Life of an Online Teacher

So, what is an online teacher’s life like?

I have been working with Korean students for more than 5 years already!

Take note—FIVE YEARS!

Who do you think would not adapt one’s culture if you talk to them every day within 5 years?

I consider my students as friends, not as students…

Most of the time, we study grammar, vocabulary, listening, and other skills in English.

We also talk about everything under the sun.

Sometimes, we talk about our own experiences and cultures.

I learned a lot of things about Korea since my students have different careers.

Some are flight attendants, tourist guide, and director of a big company, civil engineers, computer programmer, hair dresser, and blogger, employee in a trading company, a loving mom, and some university students down to elementary students.

Of course, with different reason why they wanted to learn English.

Most of them just wanted someone to talk with using English.

Some are preparing for an interview.

A few are bored, so they like to spend their time productively.

So, let me tell you how I became an English tutor and suddenly an online tutor (which I consider the best job I have).

When I was in high school, I never heard about Korea.

I do not even remember any of my high school teacher mentioned about Korea.

Until now, I couldn’t imagine myself working with Koreans.

When I was in high school, MATH is my favourite subject.

I love Math!

I could even remember that I was once a Math teacher’s pet.

How about English?

I guess English sucks!

Believe it or not, but when I was in high school, I didn’t know about that fucking partsof speech like verb, adverb, noun, pronoun, adjective, preposition, conjunctionand interjection.

I don’t know about simple past tense, simple future tense, and simple present tense.

About present perfect tense, future progressive tense, regular verb, irregular verb, first person, second person, singular, plural, common noun, proper noun, and abstract noun?

Where on earth are those terms originated?

Mind you, I didn’t have any idea about those nonsense things!

Since Math is my favourite subject, I really love to be an accountant.

I asked my mom if she could send me to college and take an accounting course, unfortunately, a poor mother of mine told me with a teary-eyed that she could not.

I have an uncle who is a lawyer.

My mom sent me to him hoping that he could help me.

My uncle brought me to a school and gave me the chance to take an entrance exam, however I was late already, so I have no choice but to wait til next semester.

I could not explain, but I cried (weird) because I really wanted to enter in a university.

So, he sent me to my uncle (Pastor Celeste) who lives in Baguio City.

He runs a school there.

He works with some Koreans—the school where he administers is owned by Korean brethren.

           I thought my problem is solved already because I can take a course which I am interested of.

To my surprise, there were only three courses offered in the school—Social Work, Theology, and Education.

So, I’d rather choose one course than nothing.

Anyway, it’s for free or with a discount since the administrator is my uncle.

*Thank you so much Uncle Alex Celeste for sharing your blessings! You are incomparable!*

Alright, so I took up Bachelor of Elementary Education.

I was thinking of taking up secondary education majoring in Math, but I can’t find myself working with senior students.

During my first year in the university, I thought it was a big mistake of studying in college.

I thought, I should have stayed in my hometown and work there to earn money.

College life is just so difficult for me.

My allowance is scarce since my mom could not support me.

I can only buy a shirt (ukay-ukay *very cheap clothes*) when my aunt who works abroad, my sister who works in Manila, and my uncle Alex will give me money.

One more thing that frustrates me in my college life is my English subject!

As I mentioned earlier, I don’t know anything about English!

And then, the entire instructor and my classmates in college are English speakers.

No one is allowed to speak in mother-tongue inside the school campus.

That is why my classmates misunderstood that I am mute because I don’t speak during the class discussion.

My professor talked to my uncle and worried if I can become a teacher.

So, to make the story short, my uncle including the academic dean (who used to work in a big University at Baguio City) and my professors were all amazed after they see me for my demo-teaching.

They never thought that I could become their asset.

Ahahaha

Alright, so when I was in third year college, someone has introduced me to a Korean student.

He is a 4^th year high school student who studies at the University of Baguio.

I refused at first, but they have encouraged me.

They told me that I am capable of the job.

So, I took the challenge.

I could still remember it was rainy season during those times.

I had to travel for an hour just to teach one student for an hour paid for a hundred peso.

I taught him for just a month.

When I arrive home, I still had to make my homework, so it affects my study.

I gave up because it was very difficult.

And then, when I was in my hometown, (I could still remember that I was watching basketball league at the plaza) when my former boss sent me a message asking if I could teach in her academy.

I was still a student before, but it was vacation so I grabbed the opportunity.

She told me to come the next morning, so I had to rush home and tell my mom if she could give me a fare because there’s a job waiting for me in Baguio.

Keep updated for the continuation of my story…