♪How is the Weather?♪ It's a thunderstorm....

I can hear the sounds and see the light coming from the thunder outside my apartment window. I've never quite experienced weather quite like this. When it rains, it pours. Add some humid temperatures, a sense of dampness from the rain and some loud and bright thunder sounds and be magically surprised. It's not a good feeling to walk around at night. An umbrella helps but no one wants to walk in this rain. 

I'm feeling this particular mood because I am a little overwhelmed with all that I have to learn during this past few weeks. I've almost worked at this private English academy for a month and I've learned quite a bit about the atmosphere of this particular franchise. I've learned much gossip about former teachers and learned quite a bit about the students and how to handle them. I'm learning to lead others for the first time when I don't even know how to lead myself. I'm learning about the failings of the franchise because of missed or bad communication. Over planning and under planning. Korean communication. No one ever directly tells you what they want. I need to take into account everything that has already happened and be super observant about what they do rather then what they say. Oh well! 

There has been pluses and minuses throughout my classes. Luckily, this all gets better with time. I am coming at a time where these students were not given a proper transition between teachers. I popped right in at the most awkward time so some of them are still giving me a hard time. Children are loyal to their teachers and by this time I think they are getting used to the idea that I will be here for awhile. I am starting to understand what some of the children want from their teacher while giving them appropriate praise and rewards in class. 

On a lighter note, I have been on a few adventures! I was in the process of getting my alien card. The first step was going to get a medical exam at the hospital. I went with the principle who does not know English. How awkward. All I could do was smile and nod. It was really awkward when I want to communicate that I cannot do this urine test because I needed to drink more water but she tells me no. She thinks I don't understand and she points to her butt and says, "shit". Really? I gave up communicating by that test. All I can do is look confused.

The elementary kids had an overnight camping trip. It consisted of cooking contest, two games, a talent show and a hike to the nearest mountain. I was told to make this simple Korean dish when I have never made Korean food in my life. What were they thinking? I have only been here for....four weeks? It wasn't that our team made the recipe wrong... The product was this spongy brown triangle thing that needed to be stuffed with rice and seasonings. Well, in the beginning, I observed that all the kids went out to make rice. One boy was in charge of that. I asked him if I could take this pot of rice to the team. He said it was. So, I took it. Another Korean teacher later told the group that the rice that I picked up had not been cooked yet. I ruined that. Technically, that wasn't entirely my fault because this boy told me the wrong information. Yet. I was blamed for bringing the rice and ruining their dish. Opps. How on earth could I explain myself with such limited English? They remained angry at me but I think they got over it. 

I was also invited to take part in the talent show as a k-pop dancer with the older kids. They needed audience members so I and this other teacher danced. I didn't care. It was a talent show! 

In the end, I got to read to the first grade boys a bedtime story. I read them the magic school bus series about stars. The teachers asked what the boys liked about their camping trip and a few of them liked the story. I was so happy that they enjoyed it. I had no idea if they were actually listening or not since they were acting so silly during the actual reading time.

Today was the Kindergarten Festival. The seven year old's seemed happy to see me. They made ponchos out of shopping bags and played pin the tail on the donkey. It was a good time. At least, I thought they had fun? I asked my co-teacher if she had fun and she could no give me a straight answer. One of the boys came up to me with a high five and said, "You are good!".

 I really like kindergarten. They are such simple people.

Naughty Children

Naughty children are just that....naughty....but that is another story.

No matter how many times I try to attempt to ask a direct question about anything to a Korean, I will never get a direct answer. Watch their actions, not what they say. I will wait days until I see results to the request that I asked or even minutes. It really depends on what I asked for. It also matters if they actually want to do it. Talk about culture shock.

I am still an illegal alien living as a English Teacher. There are four different tasks I must get finished before I can sign up for my own Korean bank account. I wanted to start this process as soon as possible and I must get this process finished this month. First, I must visit a medical clinic to get an exam to tell the entire Korean Government that I am a healthy enough to live here. My manager has told me that she will get right on it. Nothing happened for at least a week and a half. In my head, "Is anyone listening to the annoying American!?" No. They will respond at their own time. Please wait and leave a message after the beep. I think it has something to do with the age differences (I'm younger then all of my superiors) and that there is nothing to worry about here (They supposedly have it under control). I must be in control. *clenches fist into the air* Oh well. I signed my life away by signing my contract yesterday. Today, I found out when I will be going to the clinic...hahahaha....

I FINALLY HAVE THE INTERNET!! I have been asking how to set it up for three weeks.... I am laughing about it now. My manager asked me if this guy could come tonight. I said that I had already made plans for that night so I may just not be there that night.... I finally said he could come whenever. They had sent this technology guy into my apartment without me knowing while I was teaching. He was already in my apartment when my manager asked me for my computer password. I haven't even cleaned my apartment.... I did not ask for him to go in there yet.... whatever...I HAVE THE INTERNET!!!

Riddle me this. I keep managing to lose my stuff. I have been like this since I was a little kid. This spacey way of losing my stuff will not leave my psyche. I left my makeup back in the first hotel that I had stayed at. I have to buy all new makeup. I managed to leave my sunglasses in the teachers lounge twice. I almost left my purse in the teachers lounge once. I left my hat once. To top all of that, I promptly left my purse in the teachers lounge for the second time. One of the teachers tried to indirectly tell me that I did not have my purse by asking if I had remembered my hat. Well, of course I remembered my hat. That never prompted me to remember or even think about my purse on the floor. What the heck. Can't you just tell me that I was forgetting my purse?

I had such a stressful day yesterday. I don't have any classroom management skills. Imagine trying to handle 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 and 13 year old's throughout the day. I managed to discipline some real rowdy five year old boys and I overheard one little girl thank me. That's funny. All of these kids had lost their ears before they came into class and they get louder by the minute. What monsters. On top of all that, I managed to keep my cool despite these on coming disasters. I could not tell how stressed out I had felt until I got home with this overwhelming feeling that I needed to fall asleep promptly into my bed at 9pm. I get out off of work at 8pm. Ugh.

BUT WAIT!! Today was wonderful. I learned to love discipline. I love discipline. How did I do it? I learned a simple trick from another native teacher. It is so simple that I wonder why I did not think of it. Children are so simple minded so why can't I be? It's summer time and everyone wants to stay cool. What's the next best thing to do? Turn off the air conditioner. It works MIRACLES!!! I had this nightmare class that I now dread to go to. There are three 10 year old boys have no sense of discipline. I actually had to fight for the remote to the air conditioner. They managed to steal it a couple times until they were all too exhausted by the heat to fight anymore. Two children tried to fake a headache from the heat that they were experiencing. It all started with one girl and then this other boy. My 19 year co-teacher suggested that she may actually be ill from an headache and that she could possibly faint. I was going to feel no sympathy. After this comment, they all promptly fanned her with their books. Oh, wow. These kids had it coming.

For another class, I started a point system intended for these seven year old's as another suggestion. I gave the girls and boys points for good behavior and I took them away for misbehaving. I had heard that these kids are so competitive that one group actually began to cry when they lost. Not in this class. Everyone stayed focused on their work. Throughout class, a couple of the kids told me that they had loved me. I left the class with many kids coming in and out of the classroom with hugs for me. Awhhh. My heart melts. :)

 Get me this. I have unintentionally tried to teach the wrong day of the week to five-seven year old's. They corrected me of course. I tried to say that today was, Tuesday. They usually have to repeat after me. They did not. Why? I repeated myself. A couple of kids say, "no!". I look at the board...opps. I keep doing this. These kids are paying more attention then I am. 

Being a newbie is no fun. It is also way too late on my side of the world. I had too much fun writing it. Off I go. It's 2 am....

Deep Learning Curve....

I am finally here....in Gwangju, South Korea!

Many things have happened since my arrival in South Korea. It is hard to describe them all because there are so many of them. I still can't believe I am here. This is too unreal.

It all started on the airplane. I was assigned to sit next to this Korean women named Hannah. She immigrated to Seattle from Korea when she was young and had been living there for at least 25 years. She is the only one out of nine siblings to stay in America this long. She was traveling back to Korea after nine years to visit her parents. Soon, we both realised that we were going to be traveling to Gwangju. What are the odds? I had officially made a new friend without having arrived yet in Korea!

I arrived to the airport and had the adventure of carrying four pieces of luggage with me. A cart fixed that. It was free of charge! I had the advantage of going through the Korean Immigration line with Hannah. I missed the long line of newcomers. Hannah and I parted ways. Till we meet again.

The next task was to find my taxi driver so that they could take me to the hotel for the night. I thought this guy was my taxi driver since he was standing behind the sign with my name on it but he told me no. I tried to talk to this other person but they could not understand me. I knew there would be a language barrier so I took the sign assuming that could gain the attention to anyone who cared. It worked. It was an older lady with leopard stockings and a dark green shirt with pumps. Taxi drivers are allowed to watch television as they drive. She understood no English so it was a quiet ride to the hotel. Near the end of the trip, she got lost for a few minutes. We finally managed to arrive at the hotel. She told me something with the number 1 to find the hotel floor but that was not quite right. I must have looked crazy for carrying two large baggage's and one small one as well as an XL backpack. It was quite a chore trying to pack three pieces of luggage into that tiny elevator. I could not get out the last piece of luggage out fast enough before the door closed on me. Really? I had to scavenge for it but I still was not on the right floor. One of the hotel clerks must of called the main desk because I was finally found and taken to my room. He could speak English. Language barriers are no fun!!!

Next, I was picked up by Jenny. She is the recruiting manager that hired me. She had a strong Australian accent but she could never tell. She drove me to the headquarters for one day training. I met some other Koreans who held high positions such as a new director, manager as well as a new regular teacher. I had my first Korean lunch on the first day of training. I was very hungry so I only used a spoon to eat all this rice and omelet cakes. I was told to use my chopsticks as well. I would of but I had not eaten since last night. Even the Koreans were surprised how well I had eaten all the food so fast. Spoons are amazing. One of the older ladies wanted to hook me up with her 18 year old son. I took it was a compliment. I also paid no regard to her comment. Haha.

Training consisted of observing all types of classes and learning the basic outline of the entire school system. It is a private hagwon academy for young children so their parents pay a lot to send their kids here. I took notes on all the classes I observed. It was a lot of information but I think I could handle it for now. All the native English teachers liked their jobs at least. I was to leave that night by train to Gwangju.

So, off I go to travel some more. The trip on the train was four hours long. I slept the entire way. I arrive to meet the principle of my school. She spoke no English. Of course! She drove me to my apartment. It was here where she attempted to describe the different places around Gwangju. At least I learned where the hospital was located. We arrived at the apartment. My fridge was already partially stocked with food. She had already bought me fruit, water and some bread! Koreans know that Westerners eat bread as a staple. The bread is not surgery!! She described all the various ways to take advantage of the apartment such as the lights and air conditioning. I have my own television but I probably would not use it since it would only play Korean television. No worries though. I can't get it to work. The space is very small but it is perfect for a single person. I still wonder why brought so much stuff with me for such a small space.

I had two more days of training this week. I learned how to teach the various lesson plans for all the age groups. I often forget that these kids are so young since they are learning some difficult material. I got to teach my first class today with five year olds. I had fun with it. Two of the kids gave me a hug after that class. It made my day! All the teachers here are very helpful.

Next week, I will be preparing to teach kindergardeners for the first time on my own. I will spend this weekend preparing for that. The lessons are up to me. I can set my own rules. Yikes but I'll have fun with it.

Until next time....