With the Golden Week holidays fast approaching I guess many owner/teachers at Smith’s Schools of English are planning overseas and local trips. I say Smith’s Schools of English because we have more days off than teachers who work for other schools and therefore can take a well earned break.
I am going to use my days off to improve my image by taking a positive approach to getting rid of a few excess winter kilos and plan my promotional activities for the next few months.
Originally I had decided to head home to Australia during this 12 day break but after further consideration knew that I’d prefer to stay in Japan. Although I am very proud to be an Australian, and when there live in an apartment over looking Surfers Paradise beach, I feel more at home in Tokyo. I am therefore going to stay in Tokyo and take a few day trips exploring places that I have never been to and may even go back to places that I have not visited for a long time. I love historical locations, places where I can relax, exercise and participate in my favourite pasttime of people watching.
I also think that it is an important time to re-access my plans for the future growth of my Smith’s School of English -Koenji. I have many options, as all owner/teachers have in the Smith’s School Of English franchise system. We can work long hours, short hours, employ parttime or full time teachers. We are afterall owner /teachers in the franchise system and this of course gives us a great deal of flexibility. I however prefer to personally be the coach, teacher, mentor and friend to all of my students. I love seeing and chatting them each week when they attend lessons and also when we spend some quality time together, outside school hours communicating in English.
Teaching at your own school is so rewarding, as is being your own boss. To say I love it and that I love living in Japan is an under statement – it is really fantastic.
I couldn’t agree with you more, Ken. Last year at this time I was working for a big chain eikaiwa, and not only did I NOT have Golden Week off, but actually had to work overtime on the National Holidays! Like you, I will be spending this Golden Week doing short 1 and 2 day trips around Japan, including a trip to Nagasaki, 2 days in Tokyo and possibly a bicycle trip around Lake Biwa (the biggest lake in Japan and only 2 minutes from my school, Smith’s Ohtsu in Shiga). I must echo your sentiments that I love being in Japan and I love the flexibility we have at Smith’s! Enjoy yourself this Golden Week!
Edward- Smith’s School of English, Ohtsu