Our New Manager

Our new manager Mr, is a middle aged lady from Greece who is allegedly very qualified and experienced. She however can only speak a broken German and no English at all which means I may not have to do anything with her.

She joined today and started functioning by noting down everybody's name, group and status.

While we were making mother's day gift in our group she came and asked what it was and why all the groups were making different gifts.
"Because all the groups are of different age groups. They have to make gifts according to their appropriate age." Asy replied tersely looking at Mr as if wondering which planet she was coming from to think all the groups would make same gift.

Later, when we all three were undressing the children in the sleeping room, Mr peeped in and asked somewhat suspiciously what three teachers were doing together in one room. That sounded insulting, luckily for me I didn't understand and Asy almost angrily replied that we were undressing the children and putting them to bed.
"But surely, three teachers are too many for this work." She mumbled loud enough for us hear and know that she was trying to point out that we were a pack of lazy people just wasting our time and school's money.

Later, I heard that she scolded Mks for taking too much time to serve food to the children.

Everybody has started grumbling at her invasive management and her insulting behavior, especially about her weird decision about making the same gift for mother's day.
It is weird that she has joined the school just two days ago, doesn't as yet know how this school functions, hasn't talked or held a meeting to decide what needed to be done for mother's day and yet comes down on everyone to tell them what they were doing was wrong! First of all, it is not possible for all the groups to make the same gift; all the groups are of different age group and capabilities. And if she wanted such a thing she should have told us or at least discussed with us in advance.

She seems more like a police on patrol trying to catch thieves and bank robbers rather than a school manager who has to ensure smooth functioning of the institution. I wonder how far she can go with an offensive and totally tactless attitude like that.

Talk with ll's mom

Yesterday Stf sent an email to all the parents declaring officially that Stfn is resigning and 31st of May shall be her last day in the school. The mail, poignantly also mentioned that the school was not going to close down as some parents expressed their concern.

Today when Ll's mother came to drop Ll, she asked me discreetly casting a furtive glance in the classroom to make sure Stfn was't there.
"Now Stfn is also leaving?"
I nodded.
"I wanted to tell you that before Ll had joined this kindergarten, we had applied in several other kindergartens as well. We got a place in this one and joined. After that I forgot all about it until day before yesterday I suddenly received a mail from one one of them informing us that they have a place now. I am a bit bothered about the situation in this school, the way teachers keep changing. So I am not able to decide what I should do now."
" First of all, I would not advise you to stay in this school or any school if you were not happy with it for whatever reason. As a parent and as a child, it is most important for both of you to be satisfied and happy. If not, then it doesn't make sense if you happen to land in the best kindergarten of the world. On the other hand, the problems that bother you here may exist there as well. I have taught in several schools in other places of the world and I can vouch that frequent leaving of teachers in a school is as normal as breathing. It happens in every school of the world. Teachers keep leaving due to better opportunities or personal grounds like transfer, visa, career change etc. There is absolutely no guarantee that if you choose another school you won't encounter the same problem there as well."
"What do you think about this school?" She asked politely.
"This school? I am in love with it." Answered I vehemently. "I truly am. The school is very nice. The problem creating elements are out now and I am sure there never was anything else wrong with this school."

She was happy and admitted that my opinion sounded unbiased and expert. She very much wants to stay in this school because her daughter is very happy here but the the events happening here on a routine basis is so very unsettling...even frightening at times.

Stfn has come back

I have not stopped bleeding since that day when Stfn had broken her tooth and we all had discovered the conspiracy plan of Mz and My. I went to three separate doctors but they assured me it would be okay. Still hasn't. In addition, due to so much of blood loss I keep feeling dizzy all the time and also feel painfully cold at times when the temperatures are ranging between 15 to 29 degrees.

Today I had to go to the doctor again for a fresh check up. S insisted me to take a leave but I couldn't afford to take a leave when everything in my group is resting on my shoulders alone. I had to celebrate Fr's birthday today, arrange his party, pack his birthday gift, take his pictures and mail them to the parents. I could not even imagine what his birthday would  be like without his teachers. And parents would grumble if didn't get the pictures. I had to go. I promised S however that after the birthday party was over I would leave the school and go to the doctor.

Today was not only Fr's birthday but also Izl's birthday party. As soon as I entered the school I learnt two new things in one breath: first that Izl's birthday party had been cancelled now because her mother fell ill suddenly this morning and had to be taken to hospital; the second, Stfn had come back! Big news indeed.

I had really lost all hope of seeing her again and can't really say I was happy to hear this. I mean not now. I had spent too long a time without her to need her or want her anymore. As it is, her presence is equal to her absence. I was in fact quite incensed at her irresponsible attitude towards her workplace. I know her grandmother passed away and she herself fell ill, but disappearing altogether from her place of work without a message, not even receiving a call or sending a mail is a bit too much especially at this time when the school is undergoing a difficult period. This is just not professional.
I greeted her a bit aloofly and didn't ask her how was she, which normally I, or anybody else, would have done.

She came and sat down at the morning circle place without another word, while I engaged myself in wrapping birthday gift for Fr. Just halfway I received Fr's mother's message that Fr had a stomachache and so would not be able to celebrate his birthday today. Great! Something wrong with all the birthday people today! I put aside the gift thinking pensively about the heavy bag which I had carried to school due to my camera and the lens in it!

We did a normal circle time and everything else that we do everyday in school except asking each other if she and I were okay. I was just not in the mood to listen she was so badly ill that she could't inform us.
I sensed everybody was a bit aloof to her and she sensed it too. She does have a special talent for avoiding work; she had prepared musli and milk for the children. usually parents don't prefer musli or breakfast cereals as they want them to eat fresh fruits. In the last meeting none other than Ndn herself had raised this point that some parents were complaining that we should try giving them fresh fruits rather than something ready made like musli. I gently pointed out to her that we shpuld give them bread and cheese. She indignantly prepared brown bread and cheese for them. Then we went out to the park.

She at last came to me. She was clearly ill at ease and sensing my coldness.
"I want to explain why I was absent."
"I know what happened to you, I am sorry for you."
"I lost my grandmother. She was very special to me, almost like my mother."
"Yes, I know."
"First, I broke my tooth and went to the doctor. As I came out of the clinic, I recieved my mother's call that my grandmother was very serious and I should come immediately. I threw some clothes in a bag and went immediately. On Sunday she passed away. then I became so ill. I had fever. I switched off my phone and computer and totally shut myself. That's the reason why I didn't answer your mail or anybody's call."
"I am sorry for you. I really am. But here in school we had a hard time too. Lots of people were ill, I myself was ill, I still am, I had to do all the work alone. So many other things happened in school. Ndn and Mk must have told you."
"No they didn't."
"Well, a lot happened in school. It was and still is very stressful. I don't know what I should say. Everybody in the school thought we should never see you again."
"But, I am not like this to go away without saying a goodbye."
I shrugged and busied myself in helping the children play. I was actually still feeling bad for a variety of things and didn't have the courage to voice them for fear of hurting her. What's done is done. She has to leave this school in a few days. Let her go in peace.

She is a hazardously lazy woman and has a dangerous knack for utilizing every opportunitty for avoiding movement, action and work. In the playground, she picked up Joris in her arms and sat down under the shed holding him in a her arms like he were a breastfeeding infant, encouraging him to be lazy as well rather than engaging him in active play. It sickens me to see her babishing grown up children. If she had a husband or a boyfriend she would do exactly the same thing with him as well.

I wasn't surprised to see that everyone else in the school is a bit chilled towards her. They all, like me, are tired of hearing that she was ill. She is always either ill or sad; she doesn't know any other state of existence. I was however surprised to find that Mk is angry with her too.
"You too, are angry with her? I find that hard to believe." I ejaculated incredulously.
"Yes, I am angry with her. I don't like her attitude and her irresponsible behavior. She says she is professional but what she has been doing since a few months is far from one. If I were her employer, I would have fired her for remaining absent for so long and not even once bothering to inform. Her grief may have been very deep but still not this deep to forget her real world. And now when she is back, she is displaying such a horrible attitude as if she is the poor tragic girl and everybody a beast. I don't like the unpleasant look on her face when actually she has been wrong but thinks that the whole world is being wrong to her. This is not right."

I love the way Mk speaks his mind: clear, direct, honest and above all, unafraid of anybody and really really true and right as well. He is without doubt one in thousands men to do this. I sometimes get a feeling that Ndn is not really in love with him, but is just using him.

In the eveing Asy rang me. Lots of news.

The new replacement of Stfn is one Crn, a firned of Ath's mother who in turn is a freind of Stf. She tried calling Stf several times to tell her that she would be joining one month later instead of now as promised earlier, but her mobile wasn't picked up. She was angry at Stf and rang Asy to tell her this. Asy made an excuse for Stf that she was ill. Stf really was ill. She can't eat anything and can't keep anything down in her stomach. Asy told her that it is Mz's black magic effect that everyone in the school is mysteriously ill and sudden unfortunate incidents are happening with all the people in the school. like Gbt's uncle has been shot dead, Izb's mother was hospitalised, Stfn's grandmother passed away, her tooth broken, Asy had miscarriage and then fell fataly ill, I am myself ill since so many days. Now even Stfi has started believing in this. She informed Asy that on Tuesday she will bring a Christian witch doctor to clean the place.

She also told me Ndn screams badly at children. In the baby group she is all the time screaming at the little babies. Asy told me that that when I was absent and my group children were merged with her group, she was all the time screaming at them which frightened them to freezing point. They were badly handled, shaken and pushed by them. I was not surprised to hear this. I have since long been aware that Ndn is a very harsh and strict with the children. I have seen samples of her temper and rage when Cl had gone to Arabia last before last Christmas. During the Easter egg hunt this year ( the day when Mz and My came unexpectedly to visit the kindergarten after they had been fired), I had seen her scream horribly which which was sooo loud, long and shrillllll that not only numbed my ears but frightened me to death. I hadn't thought such a beautiful neck was capable of producing such an ugly, shrill scream. And not just a scream but a whole bunch of several sentences all uttered together in that loud scream.

My doctor says all is okay, just hormonal imbalance.

Asy is alarmingly ill

Asy is very ill. She had been bleeding since her cleaning after her unfortunate miscarriage. Then she started vomiting and fainting, then diarrhea and then bleeding again so badly that started soaking her bed and clothes.

Her doctor reassured her that some amount of bleeding is normal after miscarriage and actually thought she was exaggerating but when he saw her come into her clinic, talk to him for two minutes and then stood up with blood stains even on the chair, he got seriously alarmed too. He quickly attended her and did something, don't know what but that should stop the bleeding now. If not, she might have to go the hospital immediately otherwise she could well die of blood loss alone.
 Fortunately, after this treatment, her bleeding lessened and by evening it had almost stopped.

She had informed me in the morning that she could not come today. I promised that would talk to her after the school. I was sooo very sorry.

We talked after my school was over; she told me her terrible ordeal in detail. I was so sorry for her. Then I told her about Mz, My's complaint to the Bureau.  She was so shocked. We talked for a long time. She was telling me how happy she used to feel in the group with me and Cl at that time. She admired me for being respectful, kind, trustworthy etc. etc. "I want to become like you. You are so good. everybody praises you. You have so many good qualities." I got very embarrassed and rubbished her praises away.
"No, I am not making this up;" She insisted. " I really feel this way about you. I feel so happy in this school just because of you."
I feel guilty for not telling her that I am soon going to leave. I have promised Stf not to tell anyone so I could not. If Stf thinks she can tell her then she can, but I can't. I just hinted that there are talks afoot of S getting transferred but she replied " If you leave the school, I shall too."


She told me she had many times spoken to Mz and My about her strong desire to have babies and they had always poked fun at her and dissuaded her. She half feels they knew she desperately wanted a baby so they have done something like placing a curse upon her to prevent her from having one. As far fetched as it may sound, it is a matter of fact that everyone in the school is noticing the somewhat eerie and uncanny incidence of everyone falling sick together and unfortunate incidents are happening left and right. 

Stfn has vanished without a trace

Stfn has vanished without a trace!

The last time I had seen her was when she had broken her tooth and borrowed 50 Euros from me. Since then there is no news of her. I did get a snippet of information from Mk and Ndn that her beloved grandmother passed away on Sunday the 19th April but that is all. Nobody in the school knows if we shall ever see her again. We are guessing we won't.

And precisely this makes me so infuriated. What a pathetic woman! Is she the same passionate creature who just two months ago was crying rivers and oceans over her group change as she could not bear to leave the babies in her group. Now even though she is getting a fairly fortunate chance of reuniting with the same babies and reuniting with the same friend-colleague-flatmate, she has not only placidly refused to accept the opportunity but also has been quite comfortably able to accept a new job offer somewhere else - minus her precious babies. Plus, she is not bothered in the least to inform the school about her inability to attend the school or at least give a brief call. She hasn't even answered my friendly mail which I sent her expressing my genuine concern for her health and personal loss. That mail was not official - strictly a personal mail.

Mks laughs at me now. "This is the woman you were singing tons of praises about. Bloody bastard. She can't even ring us to tell why she is not coming; and hey we don't need her to weave fine stories of how ill she was. She is not ill. She has most probably joined a new kindergarten and wants us to believe she was ill so that she gets to pick up her salary decently."
"The truth is she really was a good teacher -"
"- only if you could make her get up from those butts of her's."

When I was talking to Asy, she told me that when I was absent she used to do nothing with the kids - nothing at all. Just the morning circle song and that's it. Asy many times insisted that we could do something like talking about alphabets, animals, shapes, numbers etc the way I do normally, but Stfn would decline saying "No, she is absent. She has made the plan and I don't know what's in the plan so we can't do anything." She even refused to take the children out to the playground even though it was very sunny and cheerful outside saying there was no time to do so. Every single day, that Asy worked with her alone, Stfn remained seated comfortably with the children doing literally nothing and directing Asy to do the cleaning and serve lunch and change diapers and every other form of work. This is true with me as well; I myself had noticed that given the slightest opportunity, she chose to be with the kids, especially Nn, Mt or Onm and shamelessly left most of the work for me. That irked me a bit but I had chosen to be patient with her so didn't complain.

We all had noticed that both Nn and Mt behaved pretty well without her. She just used to baby them all the time. She had spoilt Onm too to quite an extent. Can you imagine, Onm is large sized boy and looks nearly 4 years old and is fully capable of behaving like one too, but Stfn used to carry him in her arms like a two month old for more than half an hour at a time for simple things like crying over a fallen spoon!

I am glad she has gone. I had started out with her on a genuine note, encouraging her, motivating her, relaxing her, giving her time to recover from her personal problems, supporting her and allowing her to do as she pleased but that was all in vain. Not that I am feeling bad because of this. If life repeated itself again I would do it again, knowing it would be of no use to me. I didn't do it to turn her to my advantage. This was just my character. But now I am really glad she has gone. Ever since Cl has left, I have undertaken the whole group's responsibility alone and carry out every single work of the group alone. She was with me for about three and half months but worked for actually only two weeks. Apart from those two weeks, she has never done anything in the group.

If anything she only created a rucus by sending parents away and bringing a shame on the school. She is fit to go. I don't want to see any more of her.

A false complaint by My, Mz

I am still not well. Today, I needed to go to my doctor for another check up but I learnt we were to have our usual meeting so I had to cancel the idea of going. Instead, after school, I went to sleep on the staff room sofa.

Asy hadn't come today. She is ill. She rang me early in the morning to inform me that she was going to her doctor. There were no extra teachers to help me out so I managed my group alone. I didn't mind that in the least.

Gbt's uncle in Turkey has been shot so she had to fly to Turkey urgently. She will be away for probably a week or so.

The meeting was an interesting one. It has become a regular feature to have dramatic things happen in our meetings. For the first time the English teachers of the school hugely out numbered the German teachers. There were only three German teachers against eight English ones. Ndn graciously suggested therefore that we conduct our meeting this time in English.

The meeting was started by Stf who broke the news that now Mz and My have filed a written petition in the State Education Authority Bureau, detailing roughly ten serious complaints against our school and as signatures instead of writing their names or someone else', they have written down the email addresses of several parents of the school. They have reported that children are fed disturbingly large quantities of sugary and fast or junk foods, a large number of teachers have been terminated illegally, children often get hurt in school but the information is concealed from parents, children with food or other allergies are not dealt with carefully or effectively, trainees who are not meant to deal with children alone are often made to do so, safety instructions for fire exit or other hazards are not followed, unqualified teachers are employed, there are not enough qualified and trained teachers in the school,  many times the parents have to take their children back home due to shortage of teachers in school and school building contract is inappropriate for a school.

Stf and we discussed in detail for the next whole hour how to answer these questions. While some of the complaints are in fact true, the others are simply a white lie. For instance, it has never happened that children got hurt but the information was concealed, or they are fed sugary foods, or allergies are not handled. We have proper procedure for all this which is duly followed. As to parents taking their children back, it happened just once thanks to stupid Stfn who couldn't decide what she should do so she decided to do this.

Stf has contacted her lawyer to frame a professional reply to this letter. We suggested she needed to file a police complaint against these two bitches but Stf shook her head.
"I will answer this letter and just forget them. I request you all to have no contact with them, no phone call, no email, no messages and no meetings with them. We shall come through. Don't worry."

I have broken the news to Stf

Today was H's birthday party in school. Also, my first day after nearly seven day medical leave.

The first time, I did not send the weekly plan mail to parents this week on dot as I have always done since nearly two years without a single fail; I was too sick. And Stfn never does anything. If anything she broke her tooth two weeks ago and since then has vanished without a trace, like thin air. No mail, no message, no call, not even to her friends or her beloved flatmate. So, technically, ever since Cl left, I have made the plan for every single week and not only this, for every other work of my group, I am alone to do it. If I am present, fine, if absent, I have to do it when I return back to work. I am not complaining because this was what I wanted but still...

As always, I was so happy to be back and felt so bad that soon I have to carry out the unpleasant task of informing Stf of my resignation.

Today was also Kshk's third birthday party in my group. I had to pack his birthday gift, make arrangements for his party etc. all alone. Asy came but she was suddenly became very sick. She threw up a plenty of times, twice in the toilet, once in the kitchen sink, once in the hallway and once right in front of the toilet where Mk's children hang their jackets and shoes etc. She was looking so wane and dark and almost ghostly. She was constrained to go back home in a taxi.

That left me alone with the kids. Luckily there were only nine kids today and just a party so it wasn't difficult but it did prevent me to take pictures of H's birthday.

I was hoping Stf would come today. She did. I was in the toilet with the children when she saw me and she was soo happy to see me. She expressed her gratitude and happiness to see me back. It was heart warming...and it gave me an uncomfortable twinge in my heart....

I went to her when all my work was finished. She had just come in from outside and was going to get a new teacher sign her contract.
"I have something important to say to you."
"Is it very important?" She asked benignly.
"I fear, yes." I nodded.
The other teacher excused herself discreetly and went out.
"Stf, I have a bad news to give to you."
"What?" Her voice sank, as though holding her breadth and fearing the worst.
"I have to leave."
"Oh, no! Oh no! Not you! Not you now!" She stooped and embraced me with an agonizing face which anguished me even more.
"You must know that I am very very very sorry to leave. I love this school and don't want to go. And it is doubly painful to me because I do not want to leave at this particularly critical time. I do not want to cause you any disappointment but....this is the truth. I have to leave. Please don't be angry with me-"
She hugged me again and again and cried vehemently. "No, no, I can never be angry with you."
"Okay", she took a deep breadth. "Are you going back to India?"
"No. My husband resigned from his present company and has joined a new company in Bonn."
"And when is your last day?"
"Aah, this is the only good thing about this. I am not leaving immediately. I have to go there in the first week of July."
"July!" She ejaculated breaking into a relieved smile." So you are not leaving immediately? What a mercy! July is a bit far off. So I have some time."
"Yes. I am telling you in advance so that you have ample time to arrange for a new teacher and I can also guide him or her about all the duties and responsibilities."
"Yes. Yes. This is so nice of you. Thank you so much for being so kind to me." She hugged me yet again.
"I haven't told this news to anyone in the school yet, not even Asy." Said I."Somehow when the teachers come to know of something, the parents get the wind too and then they start panicking."
"Yes, you are right. We shall keep this news secret. Can I tell this to Asy?"
"If you want."
"Okay, so we shall keep this news only between ourselves and meantime I shall start looking for a new teacher to replace you. It is a great mercy that I know well ahead in advance."
"There is one more thing I want to tell you. Our plan of relocating to Bonn is definite but my husband is still considering other offers and...if he comes across something nice then we may not leave Munich after all."
"Really?" She cried joyfully. "You mean your going is just a possibility?"
"No. It is definite. It is 95% definite."
She joined both her hands together and looking up towards the heavens said earnestly.
"I will pray to God that He makes you stay. I will place my trust on that 5% of hope and pray fervently that you do not leave us after all."

I came out of the office feeling light at heart. There is nothing lighter in this world than a stainless soul, nothing happier than to see people around you happy - by what you did.

 I have done my duty and, done it well, I believe. The rest is God's wish.