Day 30!

So today was my 30th day in Korea. I really can't believe it has been so long already. I know this year will fly by.

Today, for some reason, has been a really good day for me. It started off with me really enjoying language class for some reason. They didn't throw too much new material at us, thank goodness! I felt like I was keeping up and understanding everything in class -- a very good sign. I think they probably went easy on us because tomorrow we have our self introduction speeches in Korean. I've uploaded the video of me practicing below. Don't laugh -- I look bored, but really I am just concentrating hard ... it is in Korean after all. We also got the treat of having the 3 boys in our class do a dance for us! I don't really know why. But, a picture of that is below also.

After a good Korean class, we had a good lunch! YAY! We had tuna bibimbap (비빔밥) for lunch. Yum!! And strawberry yogurt! Sweet! I also had a conversation about eggs -- how exactly are they fertilized? Are the chicken eggs we eat fertilized? How do chickens have sex? etc. -- with Matt, Anna L, and Karen. It was pretty funny. So after lunch I of course had to go look this all up. (FYI: Hens always have eggs, regardless of if there is a rooster around or not. But if the rooster and hen mate, then the egg will be fertilized; otherwise it will just be an egg. Most of the eggs we eat are not fertilized.) So, now I know about chickens and eggs!! ^-^

This afternoon we had a teaching workshop. We learned about various aspects of classroom management. I'm a little frustrated in that we have so much information about what to do, but still don't know much (or anything in my case) about our specific school. What is the level of the students' abilities? How formal/strict is the atmosphere? Will I have my own classroom? How often will I teach each class per week? All these things will have a big impact on the types of lessons I teach and how I teach them, as well as my classroom management plan. I guess I'll have to come up with some basic ideas and modify it once I get to my school and feel everything out.

Tonight I've been studying, reading the news, working on my speech, etc. We have dance practice again tonight (& every night until the talent show a week from tomorrow). I hope we look awesome by then! Dinner in the cafeteria was nothing great, so after eating a bit there and not being satisfied, I went to try mandu with Anne for the first time. They are boiled dumplings, and ours were filled with meat (as opposed to kimchi). Anyway, you get 7 for 1000w ($1). We split one order since we had both eaten some at the cafeteria. But one order would be a full meal! For $1!! I am loving how good and cheap most of the food is here, if you go to the right places of course. Anyway, have a good day everyone! Wish me luck with my speech tomorrow! :-)

PS--
So I received an email reply from my calligraphy teacher! Here it is:

저도 여려분 만나 즐거웠어요 열심히 하는 모습에 기분 좋았어요
서예 하고 싶으시면 접시에 먹물부워서 하도록 하세요
월요일에 만나요
즐거운 주말 보내세요

Which an online translator VERY ROUGHLY (and mostly incorrectly I'm sure) translates as:

Me minute it meets tenderly and cheerfulness in the features which it does eagerly
Calligraphy to do and [siph] the [u] to be sour and in the plate from black writing fluid vice- [we] in order to do, meet in low
three bedspread Mondays and the bedspread
joyful weekend send

For example, I know the last 2 lines are: "See you Monday!" and something along the lines of have a nice weekend. Nothing about bedspreads. :-P
Also an earlier part says something about good feelings/vibes. Oh, gotta love online free "translators".
나무 씨 (Matt K), Dojo yoshi 씨 (Mike), and Alex 씨 performing for the Beginning C class! ^-^
비빔밥 (bibimbap) for lunch! Yum!!
Mandu for dinner! Even more yum!


Practicing my Korean speech. (What an emo frozen frame of me....)