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2004 Highlights:
All in a day's work...
Before Happygrrls becomes a multi-million dollar website, I still need to have a 9:00 - 5:00 to make ends meet.
I know that you've heard me complain over and over again about my crappy, boring jobs; but in 2004, I finally landed a job that didn't make me wake up in the middle of the night screaming.
In June of last year, I started working as a College Assistant at an ESL (English as a Second Language) school. I help international students learn to speak and write in English. Due to my rather chatty nature and my obsession with good grammar, the job was a perfect fit. The only drawback is that I'm a fast talker and I've been told a million times that I talk toooo fast. Sorry guys!!
Students hail from Mexico, Brazil, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Turkey. Some come to learn English so that they can get accepted into university, or some come to improve their chances at getting good jobs in their country. And there are the lucky few who come for a few months just to try their hands at a new language.
Working at the school gives me a greater appreciation of other cultures, and also provides me with a snapshot of what life is like in different parts of the world. I found out things that I really didn't know. For example, did you know that hip-hop and reggae are really huge in Japan? Me neither.
What I love the most about my job is that it I find it to be very gratifying. As a College Assistant, I am able to provide face-to face help, as opposed to working for a big corporation and aiding an unknown customer. As corny as it sounds, I feel good when I am able to help a student improve or gain confidence in their communication.
As I stated before, I've had tons of jobs across the city, but most of them were unfulfilling. Even though I initially dreamed of working in a different field, working at the school has made me realize that sometimes stumbling into something accidentally isn't always a bad thing. ¤ Michelle