Friday, September 12, 2008

End of Week 2 of Teaching

So teaching ESL in Korea has it's perks... 90% of the time I'm co-teaching and my job is to be a push button dispenser of English. *push* head, shoulders, knees, and toes. *push* I have a headache, I have a stomach ache. Then I teach 4 extra sections a week 2 with 3-6 graders and 2 with 1-2nd graders. I have to plan, teach and everything the extra classes which are interesting with varied levels of English and just over all willingness to speak.
My 4th graders who dominate my Monday mornings are cool, except for one class where I almost killed some boys who were picking on a little fat boy who can barely speak in Korean or read Korean but yet is willing to try in English class to repeat after me. Yeah I didn't know when I asked him to speak in front of the class that he had such issues but I helped him and he did a pretty good job following after me.
I eat lunch every day in the school cafeteria and it's not bad. I'm doing better with chopsticks and there are somethings I really like and others that I'm like.. yeah can I politely skip that?
The 6th grade girls on my hall, come and visit me and talk most days between classes. Or they yell in through the window and I go talk to them. They are really good at saying most things in English but they have a habit of getting giggly at times. One was trying to talk me out of some candy one of the teachers gave me the other day. She didn't quite do it but she tried hard.. I've got pictures of the kids and all to post to flickr, just been busy with teaching, exploring and getting lost. :)
I'm getting really good at getting lost and not letting it bother me. I've been lost in my area, lost downtown, lost in the school, and yesterday lost in Manchon while trying to meet up with Jody. But I tried and like bimbap, mandu and a couple of other things now... so cheap Korean food here I come. I also have discovered I like the sheets of dried seaweed which you wrap around rice and things.
I'm headed out tonight I think with a group of EPIK teachers which means drinks and trouble causing will be had by all. Thank god I have my little pieces of paper which can get me downtown by taxi and back home. I'll probably take the bus down and taxi it back. It's amazing what one can do when it's either that or no fun or who knows what.
Ok time to finish up some work before I'm done for the week.

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