I know I haven't written in a while, but things here have been kinda confusing lately. Once I got back from the Halloween trip to the States, I called the COINTSA office several times to see what I needed to do to start my job training. They kept telling me to call back because they weren't completely ready for me to start yet. After hearing the same thing over and over again, they finally told me they weren't even sure if they had been chosen yet to be the contact center for the company in the States. Therefore, if they don't get the job, I don't. Why they didn't tell me that before, I don't know. I can't stand it when people give others false hopes. Especially someone that really needs it. Maybe they got tired of dealing with my visa papers, hired somebody else, then lied to me. I don't know, and I was really upset when I found out, but now I see more than ever that God always has the best plan in mind.After finding out about the COINTSA thing, I was completely confused. I just sat in my room most of the time wondering why God would put such a great opportunity in my life then just rip it out of my hands. I cried, complained, and just felt completely lost. José Luis was really supportive and understood what I was going through, but eventually, he pretty much forced me to get out of my house and get back up on my feet. He said, if you want a job, you have to go out and find it. It may not be exactly what you want, but if you are spoiled about it, you may not ever find one. He told me I could start out somewhere as a receptionist or something of the sort and continue to look for other opportunities. So I started sending emails like crazy and leaving my resume everywhere, even car dealerships. I saw an ad on a job vacancy site for English teachers with great pay. I know I was really against teaching English at first, but I had to give it a try. I sent in my resume and they called me for a interview the next day.
I looked up the address on Google Maps and it looked like a horrible neighborhood. But I figured I needed to check it out anyway, so I went. I must have typed in the wrong address or something, because it wasn't in a bad neighborhood at all. When I walked into the office, I was really amazed at how great it looked. Everything was brand new, from the floors to the technology system. They guy that gave me the interview, Enrique, was very nice and spoke English perfectly. He said he lived all throughout the States for years, especially in the South. That really gave us a connection and we joked about accents and rednecks. He said he and his friend, José Luis, have been friends since high school and both studied engineering. But then they had the idea for a new way of teaching English as a foreign language, and Enrique decided it was time to come home and settle down in Mexico. The concept of the company, YES Your English Source, is that it is not an "English school" but an "English training center." We only accept people over the age of 18 and want them to feel as if they are being treated professionally, and not like they're 13 again having to make sentences out of cardboard words. The tables and chairs are set up like a conference room, no desks. The coolest thing about the place, though, is the technology. We are currently the only company in Mexico that has this kind of system. Our whiteboards are touchscreens that come with an electronic pen. So instead of being behind a computer the whole class or trying to write on a dry erase board, the computer is on the screen and I can interact with it in front of the class. We don't make up our own system of teaching English, but use a book by Pearson and Longman called Top Notch. I'm sure you've heard of those authors before, and that's kinda the point. We want people to know we are using material that has been used for years and has won awards. I can pull up the book on the screen, listen to audio, fill in the blanks, play movies, play games on the CD Rom, and a lot more. I fell in love with the system and the atmosphere so much that I sent an email to Enrique just thanking him for the interview because it gave me hope to believe that I really can feel like I belong, even when I'm far away from home.
I called so excited and nervous the next day to see if I had gotten the job, and Enrique told me they wanted to offer me a full time position and that he was also appreciative of my email. He said he knows what it feels like to be far away from home and needing a place to belong. Although I didn't have teaching experience, they felt that I would learn fast and be a great addition to the company. I think I about peed my pants, I was so excited. He said I could come in that day to start playing around with the system. On Monday, I started my training and met the lawyer. He has been so helpful in getting together my visa papers. Just yesterday we turned in all the paperwork so they could start the procedure. The only bad thing is that I'm going out of the country for Christmas and I need my tourist form to be able to leave. So I had to buy a leave and return permission form and they can't start the procedure until I get back. It's a mess, but a small price to pay to be so happy with my work.
Like I said, with the pay + commissions for getting people to sign up, I won't have a money issue (thank the Lord). Also, since this is a new company that just opened, we aren't starting classes until January 11. That means I get to go home for three weeks for Christmas and New Year's! Enrique told me that they are expecting a boom of growth, once people see how great the system is. That means I have options for the future of doing things other than teaching. Like becoming a coordinator or help run another branch in the city. Pretty cool.
The only bad things about working there that I've seen so far are that I have to start classes at 7 am, which means I have to get up around 5:15 to get there on time. However, I have a break between 11 and 4, which means I can go to the gym and even eat lunch at my house. Then classes again from 4 to 8. Another thing is that we have to wear uniforms. I don't like the idea, but at least I don't have to stand in front of my closet every day for an hour trying to figure out what to wear.
I really feel now that I have found a place to belong in Mexico, a company where I feel like an important part of the team. They even asked me to be in some pictures for a magazine ad and do a commercial for one of the local TV stations. I feel completely comfortable and I know it won't take me long to become great friends with all my coworkers. Who ever thought I would become an English "instructor?" I guess I couldn't get out of it. It runs in the family.
