GETTING COMFORTABLE

I finished up my first month of teaching last week.  I was a little stressed out not knowing really what to do for tests, but I think it all turned out fine.  I think my kids learned a bit from me so that's a relief.  I felt much more comfortable as this new month started so I'm pretty happy about that.  Still don't know if I'm doing everything the way I'm supposed to be doing everything, but I feel like I'm doing things right.  Let's hope so...

Had a pretty fun weekend.  Saw my first Korean sunrise, and I'm sure that won't be my last.  And no I did not wake early to see it so you do the math.  I continue to meet other foreign teachers in the area which is really fun.  I always find it interesting to look back at the beginnings of things and see how your friends change, and such, until you kind of figure out where you belong.  I'm in the midst of not knowing where I belong, but I don't mind being in limbo.  I'm just having fun meeting all kinds of different people.  And of course it helps having Emily here.  At least we can keep each other company.

Had my first noraebang experience on Saturday night/Sunday morning.  A noraebang is basically like karaoke, but you just rent a room for your group and pick the songs.  You know everyone one in the room with you so you don't have to be bashful.  I've had a sore throat for about the past week and the noraebang didn't help.  Too much rockin' out, so I could hardly talk on Sunday.  Well worth it though.  

I think I learn a couple more Korean words each week.  I want to try to take some classes sometime.  I've just picked up random words.  Such as the Korean words for...beer (that really isn't a random word, it's an essential word to know before traveling to any country), two, thank you, hello, good-bye (this one took me awhile because there are two versions, one if you are leaving and they are staying, and one if you are staying and they are leaving), chicken galbi, no, yes, really, fart, and that's about it.  

And now some observations...Korean people are very nice.  They (unlike a lot of Europeans) do not get frustrated at all when you don't speak the language.  They just smile and laugh.  If they do speak English they want to talk to you, and seldom do you take a walk when you don't pass someone who says "Hello", and then waves.  Koreans also seem to like to eat out a lot.  There are TONS of restaurants everywhere.  This is very different from Prague.  I think it is mostly because of the economy.  In Prague, people didn't have enough money to take their families out to eat.  But here people are eating out all the time.  That definitely does not bother me.  Oh and I almost forgot this little, lovely tidbit...Koreans are not afraid to insult you.  They are not really meaning to do it, they are just more open about things and don't really hold there tongue to save someone's feelings.  Basically you just have to have thick skin, and luckily mine is a bit thicker than thin.  Just a few examples: from my Korean co-teacher one day when I came in with just a t-shirt and jeans on- "You look like high school student...so young!", thanks?  From one of my students- "Teacher this looks like you...small head big body", hhmmm.  And then this one today after we talked about the seasons and I asked everyone about their favorite season and I said, "I like fall the best", "Oh why teacher...because you like to eat so you are fat?"   

Okay well I thought this was going to be a short blog, but I guess I had more to say than I thought.  I wish I could leave you with some wise words, but that's not really my style.  So I will just end with have fun, and be safe.

Talk to you next time...