Almost there/압구정 학원 강사로 일한다는 것...

What have I earned or realized after working at a private institute as an English teacher for four months?

Interesting students with whom I had a fun time teaching, a real social atmosphere at the work field, workplace politics along with ways to survive the office-politics, or epiphany that studying the easiest of all jobs in the world?

1) Interesting, fun students

I had this one friendly, cute-looking students, Jason, 12, who called me a "baby." He responded to my nagging and scolding almost all the time with "Sorry, babe" and "Yep, babe," which not only annoyed but also stunned me into silence because he was too cute for me to punish for such a nasty calling. His little brother, Justin, was impressive as well. They both had been in California for a year and returned to Korea several months ago, so they are fairly fluent in English. Justin, whom I happened to teach English speaking once as a substitute teacher, was adorable: when I had a chance to take a look at his writing paper in another class, I could see his answer to a question, "What will you be in 20 years?" He wrote, "I will become a Samsung boss.... [and] the world will be upgraded...." I couldn't help but laughing at his witty, but weighty response because I just had an instant feeling that he might become "a Samsung boss" or someone comparable to such a successful person in the future. This 10-year-old boy is thinking so highly of himself and making an exceedingly huge aspiration for his future. Then, why don't I? As I age older, I get to meet a lot more preeminent people in each field and confront a gorgeous, never-imagined, high-class life. But my dream was just as small as before: "I want to become an diplomat," "I'll become a CEO," "I seriously want to become a hotelier," and now "I want to be a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs." I need to seriously think about what I deserve to be and what I can do in the future.

2) Having a job and working

When grown-ups used to grumble over how hard it is working at a company or in any field, I just didn't make a big deal about it. Everyone gets a job at some point and labors until he or she retires, which is one of natural cycles. But once I've got a real job at a company with other co-workers and a boss, I found it so stressful working at a job. One day, I was so sick in the morning and vomitted a couple of times feeling dizzy all the morning that I called the boss and said I was not feeling well so I had to take a day off. But her response was immediately "Send someone else to replace you or we have no room or free time to make up your classes." What on earth is she? Is she a callous monster? Would she have been so picky and impassive and told me I should work if I were her daughter and excused that I couldn't make it today because I was so ill? She didn't even wonder, not to mention get worried, how seriously I was ill. She could have called someone else she knows or asked for other teachers to substitute me for just one day because I know there ARE teachers who don't have class, so can make up for me. What's more, she didn't look sympathetic and concerned about my health until I got to work and said I was okay and would work that day. Such a hypocrite!

3) Workplace politics

I always have to be careful about reading my boss's face and not to make a mistake about the stuff I've been assigned or making fuss about the working conditions. In addition, I can't believe any of my peer workers: People smile at me and pay me encouragement, but they defame me behind my back. Maybe the best way to get through this harsh jungle-like environment is just to pretend that I think they are all pleasant and know nothing about rumors going in and out. Besides, what's more irritating is that I have to do all the task assigned from my senior co-workers obediently, including annoying manual labor like cleaning the shelves or typing, even if I know that she herself is supposed to do that.

4) Epiphany

So, the last but not least I've gain from this four-month working experience is epiphany that studying is the easiest job of all kinds. I can study whenever I want and not study whenever I don't want without pressure that I have to study Monday through Friday from one to seven p.m.. I can skip just one day when I'm sick. I don't have to care about how to please my boss all the more.

Teaching at a private institute doesn't feel that much fruitful considering my time and efforts consumed here because I didn't get well-paid. But perhaps, on the contrary, I think I've matured and learned a bit about life and work even before I am supposed to know about those. I learned how to control my temper, be an efficient worker, and read other peers' or boss's face. I also faced a lot of different people, whether students or peer workers, and had enough time to think and fret about not only Korean education but also seriously my future and relationships with people.

I'm almost there.

This four-month experience did, does and will pay off in my life. And that's the last word I hope to say in the end.