I’ve been recently been interviewing some people for a teaching position at my school. This process has made me think a lot about many things.

I remember working as a glass collector in a really nice pub named Revolution in Glasgow, Scotland. It was hard work and the shifts could be long some times. I remember starting work at 11 a.m. and finishing at 2 a.m. completely exhausted but happy. I noticed while I was there that I spent a few months without seeing daylight on Sundays because I spent the day in bed sleeping. Not a difficult achievement in Glasgow, though.

I remember carrying kegs in the cellar, and bringing up the stairs huge plastic bags full of ice on my back. I remember cleaning vomit in urinals and being careful with bin juice when throwing away the garbage at the end of the shift.

When I moved to Barcelona, I needed a job fast to avoid coming back to Brazil sooner than anticipated. I clearly remembered the tone of the interview:

“Hablas Español?”

“Sorry, I don’t”

“Ok. What hours do you have available”

“24h”

“Ok. Let me rephrase. What hours are you willing to work?”

“24h”

“What is a good a salary for you right now?”

“A salary. Any salary”

“Ok, I get it. What are you willing to do while working in the bar apart from making cocktails?”

“Everything”

“Ok, give me an example”

“I really need the job, so if you want me to clean your toilet with my tooth brush, I’ll do it right now”

“long pause…. Ok, you start tonight.”

A week later, I had the key to the tiny little bar. The owner said he really wanted to go on holidays after so many years working non-stop.

Now, this is tone of the interviews I've been having:

“Can you speak English?”

“Very well. I lived abroad for many years”

“What hours do you have available?”

“It depends. How many groups will you give me and what is the pay?”

“I’ll give you no groups, you’ll work long hours, the pay is miserable but at least you’ll get paid to learn”

“I know how to teach”

“Do you?”

“Yes, I taught my niece about two years ago”

“Ok, I’ll call you soon to let you know the results”

“Ok. Please, try not to call me in the mornings, ok? I’ll be in class or maybe sleeping”

“Sure. I’ll keep that in mind. Nice to meet you”

“I know”