Life at a University...???!!!

I never thought I will have this kind of experience; an experience which I could say was very horrible.

I was asked if I could teach basic conversation in Mandarin Chinese because the supposed teacher informed the school that he can’t teach until after a month more. Imagine it was already 6 weeks since classes opened for that school year. I heard that the school (used to be an exclusive school for girls) was about to tell the students to drop the subject, so I asked my friend if ever the students will drop the subject, will the school refund their tuition fee? I don’t think so.

With my sympathy to the students, I accepted the invitation. I went through the usual interviews and everything, presented my credentials like my diploma from Beijing, China where I took Advance Chinese Language Training. I was shocked to find out that the salary was so small but since my heart is already set on teaching, I accepted the meager pay that was offered by the president.

When I went to the personnel department, the second-in-charge raised her voice at me, “I didn’t know you already spoke with the president. How come I was not informed?” My eyes opened wide and spoke her with the same tone she gave me, “How will I know that I will have the interview with the president if your office didn’t call me? Well…” It was only then that she lowered her voice. How will you react to this?

Facing my students the first time, I told myself that this is going to be fun as I could see that the students are easy to get along with and are interested in the course. There were just one or two students whom I found to be easy-go-lucky, and I don’t find this as a problem but as a challenge.

The problem started when I received my first pay check. I was told by the president that I will receive such amount but when I saw the check it was 11% lower. I sought audience with the president but she did not talk to me but instead pointed me back to the finance dept. It was only the person at the finance dept. who had the guts to explain to me in details why my salary was like that. An explanation is all I need and people from this school who are supposed to explain things… hides. I told the lady at the finance dept. about the treatment I got from their HR dept. and know what they told me… that the person second in command of the dept. is really unknowledgeable of her duties for she always commits mistakes and does not know what public relation is all about. Disgusting, isn’t it?

The problem did not just stop there… it even escalated. My pay check this time was put on hold and I was surprised. I asked why and the lady at the finance dept. told me because my dept. did not give me clearance after the midterms. I said I have not given midterms yet because the students are not yet ready as it was only a month since I started. I went looking for my immediate supervisor, unfortunately, I was told he was busy. It made me so mad that I threatened to resign because of their negligence. Since I can’t find him, I wrote him an email asking for an explanation. It took him quite a while before he replied. How did he have the guts to reply? Because my friend told him so. My immediate supervisor told me that my salary was not supposed to be on hold since he knew for a fact that I have not administered the midterm exam yet. He apologized for his negligence. Thank God, he knows how to admit his mistake. The issue was resolved.

Then I found out that the salary of the engineer who is teaching French is much higher than mine, I wondered how come since we are both language instructors. I went again to the HR dept. to inquire about this. I told her that I have a diploma from a prestigious school in China, of which she has a copy, so how come my salary is inferior to that of the French language teacher. Guess what her reply is… because he is an engineer and your diploma is not from the Philippines. My eyes opened as wide as it can get when I heard her reply. I told her that it was the most ridiculous thing I ever heard!!! I asked her, “If I were a doctor, will I get a higher salary even if I am a language instructor and has nothing to do with my being a doctor?” She said, “Yes.” How stupid!!!

I know how disgusting things are going on with this school but I pity my students who have done nothing wrong to be affected. I told my class of the treatment I am getting from their school. Though they can’t do anything at least they will be aware of what is going on outside their classroom.

I don’t mind the paperwork that come with teaching because I know it goes with the territory. What I didn’t like at all is how this school treats their teachers like me. When other teachers heard of the deductions made to my pay slip, they instantly took a look at their own and found out the same discrepancies. It was an eye-opener for everyone.

I also experienced food poisoning from the school canteen when I ate shawarma one day. I was hospitalized and spent more than my earnings from this university.

This university really gave me so much heartaches and headaches. Now as I look back to the experience I had with this university, the only thing I am asking is, “Do other schools think like the management of this school thinks?” If this is the case, I am not wondering why so many Filipinos prefer to work outside the country rather than serve their fellow countrymen. Tsk tsk tsk…