When I got home from the miserable Elena experience, I sent a well-worded email to my program staff who had arranged the interview. The next day between classes I met with one of the staff members. She explained to me that Elena was new and was filling in for someone on maternity leave and my program has never worked with this newbie before. She too was shocked that she insulted my Spanish, considering I am in level 5 here (which is where they stick us people who understand Spanish grammar but don’t quite speak like natives). She offered to speak to Elena on my behalf, but I told her I wasn’t interested in such a hostile environment. Volunteering isn’t supposed to be such a stressful task. Said staff member went on to tell me that my interview wasn’t at the school I had wanted. This is the confusing part.
I had signed up to volunteer to teach English to little kids. By signing up for this, I was also saying “Oh yeah, I want to volunteer anywhere, give me lots of awesome interviews!” Did I know this? Absolutely not. Was I the only one that this happened to and was sent to hell with Elena? Again, absolutely not.
Phew, okay, I was feeling better already. I was sitting in my least favorite class (Politics) waiting for it to start, when another staff member came in the room to talk to me. Second great (not sarcastic) staff member tells me I have another interview (at the school where I had wanted to work) and I’d be excused from class. That, my friend, is a kick-ass situation. No boring politics class with a professor who write in hieroglyphics, and an interview at the right place.
Let me just tell you, the second day of interviews was the polar opposite of previous day. I met with three amazingly warm and welcoming staff members. They were all really excited for us (there were three students and a staff member from my program at this interview) come work with the kids. They even commented on our Spanish skills. It was like I was dreaming.
Needless to say, I started volunteering there as soon as I could (I'm a Teaching Assistant!). I’m really behind in my writing; I’ve been there five times already. On Mondays I work with 11-year-olds and on Thursdays I work with 10-year-olds. At first I was disappointed because I really wanted to work with the youngest kids (4-6 year olds). However, I adore my classes (and they love me back!). As soon as the kids see me walking in the hallway they always run up and all say hi, give hugs, ask a million questions, etc. They are so funny and I love working with them.
Mostly it’s been a lot of reading to them and correcting their pronunciation, and explaining the differences between American English and British English (because I do not speak brilliantly and I have got an American accent). I’ve been able to practice my Spanish and learn from them too. I got to help correct written work and explain in Spanish different verb conjugations (yeah, really boring to all of you readers, I know), teach them tongue twisters, and teach them about Halloween (once again, I’m not British. I do not play Bob-Apple and eat the apples, and I do not make Halloween lanterns.). A taste of their cuteness:
 |
| Acting out a scene from a story. |
 |
I’ve even considered a career path including some teaching here and there. I was about 62% sure I wanted to do TEFL upon graduating, now I’m hanging out around 89-94% sure. Oh helloooo, potential future plans...?
PS - Want to hear some irony? After all that "Elena" put me through, I received an email this week requesting me to volunteer. I politely declined.
