I’m a little upset at how things are working out at work.

My job title is “trainer.” I remember way back when my work permit was applied for the issue came up: was I a teacher or a trainer? Trainer, it was decided. And I really felt like a trainer last semester.

This semester I mostly teach kids and do holiday-themed “activities.” These activities often have very little educational value, and I have to fight to keep the other planners from distorting any message of cultural education. Example: I had to put up a big fuss to keep the “pilgrims” in the Thanksgiving activity from being portrayed as pirates, and the Chinese also seem all for promoting Indians (native Americans) as savages, because it has more entertainment value that way.

I feel more like a clown than I ever did as a college English teacher. Today they told me that one of the kindergartens we’re organizing an activity for “requires” that I do some kind of performance for them. Hell no! True, I can juggle, but I just refuse to do it for them on principle.

I can be out of here come the end of January, but I’m not going to allow them to rob me of every last scrap of dignity in the meantime. It’s a struggle.