It was definitely an interesting week at school. For the most part it went ok. The first days with both of my grades were rather boring, we just went over the characters in their textbooks, some rules, and a few other admin things. My fifth graders seemed very happy to have me as a teacher again. They were also pretty well behaved with our new “Angry Birds” Class Rewards System. If the class behaves really well the whole class, they get one sticker. When they get 10, we’ll have a game day. When they get 20, we’ll have a food party. The kiddos were so excited about this so I hope it does something. Last semester I was always so puzzled why does this country spend so much money on English education, when the kids don’t even try! i’m sure at their academies or private schools they are doing well because the parents are paying for it. However at school, we couldn’t even get them to write 10 words twice for homework. It’s ridiculous. I asked my co teacher why they don’t have grades. Basically the answer, because the students have so many pressures in middle and high school from their parents to do well on the entrance exams. It’s against the law for there to be grades or for the parents to know an exam score of their student in elementary school. The parents just get one sentence at the end of the year summarizing their students performance.. It’s really sad it has to be that way. I tried to explain to my co teacher why I was concerned with the kids not being motivated and she says there really isn’t a lot we can do about it besides using rewards systems and such. Anyways kids were pretty good. I’m trying to ask Eunjeong more and more if I can kind of take over parts of the lesson but it’s so hard to find that delicate balance. Random other funny note: I put pictures of my parents house in the Tuke in my introduction slideshow which maybe was a bad idea.. but I think they need to have some sort of idea that not all the world lives in high rise apartments with lap dogs and cars parked every which direction bumper to bumper. It was just a picture of the house from the front yard, and the backyard. Some questions that were asked was, is everyone in America rich, lots of comments about being rich. But I tried explaining that we have much more space in America, so having a house like that is not as expensive as it is in Korea. Same with a swimming pool. Cody you have some Korean lovers out here! Some of the girls wanted to take a picture of the slide with him on it! haha
My Third Grade students and my new co teacher.. wow. All I said the whole class period was Good Morning. My name is Nicole. I’m from America. She had the students guess where I was from and I definitely got some hilarious answers, but what can you expect from 3rd graders. Russia, Indonesia, Malayasia, Phillipines, France, Germany, England, Australia. Soo cute that they have literally no idea the difference of any foreigner. They just know I’m not Korean.The kids didn’t even respond to my co teacher when she said Good Morning.. soo this will definitely be interesting! I’m hoping they were just being shy or had forgotten a little bit of their english, maybe next week will be better. I only see them once a week, which I’m relieved about. I would rather work with the 5th graders where they can understand me much more, and activities I can plan are much more fun.
My kindergarten and after school classes will start next week! Had two school dinners this week. Tuesday with the 5th grade teachers. We went out for spicy duck. I was soo happy when my co teacher said we were going to have duck. Then got there and saw it covered in red sauce, was devastated. But really there was nothing else. Eunjeong hardly ever translates for me so I usually sit and have no idea what they are saying. At the beginning of dinner, the head teacher told me that I look very white and sick.. well thanks dude, sorry i’ve been inside all winter because Korea is freezing and my face never sees the sun! Then I was playing on my phone and one of the teachers in broken english said that I”m boring.. I’m sure he meant that I must be bored, seeing as I’d been on my phone for a while because I didn’t understand. Then he asked me why I didn’t understand Korean yet.. I told him that I was studying on my own with a textbook, however it is difficult! Why don’t you speak English yet dude? right? haha just kidding I would never say that, but I really wanted to. They continue to talk about me in Korean, Eunjeong continues to not translate.. they are all laughing about something about me.. I was really irritated at this point, and apparently my face had gotten some color from the beginning of dinner. However my co teacher couldn’t tell me this politely.. one of the other teachers was like oh you have color on your face now.. Blehhh situations like these can be frustrating. Weds was the whole school dinner. I was told we were having san gyup sal. which is Korean BBQ pork. Which I really like. I told Joanne about how upset I was about the dinner the night before and she said tonight she would drive me and then I could sit with her.. She ended up not driving and got there after I did.. so was already sitting somewhere else. :/ Weds they didn’t really say much to me but there were lots of announcements and cheers ing going on. Then different teachers put in like 100 bucks to pay for dinner.. instead of asking everyone to pay like 10 ish. haha I found that very funny. But it was like an auction almost. Then randomly all of a sudden the teachers I drove with get up and leave before everyone else. So i’m scurrying to put all my layers back on as quickly as possible to get a ride back home! Then were driving with my new co teacher, and the art teacher. At a stop light, the art teacher is motioning for me to get out with her… we get out on the side of the road, walk to this intersection. Then she tells me her car is across the street and she will come and pick me up in a minute after waiting for the traffic light.. haha so funny and random. I wish I could speak more to the art teacher, she seems like a very interesting lady. ohhhh, I had never driven with Eunjeong on the freeway before, and let’s say were lucky i’m still here! She was too scared to signal and switch lanes and speed up. There was a truck in front of us going really slow, the art teacher would tell her to go but she would freak out and not go.. Finally when there were no cars coming she got over, but was still going about 40 mph on the freeway. Thank goodness she hardly ever drives.
Thursday volunteered at the orphanage. I think we are finally on a schedule there which will be really nice. The kids were kinda acting up because there wasn’t a lot of structure, we had been doing a lot of games and such. Now they are organized into their classes, and we are applying for government funding for our English program there which is cool! Also there are a lot of the newbies interested in volunteering so we are working on starting a program at another orphanage since this one is full!
My mom’s last package got here in a record 6 days!! I think that means people can start sending cookies. that was with standard delivery too! Taco seasoning, vanilla, and reeces are on the list next! Oh and a chipolte burrito, In & Out Burger! She sent a nice jacket, some crystal light as the water can sometimes be yucky if I don’t get it from school. Finally my vibram five finger shoes! I will post more about them after I fully break them in. But basically they are supposed to be more natural for your body, strengthen your feet, allow you to feel what your running on, and lots and lots of things. They feel like i’m not wearing shoes, they are so snug but are slowly getting more and more comfy. I’ve been doing the stretches recommended by the company and exercises, will probably try out running next week! And plan to wear them this weekend.
This weekend is my friend Simone’s last weekend. She really wasn’t enjoying her time here, and has a wonderful job as a food scientist researcher when she goes back to South Africa. So we are heading to her town and going zip lining and then hiking.
I may or may not be joining an ultimate frisbee team.. I can’t attend a lot of the games but they need more girls so we’ll see if they want me to join or not. I’m hoping even though I’ll be missing that they will at least take something rather then nothing! This would mean games every weekend until April. If I stay another year I’ll probably start a team here in Pohang.
Bed time, gotta get up early to catch the bus tomorrow!<3
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