Ambassador Language Course - LAUNCHED.

As I’m writing this, I’ve just finished perhaps the most lovingly made egg bacon sandwich (with runny yolk center, yum!) my dearest wife gave me. I’m still occasionally reaching over the keyboard for the fries and dipping into the ABC chili sauce before popping them into my mouth. Needless to say this writing process has now become a somewhat messy endeavor.

Not Sheilla's bacon sandwich - placed here solely to induce drool

I’d also just quit my job a couple of months ago, which is why I’m sitting here writing this blog entry instead of preparing to go to work. I ended my time of slightly over 3 years at my old workplace, IONS Education, and life has definitely taken a turn for the better. I mean, it was a great 3 and a ½ year run for the most part, and I was also one of those really enthusiastic and positive employee, but it was time for me to go out and make something out of myself.

It did feel hard, leaving the place, but I guess it was more because i knew I was going to go through huge changes in my daily routine. Well, I’d also become somewhat attached to my workplace: the there-ain’t-enough-chairs teacher’s room with the broken door, the computer lab with touchscreen all-in-one computers (touchscreen rendered practically useless with Windows 7 installed instead of win 8 / 10), the silly tap-in electronic keypad each classroom has, the ever-endearing lunchboxes with its smelly-fish-Friday menu, etc.. (you’ll notice that I’m the type that never complains about anything (-_^) So many fond memories..

I was obviously really worried about my students as well. Some were still working hard on their IELTS preparation and others on more general levels. 

Unsurprisingly, the ones that really weighed down on my mind were the weaker, more problematic students: students underachieving due to mental blocks they’d placed on themselves, students just breaking through that wall built by years of feeling inadequate, students with emotional issues, etc. I know that life has to go on, but if i had the chance, I’d just like to reach out to them and say more “It’s okay”s, “Don’t give up”s, or “I believe in you”s, and other corny phrases. My time has truly ended, however, and i just hope that whoever hired to replace me has the ability to see them not just as problem students, but also potential scientists, scholars, and leaders. Maybe even teachers. :)

I guess that’s the thing about being a teacher. No matter what you do, your students will become a part of you, reminding you to constantly improve so you’ll find better ways to help them and those other students you'll have in the future. So, i guess what I’m saying is.. students are like parasites? Okay, just kidding. I meant they’re like lice. By which i also mean we teachers are dirty mongrels.

Okay, now we will learn how to properly chew your master's shoes

So anyways, a new start in life. I’m feeling excited, I’m feeling nervous, feeling completely scared, but it’s all good. I’m alive and well, my wife’s egg bacon yummy-yolk sandwich is awesome, my baby is sleeping soundly as well as my two dogs, so here we go. I’m at the start of a completely new phase in my life, and I’ve decided to live it.

My name’s Jason Hendro, an English teacher here in Jogjakarta, and it’s my pleasure to declare the Ambassador Language Course Launched.