Too much Korea.

Some days Korea is just too much.

My new Wednesday schedule only consists of two classes.  It seems that would be a great thing, but my two classes are both after lunch which means 1) I have to sit around and wait all day before I teach. Sitting around and waiting all day is not my favorite 2) The kids are CRAZY because it's after lunch and after they've been running around and playing.

Granted, my third graders were good this afternoon.  Have I mentioned how cute they are?!  Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse with sixth grade.  In the less than a month I've been teaching at the elementary schools I've learned something very valuable: I never want to teach sixth grade.  These pre-teens are too cool for school, which high schoolers can be too...but at least my high schoolers could understand what I said to them.  Trying to get a classroom of 17 sixth graders to sit down and shut up when they don't really even understand what you're saying isn't cool.  Add in the fact that I have NO authority with them and there's no co-teacher with me and it just makes things worse. Classroom management plans are in the works, but this is certainly unlike any other situations I've had in the past.  Let's just say today's lesson plan went out the window quickly and instead ended with the class writing the key phrases 5 times each....and one more time for each time someone talked....which was a lot of times.

After what felt like an interminable 40 minutes with the sixth graders from hell, I went back to the teacher's office.  I have a little over an hour at the end of the day without classes, so I was sitting at my desk preparing materials for Friday.

About five minutes before I was supposed to leave for the bus my CT called me (even though he was just upstairs?) and told me to go see him.  Luckily, it didn't take long and I went back downstairs just in time to grab my things for the bus,

As I was outside walking to the bus my CT shouted my name out of the window and told me to come back in.  When I told him that I was going to miss the bus he said "It's ok, next bus!"

This is not what you want to hear just as you're breaking free from school.

Now, this CT has been asking me about a certain e-mail I supposedly should have received, but haven't.  Apparently he didn't believe that I didn't receive it because he made me show him my entire e-mail inbox, which pretty much meant me explaining what every single e-mail was about because he couldn't really understand just by looking at it.  Don't you think I would recognize an e-mail in my inbox that had Korean writing on it??

After I apparently proved myself, it was another fifteen minutes of him asking "why didn't you get the e-mail?"

Hmmm, I don't know! Why don't you call them and ask them to send it again? Or have them send it to you?! There must be some sort of proactive solution there somewhere.

Finally, he said he would drive me home since he made me miss the bus.  Just what I wanted.  Another quality 20 minutes of stimulating conversation focusing on how important it is for women to get married.

To cap things off, some of his parting words with me were "Sarah, don't forget! Meeting man! Get married! Very important!"

Some days you just get an overload of TIK moments. This was one of those days.

The resolution of the ATM situation

As some of you know, when I tried to use the ATM the other day I entered the wrong pin number a few times, and was consequently locked out of my account.

Naturally, I was dreading having to go to school and tell my co-teacher about what I had done.  First of all, my co-teachers have all taken a lot of time out of their busy schedules to help me with things like opening my bank account and helping me with my cell phone.  The last thing I wanted to do was be a burden....again. Especially right before mid-terms. Plus, forgetting your pin number is just plain stupid, so that's also embarrassing.  

However, I knew I was going to have to suck up the pain of admitting my stupidity because the bank is only open until 5, so I can't ever go after I get out of work.  I also can't speak Korean, so trying to communicate with a banker wouldn't work.  Also, I need to pay bills, and I need to be able to get into my account for that.  

So, I went into school totally dreading the conversation with my co-teacher, but after I told her she said she would get someone to help me.  

During one of my off periods, one of my co-teachers came up and told me she would take me to the bank.  I was relieved when I saw which co-teacher it was because it was because although she intimidated me at first, she has been the most helpful and kind to me over the past few weeks.  

We went to the bank and quickly got everything taken care of.  After we were done we still had about 20 minutes until the next class so she looked at me and said "Let's go get a coffee?"  

Of course I agreed, and we went over the the nearest coffee shop.  The crazy part is that after she took time to help me with MY stupid mistake, she WOULD NOT let me pay, regardless of how many times I insisted to treat her. 

Have I mentioned that Korean people are ridiculously kind?  

Anyway, my stupid ATM mistake actually turned out to be a great part of the day because we not only got a break from school, but we also got coffee and got to talk a little more.  

The lesson of the day: sometimes we dread things that we shouldn't. Sometimes what we think will be a bad thing turns out to be great.  

The End of Orientation and the Beginning of Jeomchon

Originally written Tuesday, 8/27

I’m pretty sure this past week has been the longest of my life.  A little over a week ago, I left behind a perfectly good life to move to the other side of the world.  I got a plane not even knowing where I would be living or what I would be teaching.  This whole experience has been an extreme rollercoaster of emotions.  I have been more nervous than I EVER have been in my life (the uncertainty in this whole process really tests your faith), but I also have seen completely new things, had crazy fun with a group of people from around the world,  and learned A LOT about culture, history, teaching, learning, and language. 

On our last day of EPIK orientation, we had to present our lessons to our classes.  Everyone was pretty stressed out about presenting their lessons, despite the fact that the lessons are done solely for the purpose of getting feedback—therefore, you can do terribly and it really doesn't change anything. 

My nerves that day weren't just because of our lesson (which went fine, by the way), but also because in the afternoon we finally found out where we would be placed.  The majority of people at orientation were heading to the larger cities such as Deagu, Busan, Ulsan, or Daejeon.  These people already knew WHERE they were going, but were just waiting to find out which grade they would be teaching. 

However, for all of us in Gyeongbuk, we had no idea where we were going.  Gyeongbuk is the largest province in Korea, and you can really end up anywhere—right outside of a big city like Daegu, in a medium sized city like Pohang or Andong, or in a super small rural town.  You really just don’t know what you’re going to get.

When we finally went to our rooms with our POE, there were lists with our names, the town we would be teaching in, and the name of the school we’d be teaching at.  The only problem?  It was all written in Korean.  So of course everyone was congregating around the few kids who are good enough at reading Korean to figure out where we’re going.  I finally got someone to tell me I was going to a place called Mungyeong.  It meant absolutely nothing me, so I pretty much assumed it was in the middle of nowhere.

As we went into the room with the rest of people in our Province, there were a ton of people in Pohang or other larger areas.  Although I went into this experience telling myself that I was going to be ok with anything, I was a little jealous when a lot of people were heading to the same place.  Going to a new place with people from orientation would have been really comforting, but no one even knew where the heck my place was located. 

In our meeting with out POE supervisors, we had to sign our contracts and they went over a few instructions for the next day.  Of course, I sat through the entire meeting wanting nothing more than to google my town.  I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO DESPERATE FOR INTERNET.  Iphone, I miss you. When I turned in my contract, one of the POE supervisors told me that my placement was a small city, near the north of province. 

As soon as we got out of the meeting I rushed back to my room and googled Mungyeong.   There wasn't too much information about the area, but it appears to be a cultural destination. 

I am a big proponent of the “you’ll end up where you’re supposed to be” belief, but I have to admit, I wasn’t exactly thrilled to find out my placement.  Our orientation class was comprised of probably about 2/3 people heading to Ulsan and 1/3 of people going to Gyeongbuk.  We had a theory that we might be heading to an area around Ulsan since we were in a class with them.  Of course, that theory was completely wrong because many of us all ended up in the northern part of Gyeongbuk.  We obviously shouldn’t have been trying to find logic in this crazy process. 

Mungyeong isn’t particularly far from anything, but it isn’t really close to anything either, so my emotions are still pretty mixed (but also probably really affected by the fact that I am upset about the fact that I just spent a week making friends with people in Ulsan and now I’m going to be really far away from them).

But regardless, I know that this could be a huge blessing in disguise, and only time will tell why I was placed here.

EPIK orientation ended with a pretty sweet closing ceremony in which we were provided with a TON of food.  Afterwards, we ran back to bring our luggage back to the lobby, and then we went out to noraebang.  Noraebang (literally meaning song room) is probably my favorite part of Korea thus far.  You basically get a private karaoke room for you and your friends.  Inside the room, there is a huge projector for the lyrics, disco-type lights, and a personal bathroom.  You basically spend the night singing, dancing, and drinking, and I really think it’s just the greatest invention ever.  Our night ended successfully as we ended it by meeting one of our class’s teachers outside of 7/11.  Mission accomplished.

The next morning, we left Jeonju around 9 AM.  We stopped for one snack break, and then we had a longer lunch break, which was almost painfully long because right after that we were meeting up with our co-teachers.  We were all really nervous because we've basically been told all week that your co-teacher basically makes or breaks your experience in Korea….but no pressure.  The entire week of orientation builds anticipation, nerves, and excitement about meeting your co-teacher.  When the time finally comes, you really just want to get it over with. 

Beautiful view at one of our rest stops

After we got to our meeting location, we had to gather all of our luggage and wait for our co-teacher to find us.  So much nervousness.  I saw a woman holding a sign with my name on it, so I went over and introduced myself.  We loaded my stuff into her car, and then had an hour and a half car ride to our town.  I mean, it’s not like there’s nothing awkward about an hour and a half car ride with a person you just met…when there’s a language barrier.

But really, it was a little awkward, but my co-teacher is incredibly nice.  During the car ride, she told me that she was worried about me during my first night by myself and she was worried I would be homesick.  She said anytime I am homesick I can come stay at her house.  She also told me she would teach me how to cook Korean food (Nate will be happy to hear this!)

Once we got to our town, we went to the school, where I met the Principal and Assistant Principal.  It was kind of awkward because we went into a room with them and they gave me some tea, but then they mostly just talked to my co-teacher in Korean, and I had basically no idea what anyone was saying the entire time.  I guess I should get used to that!

After we left the school we went to my apartment.  My apartment is on the 3^rd floor, but what we consider the first floor in America is the ground floor in Korea.  So by American terms, my apartment is on the 4^th floor.  Now, this building doesn’t have an elevator, so I had to carry both of my 50 +lb bags up four flights of stairs.  So that was fun.  As my co-teacher said “we need man”

My apartment is pretty nice, and actually nicer than I was expecting.  I have a living room (with a huge tv!), bedroom, and bathroom all—all of which are in pretty good condition. 

After we put my stuff down, my co-teacher brought me to Home Plus, which is basically like an “everything in one” store.  On one floor there are home goods, on another floor there are clothes, and on another floor there is a grocery store.  I bought a few groceries, and then we came back to my apartment. 

So far, I have a very good impression of my co-teacher.  She seems genuinely concerned about my well-being, and I am thankful for that.  I am hoping that I am making an ok impression as well.  It’s weird, they bombard you with so many things about etiquette during orientation, but as soon as I got nervous I think I forgot just about everything.  It’s going to take a lot of practice and conscious effort to remember to do certain things such as using two hands when giving/receiving something from someone else, shaking hands, etc.   Hopefully I haven’t been to inadvertently rude yet.  

And now, I am very ready for bed.  Goodnight!