Did I tell you that I got a little job?
I say "little" because it is the teeniest sort of teaching job one can have, in my opinion. I'm teaching a class at a nearby university; the class is happening only on three weekends (they call it "weekend intensive" -- uh, *yeah*), although it is a regular three credit course. Then next semester I'll teach the same weekend course again, paired with another traditional, 16 week semester course.
I'm really excited about this opportunity because it's my chance to get my head back in the game. But let me say from the outset that this isn't the same game that I'm used to playing, in the sense that the gameboard is much different. The university with which I am now employed is a very small, Catholic, liberal arts school -- like, less than 2000 students, I think. I never attended a school of less than 20,000, and as far as I know, I've never taught at one that had less than 8-10K. So a change.
And this small school mentality was extraordinarily evident when, upon visiting last week, I happened to schedule a tour of the library before I got my official paperwork turned in (which granted an ID and thus library resource access). So after having scoured their video selection for something I might use this semester, I realized that I wasn't authorized to check anything out.
This, however, deterred no one.
With no ID in tow, no NOTHING to show them that I was who I said I was, they created an account for me right there, and insisted that I take the films with me right then. And don't worry about bringing them back until the semester is over, or even later. They'll just keep renewing them for me until someone else needs them.
And parking permit? Oh yeah, we have those -- here's one. You can have it free. But no one really uses them. But I'm not supposed to tell you that because we're supposed to use them around here. And you don' t have any ID yet? That's not a problem. Don't remember your license plate number? Not really a big deal. Just call us next week.
Uh, me no understand your school. Me understand long lines and lots of monies to parking. Me understand onerous bureaucracy.
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2 comments:
i think it's a tiny college in the midwest. cause our tiny college (approx 3000 students inc grad students) in NYC has none of the sweet trusting helpfulness, believe me.
indeed. jovi tells it aright! we have massive bureaucracy and micromanagement. it blows. glad you're living it up! i hope the class goes well.
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