What a Day!! But I survived...

Today was the first day of teaching. I was up at 6:30, but awoke at 6am. Breakfast with the host family at 7 and then off to school at 7:50 with my co-teacher. I brought all my gifts to give, but then I guess she forgot and so I can't give them until tomorrow? Even though I left a special present for her in the back seat, because I was supposed to ride home with her today but now I am not. The schedule changed about 4 times today, I guess that is something I will have to get used to.

At school, originally I was supposed to give my speech before my first class at 9. Then it changed to after my first class, so at 10. The classes went OK. The boys are good-hearted but have VERY LOW english. I don't know how to teach conversational English if they don't know any. This will be interesting and challenging, but I think it will be good. Mrs. Song, my co-teacher, was in the classroom today to help explain things. Hopefully all the co-teachers will do that, as they are supposed to. Today we discussed rules, daily routine, made name tags, and started a Who Am I? project. Some students have a higher level, but not as high as Brian made me think (he said they could have debates). Maybe some of the HS seniors could do that, but I teach soph/jr. I think it will be very boring to teach the same lesson 17 times! 4 times today was already getting boring. Who knows, though, I'm sure the boys will come up with quirky things for each class that will keep it interesting.

Everyone says hi to me and "all eyes are on me", as my co-teacher told me. How is that for pressure? Some of the boys say I am "beautiful." They are so kind and happy in the hallway, but then when they come in the classroom the are bored and quite. I'll have to convince them that my class will be fun.

Right now I have to be at school from about 8:20am to 6pm M-F, which is against our contract. We are supposed to be able to leave school after our classes. I hope this will change soon. My co-teacher told me she will try to find a way that I can get home, but I don't think she will. I have to ride to/from school with my host mom and co-teacher (I live in a nearby city, it's about a 20 minute drive) so I have to wait for them to be done. This is very unfortunate because I want to take dance classes and explore Suncheon and Gwangyang and have free time. There is a bus, but it takes about an hour, and I have to walk very far to catch it, so it is impractical it seems. I really hope they can figure something out so I do not have to stay so long. I emailed the previous teacher to see what he did when he was here.

Right now, I was supposed to go home at 5, but then I was told all the teachers are giong out for dinner at 5 and that I should come, which is fine. But then my co-teacher and all the other english teachers have supplementary classes to teach, and so they cannot go at 5. So, then my co-teacher lined up some other teacher to take me. She was supposed to meet me in the teacher lounge at 5, and then I was told that she would be late, so just wait in the teacher's lounge.

[....typed later:]

It turns out I guess that teacher forgot me or something? Who knows. At 5:20 my co-teacher (Mrs. Song) came back to check on me and had another teacher, Mr. Kim, take me to the restaurant with him. He knows a few words in English, and he was asking me about Soju!! ^^ (Korean vodka) I got to the restaurant and sat at a table with Mr. Kim, the Japanese language teacher, and then the principal joined our table. The principal is very nice, but is definitely an authority figure and thus "separated" from the general teachers, so it was quite shocking to have him sitting at my table. It made me a little nervous, but he is very kind to me. So are all the other teachers in the school, they are all so nice and curious to meet me.

Today I brought a big bag of Skittles and some soybean/nut trail mix I brought from the US to share with the teachers in the lounge and they jumped on that! As soon as I poured it out on plates they all swarmed to the table!! ^^ It was cute. Dinner was VERY good. Fish with the traditional pan chan (side dishes). I think I'm really starting to like bean sprouts... a lot! After dinner Mrs. Song took me home and talked with my host father about the transportation problem. Tomorrow afternoon she will show me how to take the bus, and despite it being a long ride and I have to walk 1.5 km and switch buses midway, I think it will be ok. Hopefully it will not be too expensive. I realize it is impossible for teachers or my family to run me home earlier in the afternoon, I just wish there was an easier solution.

Tonight after coming home, my body ached so badly from teaching today. It takes so much energy. I ironed my suit for tomorrow and did some free reading and also talked with my host father about his Bonzai trees and other plants. He is a plant collector, specializing in orchids. There are so many orchid pots on the balcony outside my window and they all look the same to me, but I guess they are different species. Mom, maybe you would be able to tell the difference. :-)

I went to a park across the street with the family today. Andy (Jun-ho) is spending the night with a friend (his school does not start for another week), so it was just me with the other 3 family members. It is very nice outside. The humidity has dropped quite a bit since I've left Chuncheon.... but I don't think it is because I changed location; I think summer is finally ending! Yay!!

Anyway, I ended up having a good afternoon after I got some food in my belly. Those of you that know me best know that I get grumpy when I am hungry. ^^

Now to bed as I have work again tomorrow! (Only 3 classes and I am done after lunch, but have to stick around 2 more hours to wait for Mrs. Song to show me how to take the bus!!) I will take pictures of my school tomorrow and post them.

Random observations about Korea:
1. Their interstate is exactly like our system.
2. Men's ties here are so girly! They are all pastel and have rhinestones on them!! Rhinestones and sparkles are so popular here. The ajima's (older women) often wear shirts bedazzled with them and I find it so funny. Other random things like food trays at restaurants sometimes have sparkles in them as well.
3. Women keep their maiden name here.
4. You must take your shoes off when going to a restaurant where you sit on the floor (which is most restaurants here) and also when you enter someone's house. They have a special area in the entrance way for shoes and then the rest of the house is a baby step up (the floor is raised maybe 2-6 inches).
5. Students are responsible for cleaning the school (no janitors).
6. Gasoline costs just under $2/litre, which is about $7.60/gallon!!