the school year is finally over. i turned in my resignation letter two weeks ago, the only thing left is to pick up my paycheck. i have just three more classes to finish up in the house before sending the "kids" on vacation for a month.
the ministry of education just published the new school calendar, too. stupid. i swear.
i mean, i understand that full-year school works, but it includes vacations and weeks off. but not here. who thinks it's okay to send kids to school from august 7th - june 29th! christmas break and easter break- check. anything else? no, why would they need that?
and the government wants to know why they can't get teachers... i mean, this impossible schedule (remember how it's 108 degrees here in august) and the wonderful pay, who wouldn't want to be a teacher?
teachers working in public schools get paid a base rate of $6,748 pesos ($198 dollars) per "tanda" - 4 hours in the morning and/or 4 hours in the afternoon. there are bonuses for actually having a degree, the amount of family members you have dependent on you, etc... but then there are deductions too, you know health insurance, life insurance, union fees. all in all a teacher who works "full-time" (8 hours a day), with a college degree could theoretically bring home about $500 USD a month, but after all is said and done - and IF, just IF, the government has applied their benefits to their paycheck - really most only bring home about $375. amazing
i'm glad i finally made the decision to go out on my own - because it means that on top of not having to follow this insane school year, i don't have to worry about anyone else controlling my pay. given, i'm not going to be making millions, but what i make will be fair to the work i do.
my brother arrives tomorrow. we'll be headed to the beach, the mountains and the first town in the new world, la isabela. who knows what else we'll do but it'll be a nice break from teaching! next sunday i head home to philly for three weeks.
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