Posted in Uncategorized on 11/19/2009 01:00 am by chrissy
Oh my goodness I love it here. Last night was SO funny/awesome, I hope I never forget it.
Unfortunately we lost the volleyball match, 3-2. Koreans play with 9 on each team, and you don’t rotate. They also do not mess around.. these games are intense. Every time back and forth was like hit, set, SPIKE. Like a real volleyball game is supposed to be I suppose, but I’m just used to unskilled volleying back and forth I guess. So that was really fun, and everyone was very nice about the fact that it was my first time playing. “You are such good volleyvall player.” I only hit it like three times, so I don’t think such a judgement can really be made yet. None of the other 8 players spoke any english, so that made things pretty interesting as well… Playing a sport in another language is like a whole experience in itself.
So after volleyball, the teachers from both schools all went out to eat at this super traditional restaurant. We all sat on the floor at two longgg tables covered with little side dishes and there were a bunch of burners on each table. Then they brought out all these plates of raw duck and veggies and throughout the dinner you just threw them on the burner and cooked it, and then dipped it in the sides. OH and they had this minty lettuce stuff that you could put the duck and toppings in and roll up. Like a LEGIT and fresh PF Chang’s lettuce wrap. Yummmm it was all SO good.
After dinner they busted out the karaoke machine, and it was SOOO funny to see the teachers go crazy on that thing. Once the soju was busted out, inhibitions were gone and all these serious old people just went crazy singing and dancing for like hours. And everybody was super nice and kept coming up to talk to me and welcome me anddd made me do karaoke. I don’t think I’ve ever done karaoke in America, yet last night I belted Kelly Clarkson in front of 50 Koreans. Hilarious.
Posted in Korea, Uncategorized on 11/16/2009 10:42 pm by chrissy
These girls have been in and out of my office allllllllll day. During every break time they bust through the doors “CHRISSY TEACHER, CHRISSY TEACHER!!!”. They all took pictures of me with their cell phones (allll these kids have phones already. what?) and put it as their background so I’m glad they get to stare at my face allll day long. Haha awwwkward. But they really are cute, and ask me lots of funny questions. All the kids are nice and wave and stuff, but this crew of 5th grade girls have become my personal fan club.
This afternoon I’m leaving school a bit early because I have to do a medical exam to finish up my visa. So unless I have AIDS, it should be a breeze (uhh knock on wood). Then once that paperwork processes, I can get internet, a cell phone, and a bank account. All things I’d realllly like to have.
In the middle of writing this my office was bombarded again and they had a hay-day with the camera. This is why my job is going to be awesome.
Posted in Uncategorized on 11/16/2009 01:29 am by chrissy
First day of school = COMPLETE. I think this is going to be really awesome.
This morning I walked into the school, was introduced to my co-teacher and the Principal, and then taken directly into what looked like a recording studio of some sort. On the way in, my COT (Cindy I’m copying you on the abbreviation. Much easier) said “Could you introduce yourself to the school?” I obliged, not knowing what was actually going on, and then they sat me down in front of a video camera, said something in Korean, looked at me and said “ok go.” I know that teaching requires a lot of improvisation, but WOW. So the whole school got a live feed of me awkwardly introducing myself and waving hello. Awwwwesome. Luckily nobody actually speaks english so i just looked like a babbling blonde smiley girl. (And that’s different from America, how??)
This city is really small, and the last English teacher was actually Asian-Canadian, so I think she blended in a little better. Therefore I am like celebrity status, and these kids are SOOO cute about it. Today I taught (well, observed) a 6th, 3rd, and two 4th grade classes. Then lunch, prep time, and a day care class. Basically I’ll teach all the 3rd-6th grade classes once a week, the day care class every day, plus an advanced class and a class for teachers. 22 classes total. Don’t worry if you’re confused. I still am.
This is right outside my apartment complex last night. Isn’t it pretty? It’s like a whole different type of prettiness here. I’m glad I came in the start of winter, because everything is still new and exciting so it’s easier to forget the cold. If I had been here a long time it would just be a regular old cold and depressing winter.
Posted in Uncategorized on 11/08/2009 01:23 pm by chrissy
The House PASSED the Health Care Reform Bill this weekend.
Of course the Senate still has a ways to go, but this looks like progress to me!
And I realize that most of my mostly conservative readers will disagree, but I can’t help it. I’m still a Nancy fan.
