Another week has passed and things here are quickly settling into a routine. Some of that is good, some of that is bad. This adventure not only offers me the opportunity to earn money and experience Korea; it also allows me to rectify some of the mistakes that I had made previously. Mistakes that I am discovering are rather well ingrained in my psyche and need to be purged.
Last Friday I went out for dinner with a friend. We finally discovered, what I describe as 'the walking market'. It is simply an area of the city where there is a massive collection of clothing shops, bars, restaurants and the like. While there are streets the majority of them are used more for walking than driving. But you still better be on your toes. After dinner (pizza) we toured the area and discovered that it has virtually every type of clothing brand available, all with their own individual shops. It was a great place to find.
Saturday was fairly uneventful for the most part. The day was spent shopping for various items of need for the apartment while the evening was spent on a street corner in Gwangyang.
Sunday was Chuseok, the Korean Thanksgiving and with it came an impromptu trip to the beach in Yeosu. After a nice lunch at the Outback Steakhouse (the first one I had ever been to) we took the bus to Yeosu. It was nice to finally get to Yeosu, and the beach, during the day. The beach was surprisingly deserted, but the water was warm so the swimming was nice (I later mentioned to one of my co-teachers that I had gone swimming and they thought I was crazy - the water is freezing according to her). After the beach we went for dinner. We were going for a type of chicken stir fry called duk-galbi (I don't know if that is how you spell it, but that is how its pernounced). Yeah, chicken would have been good, except they brought us octopus. Two of them in fact.
Monday was a holiday and was spent doing not much of anything, which was good. I managed to call back home and speak with the family and I managed to talk with my friend in Ulsan.
Tuesday brought a return to school and tedium. I am going mad with nothing to do but stand/sit in class and parrot the teacher. Frankly I find it rather absurd, especially when the only thing she has me doing is the introduction and constantly feels the need to interrupt and take it over. I believe that she means well, but she doesn't seem interested in talking with me about it, as each time I try to talk with her about the classes she just keeps telling me to do the intro and the game. This is quickly followed with her leaving.
Wednesday went fairly well. Volleyball was fun as usual. This time though they started with me in the middle row (they play with 9 people a side) and it seemed that they did this to help isolate me and allow for the front and back row players to help me. Unfortunately we lost the game which prompted them to reshuffle the playing order, so once again I was front right. We ended up winning five of seven games and two boxes of kleenex! I'm still a little lost as to what they want me to do. The apparent captain of my team kept telling me 'two' and mimicking the setting of the ball. I figured that he was worried about form: 1 - bump, 2 - set, 3 - spike (I've seen them simply let the ball fall and lose a point because it wasn't 'theirs' to get given the position they played, even though they could have played it). So then I try setting the ball and I'm told the same thing. I'm not going to worry about it too much though. I'm having fun playing and many of the teachers say I'm playing well. So if they are happy, I'm happy.
Wednesday was also the day that I gave my gifts to my Principal and Vice Principal. They of course were gracious in receiving them, told me that it was completely unnecessary and then had me and my co-teacher leave fairly quickly. They are fairly busy people after all. Hopefully they will remember the gifts when it comes time to giving me a day of for the UNESCO weekend in October. My co-teacher told me that the teacher I replaced had requested to go last year, but the Principal would not allow her the day off. I hope that I fare better.
Thursday was quite uneventful. Four classes in the morning followed by hours of boredom. At the very least I have a computer to use, so there is some means of distraction.
Today brings with it my first Teacher's Workshop. It was to be last Friday, but with it being the day before the Chuseok weekend, it was cancelled and many teachers left early. Hopefully it goes well. I had to submit a proposal for the workshop to the VP, outlining the different subjects that I planned on covering throughout the semester. I have a feeling that this will change though as much of today's lesson will revolve around figuring out what it is that they want me to go over, rather than me forcing subjects on them.
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Observations:
- One must beware of Korean ice cream. A young student was handing them out to teachers last week and I was given one. I figured that ice cream was ice cream. Not quite. It turned out to be a bunch of beans frozen in a block of ice, covered in a chocolate-like coating. The top inch was something akin to ice cream though. Overall it was rather disgusting, but like everything one must simply smile and nod.
- Korean students have no concept of silence. They constantly make noise and despite many efforts to get them to be quiet, each are met with resounding failure. On Thursday I tried to have a class remain quiet for one minute. If anyone talked a further minute would be added to the total. Three people talked within the first 13 seconds. It was amazing. Another class wouldn't stop talking and pay attention, so I kept them in class for twenty minutes during lunch, telling them that if they are going to waste my time, I'll waste theirs. Surprisingly the co-teacher didn't mutter a word of disapproval concerning either case. She of course probably would have started hitting the kids to get them to behave. This is something that I don't want to happen, especially if she decides to use the half a pool cue she has in the classroom.
3 comments:
boring is boring. I would use the time to outline a book in my head, or draw cartoons or something. At least you are teaching the other class. what about reversing it? Have the children put their hands on their heads and then if they talk they have to lower them - then a gift to the one who can stay quiet the longest? meh, things are boring here. Any ideas for a media unit? grade 11 english, i Have some magazines - want to teach branding but haven't wrapped my head around how i should approach it. I want to do a magazine, however i don't want to spend a lot of time figuring out what to do with it. That's what you can do - my media unit.
the trip went great, however i think they were ready to come home. The cat is staying, however i cannot find the 'off' switch. You had a cat. Where is the off switch?
hey i just wrote a comment on the elect sarah palin blog, the guy that was on stephen cobert's show. I don't think he will post it because, well the blog is one sided, but i thought i would give it to you.
I'm not sure if this will be deleted or not, however i thought i would throw my two-cents out in the public ring.
All these comments seem to focus on the political aspects of Mrs. Palin's value. The problem is that she is not running for the vice president of a young and healthy president, rather of a 72 year old, 3 (or is it 4) time survivor of cancer. A man who has not, as of yet, released all of his medical records (?)
I know that her personal story is dramatic and powerful. She seems like a very nice lady and has some strong instincts towards republican positions, I see how that is valuable, however her political value is not the point. She enters the race with a high percentage of someday accepting the mantel of president. It is very likely that she be the president of the United States of America.
8 out of the 43 presidents have come to the office after the death of a president. That is about 20%.
Here is what i am thinking.
America is on the verge of an economic collapse very similar to that experienced during the 1930's. That ended up being a global collapse that fostered the growth of global fascism as a political movement. The death of 20 million people and the rise of a Communist Super-Power.
America is in the middle of two wars, and has been rattling sabers with Iran and Pakistan. The results of these gambits have not even begun to play themselves out yet.
Added to this a newly empowered proto-fascist Russia which has already invaded Georgia. Russia's displeasure with America stems with desiring Georgia to join NATO, which it is on track to do. Russia invaded to show the world that America was powerless to stop it. If Russia decided to invade again to exert it's regional power, America will be in a hot war with a revitalized nuclear Russia, vis-a-vis it's obligations under NATO.
Sarah Palin seems nice, but is she really qualified, or have the ability to deal with this? Sure you can say that she will get some advisers, but Washington seems like a shark-pit and how can an newly installed, self-proclaimed Washington outsider faithfully navigate the dangers of this town? We have just suffered through eight years of a president who trusted advisers who have led America into the troubles it now faces.
She is a great political choice, and a great person, but is she truly ready to navigate these treacherous waters? While people might wish she is, or hope she is, nothing she has done has shown she is. She might be good for a political party, however is she good for America? Just wondering.
peace.
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