Before I start on this, I should mention that I really like my company. I do. I like the curriculum and the overall idea. I like that the children are actually learning to think in English and not just repeat it.
However.... while I am glad that my company thinks highly of me as a teacher and wants to keep me around, I really wish they would just make up their minds.
So, I gave my notice at the start of January after vacation with a vague TBA ending date because I knew they were about to open new schools and on a major hiring spree. This should be a good thing for them, right? However, it meant that we had too many teachers who were there, but not permanently there. So I offered to give them time to replace me if needed.
January, I was told that they would replace me by the end of June if I was really leaving, but then I was offered the position to move to one of the new schools outside of Tokyo (that was still pending because they hadn't okayed the location.) After a month of planning and negotiating, I was told that the location was no good after all.
February, I was told that I could stay in case they found a good location (this year, next year, ten years from now...) or that I could be out at the end of April. From June to April and it was coming up fast! However, about a week or two of stress on my part, one of the candidates who signed on to come dropped out. So I was again asked to stay until the end of June.
March, they managed to find enough teachers and got them all to sign contracts, so they thought they were safe. I was told that I could stay on until the end of June if I agreed to occasionally work at the other schools and help train new teachers. I was also told that I'd be only part-time for May and June. Hence my plans to move out of my apartment and into a share house (13 people, 2 toilets, 1 shower... but I'd finish work at 2pm and have the day to myself.) However, the share house let's me save ~40,000yen per month.
For one week I worked with my replacement. She had the perfect disposition for working with this age group (2-3 years old) and it was going well. Then came the call.... Monday night one of the people who was contracted to start in April e-mailed that she had taken another job. My replacement was moved to her position and my company will look for my replacement after April. I have again been asked to work full-time until the end of June.... while living in a share house with 12 other people!
So now... my dilemma is, do I continue with my plan and hope that they find someone sooner and I can opt out of full-time or that I find a boyfriend who lives alone and doesn't mind me sleeping over; or should I trust that this won't change yet again and opt to move into another one of their houses, like the nice one a few stations down that has only 5 single rooms (again with 2 toilets and 1 shower, but only 5 people instead of 13!) However, I will not be able to save money and in fact may be paying about 5,000yen more than I currently am in my apartment....
I could refuse the full-time option, but that might not be an option.... I think I need to have another chat with the director.
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