Interviewing Schools.

So I've interviewed a few schools for jobs lately. I know I should say 'I've been interviewed' but I really feel it's the other way around. I know this sounds conceited but I also think 5 years of varied experience and a masters degree have earned me the right to a little conceit. I have had a reply and interview offer from every school I sent my resume to, I think (except the university, but I didn't really expect to get a course lecturer position - and knowing the speed universities work at, I'll probably get a reply about when I'm ready to leave Montreal). Every interview I've had, I have been offered the job (I've always interviewed well, so this has been happening for a while). So the interviews have become more about me tactfully finding out the pay and conditions, and then deciding if I want to work for them or not. And most often, it has been 'not'.
The pay here is some of the worst I've seen. It seems to start at $13 an hour. I think minimum wage is $9. The lowest I've been offered is $16. The job I have so far accepted (which might not be 'THE job' as I'm still going to interviews) is $21, which is the best I've so far encountered. And they seem to be going to offer me enough hours. Living here is pretty cheap, and my lifestyle is, as always rather economical, so I've worked out that I only have to work 3 days a week to live quite comfortably. And I've been offered three days with the school I'm already doing a few hours for, so it looks like I'll have 4 day weekends! Which is nice! And I can do relief and one-off courses on Mondays and Fridays for extra pocketmoney, if I like.
I do, however, have an interview this week for a possible part-time management job at a school. I like the sound of this. I like management! And part time management means I might still be able to teach a few classes, which is the sort of balance I've been wanting for a while now.

I do find it a little depressing to realise that, although I became an ESL teacher 5 and a half years ago purely for the purpose of travelling, the best job I've ever had, and the best pay I'm likely to find, is in my own home town. I'm beginning to think I should start working a few months every year at one of the universities in Brisbane for the money, and just travel part of each year. It could be a rather enjoyable lifestyle, I think!
But anyway, providing my current available cash survives until one of these schools actually pay me, it looks like I won't starve to death here, and will survive quite nicely until June, when I'm heading back to Europe and my summer job. And who knows what after!

Frustrated Rant

I found an ad for a job that sounded really exciting quite by accident. I was browsing the Tefl.com database, looking for a job for a friend, and I found this job in Morocco just for 2 months, with the British Council! It sounded great! Short term, interesting place, good school etc, etc. So I applied. And then, three days after they said they would get back to me, I got a polite rejection letter, which included an invitation to ask what was lacking in my application and the reason for my rejection. So I did - I figured I should know for next time, right?
I got a reply today - I was rejected because I didn't have a CELTA or CELTA equivalent qualification. I thought 'Oh! is *that* all!' and quickly sent of a reply saying that I'm sorry it wasn't clear from my application, but I do have a CELTA equivalent, with the required number of teaching hours and observed prac hours and that I had previously had it approved by the British Council, so it was all ok, and if it wasn't too late, I'd love to still be considered for the job.
A few hours later, I got another reply, saying that the only equivalent that he would recognise without having to call central recruiting (or something) was the Trinity certificate. So basically, he can't be bothered doing this tiny bit of work required to check if my certificate is ok. And their advertisement of 'CELTA *or equivalent* required' should really read 'CELTA or Trinity Certificate required'. I've written a response but I'm going to wait until tomorrow to send it, just so I can re-read it and check it isn't too insulting.
Basically, I feel needlessly discriminated against. This has happened before - I have received rejection emails from BC affiliated summer schools in the UK that were actually rude - how dare I waste their time by applying when I only have a "sub-standard" qualification. Luckily, when I applied for Lines, they were nice enough to take a second look, or something, and willing to fill out the ONE form with TWO questions on it (form 4.7 of the BC handbook, I think) and approve my qualification.
Yes, that's right, MY CERTIFICATE IS *ALREADY* APPROVED BY THE BC, so it's not like I'm just trying my luck.
And, anyway, I thought getting my Masters degree in TESOL would solve this problem, and mean that my old cert TESOL didn't matter so much.
Apparently I was wrong.
Yay for bureaucracy and narrow mindedness.