Not the blues, really ... just the last dwindling weeks before vacation. Some of my students have already begun their summer holidays. Of course, as they go, so do the lessons. It seems that every day more lessons are being canceled for one reason or another. I wouldn't mind if they canceled the day before, thereby being a late cancellation, because then I would still be paid. When the lesson is canceled or postponed in a timely manner, I lose the lesson and don't get any pay for it. It then extends the contract with that student.
I have one student who, for the first SEVEN lessons (1 1/2 hours each), managed to meet with me for a total of 1 hour and 25 minutes! Since informing my school of the discrepencies, we have been meeting on a fairly regular schedule. But this is, truly, a problem with this job. So long as a student cancels in time (48 hours), the teacher is not paid but there is not usually any way to fill that gap with another student. A teacher can start with 80 or 90 hours scheduled for the month and then find themselves scraping to hit 70! In July alone I have had 1 cancellation due to a Métro strike (I couldn't get there), 4 early cancellations, 8 lessons gone because of vacation time, 3 lessons gone due to the 14th of juillet holiday and 1 late cancellation. That means 16 classes (or about 24 hours, which is one very full week's work) for which I will not earn any money.
Hence, the summertime blues. Of course, in August, I will be one of those who is on vacation! The bad part is that I don't earn any money, but I knew this before entering this job field. I have plans to travel a bit during August. I will first head to Kaiserslautern, Germany, to stay with Lauren. We plan to take 7 or 8 days and drive around southeastern France. Upon our return, I am planning a visit to my friends, Nicole and Joe, a German couple who live outside of Stuttgart. We met when they toured the US West 2 years ago and stayed a couple of days with me in Colorado. From there I am off to Oslo, Norway, where I will visit with my friend, Anett. I am also looking forward to seeing some friends from Thunderbird (our grad school) who I have not seen since we left there many years ago.
September is shaping up to be a busy month, but I'll concentrate on getting through the summer for now. In the meantime, here are a few pictures, starting with the "killer" shoes I wore to the Embassy party. Then, another delicious pastry, this is called a Réligieuse. There is a large cream puff filled with chocolate cream, with a small cream puff sitting on top - also filled with chocolate cream. And, finally, a pic of my friends May and Jared and me at his going away party a week ago. Jared returned to Texas on Monday. Bonne chance, mon ami!
Bisous!
4 comments:
hi Nancy!
love the pics. sorry to hear about the hours that you're not getting. we miss you much - please send our love to Lauren!! Have fun with her, and squeeze her oodles for us.
we love you,
Jen, Charlie, Chazz n' Cy
Mmmmh, the cookies really look delicious! I promise, you will love the German cookies, too - if you haven´t already tried them at a visit with your niece... And we also have great wines here, as you may know. We look forward sooo much for your visit, we will blow your blues away, haha.....but I think it will be away, as soon as you can start!
Love and hugs,
Nicole
Hey Nancy! Thought I'd better check in and see how things are going for ya..love reading your blog, glad you got a nice apartment you like better!
I'll be posting in my blog, that's IF I get to go to my place in Mex. Money is pretty tight, but I am holding out hope to go in November..I think of you often as I have my pics on the screensaver, so see you there in Lake Como once in awhile and think of how super it was to spend some time having fun with you.. I still tell the story of the night we had dinner and the waitress said "its donkey", "oh its good, tastes like horse!!"
take care, sounds like your doing ok!
Sue from Oregon
Well said.
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