Turning Points (Finance): Part 2 of 2

Enough is Enough

I was laughed at, talked badly about by Thai teachers (they make examples out of you real fast), students flipping me off in my face, disobedient.  On a number of occasions, I lost my voice.  Regardless of the money, I woke up one morning and said, “keep the 900$ USD….it’s not worth my peace of mind and voice.”  I collected my last check, left, and never looked back.

Testing The Waters

After going full-time at a place (while beating out another teacher for the position), it took a hell of a long time to get respect.  So many “happenings’ took place at this specific language center and there were times that I was as dry as the Sahara Desert — literally.  What I mean by that was work and work allocation.  There were plenty of times when it was very controversial and work would be distributed unevenly amongst teachers.  So one teacher can have up to five-classes in a day and another would have just one.

Towards the end of the year, there would be big arguments with other teachers; teachers holding meetings – pointing fingers at others because they don’t have work; and even my name came along as being an inexperienced teacher.

Well within my rights, I started looking at other places and other opportunities.  There were times that specific individuals looked me dead in the eyes and said, “too be honest, Arsenio, it’s actually difficult to get a company when we model a black teacher.  It’s easier when we have a white teacher.”

I looked elsewhere and found really abominable beings.  I was scraping the bottom of the barrel with the process. There was one specific Japanese individual that literally switched her seats constantly to avoid looking at me.  That was not only harsh, but demoralising.  Another individual said, “Arsenio, I understand.  I saw the looks on my students eyes when you walked by the classroom.”  I can’t make these stories up.  This was not only inexcusable, but simply revolting actions from Thai and Japanese students.

I kept looking — telling myself that my calling would be somewhere.  I knew there were opportunities and money to be made, but it was the bread crumbs that I needed to look out for.  If I didn’t find them, they would pass me by.  Language Center 1 wasn’t worth the racial hatred, number 2 was about proving grounds…..then there was the big shabang.

The Big Shabang

And as the cliché is told: “the third time is the charm.” BINGO! After a phone call on the morning of Sunday, there was an offering that I simply couldn’t refuse and needed to be selfish.  Selfish and Arsenio in the same sentence? Unlikely.  However, I was making other people happy and not taking care of my own self or my own damn pockets.  What stemmed from this were opportunities which will probably lead to my massive calling within the next few months.  Not only that, but throughout this entire process, I’ve been able to travel back home to America in style, Malaysia for my Spartan competition, Maldives, and probably Ho Chi Minh for New Years….all monumental feats and also crossed 15 “101 goals” off my to-do list.  This year….only this year, I’ve worked miracles.  Seeing Maldives on TV, movies, and dreams – became a reality.  Doing a ridiculous difficult competition while befriending the most awesome Malaysians and Pakistani’s ever = accomplishment — all on top of saving so much money.

As I look at my bank account, look at what I’m earning per month, and looking towards the future….all I can really do is cry.  Honestly.