Still Not Dead...
Hey all.
As stated earlier, I am not dead yet. Yes, I knew you'd be glad to hear that. I actually started this post about two weeks ago. Let's see if i can actually finish it now...
I went back to the States in July. I arrived just in time to attend my best friend's wedding. I cried like a baby through the ceremony and almost got the bride to as well. Other highlights were a trip to Cedar Point and visiting my extended family Up North. It was really nice to catch up with everybody. It was a little bittersweet to be back. The economy was making things difficult for so many people. About half of my friends were out of work. I saw many houses foreclosed. I was tempted for a while to stay to be with the people I loved. But then I remembered the people I loved back in Korea and realized that how difficult it would be to continue my career in the States.
I arrived back in Korea near the end of August. Thanks to swine flu, most schools now require foreigners to spend a week of quarentine before they can interact with students. There have been a few cases of it in my town. But they were all from Korean kids who were exposed to it in Korean hospitals. The bad part was that I couldn't get an apartment until I started working. So I stayed with a friend. The living situation is still a bit complicated as the teacher I was meant to replace doesn't leave until October. I get his place and obviously can't move in until he's gone. For the time, I'm staying at another friend's apartment.
I'm a different school now. The old school was strictly afternoon classes for elementary an middle school students. The new school does that but also has kindergarten classes in the morning. Kindergarten over here is anything from about ages four to seven. The kids start elementary school around the US equivalent of second grade. I was the most nervous about the kindergarten classes as I'd never had them before. But so far, I really enjoy them. The kids are so cute. They come up to me all the time and give me hugs. The fight over who gets to sit in my lap and want me to kiss their boo boos. Every Friday is a special day for the kindergarteners. This Friday was a "birthday party" for all the kids who have a birthday in September. They do it every month and the birthday kids get treats and play games with a special friend. One of my students, Elvis, had his birthday and he picked my favorite student called Juliet. The kids recreated parts of a wedding ceremony like feeding each other rice cakes and giving piggy back rides. It was too cute. Next week, we get to go on a field trip. Rumor has it that it'll be the sewage treatment plant. Again, thanks to Swine Flu, the school doesn't want to risk getting the kids sick by having them interact with lots of strangers. So they plan a trip to one of the nastiest places on earth. Brilliant.
I have three kindergarten classes in the morning with an hour lunch. Then I get an hour and a half break and come back for afternoon classes. Apparently I've already got a reputation for being strict. One student complained to me friend that "Karen Teacher make us think!" But I think that they are having fun too. I know I am :)
As stated earlier, I am not dead yet. Yes, I knew you'd be glad to hear that. I actually started this post about two weeks ago. Let's see if i can actually finish it now...
I went back to the States in July. I arrived just in time to attend my best friend's wedding. I cried like a baby through the ceremony and almost got the bride to as well. Other highlights were a trip to Cedar Point and visiting my extended family Up North. It was really nice to catch up with everybody. It was a little bittersweet to be back. The economy was making things difficult for so many people. About half of my friends were out of work. I saw many houses foreclosed. I was tempted for a while to stay to be with the people I loved. But then I remembered the people I loved back in Korea and realized that how difficult it would be to continue my career in the States.
I arrived back in Korea near the end of August. Thanks to swine flu, most schools now require foreigners to spend a week of quarentine before they can interact with students. There have been a few cases of it in my town. But they were all from Korean kids who were exposed to it in Korean hospitals. The bad part was that I couldn't get an apartment until I started working. So I stayed with a friend. The living situation is still a bit complicated as the teacher I was meant to replace doesn't leave until October. I get his place and obviously can't move in until he's gone. For the time, I'm staying at another friend's apartment.
I'm a different school now. The old school was strictly afternoon classes for elementary an middle school students. The new school does that but also has kindergarten classes in the morning. Kindergarten over here is anything from about ages four to seven. The kids start elementary school around the US equivalent of second grade. I was the most nervous about the kindergarten classes as I'd never had them before. But so far, I really enjoy them. The kids are so cute. They come up to me all the time and give me hugs. The fight over who gets to sit in my lap and want me to kiss their boo boos. Every Friday is a special day for the kindergarteners. This Friday was a "birthday party" for all the kids who have a birthday in September. They do it every month and the birthday kids get treats and play games with a special friend. One of my students, Elvis, had his birthday and he picked my favorite student called Juliet. The kids recreated parts of a wedding ceremony like feeding each other rice cakes and giving piggy back rides. It was too cute. Next week, we get to go on a field trip. Rumor has it that it'll be the sewage treatment plant. Again, thanks to Swine Flu, the school doesn't want to risk getting the kids sick by having them interact with lots of strangers. So they plan a trip to one of the nastiest places on earth. Brilliant.
I have three kindergarten classes in the morning with an hour lunch. Then I get an hour and a half break and come back for afternoon classes. Apparently I've already got a reputation for being strict. One student complained to me friend that "Karen Teacher make us think!" But I think that they are having fun too. I know I am :)