Andrew Aigner-MuehlerIntroduction...(TEACHING CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH OVERSEAS.. From my eyes)
December 12th 2008 15:10
I'm back.
Yes! with another adventure. This time talking about my time in China teaching conversational English.
If you read my last blog or what I call my book 'LIVING OVERSEAS From my eyes' I did say that I think my travelling days of working overseas are over. Well! I was wrong. I do not think it was itchy feet, as I was planning to settle down. I even bought a house. I think it had something to do with my work situation then. I was working at Qantas Flight Catering. Things there were not going right for me. I was not fitting in. I did not like it there. Everything I said was wrong. I could not do a thing right. The staff there were a little crazy. Even I was going crazy after 6 months of being there. That is what that place does to you. The staff there treat you poorly. If you did as little as possible you succeeded, and you were made permanent. If you treated other staff with no respect, you fitted in with everyone. I had to get out, before I lost it.
I was again talking to a agency in the United States of America. Yes! that agency was IRES. Yes! the consultant was Kelley Burris. My views and story, as written in my past book or blog still remain. Some part of me felt bad. I wanted to make peace. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt and try again with her.
She found me a job. It was in Boston with the Hilton. I almost accepted it. But, I didn't. The reason why I did not accept it, was because of my dream. My dream was to live and work in New York. If I went too Boston, my dream would not have been accomplished. So, I did not go. She understood.
At the same time, I had been talking to Michael Guo from A.I.T.A about a teaching job in
China. I had been speaking to Michael for the past two years. Each year, I just could not go. This year I was ready. I also knew, if I did not go this year with him, that may have been my last chance.
He had four to six weeks week to find me a teaching position, actually less because the teaching year started mid September. He found me a school. The school was in Hohhot in Inner Mongolia. He sent me information on the school, as well as the contract. I did not think about. I accepted the offer.
The stress started.
I had around four weeks to organise everything back home, before I left for China.
Firstly, I needed a airfare. Then, I needed to send my passport to Sydney, Australia to get a visa. I also had to pack up my house. I had to build a shed, to store everything in. I had to organise a landlord, so they could manage my property and find me a tenant. No way, could I afford to pay my mortgage on my wage in China.
The time was becoming nearer before I left. I still had not received my passport back. I resigned from my job. I gave them two weeks notice. I was making progress with packing up my house. My shed was not up, until two weeks before I left. I had a airfare.
At times the stress, got to me. Like usual. But, I did not care. I wanted to go. I knew what was sought of ahead of me. A new beginning. A new life. A new start. A new job. A new culture.
I say bring it on.
Yes! with another adventure. This time talking about my time in China teaching conversational English.
If you read my last blog or what I call my book 'LIVING OVERSEAS From my eyes' I did say that I think my travelling days of working overseas are over. Well! I was wrong. I do not think it was itchy feet, as I was planning to settle down. I even bought a house. I think it had something to do with my work situation then. I was working at Qantas Flight Catering. Things there were not going right for me. I was not fitting in. I did not like it there. Everything I said was wrong. I could not do a thing right. The staff there were a little crazy. Even I was going crazy after 6 months of being there. That is what that place does to you. The staff there treat you poorly. If you did as little as possible you succeeded, and you were made permanent. If you treated other staff with no respect, you fitted in with everyone. I had to get out, before I lost it.
I was again talking to a agency in the United States of America. Yes! that agency was IRES. Yes! the consultant was Kelley Burris. My views and story, as written in my past book or blog still remain. Some part of me felt bad. I wanted to make peace. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt and try again with her.
She found me a job. It was in Boston with the Hilton. I almost accepted it. But, I didn't. The reason why I did not accept it, was because of my dream. My dream was to live and work in New York. If I went too Boston, my dream would not have been accomplished. So, I did not go. She understood.
At the same time, I had been talking to Michael Guo from A.I.T.A about a teaching job in
China. I had been speaking to Michael for the past two years. Each year, I just could not go. This year I was ready. I also knew, if I did not go this year with him, that may have been my last chance.
He had four to six weeks week to find me a teaching position, actually less because the teaching year started mid September. He found me a school. The school was in Hohhot in Inner Mongolia. He sent me information on the school, as well as the contract. I did not think about. I accepted the offer.
The stress started.
I had around four weeks to organise everything back home, before I left for China.
Firstly, I needed a airfare. Then, I needed to send my passport to Sydney, Australia to get a visa. I also had to pack up my house. I had to build a shed, to store everything in. I had to organise a landlord, so they could manage my property and find me a tenant. No way, could I afford to pay my mortgage on my wage in China.
The time was becoming nearer before I left. I still had not received my passport back. I resigned from my job. I gave them two weeks notice. I was making progress with packing up my house. My shed was not up, until two weeks before I left. I had a airfare.
At times the stress, got to me. Like usual. But, I did not care. I wanted to go. I knew what was sought of ahead of me. A new beginning. A new life. A new start. A new job. A new culture.
I say bring it on.
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Comment by Anonymous
Really Long Link
Really Long Link
Comment by Andrew Aigner-Muehler
I will handle your complaint...
It is all about the service
Travellers Journey
Chinese studying in Australia
Where do I begin?
ESL lesson plans
I value your comment. But, have you actually worked for him yourself? If you have, you have the right to say things like that, but please say why? If you have not, I suggest you keep comments like that to yourself. Yes, I have read the comments on google, but it is only from the one person. How do you know this lady, was not a right bitch. She might be a lady complaining about everything. You did not hear Michaels side, on it. When there is a personality clash, one side will do everything possible to destroy that other person. It is the same thing what happened with me and Kelley, I wrote bad things about her in my last book or blog, because I had a bad experience, but other people, may have had good experiences with her.
Back on Michael, there are still teachers with him now, which were with him during that incident, they did not leave A.I.T.A, they could have easily got another teaching job, there are so many opportunities and vacancies over here, but they stuck with him.
Again, I have known Michael for 3 years, he has never shown any bad signs towards me. He has spoken to me politely. He went out of his way to get me a teaching position here with in a month, at short notice.
Until, sometimes bad happens like that to me, or you, or to any one else. I think we should keep our opinions to ourselves.
We do not really know the full story. You are only going by, what you read on line. One persons comments. Who was a Australian. As we all know Australians are loud mouth whinging complaining pricks who will make life hard for anyone. Why do you think, I have not spent much time there in the past years. I am so sick of the shallowness of Australians.
Comment by Anonymous
Do your research. If you don't, you deserve to get used by people like Michael Guo. For fuck's sake, AITA is under investigation by the Federal Parliament.
Comment by Anonymous
Google AMI Montessori in China Michael Guo.
Comment by Anonymous
I did a stop over in Beijing and visisted their big Office, a complete floor, nearly 100 staff,half of them with overseas education and working experience.
They are doing the works bridging China and Countries overseas, Please read the following
"hina Center Gov.showed high appreciation to AITA & Assocaites Really Long Link