Thursday 4 December 2008

I feel like a stereotype.

So the world thinks of Americans as rich, fat, lazy and spoiled...right? Can we accept that and move on?

I just can't help recently but feeling like a stereotype. The thing I feel most, though, is spoiled. The Chinese teachers get a single apartment. I get a double. I get a dryer and internet in my apartment. They don't. I don't ever get night duty or have to teach night classes. They do. I get more days off than the Chinese teachers. One of the teacher's today asked why I get three days off for Christmas when I'm not even religious. I didn't know what to say.

And now I found out that another teacher is coming in next semester and will be taking two of my classes during the week (to teach Business). I already only teach 14 hours of classes a week. Next semester I'm going to feel so useless.

I don't know what to do about it. I feel uncomfortable being treated so much better just because I can speak English fluently. And the worst part is, it's not something I had to work hard at. I was just born in America.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

It's not ideal for sure, but you have to consider that you have a special skill that is very difficult for the school to secure and is very, very important to the students. It's a rare opportunity for the students to communicate with a native English speaker. In exchange for your expertise, they try to replicate the kind of life that you had back in America.

Don't feel bad when people treat you nicely! :)