Who needs Delhi when I could stay in Meerut

What is in Meerut you ask? A Delhi Public School.

Now that the office is closing down and there is limited staff in the office we have all been helping out trying to finish up whatever work is left. I volunteered to drive 2 hours out of Delhi to conduct a pre-departure meeting at Delhi Public School Meerut.

Although Satya wanted me to have another Indian along, I knew that I could handle it solo. I was excited. I loved talking in front of people; especially the challenge of making a group of Indian parents calm and secure about allowing their kids to travel with EF.

After the meeting I wait for the principal to have some time for me. They are usually extremely busy and so high up on the social ladder that they make you wait until they are ready for you. Well the wait wasn't too long. I went into have and extra expectation setting meeting with her since she was leading the tour. I went through all of the tough/sometimes disappointing disclaimers like if the weather delays your flight and you miss days of tour EF is not responsible... After all of that was over I then transitioned into the more difficult conversation.

"Ma'am, out of respect for you and your school, I wanted to let you know that our board of directors has recently made the decsion to no longer produce Educational Tours our of our Delhi office past June 30th. But please do not worry because EF still has hundreds of thousands of children traveling all across the world and you especially should have no concern because you are going to the US and it is our domestic company in Boston who makes the arrangements just the same as all the American children traveling in the US. But in the meantime, to avoid making the the parents nervous please keep this information between you me and the school. Any questions or concerns?"

"Oh, that is too bad. What are you going to do?"

"Well, I don't know, probably head back to the US and work out of the Boston office. It is sad though because I was looking forward to staying in India a little longer."

"Oh, you were, well I wanted to let you know that the parents and the kids were all just telling me that they were so impressed with you and I saw how you connected with them. You know I am always on the lookout for good people and you could teach our English classes."

"My mom is an English teacher and I know if she heard that she would love that."

"How old are you?"

"27"

Nodding her head pleased, "Great, we need people your age who are creative and young and can bring in fresh ideas to the school. You know that I am fully in charge of making sure that we are staying at the forefront of education and provide that thing that the other schools cannot. We pay really well here..."

This is where I started to get really nervous and was looking for an out...no more polite, complimentary Quinnen...and then the tea and biscuits entered the room. Trapped!

"...and of course all salary is negotiable. I am willing to pay for good people. You could live here in the hostels. And, you know my son just moved out and I commute from Delhi every day. We have extra space."

"I would love to stay in India and all of this sounds so great," I chug my tea and eat a biscuit to not be rude, "but my family really wants me to come home and I am looking forward to going back to Boston. I know my friend Christine is looking for places to work. She is Canadian. Do you have a card? I could get in touch with her for you."

"Yeah, but seriously all you have to do is just send me an email and we can get this whole discussion going."

"Yeah I will def. be in touch but first let's make sure that you are all set up to have an amazing tour. I really apprectiate you taking the time out of your day to meet with me after the meeting, but I have already taken up so much of your time and I don't want to continue to keep you from all of your other important matters, so I should head out. It was a pleasure talking to you."

"Yes, please do be in touch and it was nice meeting you."

"Have a great time in the US."

And I was out the door, in my car and safe...I didn't think that I was going to be able to leave the office without a new job contract in hand. These Indian principals sure do know how to control a room and get what they want in a very nice, polite, strong way so that you feel rude disagreeing. She was an extremely nice principal, but I wondered how much that would have changed once my signature was on a paper and I was hers. I just couldn't see myself living in Meerut.