the middle of the night only to cry myself back to sleep, and again in the morning as I got ready for school.
The next morning meant having to break the news to my teaching partner. We work very well together and have become quite close this year. Earlier in the year she had approached our Vice Principal about next year. For the past two years in a row enrollment has looked low for K-2 as of the end of the school year, but by August it increased dramatically leaving her with far too many students. Two years ago Kam was brought in, and this year it was me. History continued to repeat itself and it is likely that she will have to go though this all over again for the third year in a row. When she had this conversation with our VP she was told there would be two teachers next year and not to worry. No one has approached her about the class size or the fact that she will be solo, and clearly our Headmaster has made the executive decision. Bottom line is if I am not in K-2 with Shafaq, I don't want to be at NIS. Although recommendations are being offered no effort has been made to find me another placement within the school. I know that there are openings that I am qualified for. Some I am supposed to know about, and some I am not. Clearly I am not seen as enough of an asset. I have only been here for 6 months, and am choosing to focus my energy on my next move over wondering why.
So within a day I have gone from meltdown mode to figure it out mode. I have already made connections via friends to a recruiter in Korea, and a senior staff member of an agency who works with International Schools all over the world. There are other schools in Chiang Mai, but unfortunately it is late in the game and pretty much everywhere in Thailand has already done their recruiting/ hiring. The other factor at play is now I am considered a "local hire" which means I am less likely to get a contract that includes benefits and a flight package for a visit home. This means my best bet is to leave Thailand for a year, and possibly come back as an International hire again. The decision has been made to pursue Korea. There is a lot of money to be made there. I have struggled financially this year as NIS is one of the lowest paying International Schools in Thailand. I am currently communicating with the recruiter in Seoul to figure it all out. Ideally I will stay in CM for 4 more months, and then move on to start a job there. I plan to leave it at that for now. No use in making too many plans 'cause the Universe doesn't cooperate anyway.
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