QUICK LOWDOWN

I have a few minutes to spare so I thought I'd take the time to give you a week in the shoes of me (Poland style). Hopefully, I'll have internet at the flat soon so I'll be able to put pictures up more frequently. Until then, you'll have to endure my recent complaining regarding my inability to teach English. But first, a cup of good news. My friend Sachin, from my masters program, has connections to English proofreading jobs in different areas in Poland. Luckily, he saved my butt this month and brought me a job that will pay me the equivalent to my current month's salary (minus about 30 zl) for about four hours of editing/proofreading work. I heart Sachin.

Now, a taste of my current teaching schedule looks like.

MONDAYS
7:10-8:40am : Conversation Business English (all students from Ecco, a Polish company)
This class is...well, there. It's at 7am on a Monday morning so I attempt to give them a topic that they can just run with for an hour and a half. This particular class is dominated by one gentleman in particular but at least he has a wide range of vocabulary and his grammar is, for the most part, very good.
5:40-7:10pm : Business English Cambridge Exam preparation
This class is so far, my most difficult. They don't know words like evolve and I have such a difficult time explaining them. This class also thinks I'm an idiot since I cannot explain these things to them properly. I believe I have actually caught them rolling their eyes to one another.

TUESDAYS
7:00-8:30am : Business English Pre-Intermediate Conversation (Ecco)
This class is four gentleman that, I believe, know English vocabulary very well but can't speak to save their lives. But they try. This class is a big pain in my behind because they want to have vocabulary for the next lesson. Problem with this is that planning my lesson for the next week is so annoying since it puts me on this weird schedule for just their class. Business classes can do whatever they want though. At least I get free coffee in the mornings...
4:00-5:30pm : Pre-Intermediate Teenagers (16-18)
Yea...don't really know what to say about this class. I loved my second class with them but my most recent was a nightmare. They love to speak in Polish, work with only their friends, and speak some more in Polish. Last class, they even asked me if I could understand them/speak Polish. (They want to talk about me/the class.) I try to make this class fun for them (there's only 4 students) but their parents make them come here and the motivation level isn't like it is in my adult classes.
5:10-7:40pm : Certificate in Advanced English preparation
I share this class with my housemate Maja and they're freaking awesome. They hate the book, love to learn about American culture and love to talk. There's about 8 students and they all have a great sense of humor.

WEDNESDAYS
7:00-8:30am : Business English Upper Intermediate Conversation (Ecco)
This class rocks. The four guys love to talk and make jokes. They ask questions about America and if it's really "free" and they love to use fun new words that they learn. (Last week was abstinent - I explained that we don't only use it in regards to alcohol but to sex as well. They had a field day...) Great morning class.
11:30am-1:00pm : One on one with the director at Makro (a business similar to Sam's Club)
I've only met this guy once but it was nice. He's really advanced and just wants someone to basically chat with in English for a few hours a week. Plus - I get a Makro card which gets me super discounts on anything in the store. Very awesome. Negative - I have to take the bus to get there.
5:40-7:10pm : First Certificate in English preparation
This class is the class that Maja and I refer to as our "boring" class. They are all tired and don't really like to talk. It's like pulling teeth to do a speaking exercise. And on top of it, they ask questions about grammar. I like to pretend I'm a substitute teacher for this class. I think they literally sleep with their eyes open when we're teaching.

THURSDAYS
7:15-8:45am : One on one with an executive at Ecco
This lesson almost cost me my job. Maja and I got minimal instructions from the school and ended up missing this lesson. I haven't actually met the guy yet and I'm kinda nervous that he's gonna hate us. More on this Friday.
3:40-5:10 : Business English Cambridge preparation-on site at Nutricia (baby food company)
This class is touch and go. The girls are all really nice and want to learn but they're so busy and usually kinda tired. I try to make the lame book fun but it's a stretch sometimes. And it's about a 15 minute walk from school. At least I can go straight home after it...

FRIDAYS!
So glad that all my classes on Friday are, for the most part, really good.
7:00-8:30 : Certificate in Advanced English (Ecco)
This class is good but I can't get the one gentleman to stop talking. And worse, he is probably at the lowest level of all the students (there are 4) and I've noticed that he usually likes to comment on political or social aspects of America that he does not agree with. I can totally see the other students rolling their eyes at each other (at least for this class it's not because of me) and I don't know what to do to get him to stop. And I think he's still thinking in Polish and translating it into English so everything begins with an "ummm..."
Kluczbork!!
The following classes I teach in Kluczbork and they're great. The director at the school is totally down to earth and is always trying to make me feel comfortable. She's bought me a hot water heater so I can have tea every class and she says that if the weather gets bad in the winter, she'll pick me up in Opole (it's about a 45 minute drive) and I can stay at her house and she'll drive me back Saturday morning. Other awesome thing is I get to drive "Tico", the school car, by myself (pictures to follow asap). I may have to leave Opole at 2:00pm to be in Kluczbork for a class at 3:30 but the time alone, and the awesomeness of getting to drive a manual in Poland, totally makes up for it. Also, they're all conversation classes (so no teaching grammar) and once the younger teen class starts, I'll be getting a free dinner!
3:30-5:00pm : Upper Intermediate Conversation with Teenagers (16-18)
These kids LOVE to talk and they're pretty good at it. My job is to give them a native speaker to converse with, some additional vocabulary (I love when they ask about something completely irrelevant that they just want to know the word for. Last week was "stilts" and "engaged.") to stimulate their minds. Totally excited to throw them an awesome Halloween party.
5:10-5:55pm : Pre Intermediate Conversation with Younger Teenagers (13-16)
I haven't actually started this class but it's young people and only 45 minutes. It should be good.
6:15-7:45pm : Certificate in Advanced English Conversation
This class is awesome (it's in Kluczbork, isn't it?) too. The adults are a little reluctant to talk, and you can sometimes tell that they're saying something just so that I can recognize that they're trying, but I think they'll get better. This class also has two of my favorite students, Agnieska and Sebastian. They're married, newly pregnant, and love to talk.

So there it is - a week in the life of me. Took me a little longer than expected though so now I must go off and eat lunch while I plan my afternoon lessons. Dowidzenia!