oh, thank fuck, my students are still there.

I taught my first classes of the new year today. My first period was 1st graders and they were SO QUIET and they just STARED AT ME THE WHOLE TIME, I swear. I introduced myself, then we played a game, and then we took what was supposed to be a mock quiz (I mean, the person who gets the most questions right gets candy, come ON). They acted like the game was a test and took the quiz like their lives depended on it, which is good in a way (it means they were paying attention and will probably study hard), but gosh, I meant for the class to be FUN.

So that was rough, and it got me even more nervous than I had been before about teaching the rest of my classes, but it was all uphill from there. The next class of 1st graders was great, and then I had one period of my beloved 3rd graders, and I really can't emphasize enough how much better they made me feel. I know them, they know me, we are comfortable with each other, and I was truly happy to see their faces. Being in front of a class of 25 3rd graders feels ever so much more like my comfort zone than the 1st graders do. I told them about my vacation, they told me about their vacations, I tricked them into thinking I was a married woman now, and the whole thing couldn't have gone better. Even shy-girl engaged and spoke, I was so happy.

Then my last class of the day was another 1st grade, and they were positively RAMBUNCTIOUS. I couldn't believe that at the beginning of the day I'd been worried about my students being too quiet. One student's English was pretty much limited to "OK" and "I love you," but he would not stop saying those two things over and over whenever given the opportunity. He's going to be one of the "give me candy!" students, I can smell it.

The guy I got raw on hasn't stopped participating, by the way.

A significant portion of the English language selection at the local Bandi&Luni's bookstore.

I only want to eat clementines these days.

The positioning of this family tree intrigues me.

demon tree?

My students are insane. That is not a TREE, that is a HAND.

lolz.

Thanksgiving week, some of my 2nd grade classes were ahead of schedule. So we talked about the differences between American and Korean Thanksgiving/Chuseok, and these are the results. It would have been easier to just transcribe the funny sentences, but I felt like transcription couldn't do them justice.

Aww. Hugs!

I love this student. He is so nice and funny and tries so hard. And he came up with the words "appreciate" and "oxygen" all on his own!

Foolproof way to get the immediate attention of 95% of my students: mention sexy girls. They love talking about sexy girls.

Not sure why this student wrote "delicious" next to his name, but I like it.

This girl is awesome. She loves Britney Spears and everyone knows it. "happy good smile ^o^"/ "Idol is bling bling very new Idol comeback eyes happy" :)

This is shy-girl.

I love #2.

"Dog b/c dog is cute"!

Bana milk is a Korean drink brand. "Korea b/c Korea is peaceful"!

This guy is funny. It sounds kind of bad, but he explained it to me as approximately: "I am thankful for my friends surrounding me because it means I don't have to use guns." So, being surrounded by friends is a kind of power.

My students love it when I say, "blah blah blah," and they love parroting "blah blah blah" back to me. :)

Finally, the suck-ups. That day I was wearing baggy washed-out construction jeans (w/ 9 pockets). I guess that makes me stylish. Like a New Yorker.

trot,

you know, old people dancing music.

Next Friday: school festival. I will serve popcorn at the English movie theater room, sing Korean songs in the teachers' choir, and probably be goaded into getting fake tattoos (giggle, giggle) by my office gossip friends (the youngest of all the teachers, the ones who sometimes try to set me up on blind dates, the two girls I can joke and be non-pc with). I love them, and hate them, and love them. I have no doubt they would both be shocked if they knew I had a real tattoo.

But the point was: TEACHERS' CHOIR. IN KOREAN. We have begun to meet at 3:30 every day to practice our 3 songs until 4:10 (when we all leave school). I can't read Korean fast enough to keep up with the lyrics, but I'm hoping to memorize them in my spare time, and FUCK, I LOVE IT ANYWAY. It reminds me of middle school choir, only more awkward. They keep trying to convince me to do a solo, but frankly, I'd rather pee myself.

I don't know what to say about the whole "teaching" part. It's a constant struggle. I'm never sure whether I'm doing a good job or not. Disconcerting, etc. I don't teach shy girl again until Friday.

Now, I am going to go eat a sandwich.

the mountains climb themselves

1. 무궁화, mugunghwa (mugung = eternal, hwa = flower), hibiscus syriacus, rose of sharon: the national flower of Korea.


2. I just banged my knee against the corner of my desk, and then had the strangest urge to lick the tiny film of blood that has formed over the scratch.

3. When you say you like hiking here, be prepared to follow through. They don't fuck around with hiking. Two of my co-workers have taken me hiking over the mountain behind the school so far, and many more offers are pouring in from others to take me mountain climbing on weekends. Wednesday's steep climb made me want to die (but in a really good, happy way). Some of my co-workers hike over the mountain to work. Contemplating joining them.

4. Lesson planning, lesson planning, revising, lesson planning, "do you have any suggestions?", revising, lesson planning. Most of my C-level kids can't read English.

5. I made a 2nd grade girl cry today, then felt like a useless turd for the rest of the day. The first day I taught her class, I made all of the students do short introductions of themselves in English. She was shy, that day, and it was obvious to me that she didn't want to get up and introduce herself, and she wouldn't meet my eyes, etc.... but golly. Today I asked the students to practice a dialogue in pairs for a few minutes, and when I got to her and her partner to check up on them, they weren't talking. So I asked them if they had any questions. Do you understand? Do you what I asked you to do? Are the words hard? Do you need help pronouncing them? No response. Her table partner tried urging her in Korean. My co-teacher, Shin-Jeung, came over and tried urging her in Korean. She wouldn't speak in Korean or English, wouldn't meet our eyes. Please try, please repeat what I say (pointing to the dialogue). Nothing. This is English conversation class, you have to try to speak. Don't worry, you can do it. Please try. She started tearing up. Oh, fuck. I didn't mean to make you cry! Next class, I said, I'm going to ask you to speak again. Finally, a nod of comprehension, and a meeting of my eyes. What on earth should I do? How do I help her?

6. Goddamnit, stop serving fish patties for lunch. But those pheasant eggs are delicious, mmhmmm.

7. Just discovered aloe juice with aloe pulp at the supermarket. This might well replace my love affair with mango juice.

8. I feel overextended. Can you tell that I feel overextended?

9. But sometimes, over-extension makes me happy. Maybe this is one of those times.

10. The mosquitoes here have quick reflexes. Think killing mosquitoes is easy? American mosquitoes are lazy. Korean mosquitoes are fast. It land on your foot --> you start thinking about your foot --> that damn-ass mosquito is out that bitch. Tricky mind readers.

I just killed one, though, that had been torturing me for a half-hour. Damn, I love killing mosquitoes.