8/31: Mexican food, Tae Kwon Do, and jobs

It's finally Friday! 

Last night, I took a bus to Beomgye (bum-gay) after school to meet up with another friend from quarantine during Swine '09. Beomgye has a super huge department store and in that store is a TACO BELL. Ah! I took diligent notes on how to get there for future reference.

Wanting to sit down to eat, we opted for the more expensive Mexican choice -- On the Border. (Yes, you read that right: TWO Mexican food restaurants in one city. Korea's stepping up its game.) I guess On the Border is an American chain, but I'd never been there. The food was delicious; the company was high-quality; the beer was cold. It was a bit strange that they serve Coronas with lemons here instead of limes... Oh well, it tasted great after a long, rainy day!

Today, I had all the fives classes -- about 70 kids -- and they were as cute as can be. When they sing the hello and weather songs, they put so much effort into the motions and sing their little hearts out, even if it comes out complete gibberish. When we read Rain by Robert Kalan, they always shout out the words whenever they think of them: some yell out a line three pages before it happens, while others wait to repeat after me. No matter the level of English, EVERYONE yells "rainbow" on the last page. If nothing else, these kids know what a rainbow is. My work here is done.

I also had two sevens classes today. They're fun because they understand a lot more English. They also get really excited whenever I use any Korean whatsoever. Sometimes I'll say "char-es-so," which is like "good job," and they freak out and then ask me if I speak Korean. In Korean, I'll say, "I don't speak Korean," and then they freak out even more. Eventually they realize I'm just guessing what they're saying and give up, but it's fun while it lasts.

There's one five year old who calls me "jjang-ee-dah" (the best) because I said that to him one time awhile ago. I'll be walking around the school and kids will start yelling "hello Laura Teacher!" and one lone voice will yell "hello jjang-ee-dah!"

After the kindergartners left for the day, one girl's mom picked her up late and said she talks about me at home! This was especially touching because I only see her for 30 minutes three times a week! They warm my little heart.

In my afternoon classes, the kids who take Tae Kwon Do were all wearing their uniforms for some reason today, so here's some pictures of them in all their glory.

The kid in the front is one of my favorites. 

He knows just enough English to get his point across, but not quite enough to make sense.

Plus, he makes this face.

We just finished up our long o spelling words, so my other class did a coloring sheet today.

These long pencils are crayons that you can twist up as you use them. Pretty smart.

Here's some more pictures of them just being goofy. It was a weird/awesome day.

I'm being spoiled with these small classes, but it really is essential with the language barrier. It's also so much easier to personalize the lessons and get to know all my students.

Today in the higher level class, we talked about jobs, and I asked them what kind of jobs people in their families have. Here are some of their answers and what I figured out after some intense non-verbal communicating:

"My dad job weather" = heating and cooling
"Dad job card" = I think a cashier somewhere... Something with the number 100...
"My you is mom" = teacher
"Mom me cook food and mmmmm" = stay-at-home mom or a caterer to the stars?
"My mom job doctor and teacher and zoo and car and hand phone" = liar
"My dad job money" = her dad leaves and then comes home and he has money... so, maybe a drug dealer? or professional ATM withdrawer? wishing well diver?

All in all, an enjoyable week that I'm going to cap off with hiking and a concert tomorrow. Happy Friday morning in the States! It's going to be a good day -- believe me, I'm from the future.

8/30: School daze

I'm updating this from school because my wifi has been hit or miss at home.

I successfully survived the typhoon(s?) with all my limbs intact. It actually wasn't that bad: just some strong winds and a bit of rain. I'm not sure if it lost steam or missed us or what -- it's hard to find local news coverage in English.

My school days have been very busy with the end of the month fast approaching. We have to finish up and grade this month's books, write progress reports, prepare and plan the new books, and continue planning and teaching kindergarten, supplementary classes, and the elementary classes in the afternoon. I have also begun tutoring one-on-one after school with the most difficult child I have ever met.

The time at school definitely flies by! Gotta go -- potatoes and weird mashed stuff for lunch!

8/27: Private parts and typhoon day

Maybe it's the typhoon in the air or something, but the kids were crazy at school today. The boys seemed to be obsessed with their private parts: one kid kept putting his hand down his pants then smelling it, two six-year-olds drew boy parts on their Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly cut-outs, and when talking about long e sounds, the first grade boys found it necessary to act out the difference between he and she.

Oh, and another kid poked me in the butt. Thinking about it now, it's conditioning me to never turn my back on students -- they're making me a better teacher!

The kid who gave me a hard time last week did so again today, but his classroom teacher came in and talked to him for a bit and he seemed to shape up after that. Hopefully, this won't be an every Monday and Wednesday occurrence.

After school, I planned a bit, but most of the talk was about the typhoon scheduled to hit Korea tomorrow afternoon. They're predicting it'll be pretty bad, so we taped up the windows and moved the computers. Apparently, all schools are supposed to be canceled tomorrow, and the VP made the call before noon today that all the classes are indeed canceled, but the teachers still have to come in. I'm thinking it can't be THAT bad if they're making us come in to school.

One of the other teachers said that sometimes they shut down public transportation if it gets too bad though, so I hope we don't get stuck at school! Maybe they'll let us go early... Honestly, it'll be nice to have a planning/grading day with no interruptions. Thanks, Typhoon Bolaven!

And in case you're wondering what the difference is between a typhoon and a hurricane (like I was) -- there is no difference! You learn something every day... I'll keep you updated on the typhoon as best I can, but I'm thinking my wifi will probably go down for awhile... Better download some movies now!

8/25: Suwon, AK Plaza, and Moraksan

Sorry for a bit of radio silence; my (stolen) wifi has been out since Saturday morning. Gift horse...

Friday was pretty standard. We did have a staff meeting during which I found out about my Christmas vacation and that the VP thinks I will be good at choreographing a recital for the fives. Eating and dancing ARE two of my most prized talents. Friday night was rainy and gross, so I had a tall boy with some Koreans on the porch of a convenience store that's connected to my apartment building. 

Luckily, Saturday morning I got in a good, long Skype session with Erica before the internet went down. After our dinner/breakfast date, I started researching travel options for my planned meet-up with my friend Megan from Mizzou. Megan, Erica, and I were all quarantined in Korea during the Swine Flu breakout back in 2009. It's remarkable how many people from that group (and the group I came with in 2011) have returned to teach here.

Anyway, I packed for an afternoon of shopping and shenanigans, then a nice hike in the morning with Megan and her friends. Another teacher had told me which bus to take to Suwon and how to get to the train station there. The bus ride was less than an hour, and finding the station was quite easy since it seemed everyone getting off the bus was headed there. The station is also a huge shopping mall, or a huge shopping mall is also the train station... I'm not sure which. Regardless, there were a ton of people there. The ticket machines had an English option, so finding a train from Suwon to Jeonju was simple enough, but the next train was sold out. Then, when I tried to buy a ticket for a later train, the machine wouldn't take my card. Since I was now going to be arriving in Jeonju around 9 p.m., then turning around on a 3-hour train ride the next afternoon and would have to use all my remaining cash to do so, I decided it wasn't really "giving up" as much as just not working out.

Might as well do some shopping! The shopping center -- called AK Plaza -- was seven stories high and had two Dunkin' Donuts AND two North Face stores. It was mostly name-brand and designer stores like Polo, Lacoste, and Burberry, but there were a few independent booths and stores as well. I was really excited to see an OPI store, but the nail polish was 25,000 won, or about $20, a bottle! (Dad: it's usually only about $8, max.) I bought a few trinkets at an aptly named accessories store -- Open -- and explored a bit. 

After I had my fill of the spoils of debilitating consumerism, I headed outside to figure out how to get home. I had anticipated having a day or so to ask around and have a Korean help me, but my change in plans complicated things a bit. I knew which bus I had to take, and I knew it wouldn't pick me up in the same place since it would be going the opposite direction, but I had no idea where it would pick me up. I finally found an underground sidewalk that took me across the street and to the other bus station. On the way, I grabbed a Vitamin Water from a convenience store and a corn dog from a street food vendor who also had some pretty phallic snacks. Also notice the dreaded ddeokbokki in the top left corner. Gross.

That has to be on purpose, right? 

After having some food and finding my bus stop, I wandered down a few more streets and found my favorite Korean store -- Artbox! It has an entire section dedicated to schedulers and planners. It also has office supplies, stuffed animals, as seen on TV-type stuff, and candy. I could spend all day there. Needless to say, my backpack was a bit heavier when I got back on the bus.

On the way home, I was pooped, but excited thinking about how the list of things I can do and places I can get to is getting longer every day. Knowing my way to and from Suwon opens up a lot of doors; today, I looked it up in my Lonely Planet guide and there is certainly a lot to see and do in the provincial capital city. I'll have to plan a trip there soon.

After a spectacular night's sleep, I was bummed my internet wasn't back up, so I took the opportunity to clean my bathroom and have a traditional spaghetti breakfast. I read a bit on my Kindle, then headed out for a hike. I can see a mountain out my window, and knowing the Korean appetite for exercise, knew there must be some kind of trail. On my way, I found a tennis/badminton court and a basketball court. I also found this sweet weightlifting gazebo.

Oh, Korea.

Eventually, I found the mountain trail and started making my way up. There was a good number of people on the trail, all older men and women decked out in hiking garb -- in Korea, you don't do anything without first buying all the proper equipment. The trail was pretty intense, but those old ladies just kept passing me with their walking sticks (like ski poles) and full-body suits, so I kept on going.

I was rewarded with this view of my city.

The bright green netting close to the center of the photo is an indoor golf range, and my apartment is just a bit past that. The mountains continue in either direction and the result is breathtaking (maybe just because I'm out of shape). I wasn't quite to the top, but I figured I have plenty of time to work my way up there, so I headed back down the mountain, which is actually Morak-san, or Morak Mountain.

On the way down, I stopped at the park to watch some kids play badminton and enjoy the sunshine. There was also a dad there teaching his son how to shoot a basketball, which reminded me of home for obvious reasons.

Neither of them was very good. I probably could've taken them.

Sitting there being nostalgic, a strange thing happened: a Korean said "hey" to me. It was weird to hear the colloquialism, instead of the more common "hello." Turns out, he was actually born in Australia, but moved back and forth a bit growing up. He has been to the U.S. before -- Kansas City, in fact! -- and his mother owns and operates an English kindergarten nearby. He almost immediately offered me a job there, and invited me to his church, so my creepiness radar was going crazy, but he was nice enough and we chatted for a bit. 

I sat for awhile after he left, then went off to Lotte to get some fruit for the coming week. I had some adventures at Lotte, which I think I'll save for another day, and am about to settle in with my Kindle for the night. But not before using my free internet for some inter-continental updates! Now, I'm off to bed, tomorrow's a school day! :)

8/23: F.U., ddeokbokki, and a pity party

Yesterday I had a pretty bad day. The stars aligned and everything just seemed to start working against me. Honestly, my deteriorating attitude probably had something to do with it, too.

I started the day by spilling water on my laptop. I mean, a lot of water. Since then, I have looked up what to do if you spill water on your laptop, and I failed in every respect (unplug it, turn it off, set it upside down to dry, don't turn it on for at least 24 hours, etc.). As punishment for my lack of common sense and patience, my only keyboard keys that work are now F, J, U, and Z, which I'm pretty sure are the keys I use least. 

Then, I had my hardest day of morning classes, including a class for which one of the other teachers neglected to make my copies, so I didn't know what I was doing at all. To top off my rough morning, lunch was ddeokbokki (duck-bo-key) -- my least favorite Korean food -- which is a rice cake in a spicy sauce. It's the strangest texture; it takes forever to chew and is really slimy. It definitely isn't a Korean dish that has grown on me as others have. Here's a stock photo of some ddeokbokki -- it's the cylindrical noodle-things.  

Long story short: I didn't have much to eat at lunch. 

Then, I thought I had the good afternoon class, but really I had the hell raisers, AND they were worse than usual. One kid in particular really challenged me, even yelling mean things at me in Korean. The worst part was that I haven't had any behavior problems yet, so I didn't know the protocol for discipline. I eventually just made him sit in the opposite corner of the room. (In our afternoon classes, there aren't any Korean teachers around.) I ignored him the rest of the period and made him apologize to me before he could leave. I thought he was going to cry at that point, but I waited for the other kids to leave so hopefully I didn't scar him for life. 

I got a self-pity pizza on the way home and ate way too much as I rehashed the day. Finally, I settled in with a su doku and went to bed. I had awful nightmares throughout the night (thanks for nothing, True Blood) and tossed and turned all night. Needless to say, I woke up in a funk. 

Despite the early morning remnants of yesterday's perils, today was pretty alright. I got a new keyboard at Lotte (only 17,000 won!), figured out the discipline protocol, and had the good afternoon class. In my first grade class, the kids were surprised break time came so soon -- they wanted to keep playing my game! And at lunch, the lunch lady told me (via the VP) that I "eat well" and that I'm pretty, so I know that will make my mom proud. The other lunch lady told me (via another teacher) that I "eat well" within my first week here, so I definitely got that going for me. Any job offers for next year?

Anyway, I'm finalizing plans for the weekend and getting my Kindle on tonight. Shout out to literacy.

8/21: The powers that be

Whew. Okay I just got home and settled after dinner (rice, kimchi, veggies, chicken and a hamburger patty; not sure why there was hamburger, but oh well). School gets a little easier every day.

I'm starting to learn the students' names and personalities, so it's easier to get their attention and to feed off of them during my lessons. I've also gotten to the point where I'm not carrying around my map of the school, so I feel like less of an outsider. In general, I feel more comfortable with the Korean teachers, foreign teachers, and staff as well.

Today, I ate lunch with the VP and accountant (who are married and picked me up on my first day), and they said I am a good teacher. It was just conversation for them, but it really made my day. At a new school in a new city, I usually feel uncertain and a little out of place, so even the smallest compliment eased my anxieties a bit. They speak a bit of English and have two kids in the school, who are both very sweet. The vice principal basically runs the school, whereas the principal is more of a figurehead. So far, they have all been very kind to me.

In the office, there is also a secretary and head teacher, who are both very nice and a bit more lighthearted. The secretary speaks limited English, but knows a lot of vocabulary. Today, after school, she whipped out the word "parasailing" when we were looking at a picture. Sometimes, I eat lunch with these two ladies, and they both try so hard to talk to me in Korean. I wish I could understand so badly!

I'm trying to learn a new word or phrase each day. Apparently, one of the other foreign teachers overheard the office folk talking about me and they think my Korean is very good. Someone said they think I will be speaking Korean in one month! It was a nice compliment, but it's definitely going to take longer than that. Coming here, I didn't think I would actively dedicate time to learning the language and just pick up what I could, but the frustration of not being independent and not understanding anything is too much. If I could have any superpower it would be to understand and speak any language on demand. That would be incredible.

We have a staff meeting this Friday, and plans are in the works to meet up with a friend from Mizzou this weekend! I've also begun the process of reserving a spot on a DMZ tour in September. So many things to look forward to! More immediately, however: bedtime.

I'll leave you with this tourism video I found when I was first offered this job. Note: I just found out Baekun Lake is walking distance from my apartment. Also note: This video is cheesy, but it has some nice shots of the landscape.

Life in Happy Plus Apartments

Although I'm sad to be missing a friend's wedding today, it has been an exciting day for me as well -- my first day with a load of clean clothes!

Yesterday, the landlord was scheduled to come by around 4 to install bars on my windows. Since I share a balcony with a neighbor, the Vice Principal and Principal of my school insist that I get bars put on my windows. (I checked, my neighbor has them, so it must be a common thing...) Despite my assurances that I would rather live bar-free, the appointment was set up. Okay, but will someone come to fix my washer? Not yet, we'll need to reschedule that.

Around 4 p.m. yesterday, the landlord and Samsung repairman show up to fix my washer. I have no idea what happened, but gift horse, eh? Anyway, the repairman got right down into his Korean squat and got to work pushing buttons, to no avail. He left and came back with what looked like a computer motherboard. He took off the front panels and door of the washer, swapped out the motherboard, and put everything back in its proper place. He pushed buttons again and then left. This time, he came back with a rubber loop of some kind. He pulled the washer out of its cubby, took off the top panel, then flipped it on its front and took off the bottom panel. He pulled a bunch of frayed material out, put the loop in, and reversed his actions. This time, he turned on the washer, pushed some buttons, and said "Okay."

While all this was happening, the repairman and the landlord were heatedly discussing something that warranted a few frantic phone calls, bouts of laughter, and a GPS map pulled up on the guy's cell phone. The only time they acknowledged me was when the landlord mimed to me that I need to clean my floors and asked me a bunch of questions that I think were if I've been to Korea before or how long I've been here, if I have friends, and if anyone else sleeps in my smaller-than-twin bed with me. Or maybe it was all about the floors; I'll never know. Either way, when she left, I went to the store and got a stupid broom.

All's well that ends well: Last night, I sat down with my laptop as translator and a notepad and did a load of laundry.

Luckily, I already have a drying rack, so I'm not going to make a big deal about the error message that pops up when I try to run the dryer function.

8/16: Eating, drinking, and Hades

Yesterday was Korean Independence Day! Most notable fact about Korean Independence Day: There are no fireworks involved.

We did, however, have the day off school. In preparation for my day off and the weekend, I went big time grocery shopping Tuesday after school. Another teacher at my school was just telling me about these "kimbop triangles." Kimbop is Korean sushi -- it's usually very similar to other types of sushi -- but these triangles come in many varieties, including cooked meat sushi.

I like to eat my raw fish meals with extra barbecued meat, hold the fish.

Apparently, all the other teachers eat out every night, but I prefer to cook at home so I can control what I'm eating and how much I'm spending. One Korean favorite is fried chicken. Here, I've included my recipe for my famous Korean fried chicken...

1. Buy fried chicken at the grocery store.
2. Heat it up in a pan.

When it looks like this, you either just started, or it's almost done. Or something in between.

I also got some of these imitation crab sticks Ethan introduced me to last year. They're delicious as a snack! And I think I won something!

Call me Spongebob, stackin' crabby patties.

Besides shopping for, cooking, and eating food, I HAVE been doing other things, I swear. My teaching routine gets smoother every day. The morning classes are a breeze -- 30 minutes with each class of ten is barely enough time to get in, do the work, and get out. I have encountered a few more good names: Dash and Raul. I did teach a Sarah and a Jacob today! Jacob was rambunctious. A lot of the kids are pretty rowdy, but they said it's because English class is like a special to them and/or they come after their school day is over, so they don't think of it as school. 

Tuesday after school, I rode with my Vice Principal to Suwon to be fingerprinted at the immigration office. It's the capital of the Gyeonggi-do province and is only a half hour away. It's population is over a million people, so I might go there again some time to visit. Apparently, a friend from 2009 lives there. I also might just visit to get a sub at Subway...

For the holiday yesterday, I planned to go hiking on a mountain trail close to my apartment, but it rained all day. Instead, I read on my Kindle and downloaded some TV shows and movies. I also got to Skype with my parents and Erica! And Facetime with Larry! Not a bad holiday at all... Hopefully, the rain will stop by this weekend so I can go hiking Saturday or Sunday. 

Otherwise, I might go get a beer somewhere. Apparently, the local foreigner hangout is closed this weekend, so I'll have to whip out some of my Korean: "Soju ju say oh" (give me soju, please). Soju is a Korean rice alcohol that kind of tastes like vodka, but maybe a little sweeter. I've also heard there's a few different flavors, but I've only ever had the regular kind. It goes down smoother than vodka, but hits a bit harder later. 

Korean drinking is very ritualistic, with many customs involved. For one, if anyone's glass is ever empty, the other person is obligated to fill it. So, if you are done drinking, you should leave a little in your cup, or else your company will fill it right back up for you. No one should ever have to pour his own drink. Another custom is that, as a sign of respect, the younger drinkers turn their heads while taking a shot with their elders, so they don't see you drinking it. The younger also pours for the elders first, and positions his or her glass lower than the others when raised to cheers. I'm sure there are many others to which I'm not privy, but I'll be sure to do some field studies soon.

Finally, on my way home today, I spotted this fine example of Engrish (amusing Engrish web site):

"It is hard to get to the top.

However, because is near, there is number of quality car.

By hades club if want it red rope for binding criminal

A fine article is not as can enjoy a person.

There is a fine article to car" 

I guess I shouldn't laugh; I'm sure this is what I sound like when I try to speak Korean. Or Spanish. Message received: Don't get a bumper sticker (both the literal and tattoo-y kind) in another language without doing some serious legwork.

8/13: English, aliens, and swag

Today was my first full day of school, and I made it!

My schedule varies from day to day, but I usually have about four or five kindergarten classes in the morning. The classes are split up into fives, sixes, and sevens. I have mostly fives but one or two sixes throughout the week. After lunch (which was squid again today), I have one more intense kindergarten class for parents who want their children to stay after the normal school day for extra English practice. Finally, I have my two first grade classes that I've been teaching since the beginning.

For the kindergarten classes, we follow a Korean-made curriculum that cycles through a story book and related lessons each month. Right now, we're reading Rain, which the kids love because the text is simple. Some seem really excited about the book and English, but others seem like they couldn't care less what was happening. Fortunately, the class is split in half between myself and another teacher so I only have about ten kids at a time. Also, the regular Korean kindergarten teacher stays in the classroom, which is a lifesaver.

Talking with Ethan this weekend, he was saying there are some kindergartens here that only teach in English, so some Korean kids are growing up knowing English better than Korean. He said there are communities of Chinese people in Korea who live here for generations, but continue to speak Chinese to each other and protect their culture; but, he said, after one generation in an English-speaking country, Koreans forget their language. He said it's a shame there is so much pressure to speak English and become more westernized. I can see both sides of the globalization dilemma, but I am well aware I wouldn't be here if the demand for westernization didn't exist.

Today I found out there are three non-Korean students at my school! It was so weird to see a couple of blonde pigtails bobbing along in the sea of black hair. Apparently, I will teach all three -- I'll keep you updated on that front.

Tomorrow, I will leave school early because the Vice Principal is taking me to the immigration office to be fingerprinted. I think these are sent off, and eventually I'll get my Alien Registration Card. My ARC is necessary for a bank account, cell phone, and getting paid, so I'm really looking forward to getting the ball rolling on the process.

I'll leave you with this gem, which Ethan and Ian made me watch within minutes of our reunion. It's quite addictive. Note: "oppa" means older brother and is what Koreans call older friends or girls call their boyfriends, and "Gangnam style" refers to the city Gangnam, which is known for being upscale and affluent. Basically, it means this old man's got swag. Boy, does he ever.

My first weekend: Toilet paper, microbrews, and public transportation

Well, I have officially been in Korea for one week. My first weekend is coming to a close as I get ready for bed and school tomorrow. Here's what happened.

Friday after school, I explored Uiwang a bit -- I'm getting to know my way around the main street. I looked it up and the population is about 142,000, which is only about 50 thousand more people than Columbia, Missouri. However, Uiwang is roughly six times more densely populated with nearly 7,000 people per square mile (Chicago's population density is 11,000, for comparison). Most of the restaurants here have patios where people sit outside eating and drinking until long after dark. There's always kids running around or headed home from school at all hours, as well. It's strange to see kids around middle school age walking alone at night, but Uiwang definitely seems safe. I don't know if it's that guns are illegal or what, but Korea in general feels safer than the U.S., even in the big cities.

Speaking of big cities, I happened to visit the third largest city in the world last night -- Seoul. My friends Ethan and Ian (their chosen English names) came and picked me up in Uiwang and brought me what they said is the traditional Korean housewarming gift: a big old package of toilet paper and a box of laundry detergent. I think the toilet paper will probably last me the whole year, so I'm actually pretty pumped about that. Nobody's come to fix my washer, so I don't know when I'll be able to use the detergent, but hopefully it's before my clothes run out.

Anyway, Ethan drove us back to Seoul, and we took the subway to Itaewon, a big-time foreigner district. (Public transportation in Korea is really user-friendly, I have a T-money card that I just swipe to charge fare for a bus, taxi, or subway ride. You can reload T-money cards at almost any convenience store.) Ethan works for the government and Ian is a seaman, which they kept saying despite my immature cackling every time. We went to a pub where there were more foreigners than Koreans (which felt strange) and had a few Korean microbrews before taking a cab to Hongdae to meet up with some friends.

I've come to the conclusion it is impossible to adequately describe the nerve-wracking, harrowing experience that is riding in a Korean taxi to someone who's never done it. There has not been one time I've been in a cab in Korea and not had the thought that I was going to die occur to me. In Korea, red lights are negotiable and cars always have the right of way before pedestrians, making crossing the street feel very much like a game of Frogger because of the crazy cab drivers.

Once, when I was here in 2011, our cab swerved into oncoming traffic to pass a line-up of cars waiting to turn left at a stop light. He went around cars trying to turn left by passing them on the left. I'm getting anxious just thinking about it... Luckily, I haven't had anything that drastic happen this week, but I have many more weeks to go. Needless to say, I could always use a beer (or four) after a cab ride here.

Fortunately, I didn't have to wait very long; I met up with some girlfriends from Mizzou in Hongdae and found a place with free tequila for ladies through midnight. Sadly, Ethan and Ian went home after making sure we found the bar. Final tally for the night: four nightclubs, five tequila shots, way too many weird laser shows, $0 for drinks, one gallon of sweat, and one Korean who was really confused about why I took a picture of his shirt.

What I wouldn't do for some quality grocery shopping and Chinese food to go right about now.

When it was quitting time, we split off into a group that lived in Seoul and a group of us who had to wait for the subway to start running again at 5:30. We found a cafe with a big window to people watch and pass the hour or so we had to wait. I don't know how my feet made it, but navigating the subway by myself wasn't too bad. It seemed every train was filled with 20-somethings making the pilgrimage back to the outlying cities of Seoul with drooping eyes and stamped hands. Finally back in Uiwang around 7 a.m., my rock slab that they try to pass off as a bed never felt so good. 

Post-coma, I celebrated the milestone of my first week with a nice big veggie (read: corn) pizza and some True Blood.

Pizza with a side cup of pickles, duh.

Tomorrow will be my first full day of kindergarten and first grade classes! Let's do this.

Day four: Ninjago, pictures, and water slides

Mystery solved: I found out that yesterday while I was at school, the landlord lady went into my apartment to fix my washer. When she left, she locked both locks, which explains why I was locked out and why she went immediately to my washer. It's the little victories...

Today at school, I started planning for my kindergarten classes that start Monday. Apparently, the teachers who were here before me were not the most effective nor motivated. As a result, the kids are behind in the books and lack discipline. Honestly, I just can't wait to get in a kindergarten classroom.

I met one of the kindergartners today in a one-on-one session, and at first he refused to even look at me. After we established that I know about Ninjago, it was game over on the shy act. He was really smart, but is afraid of English teachers, according to another teacher who speaks Korean.

In the afternoon, I was back with my first graders -- who called me "Lollipop Teacher" and "Chicken Teacher" for some reason today. Here's a picture of one of my classes; it only has five students (one's absent) because they're the lower level and because only kids who go to kindergarten at Jayon are allowed to come for first grade, so the classes only lose students and never gain any new. It makes getting one-on-one time much easier, that's for sure.

Eating snack before class

My favorite kid so far is the one in the bright green shirt. He's pretty aggressive (thanks, Tae Kwon Do), but has the best smile and loves to participate. As you might notice in these pictures, he gets around the classroom; I took one right after the other and he managed to get on the other side of the room in time to be in both shots.

On the other side of the glass wall, the writing teacher is with the other first grade class. Halfway through the two-hour period, we switch rooms.

Finally, here's a picture of my school from the road! "자 연 " is the name of the school and I assume the rest is "kindergarten." I don't know about you, but my first question was regarding the functionality of the slide. Unfortunately, they only use it as a sort of emergency exit. If they had a suggestion box, my first proposition would definitely involve the slide and the pool at its end.

"Jayon Language School/Water Park"

I met a few more foreigners today and have now been told half a dozen times to go to Fong's -- a bar right down the street where all the foreigners go. This Saturday, I'm supposed to meet up in Seoul with some Korean and American friends from when I was quarantined for Swine Flu back in 2009, but maybe I'll have to check out Fong's tomorrow. Cheap beer within a two-minute walk? See you there, Fong.

Day three: Porky, shoes, and washing machines

Leaving school today, I was thinking today was the best day so far. Spoiler alert: Of course it proceeded to go downhill from there. But let's start with school.

I had two great classes -- one of my students who yelled, "Reading is bad!" yesterday earned the best student star for the day. I couldn't help but smile as he kept running out of breath trying to retell a story.

I also found out I might be doing one-on-one tutoring after my classes a few days a week with the girl I mentioned previously as "Pokey." Apparently, however, the school spells her name "Pocky" and her parents spell it "Porky." Today, I met her over a high-stakes game of Candyland. She refuses to speak a word of English and evidently runs away whenever she thinks she's done. I've been told to let her run away; she knows her way home. Another item to add to the list of things that wouldn't fly in the U.S.

Another difference: In Korean homes, traditional restaurants, and other traditional attractions, everyone takes off their shoes in the entryway and either proceeds barefoot (in your home) or puts on slippers/house shoes that are only worn inside the building. I was surprised to find out this also happens in the schools. So, when we enter the school, we take off our shoes and put on slippers (guest slippers for me until I bought my own yesterday).

My shoes in the entryway and shower shoes in the bathroom at my apartment.

Even more surprising for me was that the kids don't even wear slippers -- they are barefoot in school all day! It's very strange to see kids running around school with no shoes on... I wonder if this practice holds up in high schools... Anyway, when we go into the bathrooms or kitchen, we switch from slippers to shower shoes that are either in a cabinet nearby or sitting on the floor. It can be a bit inconvenient, but I can see the benefits. I've been told this custom exists because Koreans often sit, eat, and sleep on the floor. I can tell you one thing: their floors are immaculate.

So after school, I took a bus home with another English teacher then walked to my building. I was supposed to meet a friend at my apartment so we could go to dinner. The elevator ride to the tenth floor was grueling due to a combination of a busy afternoon and a liter bottle of water. Fellow teachers will understand. I unlocked my door, but it wouldn't open. I tried locking and unlocking it again. Nothing. I figured one of the other locks must have snapped shut when I closed the door. Shit.

Downstairs, I mimed to the typical-old-Korean-man landlord that I couldn't open my door and we proceeded upstairs. This elevator ride was much better as it consisted of him rattling off every English word he knows: Obama, New York, Seattle. Over and over again. 

He eventually came to the same conclusion I did, told me what I did, probably called me a dumbass, and pointed a lot. Back downstairs in his office/home, we called my principal (who now thinks I'm a dumbass), then the "key engineer," who turned out to be a lady I presume is a relative of some kind. She used a special key to unlock the extra lock and voila, my apartment. 

She walked right in (taking off her shoes, of course) and over to my washer. This was especially weird since I had spent roughly an hour trying in vain to get it open this morning... My parents can attest to this as they were on Skype and Googling how to open my washer. This lady pulled and pushed every knob and button on the contraption, then called up the old man, who did the same. They made no less than four phone calls and spent about half an hour trying to figure it out.

The old-Korean-man squat in action

Three Americans, two Koreans, multiple Googles, and several phone calls later -- I will not be washing clothes any time soon. And my friend missed me in the commotion and/or stood me up.

Oh well, at least I finally got to pee. And thus it was declared: COMFORT FOOD MACARONI NIGHT.

Day two: Showers, needles, and macaroni

Let me tell you, there is no motivator for getting in shape quite like a fluorescent light and a mirror in your shower. That said, I just got out of the shower, which if you haven't been to Korea, is quite different from showers in the US. First of all, the shower is connected to the sink, so you have to be careful to switch it back from shower to sink afterwards or you could end up trying to wash your hands but getting a good dousing instead. Also, the shower head is handheld but rests in a holder that holds it just so it gets everything in the bathroom wet (see photo). It's not too bad, but it definitely takes some getting used to.

Mirror, mirror on the tile, who hasn't worked out in awhile?

I swear I've done more than just take a shower today... This morning, I had my health check at the hospital with another English teacher. We had to get drug tested, our sight and hearing tested, our blood drawn, dental check-ups, and chest x-rays. It was pretty intense, especially because the nurse couldn't find a vein in my arm and had to draw blood from my hand. At least she was nice about it; she said, "Look! Baby needle! It's okay!" In the end, it was okay. The hospital staff was very efficient; it took less than an hour for the complete checks and the place was packed.

After our checks, we headed back to school for some spicy roast chicken and potatoes and spicy cucumber and onion soup. It was very delicious -- and spicy! My afternoon classes went well; I'm only teaching two classes this week because the kindergartners are on break. Nobody poked me in the butt, so I'm counting that as a victory. I also found out there's a student named Jolly and another named Pokey. Do names get any better than that?!

After school, I went to the Lotte Mart down the street; I got some things I needed aaand some things I probably didn't need. One thing I probably didn't need is the macaroni noodles and something I can't believe isn't butter. I'm sure I'll need some comfort food soon enough, though. And with that, I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes: Esse nufesso qui dice male di macaruni. (Who speaks badly of macaroni is a fool.) Words to live by.

Arrival and first day

I'm officially in Korea (actually have been for about 24 hours now). My trip wasn't bad at all. I got just enough sleep that the time went by quickly, but I wasn't too tired when I got here. I tried to think in Korean time as soon as I got to the airport so my jetlag wouldn't be so bad. So far, it's working. I'm a little tired today but it was a busy day and I wouldn't expect anything less. It was a scorcher, too -- the heat index was 106 and HUMID. Reminds me of Missouri... and not in a good way.

My first day went well! I only had to teach two 50-minute classes and the lessons were already ready for me. One of my vocabulary words was "poke" and one kid ran up and said, "Laura Teacher, this is poke!" and poked me right in the butt. I guess I should've seen that coming.

The kids all have English names their parents gave them; some of my favorites include Esther, Agatha, Helen, Kai, and Mickey. Where do they find these names?! Regardless, they're adorable -- and I only had the elementary kids today! How much cuter can they get? I guess I'll find out next week when the kindergartners start back up!

My Vice Principal was nice enough to outfit my apartment with bananas and cherry tomatoes -- so that was my first Korean meal, but my second was much more interesting. I ate in the school kitchen with the other English teachers and we had kimchi (obviously), rice (even more obviously), a kind of egg casserole, fried eggs, squid in a spicy sauce, and seaweed in broth. It was all very good, but I think I'll pass on the squid next time -- a little too chewy and squidy for me. 

After school, I stopped by the Lotte Mart which is absurdly close to my apartment and got some hangers and ramen. So it looks like ramen and tomatoes for dinner before I settle in with my Kindle and hit the hay. I wish I would've brought sheets, as there's only a kind of pad on my bed, but fortunately, I stole the blanket from the airplane. All in all, I think I will sleep well after these hectic days.

Oh, and yes, whoever made the schedule spelled my name "Rora."

Time for some ramen and reading before bed!

Rora, out.