The Job Itself

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Before we came to KL, we were led to labour under the following misapprehensions:

1. We would be extremely rich, as our salary would be £450 in a country where a meal cost 30p;
2. They would “take it easy on us”, as they knew we had never taught before; we would be eased into classes, and probably shadow another teacher before we started
3. Although our day was long (7.30 to 3.30), we would have very few classes, and as such easily be able to complete any lesson plans etc, thus leaving every afternoon and weekend as leisure time

The reality of the situation was very different:

1. Firstly, we are taxed 28% on our first 6 months salary, leaving us with about £310. Food is not actually that cheap - a grocery shopping trip cost me 56RM, which is about £8, for stuff that would probably have cost me a maximum of £15 in England. Yes, it is cheaper. But not as much as we were led to expect. The same goes for clothes (in fact, many were MORE expensive in the malls, for much shoddier quality) and alcohol. Eating out is cheap - about £3 a go at a decent restaurant - but we don’t get the chance to do it that often. The transport is dirt cheap though - you can get across the city, in a taxi, for about £1.50 (as long as you don’t let the driver rip you off, as they are prone to do to us whiteys).
2. I’m taking Year 9 and Year 10 through their O level exams (the former I have to coax through in two terms; the latter get a more relaxed three terms to cover the material). We started our impressive two days training the morning after we arrived, and teaching another two days after that. My first year 10 class had 50 students (although this is temporary). Enough said.
3. My days are packed. Generally the bus is late so I get home at about 4.30. More on this topic later…

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