Holy @#$! I AM 30!
My last post was a week before I turned 30. Now it's been nearly a week since I hit the big 3-0, so time for another one, I guess.
Pretty good week, I guess. I was horribly sick with a flu-allergy tag team to rival The Road Warriors! I spent the big day cooped up in bed, emerging from the covers only to grab more apple, orange or grape juice and occasionally cough something up. It was less than awesome.
However, thanks to taking it easy early last week, I am now feeling quite a bit better.
Anyway, this week flew by, but it was a good one. I got a bunch of "Happy Birthdays" from the kids at school as well as some very nice cards, letters and drawings. One girl, "Sarah," gave me a note and a bag of Sunkist fruit candies while an older student, "Ariel" wrote me a wonderful letter about how good I teach and how much I've helped her English. Those were both awesome keepers for sure.
Beyond that, it was just a good week. On Tuesday, once I was feeling good, I bought myself some butter and an excellent cut of beef and made a killer steak. Mmm...steak.
I've got a lot of work to do this weekend, including taking my TEFL Young Learners' test on Saturday. But it's cool; I don't really have the money or desire to do much else other than hang at home anyway.
Had a "meeting" with the head KT and school boss today. It was ostensibly a performance review, but not really. See, the other foreign teacher is apparently still really sucking at her job. So, they had a meeting with her first, then had one with me. Mine was really more of a discussion of extending my contract; hers was, well, I don't know, but probably didn't go well.
I was told she's still lazy and neglecting the advice of the KTs and ignoring students. After the ordeal with Neil last year and now her, the school seems to be doing rather poorly in evaluating its foreign teachers.
But, yeah, they are very pleased with my work. Today's "meeting" was basically a to-my-face rave about how well I prepare and plan things out and how the IB (advanced) classes all practically beg to have me as a teacher. I'm really pleased to have that reputation I am. But, honestly, I'm just doing the best I can.
I do wonder if the other foreign teacher is being unfairly compared to me. I doubt it because I think the KTs are smarter than that, but still, I can't help but consider the possibility. Still, I'm not about to change what I'm doing. I just hope the next foreign teacher is an improvement, because the kids deserve better.
And frankly, the school could use it. While we're not hurting for enrollment, there is apparently a new, very upscale English school coming soon to a big part of Pohang. The head KT was quite worried about it costing us business. Again, I can only do my job and hope it's good enough. If asked to come up with ideas to boost business, I would certainly put my MBA cap on, but for now, that's not in my job description. I've heard about schools here going out of business and yeah, it's a scary idea. But I'm not too worried about it. I've done enough here to be able to get some work elsewhere. It would just suck personally to leave before my bills are paid off.
But still, this school's been around for 21 years, so I think we'll be alright.
Um, yeah, beyond that, nothing super-duper-eventful. Other than a new haircut and some nice notes, being 30 hasn't changed me too much. Yet.
Stay tuned!
Pretty good week, I guess. I was horribly sick with a flu-allergy tag team to rival The Road Warriors! I spent the big day cooped up in bed, emerging from the covers only to grab more apple, orange or grape juice and occasionally cough something up. It was less than awesome.
However, thanks to taking it easy early last week, I am now feeling quite a bit better.
Anyway, this week flew by, but it was a good one. I got a bunch of "Happy Birthdays" from the kids at school as well as some very nice cards, letters and drawings. One girl, "Sarah," gave me a note and a bag of Sunkist fruit candies while an older student, "Ariel" wrote me a wonderful letter about how good I teach and how much I've helped her English. Those were both awesome keepers for sure.
Beyond that, it was just a good week. On Tuesday, once I was feeling good, I bought myself some butter and an excellent cut of beef and made a killer steak. Mmm...steak.
I've got a lot of work to do this weekend, including taking my TEFL Young Learners' test on Saturday. But it's cool; I don't really have the money or desire to do much else other than hang at home anyway.
Had a "meeting" with the head KT and school boss today. It was ostensibly a performance review, but not really. See, the other foreign teacher is apparently still really sucking at her job. So, they had a meeting with her first, then had one with me. Mine was really more of a discussion of extending my contract; hers was, well, I don't know, but probably didn't go well.
I was told she's still lazy and neglecting the advice of the KTs and ignoring students. After the ordeal with Neil last year and now her, the school seems to be doing rather poorly in evaluating its foreign teachers.
But, yeah, they are very pleased with my work. Today's "meeting" was basically a to-my-face rave about how well I prepare and plan things out and how the IB (advanced) classes all practically beg to have me as a teacher. I'm really pleased to have that reputation I am. But, honestly, I'm just doing the best I can.
I do wonder if the other foreign teacher is being unfairly compared to me. I doubt it because I think the KTs are smarter than that, but still, I can't help but consider the possibility. Still, I'm not about to change what I'm doing. I just hope the next foreign teacher is an improvement, because the kids deserve better.
And frankly, the school could use it. While we're not hurting for enrollment, there is apparently a new, very upscale English school coming soon to a big part of Pohang. The head KT was quite worried about it costing us business. Again, I can only do my job and hope it's good enough. If asked to come up with ideas to boost business, I would certainly put my MBA cap on, but for now, that's not in my job description. I've heard about schools here going out of business and yeah, it's a scary idea. But I'm not too worried about it. I've done enough here to be able to get some work elsewhere. It would just suck personally to leave before my bills are paid off.
But still, this school's been around for 21 years, so I think we'll be alright.
Um, yeah, beyond that, nothing super-duper-eventful. Other than a new haircut and some nice notes, being 30 hasn't changed me too much. Yet.
Stay tuned!