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Oh my God, you guys.

This school is hell on earth. These kids are like demons that have risen from the flames.

I think I made the totally wrong decision. I think I should be working at Simple Life. D: D: D:

Ok, so when I said I would be working for Simple Life, I completely lied. That's because the day after they offered me the job, a primary school/high school called and offered me an even better one. Now you're all reading the blog of The Only English Teacher in a high school that will remain nameless so that no one googles it and finds this entry.

The owner of the place basically called me in, and despite the fact that I was fairly unprepared for the interview (as in, I didn't have my resume), he asked me to recount my job experiences, particularly in teaching ESL, and about a half an hour later offered me the position. Apparently the school is really desperate, as their last English teacher did nothing but assign workbook pages throughout the class period while sitting back and reading at his desk. What's more is that I am in the middle of grading approximately 175 English finals, and this guy was marking off the answer "cheetah." Not because it was the wrong answer, because it wasn't, but because of the spelling. Yes, the prior English teacher thought "cheetah" was spelled "shetay." And now these poor kids have to pay the price. These kids are expected to be bilingual upon graduation and they just aren't, because they've had horrible language-learning experiences. Of course, I am weary of how the Panamanian school system treats their students in general; here, if a student fails a course, it's automatically on the student's shoulders (he's "stupid," or "slow," or "fresco," which I guess would translate to "fresh," meaning he thinks he can get away with not doing anything). That, to me, is a complete 180 from the approach in the United States, where a student's failure reflects poorly upon the teacher's performance, and where the development of the student is nurtured through positive criticism and overall encouragement.

So the owner, we'll call him Dr Kings, hired me because he has a vision of running the school like one in the United States school system, and was really excited when I told him that my approach for teaching ESL is completely interactive and relies much heavier upon skits, physical movement, games, discussion and activities that more or less stress conversational skills. HE WAS SO EXCITED, in fact, that beginning next school year (which starts in March of '09), I am the head of the English department and am responsible for choosing the books, helping to hire the staff, etc. And I am so severely under-qualified, or at least I feel that way, but on the other hand these kids have had such horrible professors that I can't possibly do any worse.

Also, they're giving me a work visa, which means that eventually I'll have the opportunity to make more than six hundred dollars a month. Because right now I'm flipping my shit over finances.

Seriously people. You saw "Music of the Heart," and "Dangerous Minds," and "Freedom Writers" and all those movies about ~*uplifting teachers changing lives.*~ I am totally gonna be that. And then someone's gonna make a movie about it, except it'll have to be in Spanish.

What is the likely-hood that, if Wells Fargo gets sued by Citigroup, they will somehow be forced to cancel all my student loans? I'm just saying, because being 71,000 LESS in debt than I am now would be terrific.

HEY GUESS WHAT EVERYONE. I finally got a job. I'm going to be working at this place that is described as an "executive concierge service." So what happens is that when rich business people come to Panama, we provide them with a list of places that go above and beyond to get things done efficiently, and maybe they speak English (or whatever language), and maybe they're the cheapest. This includes places like dry-cleaning, copy services, restaurants, hotels, etc. etc. Also, we plan itineraries for people when they get down here, so as to best utilize their time, and when people move down to Panama for business, we help them get settled. It pays 500 dollars a month (which is 200 over minimum wage, so I guess I can't complain), but I am at that salary for a 30 day "probation period," after which I guess my wages will be reassessed to match my skills. I'm excited because it's not a typical office job, and I'm going to have to leave and explore Panama City a lot (on the company's dime, of course, I'm not paying all those cab fares), and it's an up-and-coming business that's had a lot of success thus far, so hopefully it'll blow up huge and all of a sudden they'll pay me like 2000 a month. I wish.

Also, I start my masters degree program on the 22nd, which is exciting. I am going to FINALLY have a student visa (which is good, because my tourist visa runs out on December 12th) and something to do Wednesday and Friday nights. I am not afraid of the fact that the entire program is taught in Spanish, or am I? Okay, you're right, I am.

So. Let's talk about Push-Button hotels. Jorge and I went to one, and it was HILARIOUS. You basically feed ten dollars into the door of a hotel and are allowed to use it for two hours. The TV is pre-set to porn. It was the only opportunity I've had to take a hot shower since I've been in the United States, which was reason enough to go. I posted pictures on a different community's journal here, but I don't suggest you look at them while you're at work. I do suggest you look at them though.

Check it out! I'm updating livejournal again! And now I think I am going to head to McDonald's, because I am nursing a ridiculous hangover from last night's Most Potent Sangria Ever (complimented by tapas and discussion of the economic situation of Cuba, abortion, and evolution, all in my BAD SPANISH!).

I can't sleep, I'm on the internet while sitting on the bathroom floor because Jorge has to get up in the morning, and I miss the United States so much.

:( :( :(

I'm not going to lie; the last two updates were actually meant for thequestionclub. That said, here is my first real update in a year and four months, because I had to abandon my blogspot journal when I left the Peace Corps, as I only feel is fair.

That said, in the last year and four months, everyone in my life seems to have abandoned livejournal and therefore, I have to clean the shit out of my friends list. So, everyone is deleted, but comment if you want to be added back.

So it looks as though I'm staying in Panama for a while. What's up with you guys?