Expatiperro

Since November and the start of my teaching career, I've been teaching English classes for two different agencies. Most of my classes are with one agency- seven classes a week, for a total of about 15 hours- while I only have two hours of work a week with the other. Now I like each job very much (they both put food on the table), but as time as passed, I've come to enjoy my main job much more than my other one. The pay is better, I have a better relationship with my boss, and most importantly (at least to me), it doesn't require me to teach at 8 AM Mondays and Fridays.

The past few weeks, I had been strongly considering leaving my minor job, in order to focus more on my primary job, as well as my private classes. Now, I'd never quit an job before, but I assumed that there were certain actions that one had to take to formally cut off ties: resignation letters, a talk with the boss, emotional goodbyes to your co-workers and students. And I assumed that these actions would be in play even in the world of Barcelona English teaching, with its emphasis on temporary employment and job-hopping.

So I drafted up a resignation letter, prepared my goodbye speech, and summoned the courage to call my boss. And what response did I get? (A paraphrase follows)

"Matt, things aren't this formal here. No need to give me two week. Come in at the month and collect your paycheck. See you then."

The lesson from this experience? That teaching English in Barcelona is a temporal, causal profession; that being unprofessional is accepted, if not expected; and that I shouldn't feel like I have to make every exit a graceful one.