Back where I started

For several years before I started grad school in 2005 I worked for a research consulting firm doing, well, researchy-type stuff with, you know, numbers and words. Bored to tears, I decided to go for my Master’s which is in a subject area that basically focuses on how to teach languages. I thought this would be good since it would theoretically serve me well when we move to Sweden, and I’d taught English and Spanish in a variety of settings since 1999 as a volunteer, so I knew I liked it.

I’ve now finished this degree. And I’m teaching ESL, yes, but not at a place that requires a graduate degree. And thus far I have been unsuccessful in getting a part-time teaching job at a more upscale place, though partly this is because ESL programs don’t hire adjuncts until they have more information on enrollment, so it’s no surprise they wouldn’t be hiring now for August. Still, it’s been a little discouraging.

So when my old boss at the research place asked me last week if I could do some part-time from-home work for them, as apparently a person who had been hired to take over some of my old responsibilities had “left suddenly,” I said yes. The project should mostly be for this summer. It won’t be thrilling or even interesting, but, well…

Actually, I don’t know why I said yes. Partly just to help them out, I guess. But it’s frustrating to go back to my old job. Why did I even go to grad school, anyway? And it’s not that we need the money; that sounds a little obnoxious to say [I guess it is also obnoxious to complain about easy part-time work-from-home offers], but mostly it’s because I just won’t be making that much doing this. Though, to make my graduate degree seem even less purposeful, I’ll still be making more per hour in research than I am in teaching. Plus I was kind of looking forward to having my evenings more free with the absence of schoolwork to get good at sewing, and reading and exercising (well, “looking forward” may be the wrong word for that last one). But I said yes. At least I don’t have to go back to my sad little office; I can work from home. Maybe I can even watch TV while doing it! Oh right, we don’t have TV now. Perfect timing!