The nameless girl who drove me to the metro yesterday, did so again today – another, 20 cents saved! For those who thought I would get rich on this exchange, I suppose you were right. While I am saving on rent and not paying for my priceless attached covered parking, there are a lot of expenses here that I don’t encounter at home: Daily public transportation (hey, 20 cents at a time does add up), then taxis after dark, and more expensive secure taxis late at night, bicycle taxis occasionally from the metro to work, phone cards to call the U.S., a cell phone, phone cards to make calls from the cell phone (about $60 a month), bathrooms in many public places, purified water, tips for water to be brought up to my apartment, tips for the garbage men, school supplies, candy with which to bribe the students . . .
During “descanso” today, there was a meeting for teachers with representatives from the “sindicado” – the teachers’ union. While sitting through the never-ending monologue, my ears did perk up when the rep remarked, “It’s a lot worse in the U.S.” Wondering what he was trying to say, I found out later while chatting with the newest teacher to arrive, a 20-something year old fresh out of school. Apparently the guy was saying that in the U.S., salaries for teachers and working conditions are a lot worse. Yes, in the U.S. it’s not too common to become rich by teaching and too many schools are understaffed and do not have enough resources; yet, there are many success stories.
Last week at my school here in Mexico City, Sec. 293, the staff met to discuss goals for the year and I found that the school receives $3000 from the government; this is also the last year that the government will give the school even that amount. At WJHS, this school year’s budget for the Foreign Language Department was $2700. At Sec. 293 Manuel is the “Controlario” – I haven’t exactly figured out what his roll is yet but I know that if I need supplies I should go to his office – when he’s there. I’ve gone there when I needed some real big sheets of paper, white poster board, a roll of packing tape and a scissor. On my first day at the school, the English teacher gave me my whiteboard eraser and a marker. In the main office at WJHS the whole staff has access to any of the supplies in the cabinets below the counter, and if something isn’t there it’s probably in the walk-in supply closet. Admittedly, I get a rush looking around the closet and having at my fingertips tape, pens, envelopes, overhead markers, whiteboard markers, whiteboard erasers, binder clips, paperclips, and so much more. In the copy room there is an unlimited supply of paper in three different sizes, don’t even get me started on the variety of colors. I could go on, but I’m getting nauseous thinking about this superfluity.
While thinking about the poor school here in Iztapalapa, remember that the discrepancy is just as distressing within our own state limits, even within our own county limits! While materials can be a great luxury, they are only part of the recipe for success (it’s a lot more challenging to cook without an oven, a tray, a pot); those who shape and mold the product have a great influence on its outcome (there’s a big difference between Wolfgang Puck and Mr. Domino). Even with the finest chefs wielding the highest quality materials, the recipe is still doomed if the ingredients are rotten. It’s very unpleasant to try and work with rotten ingredients, and it doesn’t help that most people automatically consider it an impossible mission. I am trying to figure out how to work with students that most people consider “rotten ingredients”. Suggestions anyone?
