Seriously, universe, enough with this.
And here we fucking go again.
So, I have been back from Georgia for two and a half weeks, and just before I left, I landed what sounded, at the time, to be an amazing, wonderful job in my hometown. I would be working for an exchange program, as the Program Coordinator/Resident Assistant to 10 Chinese exchange students attending Friends Select School. I was assured that room and board would be covered, that I'd have an apartment very close to the school and that I'd have to run an orientation for the students.
Fast-forward to now, where all kinds of things have been added or changed. I have to order the furniture for Abington as well as FSS, and make sure it's delivered. All right, fine, but they're expecting to mail me a check instead of having a credit card to use. I have to go up early to Cape Cod to "help", they say they're paying me and putting me up, but I have to get my own bus ticket. Okay, whatever, but I have no guarantee I'll have a place to stay. I'll have to pretty much be a live-in babysitter for 6 kids 24/7, and attend conferences with FSS to keep them on track IEP-wise. All right, I'm a teacher, not too bad, but these are teenagers. I have to plan field trips and accompany them - which I knew - but apparently I have to keep an eye on them and make accommodations for them during Christmas and Spring Breaks, which I did not.
The housing situation has morphed into something that boggles even my mind. Instead of leasing apartments, they have contracted to build a house at 40th and Spring Garden. This is a problem on SO many levels. First of all, nothing's been done at the site, and it needs to be finished in three weeks. Second of all, 40th and Spring Garden is Powelton Village, which is NOT a good area. It is full of crime and all the associated problems that brings. It's also a long way from 17th and the Parkway, though the 40th St. EL stop is close. There is nothing around there that could even be considered suitable for teenagers, and anywhere north of Market and West of 35th is the ghetto.
I emailed my supervisor at the program, voicing my concerns. She passed me off to the director, who - in typical Asian-educational-center-director form - is convinced everything will be fine. I tried to tell him the area is bad, and he's claiming that "it's on the UPenn campus", when it's REALLY not. Nothing north of Market is UPenn, which means no campus security. I tried to tell him that Google Maps shows a vacant lot at the site, he tells me the data is old and construction is almost done. I bring up the "apartment" bit in the contract, he says that no one will rent to teenagers. I tell him that it's far from FSS and requires them to take the EL every morning, he says that the stop is close enough and the area isn't as bad as I think it is.
A lot of this is pinging my radar as a company that does not have its shit together. I knew going in that they were new to Philly. I knew going in that I would likely be the only one in the company who had any direct knowledge of the city and how things are done. But seriously, I need to know if I'm being irrational here. Am I freaking out over uncertainties because I've never had a job this challenging and adult before? Or is this starting to sound like a company that's going to fuck me over and stick me in West Philly with 6 kids to keep safe?
Regardless, I have to go down to 40th and Spring Garden tomorrow. I was NOT planning on that, and it is balls-hot out.
So, I have been back from Georgia for two and a half weeks, and just before I left, I landed what sounded, at the time, to be an amazing, wonderful job in my hometown. I would be working for an exchange program, as the Program Coordinator/Resident Assistant to 10 Chinese exchange students attending Friends Select School. I was assured that room and board would be covered, that I'd have an apartment very close to the school and that I'd have to run an orientation for the students.
Fast-forward to now, where all kinds of things have been added or changed. I have to order the furniture for Abington as well as FSS, and make sure it's delivered. All right, fine, but they're expecting to mail me a check instead of having a credit card to use. I have to go up early to Cape Cod to "help", they say they're paying me and putting me up, but I have to get my own bus ticket. Okay, whatever, but I have no guarantee I'll have a place to stay. I'll have to pretty much be a live-in babysitter for 6 kids 24/7, and attend conferences with FSS to keep them on track IEP-wise. All right, I'm a teacher, not too bad, but these are teenagers. I have to plan field trips and accompany them - which I knew - but apparently I have to keep an eye on them and make accommodations for them during Christmas and Spring Breaks, which I did not.
The housing situation has morphed into something that boggles even my mind. Instead of leasing apartments, they have contracted to build a house at 40th and Spring Garden. This is a problem on SO many levels. First of all, nothing's been done at the site, and it needs to be finished in three weeks. Second of all, 40th and Spring Garden is Powelton Village, which is NOT a good area. It is full of crime and all the associated problems that brings. It's also a long way from 17th and the Parkway, though the 40th St. EL stop is close. There is nothing around there that could even be considered suitable for teenagers, and anywhere north of Market and West of 35th is the ghetto.
I emailed my supervisor at the program, voicing my concerns. She passed me off to the director, who - in typical Asian-educational-center-director form - is convinced everything will be fine. I tried to tell him the area is bad, and he's claiming that "it's on the UPenn campus", when it's REALLY not. Nothing north of Market is UPenn, which means no campus security. I tried to tell him that Google Maps shows a vacant lot at the site, he tells me the data is old and construction is almost done. I bring up the "apartment" bit in the contract, he says that no one will rent to teenagers. I tell him that it's far from FSS and requires them to take the EL every morning, he says that the stop is close enough and the area isn't as bad as I think it is.
A lot of this is pinging my radar as a company that does not have its shit together. I knew going in that they were new to Philly. I knew going in that I would likely be the only one in the company who had any direct knowledge of the city and how things are done. But seriously, I need to know if I'm being irrational here. Am I freaking out over uncertainties because I've never had a job this challenging and adult before? Or is this starting to sound like a company that's going to fuck me over and stick me in West Philly with 6 kids to keep safe?
Regardless, I have to go down to 40th and Spring Garden tomorrow. I was NOT planning on that, and it is balls-hot out.