Sweet Bribery
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Nuts. I just had a bizarre 10 min unannounced interview at a local kindergarten, with a non-English speaking Principal. An expat friend mentioned that the kindergarten she teaches at was interested in finding a PT English teacher and thought that I would be suitable if I was interested. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to go hear them out, find out more via a meet and greet tour. The head English teacher was supposed to meet me but last minute had to cancel. Like I said, it was supposed to be a meet and greet, but turned out to be a 10 min long awkward interview by the principal, and me feeling like they are doing me a favour to see if I’m good enough for them to help me out with a work visa! Then there were strange questions like:
“where are you from?” - Canada, I’m a born and raised Canadian
“how come you look so much like a Chinese person?” - ?!
“which language are you most preficient in?” - uhhhhh, English? Since you know I don’t speak Mandarin expertly and that I was born and raised in Canada.
“who am I here for?” ” what relation?” - huh? I already told you I was here on ‘extended vacation’ with my common-law hubby and should there be some interesting opportunities arise, we would consider them.
“who is what is your husband?” - I answered the basic, Canadian, software engineer, etc. She still looked at me with inquiring eyes and asked, ‘he is?” she required the one answer, ” White”… good god, I can’t believe that should matter.
“would I need them to help me acquire a work visa?” - umm, well, like I said, if you decide you really want to hire me, then you would HAVE to provide a work visa, or I will not take the job, should I be interested in it.
There were a few other more normal interview questions as well regarding my professional background. Then I managed to get a couple answers from her in between sugar fiendish children distracted her constantly, questions such as how many hours, “full time” what? this was not what I was told, or I didn’t get the tour, I didn’t get to find out much in that 10 min. while the kids were back in from their break and were ransacking the place for candies (which I found out was used for to bribe the kids!!! holy crap!), but I did see that the kids were mainly in a world of their own, some withdrawn and others so silent (esp. girls). The last item mentioned by the principal was that I should go and prepare a demo activity for the kids. Okay, this I can do, but “I’ll need to know how much English they know, where they are at if they have a cirriculum, I’d like to sit in observe the children’s interaction with the teacher to see how things are done here and how the children react?” She replied, “oh just ask your expat friend”. “And when you’re ready to come give the demo, just call and come”.
I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking that this isn’t a kindergarten I would want to send my kids to.
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