Is you is, or is you ain't?

Dig this: I tried to back out of going to that training/ orientation session tomorrow, but I was "highly encouraged" by the director of this program to attend. The way he worded the email, it sounded as if he thinks I need a 5 hour teacher-training workshop! Dude, I'm in a highly respected M.A. program in Linguistics and TESOL! I guess, according to one of my profs here, OSU Foreign Languages etc. people don't recognize that we have classes in pedagogy, etc. to offer the TESOL certificate. Because it's not run through the Education department, and because we aren't qualified to teach in public schools, apparently they don't think much of us.

Fie on them! I'll show 'em what for! So I'm going tomorrow, and so is the other MA student who's been hired. We agreed that it's better to go, and I got an extension on one of my papers so I can squeeze this in. Phew!!

It also sounded like they want us to actually help design the course content, which I didn't realize, since they listed a bunch of text books to be used. I figured they'd worked it all out, but apparently not. Freaks. So really they want us there to work, not to be trained or oriented! Interesting, since the stipend is so small...

Well, no offense meant to anyone, but this is consistent with my experiences working in East Asia (at least with language education). Someone is always trying to get something for nothing...really it's about work ethic, and the differences in expectations that cultures have. I'm just surprised that this is happening with someone who's been in the U.S. for years and works in an American university culture. Ah well.. I better get used to it if I want to do a Fulbright in Korea! :D

So it's off to Columbus with me tomorrow. Right now I'm meeting a friend out for a drink. She lives across the street from me but I never see her. Bizarro sees her more often when she comes into the store than I do!

TGIF (again)