You cant always get what you want.....

When I got offered my first teaching job in Medellin I took it without asking any questions. I was grateful to be offered the job.I had no experience of teaching and I was on my arse.He offered me 10,000 pesos an hour and I gladly accepted.That's not good money but I was glad to be getting experience and get some badly needed cash.There wasn't many hours either and the hours he gave me were all over the place,but it was a start, even if it was the bottom of the ladder. I also think its best to do something instead of nothing.I was working for this guy for a month when he told me there was another company looking for a native speaking English teacher and he recommended me.Thanks very much.He said I was doing a good job for him but he realised he didn't have enough hours for me to keep me going but I could work for him and this other company aswell.I went to see this company who are based in the rich area of town,called Poblado.They offered me the job and pay off 25,000 an hour. Fantastic I was thinking, I have almost tripled my pay.The job was to prepare students for a test called IELTS. The test is for anyone who wants to live or work in Australia,Britain,or Canada.They must pass this test otherwise they wont be accepted.They have to do a listening, reading,writing and speaking test.My new company is the official training partner of the IELTS test in Medellin.I am now the official IELTS preparation teacher for Medellin.Nice one I thought on the bus home,but I ain't got a clue what I am doing.They told me to come back in a few days to go over the itinerary for the course I will be holding. Its a hard test and the students have to be really good at English.I am not teaching them English,its more teaching them how to pass the test.How to write the essays,read quickly and give them mock interviews for the speaking exam.It costs a lot of money to take the test and if you fail you have to pay to take it again.The whole point of the course I am running is to make sure they pass first time.No pressure.I am given a lot of books to read and told to start work next Monday.I swat up on the books but I still don't feel super confident.I am still reading the books when I get the bus to work on my first day.I have to give a presentation with an overhead projector and explain how the course works.My boss tells me not to say this is my first time taking the course "these people have paid a lot of money to take this course and they don't want to hear its your first time ". I had no plans to tell anyone but thanks anyway.There are 5 students and the course is Monday to Friday for 3 hours.It lasts for 3 weeks.The students are a mixture of people, planning to emigrate to Australia, Canada or study in London.We do a lot of mock exams,and I go over where they went wrong.Two of the students asked me for private one to one lessons outside the course. I checked with the company if this was ok and they said no problem.Happy days.I am getting extra work from this aswell.The course went well and everyone seemed happy and more confident about taking the exam.The company said they were happy with my work and would like me to continue working for them.I explained that my visa was running out soon and they said they would help me arrange a work visa.Very happy days.Work visas are not easy to come by and its not easy to stay in Colombia longer than 6 months without one.This has turned out great for me, just by working for the guy with poor pay and lousy hours it led to me getting a good job and a work visa.It just confirms my belief that you should do something rather than nothing.Like Mick and Keef wrote, you cant always get what you want but, well you know the rest.People who wont work because the pay is poor or the hours are not suitable are missing the point, or just don't want to work.Do something and do it well.Even if you don't like it and something better will come of it ,if you want it to.The important part is do it well.If you cant do it well then don't bother because no ones going to offer you something better if have no enthusiasm.My students took the official test at the weekend but I wont find out there results untill the 4th May.I really want them to do well, I have made friends with all of them ,and for a few of them there whole future is resting on getting the correct score.Also its not going to look good for me if they all fail.I am really busy all round now.I work for another school on Saturday mornings and I have built up a few private clients aswell.I want to increase more of my private clients. I think this is where I can make the most money and you are your own boss.I have made some really good friends with my private clients,a few of them invite me to lunch for the lesson.Its not working.How can it be work when an attractive woman invites you to lunch, picks up the tab, pays for the taxi and then pays for your time just talking to her.Another client,who is a wealthy Architect has invited me to his house for diner with his family next week.Something happened last week that made me feel good, it made me realise how times had changed since I first arrived.I got a phone call from a private school I had went to see a few months previous.I had a chat with them and left my CV.They called me up and asked me if I was interested in working for them.Sure I am always interested in work.I arrange for an interview in a few days.I go to see the guy and the interview is fairly relaxed.Like most Colombians he is telling me how great his school is and the work is easy and I will love it here blah blah blah.I am not so wet round the ears now and I am thinking cut to the chase.....whats the pay.He is trying to soften me up so he can offer me low pay.Sure enough he offers me 10,000 pesos an hour.He can tell by my face I am not impressed.He tells me its just a starting price and they will improve it.I explain that its not enough and I would need 17,000 to consider the position.After talking about this and that he says he can offer me 15,000 to start with.I agree on the condition that if he and the students are happy with my work he will improve the pay.We shake hands on the job.Its only 4 hours on a Saturday morning but its 10 minutes from where I live so its good for me.If this was a few months ago I would have bitten his hand off for the work and the low pay.It just felt good not to be feeling desperate and I would of turned him down if he hadn't increased the offer.Now I have tons more confidence in my teaching ability, so I know he will be happy with my work.Its only a few hours with average pay but you never know what it might lead to......
In the words of Charles Schwab " A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm "