📙 Part 2: Describe your perfect job

This episode's vocabulary

Hybrid work (noun phrase) – A flexible work model that combines in-office work with remote work. → I think some kind of hybrid work situation would be good for me.

From the comfort of your own home (idiom) – In your own home, where you feel relaxed. → My perfect job would involve working online from the comfort of my own home.

In short bursts of time (idiom) – For short periods. → I'd like to combine online work with in-person work in the classroom for short bursts of time.

In conjunction with (phrase) – Together with something else. → I like the idea of teaching in conjunction with teacher training to use my full skill set.

Change of pace/scenery (idiom) – A variation in one's routine or surroundings. → I'd appreciate the combination of creativity and freedom with changes of pace and scenery.

Manage my own time (verb phrase) – To be in control of your own schedule and how you spend your time. → I'd be able to manage my own time and get a nice break from my routine.

Mix things up (phrasal verb) – To change things or add variety to something. → I like the idea of mixing things up from time to time so I don't get bored.

Get stuck in a rut (idiom) – To be in a boring situation or job that does not change. → I want a job where I won't get stuck in a rut like a lot of people do.

A win-win (noun) – A situation where every party involved benefits. → Getting to travel and meet new people for work sounds like a win-win to me.

Push myself (verb phrase) – To make yourself work harder or achieve more. → I think it would give me a good chance to push myself, but in a comfortable way.

Cut up about (something) (phrasal verb) – To be very sad or emotionally upset about something. → If it never happens, I won't be too cut up about it.

Questions and Answers

Maria: Describe your perfect job. You should say what it is, what it includes, what you like about it, and explain why you think it is perfect.

Rory: Well, I really love teaching, but I also love to have control of my own time and space. So, I think some kind of hybrid work situation would be good for me. To explain more about exactly what that is, it would be a combination of working online from the comfort of my own home and in-person work in the classroom for short bursts of time. Not only would it include that, but it would also involve going to different places and meeting people, so I would never be bored and always have something new to do. I also like the idea of doing it in conjunction with something like teacher training so I can take full advantage of my skill set, but still have some sort of end point to look forward to as well, so I can move on to the next thing. I think I'd really appreciate the combination of creativity and freedom with changes of pace and scenery like that just to do all the different tasks in the different places. I'd be able to manage my own time and get a nice break from my routine whenever I liked. I think it's important to try and balance these things as much as possible, really. As far as its perfection is concerned, I like the idea of mixing things up from time to time and not getting stuck in a rut like a lot of people do. I think it would give me a good chance to push myself, but in a comfortable way. Plus, who doesn't like to travel about and see new people and places? It sounds like a win-win to me. If it never happens though, I don't think I'll feel too bad about it. I quite like how things work for me already. I kind of do these things by myself at the moment, but if it happened more consistently, then that would be great because right now sometimes I find myself getting a little bit bored by everything. And when you're stuck like that for a while, it's not really a great position to find yourself in psychologically speaking. So, who knows? Hopefully, it will be something that I'll have in the future.