Pay day

So, payday finally came. We were barely scraping by for a few days, but now we are millionaires (in won). Since we got paid, we bought a few things that make life a little easier. First we bought a coffee pot. The coffee pot cost about $100! Everybody drinks instant coffee here. Yuck! It’s full of sugar and it has no pep. Now, we can start our day right. It was a good investment. Next, we bought bikes. They too cost about $100 each. Funny how a bike and a coffee maker costs about the same. Since we got the bikes, we have been all over town and we have discovered new stores and restaurants. Finally, we both got a gym membership. We’ll just say expensive, but worth it. There are group exercises, a big work out room, sauna, and bathing room. You check in by your finger print. They give you clothes to work out in and then you work out. Everyone wears the same outfit.

Korea is feeling more and more comfortable. I know very little Korean, so every time we want to do something (buy bikes or gym membership) there is a lot of pointing and sign language. It’s quite entertaining and everything takes a lot longer. Usually people talk to me and ignore Jayson. Someone told us once it’s because he is big and a male. The one guy who did actually talk to Jayson asked him to help him push his cart full of garbage up hill. I wish I had taken a picture. Again there was a lot of sign language, but Jayson understood and helped the guy. Ah, my prince charming:)

Teaching is still going good. We started after school classes, so we have long days, but the week flies by because we are so busy. During after school classes we do not teach with a korean co teacher. So, there is no one to translate, it’s all up to us. This is very difficult for my beginning class. I am teaching them phonics and the alphabet, but they know very little English. I teach like a clown. I act out a lot of things, use a lot of pictures and youtube is my best friend for videos and songs. Thank God for technology. California Schools need to get on it.

The funniest day of my life was when a boy brought a hamster in his pocket to school. I came around the corner to his group and saw him look inside his jacket and I saw a little rodent head pop out. I told my co teacher, “I think that kid has a mouse.” She freaked and said, “A mouse?” She talked to the boy. The rest of the class was playing a game we taught them and had no idea this was going on. My co teacher came back to me and said, “Oh, it’s just a hamster. He said he didn’t know it was in his pocket when he put on his jacket this morning.” I thought No Big Deal?!? I could not stop laughing. I had to turn away from the class, pull myself together and teach the class the next activity.

Like I always say, everyday is adventures!

Chungsol Elementary School

We have completed 2 weeks of school so far. My school day is 8:45am to 4:45 pm. I only have students from 9:10 to 1pm or 2pm. I teach 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade English classes. I see the 6th grade classes 2 times a week and the other grades I only see once a week. I have a Co- Korean teacher who speaks English teaching with me. I have 3 different Co-teachers that I have to plan lessons with. It will take me time to get use to teaching with another teacher in the classroom. Right now the co teacher leads the lesson, I explain directions or introduce dialogue in English. The Korean teacher can then translate if the kids need it. Next week I will start after school classes for extra money (I will make half of my salary extra, yahoo). After school classes will be from 4pm to 6pm Monday through Friday. These classes are for any students who want extra English instruction (or if their parents make them go).

The students are pretty well behaved. Some of the sixth grade students are over English class. The third grade students are so excited because it is their first year in English class. For the most part these students are better behaved then American students. If they act up in class, my co-teacher makes them stand in the corner facing the corner. Then she reprimands them after class and they are on the verge of tears. I’m glad I don’t have to be the bad guy:) My favorite part about Korean School is that the kids clean the school. Everyday there is a designated class to pick up trash, sweep, mop, and wipe every room. It is so funny to walk into a classroom and see a bunch of Korean kids working their butts off to make a class sparkle. I think American schools can learn something from this:)

I eat lunch in the cafeteria with the kids, but I sit at the teacher table. The food is pretty good. It is totally Korean. I have had as much rice these past two weeks as I have had for my whole life! The lunches are made fresh everyday with fresh (not frozen) ingredients! So, at least I am eating healthy. I eat very slow too because I am still getting use to chopsticks. Koreans don’t usually drink a beverage while they eat. They eat all of their food, clean their tray and go to the drinking station. I think that is why soup is served with every meal. I get quite thirsty when I eat, but I learned that drinking while you eat is bad for digestion. I don’t know if that is true or not, but that is what they believe:)

It is taking some time to get use to the school. It is hard to plan lessons with another teacher, but I am learning. The language barrier is very difficult too, it takes twice as long to communicate. The teachers at my school are strict during school hours, but off hours they have a lot of fun. Every Wednesday is Volleyball practice with the teachers. We even bought new uniforms. I guess there are tournaments against other Elementary school staff. I better practice:) Everyday is an adventure and this city is starting to feel more and more comfortable to me.

Our New Home

Well, we are in our new apartment. Finally! It is small, but it is new and clean. So, I am happy. I am at my school, but I will not start teaching until next week. The first day was very interesting. Once you walk into the building you take off your shoes and wear the slippers that are provided to you, I met my new Co-teacher. Her name is Jeong Jung. She is very nice, but I don’t think she knows what to do with me, so she makes me stay in the 6th grade teacher room while she runs around and sets up the classroom.

Since it was the first day of school for the year there was a Welcoming Assembly. So, I was called up in front of all the kids and introduced. I have no idea what the principal said about me, but I just smiled and noddedJ In the middle of the day there was a staff meeting. I had no idea what they said, and once again I had to stand up and be introduced. I said I was from California and they laughed. I said I was a teacher and they cheered. But when I said I was only staying for a year they grunted. The principal was saying things about me when I was standing there and everybody was laughing (I felt like I was in my awkward stages of middle school again).
After the meeting the school staff went out to lunch. We had spicy duck soup and other spicy side dishes. We sat on the floor. There was soju. The principal wanted to make sure I was drinking. Luckily my co teacher poured water into my shot glass when the principal was not looking. He said something and we cheered. Then the principal called me over to sit with him. He poured me a shot in his shot glass (there was no getting out of this one). I drank it. Then I was guided to pour him a shot and he drank it. He said, “Soju make you happy.” I guess it is a common Korean custom. It means we are friends now and we respect each other. I think???

Jayson actually had to teach the first day. On Friday his co teacher gave him the address to his school and told him to take a taxi there. This made him a little nervous, but he made it there alright. Soon he will learn the bus system or maybe even walk to or from school. For now he will stick with the Taxi. He has rowdy middle school boys. The old English teacher is still there, but he still made Jayson teach. Jayson did an introductory lesson about himself and made a game out of it. He quizzed the kids at the end of each class. Good Job Jayson. He ate cafeteria food. For the teachers it’s kinda like buffet style, where you get to pick what you want to eat. He liked the food, but we were both very hungry when we got home, so we had McDonalds. Bad bad bad.

Like I said our apartment is small. There is just one room for bedroom and living room. There is a very small kitchen, with a mini fridge/freezer and there is no oven. Koreans do not have ovens in their homes. The first day we had to share a twin size bed because they were in the process of getting a new one. So, yesterday they took the twin bed, but we didn’t get our new bed, so we had to sleep on the wood floor. Most Koreans sleep on the floor, so they didn’t see it as any problem. So, we just smiled and nodded. Hopefully we will get a bed today.

So, all is good and I think we have had some major culture shock. We will get use to it. I can’t wait to start teaching. I am so bored of staring at a computer all day. All in all, everyone we meet is very nice and helpful and it is a great experience!