Long Hours in Malta

 

           

             Losing Time with Long,

                       Unfair Hours

 

It’s 6 PM now on a Tuesday.  I’ve been teaching since 9 AM.  I’ve waited two and a half hours to teach a course from 5:30 to 7:00 PM.  But the students didn’t show up. That means I could have gone home at 3 PM.

Teaching from 9 AM to 3 PM (that 4.5 hours of direct teaching) is really enough.  And after that, there’s the lesson planning which must be done for every class.

My daughters came from the US to visit me these past two weeks.  I hardly saw them during the week because of work. I had requested that I not work the evening hours for these past two weeks. I requested that about two months ago when I knew my daughters would be here.  Note:  I didn’t ask for a day off; I asked for the evenings off.

My request fell on deaf ears, as the expression goes.  Now my daughters have gone.  I won’t have that time with them again.  My partner saw them more than I did.

For some people, their career comes before their family.  And that means if you work for them, your career must come before your family—or you don’t have a job.

Because of work, I also had to miss my younger daughter receiving her master’s degree from her university in the U.S.  I was in the U.S. at the time. But I was told that I could not get three extra days of vacation—even without pay—to see the graduation.  I was told I had to make a choice—the graduation or the job.  I discussed the situation with my kids. They told me that I couldn’t give up the job.

Well, I made the choice to take the job.  But my back was up against the wall when I made that choice.  I was told to “take it or leave it.”  I should have left it.

Now people will tell me that it is unwise to talk about this—that it’s not politically correct.   But I started this blog by telling the truth—good and bad.  And I’m not going to stop now.

Comments

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hi Alison--don't worry. I knew what you meant--Ilene

[alison]

I just realised my reply was supposed to be directed to Mary Bartolotta not to you LOL.... mistake mistake hehe =)

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hi Alison and all, I think (G-d Willing) I've found a better school to work in. And I still really like Malta--just not the former place of employment. Ran into a friend today from the former place--an intern who has also been mistreated there--and said things are hell as usual. She's also leaving but wants to stay in Malta--Ilene

[Alison]

@ Sennuwy

'I can't believe you really want to live in a place like that, much less work for those for whom you are working. There's got to be a more humane country with great weather where you could work. Spain? Italy? Portugal? Just saying.'

Come now isn't that a bit of a generalisation? Every country has it's ups and downs and any job in any country can have these kind of conditions. So you cannot just go calling Malta a inhumane country because it is just not true !!!!

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hi Mary--thanks for your concern. There are good and bad places of employment everywhere. I've talked to some other schools in Malta who couldn't believe the long hours I had to put in and the inhumane treatment that occurred at this place. I'm being optimistic that I'm moving on to a better situation xxx Ilene

[Mary Bartolotta]

I can't believe you really want to live in a place like that, much less work for those for whom you are working. There's got to be a more humane country with great weather where you could work. Spain? Italy? Portugal? Just saying.

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hi Dee-it's hard to believe, isn't it? But I'm leaving this place xxx Ilene

[Dee]

You weren't even asking for a day off! Where's the compassion - it's not like the girls live just around the corner or across the 'small pond' - they had to traverse that 'big pond' to spend a few hours with Mom!

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Thanks, Joe, for your support--Ilene

[Joe Arevalo]

I agree; that is too many teaching hours and there should have been substitute teachers available. I smell a sick day coming. Don't get mad, get even.