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.