Bitter Beginnings

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I had just graduated from high school and didn't want to stay idle during the period before entering university. I spent days thinking about what to do. At first, I considered learning a skill, but I just couldn't pick one out of the many options that danced in my head. After receiving advice from my siblings, I finally decided to apply for a teaching job. In my state, developing schools, especially elementary schools, require qualified teachers. As long as you have your school results and meet the requirements, you are good to go.

Luckily, a developing elementary school not far from my parent's house needed teachers. I applied for the teaching job and got it immediately. I spoke with the school owner, and she told me that I would start the following week. I was excited! The thought of working with my hands and making my own money made my heart flutter. Growing up, I have always had a strong desire to be independent. I have always wanted to be able to take care of my basic needs and not always depend on my parents and older siblings.

Even though the pay was meager, I was happy to have gotten the job. When I got home, I shared the good news with my parents and siblings- we were all happy. The good news was the talk of the weekend in my house. I was super excited to start the job- my first job. But, I had a problem. I had never worked as a teacher or in any other field before, so I didn't have any professional clothes. Luckily, my brother agreed to help me shop for new corporate wear. When he got back, I had fun trying them on and seeing if they’d fit properly.

The next morning, I woke up with a bright smile on my face. The first thing I did when I got up was iron my new corporate wear. I wanted my first day to be flawless. I was super happy, and my smile said it all. My face couldn't hide the joy I felt in my bones. Swiftly and firmly, I dressed up buttoned my shirt, wore my trousers, and put on my well-polished shoes. Viola! I was good to go. The sky was beautiful and the weather was nice.

I got to the school before all the other teachers. I met with the school owner, who was also the principal, and we had a tete-a-tete before the other teachers arrived. The principal and I agreed that I'd be in charge of 1 class and I'd teach only one subject- Christian Religious Studies. I was happy because CRS was one of my favorite subjects. I had excelled in it throughout high school. I also had distinctions in CRS in my external exams. So, when the principal assigned it to me, I knew I could handle it. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

My first day as a teacher was a success. At first, I was super nervous, with so many eyes staring at me. But as soon as I started teaching, I found the right plug. Every other thing came off easily. Everything was going well until the end of the month when I was supposed to receive my first-ever salary. My Joy was cut short when the Principal told me that I wouldn't be getting my salary that month because some students had not paid their school fees. She promised to make it up next month. As if that was not enough, she also added an extra subject. Initially, we agreed on just 1 subject, but she added an extra one because a teacher resigned.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was when she repeated this same thing for the third time. Yes, I worked there for 3 months without getting paid. Well, she paid me in promises. She kept promising to pay me up and “add a little” extra the next month. So, after everything, I decided to resign. Although my experience was not pleasant, I learnt many valuable lessons there.

Thanks for reading.