A Snapshot of my School

Okay, so I promised some pics and so that is what this post shall be about.  I do not have a lot of pictures yet because I am simply not one of those people who walks around with their camera looking at everything through the lense and snapping off shots every 30 seconds.  I find that I see things better when I am freely looking around and really paying attention, not just trying to find a good shot.  I understand that from the viewpoint of whoever may be reading this blog that might sound selfish, but hey all I can say is that I will try.  Now on to some of the things I have taken pics of.

This picture really has nothing to do with Korea except for the fact that this is what A'Drayis and I were wearing when we arrived.  I have no idea why the young man insisted on dressing like me but he cried so hard when I asked him to change that I let be.  I mean I am totally fab and have great fashion sense as you all know so I guess it is to be expected.

When I come in to school in the morning, as you do in all korean residences, school and many restaurants and places of service, I take of my shoes and put them in the little cupboard with last years native English teachers name.  My name has not replaced hers yet.

 Then I put on these cute little slipper pumps.  The are quite comfy and cute but they just barely fit as my feet are at the very end of the sizing scale in Korea.

 This man holding up the peace sign, which all koreans seem wont to do in photos, is Jong Hyun Park or Park Jong Hyun.  He is the science teacher and my korean co-teacher.

 This is my desk area in the infirmary that has been turned into my office since there is no school nurse.  I only get interupted if someone gets hurt and needs to come in with their teacher for medical attention, or when children come begging for candy.

 Put pic of science room here.

This cute litte thing is a Korean school bus.  It is smalleer, has comfier seats and a sleeker design but other than that it is a regualer old yellow school bus.

This is a typical Korean school lunch.  Everyday there is rice(bottom left), which sometimes has different things in it, but most days is plain white.  There is also some type of soup(bottom right) everyday.  This one I think has tofu and seaweed(or some other green plan) in it.  Kimchi(top left) is also another staple for every korean meal. Kimchi comes in many varieties and this is cucumber kimchi, which is my favorite.  The next item up (top middle) it the meat dish of the day wich is chicken in some kind of sauce with some kind of translucent stringy things that I was told come from sweet potatoes.  And in the last compartment(top right) is the days vegetable which today seems to be lettuce and cabbage pieces in a vinegar liquid.  You should see the kids devour this stuff like it was hamburgers and french fries.

There you go, some pics from school, I will try and post more soon, so keep a look out. 

Korean Trivia #4: Internet Cafes here are know as PC bangs, literally PC rooms.  They charge pretty cheaply by the hour and are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  They not only allow food and beverages but they sell a large selection of snacks including several type of noodle bowls, coffe, soda and chips.  Because of the cheap price and the huge comfy computer chairs, people have been known to sleep in them in the larger cities instead of getting a hotel room.  I even saw someone snoozing at his station in my small town the second time I visited my favortie PC bang. 



This is NOT how I planned it!

Yes, I know.  It has been too long since my last post and it seems as if I have become lazy or carless Neither, I have to tell you, is true.  I have been extremely busy, or even preoccupied.  As I mentioned in my last post I began work last monday and my first actual teaching day was last tuesday.  What I may not have mentioned was that at the end of the day on that first monday, my Korean co-teacher asked me to do something.  He asked me to make and get to him, a schedule detailing my lesson plans for the next 11 weeks, for all of my sixteen non-regular classes.  In Korea, the children start officially learning English in school in the third grade.  This means with textbooks and such.  Those are the regular classes.  All GEPIK ( Geyongii(the area of Korea surrounding Seoul) English Program in Korea) native English teachers are supposed to teach 22 classes a week.  Since I work for a very small school I have only 8 regular classes so the rest are supplementary classes.  Same idea, same goals just no textbook and set materials.  Now, I was not initially put out by this request.  It was the next day when he asked me if it was done, and then when he received a negative response, he asked if I could have it done by wednesday, that I got upset.  Actually I wasn't upset at first because I was far too astonished to be upset.  I had not even met all of the classes by then.  To make matters more difficult, when I asked,I could get no answer as to what their actual levels were or what each class had studied all year( the Korean school year actually begins in March and ends in Feb., the second semester began in sept).  How in the world am I supposed to plan 11 weeks of classes when I have no idea what the students have been doing or what they can do. 
Wednesday, "Tomirika,are you done with the schedule yet? "no."  Thursday,  "Tomirika, are you done with the schedule yet? "no"(frustrated, angry, grinding my teeth).  Friday, "Tomirika, ...(He must have seen something in my eyes)...umm...I like your sweater."  And that was the last I heard of it.  I don't even know why I wore myself out trying to fulfill such an unreasonable request, but I did.  I went home friday and refused to even think about the stupid schedule.  I played the Sims3 and went to dinner with my new foreign friends.  Saturday I slept in, went the the PC bang and window shopped for awhile.  I started work on the schedule again that afternoon and finished it sunday night.  I handed it to him before he could ask monday and that was that.   Now I had begun to think that the pressure to get this schedule done so rapdly was due to the big "school inspection" that every school has once a year.  Ours is today, continuing on around me as I sit shut up in my little office now that my classes are over.  I was told a couple of days ago by my new friends that asking for things or notifying you of things last minute and expecting it immediately is the Korean way. 
All in all, that is why I haven't uploaded all the pics and stuff I promised but since as of tomorrow there will be no more "big school inspection" to get ready for I should have more free time during my free time to actually do that. 
Good news, my Korean is getting better every day,  I have stopped worrying that I will end up in Japan or something when I take the bus alone, I have my own little office now and I have made some friends.

Korean Trivia #3: The korean government puts very large faith in the proverb that still waters produce stagnation.  Because of this faculty members change schools every three years.  In addition, each year a teacher may be teaching a different grade or subject depending on what the Principal thinks they should teach that year.

EEEK! I think they expect me to know something

So yesterday was my first day at school.  My Korean co-teacher picked my nephew A'Drayis and I up at 8:30 in the morning to take me to the hospital to get poked and prodded for my medical clearance.  Then he drove us to a huge multilevel department store called Lotte Mart so that I could purchase a converter and whatever else I needed.  I feel like I have already spent too much money in this country for a person who won't get paid until november so I just got the converter.  After we dropped that off at my apartment, which I still don't understand why we did, we drove on to the school. 
Gayang Elementary is a cute little couple of buildings high on a hill surrounded by mountains.  It has a faculty of 11 including the Principal and Vice Principal and a staff of about the same.  The students total  90.  The school bell sounds like the ice cream truck has just pulled up in front of your house and the children couldn't be cuter or happier about seeing the new English teacher.  Being in such a small school there is no dedicated English room so I share with the science teacher who also happens to be my co-teacher.  This is just great because it is the most modern room in the school being as it was just remolded last week, and then Jong Hyun(my co) went and installed his own wifi, I love this guy.  When the class is in use for science I chill in the teachers lounge and surf the net, read, play the sims(haven't had a chance to do that one yet) or plan my lessons.  We eat lunch at 12:30 with the students and we get 50 minutes.  Now I have eaten lunch here for two days and ummm...hmmm...well...what can I say.  I definitely won't be gaining any wait overeating the lunches.  Now, please don't misunderstand.  they aren't terrible.  Today the cucumber kimchi was quite tasty and so were the noodles but...well...hmm...
Let's move on.  Yesterday I had no classes, neither did my co-teacher.  I guess we had the day off to acquaint me with the staff and schedule and such.  So for most of the day Dray played the Sims3 and I did not much of anything really.  I attempted to make some form of schedule, but not knowing the students or their levels or even what the school expected me to accomplish with them or even what they have been doing in the absence of a native English teacher made this all quite difficult.  Or as some say, impossible.  I would like to say that today I got a better feel of what the school expects or the student's levels but hey that would be lying and why would I do that in my own blog.  Today what I learned is that I don't know what I should be doing.  And that I don't think they do either.  I think my problem is that I may be overthinking my role, or at least my job duties.  I introduced myself and read two stories to the 2nd graders today and the teacher seemed just pleased with that, while I was thinking "seriously, that's all you want?"  And if I was expecting things to get any clearer where my "regular" classes (the older grades done with my co-teacher) are concerened then I was once again mistaken.  Our planning for tomorrow, when I have the first of those classes, consisted of "Tomirika, I will teach the first 20 minutes and you can teach the last 20 minutes."  When I inquired as to what he would be teaching tomorrow he said that "he has been using a computer program since I wasn't here but now that I am the lessons should go much better." HUH?  After a few more probing questions I went to get another miniature cup of the world's best just empty the pack in hot water coffee, and decided I'll just have to wing it.  Starbucks VIA has nothing on this stuff.  My after school program kids were a trip.  The first group was too shy to talk and the second group was taken from two to one when one student went home sick.  Then the kid left standing was not only a hoot and a holler to talk to but when I asked him what he wanted to talk about next week ( so you know I could actually plan a lesson for once) he said he wanted me to give him a quiz, a BIG quiz.  What is in the water here?  Well my first real teaching day is wrapping up and I am getting ready to take the bus home for the first time.  Apparently the Principal rides the same bus as me.  Go figure.
Well I told you last time that I would post a video of my apartment and I did get the apartment but I can't seem to upload it.  I will try and figure it and in the mean time I will also try putting it on facebook and youtube.

Okay, so that's my entry for the day I hope you enjoyed and learned something new.

Korean Trivia#2: A conversation between Koreans nearly always sounds like an argument.  The more people involved in the conversation the more violent the argument becomes.  This is the same if they are debating international politics or simply commenting on last nights chicken dinner.

And the Adventure Begins

Ok, so I will let you all in on a little secret...I don't think I really thought it would happen.  I mean how else can I explain the incredible feeling that swept my body during take off from San Francisco.  The feeling that was so strong as to completely overcome the total exhaustion that had bogged me down after changing my plans at the last minute and leaving Chicago the night before I had planned, sleeping in the L.A. airport (for a total of 3.5) hours, the tension of not knowing whether I would make the San Fran to Seoul flight and finally hearing I would probably be sitting coach.  This feeling fought through all of that to make me want to jump up and shout "YES, I am actually going, this is really going to happen!"  Luckily I remembered where I was and just did a squirmy little happy dance in my seat.  This apparently made the flight attendant think I needed the restroom becuase she told me I would be able to get up for the restroom shortly. 
There is not much I can say about the flight, it was comfortable and long.  I watched a movie, ate, talked, slept, watched a movie and ate and talked some more.  I couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable way to spend 12 hours in the air but there is no more to say about that.
 When I arrived at the airport I was expecting to be met by an employee from the recruitment agency who would get me to the correct bus with clear instructions as to where I was going and what to do when I got there.  I must admit I was a little nervous about this because I wasn't sure how clear his "clear" directions would be when I was in a country where I could neither read nor speak the language. I was a little wary of taking a bus nearly two hours across a foreign country and showing up in a town I was unfamiliar with, to let myself into an apartment I was unfamiliar with, to await further instructions from someone else I was unfamiliar with.  Alas, this was not a problem.  When A'Drayis(my 18 year old nephew for those of you who don't know) and I came through customs we located not someone holding my name on a card but my name on a card taped to the railing and no one who would own up to putting it there.  Hmmm.  So after having brief conversations with happily smiling people holding similar signs we decided to put the sign back up facing the opporsite directions and wait.  After what seemed like half and hour(I was very tired) a man came up and grabbed the sign looking a bit confused.  We jumped to get his attention but no bother because the ladies we had spoken to earlier descended upon the poor man like he was a perve on a playground and practically dragged him over to us.  Turns out he was in the restroom, turns out he did not work for the school he was a taxi driver, turns out he spoke no English except "hip hop"(you have to ask Dray about that) and turns out, thank god, we didn't have to pay the fare because man it really wasn't pretty.  It also turns out this was the answer to all of my prayers because he took us from the airport straight to my apartment building in Namyangju City.  Then he helped carry my bags to my apartment door and took off before I could even consider a tip.
At my apartment we were met by my Korean co-teacher Jong Hyun Park, I decided that I liked him instantly.  This could be because after introducing himself he handed me a wad of Korean won, my settlement bonus, but I'm sure it was his sparkling personality.  I've heard a lot of teachers say that they don't get there bonus for a couple of weeks.  In addition he'd done a good job of making sure my place was well stocked with water, milk toilet paper, kleenex, soap, bread, muffins, bananas, jam and garbage bags. I mean I won't have to buy soap all year nor toilet paper for at least a month or two.   After a quick tour and some instructions he waited while Dray showered and then took us out for fried chicken for dinner.  It was awesome, my first night in Korea and I ate fried chicken and coca cola.  Of course it also came with cabbage salad and pickled radishes but hey.  We then went to the bedding store where I purchased a bedding set for 120,000 won (yes, I wanted to cry) and Dray got a free Winnie the Pooh Pillow ( yes, I did laugh).  We went back to the apartment said good-bye to Jong, I took a shower and we both crashed only to get up at like 4am after what seeed like hours of trying to stay asleep.
Saturday we explored the grocery store across the street, buying a few necesities but mostly just seeing all that there was to see.  Then Jong came by at noon to take us to Seoul.  We went to the center of that huge city to an area (they call them towns) called Namsang and up the famous Namsang Tower from where you can see all of Seoul.  It is crazy huge and I've never seen so many apartments ever. When you are driving in to the city the apartments are so numerous they form walls all around the city that can be seen for miles.  There was so much to see, on the way in and out Jong pointed out many famous and interesting areas that I can't wait to explore.  I plan to spend many weekends just exploring different parts of the city. 
Upon arriving back in Namyangju, I asked and discovered the "town" I live in is Maseok, and that there are about 4 or 5 such towns in Namyangju city.  It really is quite the nice sized little city with everything I need in walking distance. For the next blog I will try to upload video of my city and my apartment.  I am writing this from an internet cafe or PC bang(PC 뻥), so I can't really upload anything yet but I will figure it out soon.  Well thanks for reading along and I hope I haven't bored you out of coming back next time. 

Korean Trivia #1:  Knives are not normally used as eating utensils, instead Koreans typically use two forks to tear apart their food.

Ready, Set, VISA!

                                                                                                          
Hello Everyone,

If you are reading this then chances are you know me and know what this is about and all that jazz.
Of course there is the chance that like me, you decided to look up the blogs of random people teaching English in Korea as a method of research before your trip.  So I guess I should offer a bit of background.

My name is Tomirika and I decided due to reasons known to everyone (just because, or why not?) to move to South Korea and teach English for the foreseeable future (at least a year).  I love to travel, love to learn new languages, love to explore and love to eat new foods from all over the world. It just seemed like time to have my next adventure.  I spent a few months earning my TEFL certificate and preparing my documents for the job search (not so much of the latter) before leaving my job in PA and moving back home to MI to await my any day now job offer.  Well as it turns out I really should have been doing a lot more of the documents gathering thing because you can't begin the job search without ALL of them.  So to make a long story short my couple of weeks back home turned into 3 months but finally it all came through, I was offered a job, I accepted and I began the VISA process.  Just yesterday I finished the last part of that process when I went to the Korean Consulate General in Chicago for my scheduled interview.  For all of you who know me I will be honest, I was a little nervous (you all know my tendency to worry) but it was all for naught.  They weren't even individual interviews.  They took four of us back at a time, we sat around and table where a nice young lady asked us a few getting to know you questions and we all took turns answering before she returned us our paperwork and told us to give them back to our VISA agent in the outer office.  I did and was told I could pick it up in 2-3 days and Ya Esta! (Spanish for that's it).  So now I have my expected date of departure, next Thursday and I am ready to go, or am I?
As you all know I worry (no mom I can't stop) and now that I am packed and have a date in mind I can't help but worry.  Did I pack everything, am I forgetting something vital,  Do I have all my documents that I need to take with me.  Do I have enough money (ha ha).  I hope I don't forget my toothbrush.  This and many more things keep running through my head, causing sleepless night and days filled with checking my suitcase and lists over and over again.  And then the days seem to be speeding by and slowing down at the same time.  Well I guess I am as ready as I'll ever be.
Keep an eye out on this blog and I will try to update it at least once a week perhaps more so in the beginning.  I shall endeavor to use this as a means of sharing my experiences abroad with all of you that I love and cherish, and those of you that I only told about it to increase my blogs popularity (jk, jk, jk).  I shall post pics and interesting facts that I learn along the way.  Please feel free to leave comments, in fact I would love it if you would do so.