Week 21: Through the Lens of the Looking Class

Most teachers–both foreign and korean–teach 6 classes per day, at any branch or hogwon

Format

(private school) throughout Korea. The position Foreign Kindergarten Teacher, which I happen to teach along with two other foreigners, teaches 10 classes per day. We teach every class in Kindergarten during the normal school day. Then, when the kinder kids go home for the day, night academy begins. That’s another 4 (exhausting) classes, totaling 10 by nights end. In the USA academies, to my knowledge, do not exist. If I were to make an equivalent I’d say an after school club, an extracurricular, a sport–where being the best English speaker is the competition.

KINDERGARTEN

NOBEL-4 years old. Teach 1 class in Nobel daily.

Step 1: observe the best method of attack Step 2: ha, it was a distraction by looking to Francois! Now, it’s time for the ‘tickle tackler’ everyone’s favorite since Shani was an infant in middle school.

Nicole went from terror child (beating the other kids up) to an angelic class helper. Love this strong willed gal.

Cooking, it’s everyone’s favorite class. Of course, you can eat your success at the end. Cheers to that!

I contemplated for some hours if I should add this flix or not. This was a day I woke up on the wrong side of the bed for fashion! Don’t know what I was (not) thinking, but a) I can tell u I aint never gonna ensemble that together again and b) the skirt finally went in the donation bag. I washed it and very happily folded up and stuck it in that donation bag! In my defense,though I know there’s not many excuses (Latisha, this is for you girl lolz), leggings are HUGE in Korea (and Japan) so you can pull them off with *almost* anything (those leggings do look good with my black mini though). Kay, that wasn’t really about teaching but had to explain the error lolz. Now I can press on, peacefully.

I remember as a child thinking, “it would be SO cool to be a chaperone–not only would I not have to pay the field trip fee, I’d get all expenses paid, a free meal, and control of the kids.” Even at that still young age I was already gettin’ my hustle on. teehee!

NEWTON -6 years old. I teach them 2 classes per day. This is MY class. No other foreign teacher steps into this class. These are my 9 kids and they rock!

take 1: maternal protective look. take 2: content w my Newton Loves.

Mah Krazy Kids throwing the Peace at ch’allz. These would be my Newton Flowers, Emily and Kitty.

Emily gets so excited about everything (kinda reminds me of me–at least that’s what ppl tell me); love this lil lady. She’s a fiesty one, though. Guess she takes after her teacher?

cindy’s birthday–she dressed up like a bride though. That’s how leos do! the royal spectacular!

Some of the Newton Flowers during Bday celebration day. WE get down like princesses! =D

Where’s Phoebe Teacher? Can you find me? I kinda blend in with the lil ones!

Field trip last Thur. with my Newton AND Schweitzers. The field trip was meant to prepare for field day this coming November (flix to come on that I’m sure!)

SCHWEITZER-6 years old. I teach them 2x per day, too. I’m their only foreign teacher, so these 5 kids are mine! muah hahahha 🙂

Schweitzer (me, Jace, Joe, Alice, Lucy–pictured before the new girl, Julie, came) at the dentist office-yikes! but they aint scurred! look at those sweet (deceptive lol) smiles. These kids all have strong characters–they are thick skinned and stubborn as all get-out, but can be some of the sweetest angelic students sometimes–I give thanks for the days they wake up on THAT side of the bed! lolz

Evaluating grammar in Catch book. Alice is very loving but gets into fights daily with Jace. Maybe they’ll end up growing up together and getting married–cuz they fight like they’re some kind of married couple and they always quickly make up and laugh together again. lolz. kids (sigh) 😛

OTHER-I teach 1 class per day Darwin, 5-6 years old and 1 class per WEEK Curie, 7 years old. Pictured below is a class I never teach but hopped in the group for the field game. and was still showered with hug luv. I’m starting to really love Kinder age kids (age 4-7) they really can brighten up a dull day 🙂 esp. since I don’t get a chance to see the sun I work all day!

ELEMENTARY CLASSES -4-45min classes daily. These are academy classes parents pay extra for there kids to participate in. However, because they are paying many kids feel they can do “whatever they want” because “their parent pays for them to be there.” Obviously, I have beef with attitudes like that so when some kids start wildin out I put them on blast and come down hard on them, kick them out of MY class “‘cuz I don’t care whose payin’ for the class, the fact is I am the teacher so you better respect me or get out of my class.” Yeah, I used to be afraid to put my foot down with kids and that’s why I got burnt out and started disliking kids back in the states. However, those days are gone. I don’t have time, energy, or patience (well, I have JUST enough patience) to deal with ridiculous behavior… when I get real annoyed I usually go so “hood” on them, though, and get real ghetto they don’t even know what I am sayin’. Truth is it doesn’t matter and I like bringing the hood out in me every now and then, so all that matters is they understand my intonation…which is sayin’ “don’t mess with this leo or you’ll feel the wrath.”

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnyways, now that I have sufficiently scarred you to never be my student lolz, let me jump outta my soapbox and let’s press on.

RANDOM ACADEMY CLASSES-What once seemed like steady Elementary classes has now turned into “this class needs a fill in teacher for the next 2 weeks or month.” Elementary is so much more disorganized in my mind and being the organized woman I am, it doesn’t jibe well. So, I have issues with a lack of communication between the teachers and management–as do all the foreign teachers and most teachers for that matter–but what can ya do?

Taught this class of Pre-B for their very last month of a 6 month class.

Two foreign teachers quit, so I lost my class and had to fill in for 2 weeks in Advanced 2.  We kept things real with bday and goodbye parties, though 😉 haha. Well ya know, I had to catch a break!

Peter! One of my original students! My ‘originals’ hold a special place. He left and after 3 months showed up again and called out my name! He was a great kid, hope he returns and advances to my Elite class! The originals will never be forgotten; they are my true first classes I ever taught in Korea. Sigh 🙂

Week 20: Chuseok Holiday

Chuseok is the second biggest celebrated holiday in South Korea. Chuseok is the equivalent to the US holiday, Thanksgiving. Families from all over travel the country to be together, eat a lot of food (but never ‘a lot’ compared to an American Thanksgiving), play games, and me merry with their loved ones. Korea is big on saving tradition, but when the kids came to school the Friday before Chuseok weekend wearing the traditional hanbok, I was beside myself in “oohs” and “aahs,” admiring just how cute they are!

Teacher Phoebe* and Amy (Newton student)

Lucy (Schweitzer student) attacks Teacher. She’s a wild one I tell ya!

I love the way the little ones just latch on! The kinder years, esp. the younger the child is, are the most tender years where they soak up EVERYTHING. Simply our presence influences and shapes their personalities. Quite fascinating, really.

My Newton Loves! (Pictured with my Newton partner korean teacher, Rachel; Charolette (cananda), and Andre (USA).

My Silly Schweitzers (picured w the brand new partner korean teacher, Emily; Charolette, Andre, and Grace–who is just everywhere.)

Chuseok festival they put me in charge of cooking class (you could have guessed, right? hehe). I was to teach the students how to make this traditional Chuseok baked good–something which I knew nothing about but learned quickly and then taught my students! Good times. Pictured is Francois, “the frenchie”–he’s half korean, half french and all adorableness.

Cooking class is always a big class because Schweitzer (5 with our recent edition, Julie) and Schweizter (9) combine for cooking craziness (crazy is a favorite word loved by all Koreans).

Content with Cathy (newton student)

Week 19: It Boils Down To A Burrito

Of course the following rant is symbolic of bigger issues and representative of a culture as a whole; the general feeling I often have while living here is obviously not just about a burrito.

Those who know me know the way to my heart, like a man, is through my stomach. Home cooked meals work like a charm. Apparently, diversity does too. Homogeneity is such a turn off, especially when I have a facial allergy and reaction to spicy food, comprising approx. 90% of Korean food. That said, I was soooooo excited about my 4 day vacation to Seoul, Korea’s capital, where military families and loads of ex-pats reside. Specifically, I was looking forward to dining out in Itaewon, a community that is a big foreign bubble, Monday night with a buddy from college. I’ve made it clear to everyone these days all I want is a bean and cheese burrito.

Another Phoebe tidbit: those who know me know I am a woman on a mission. I don’t stop ’til I ascertain a goal, regardless of how serious or trivial the goal seems. However, after 5 months with no sign of a burrito in sight, burrito hunting became my mission.

Itaewon, Saturday night. Finally we were gonna go foreign. My taste buds did not complain as I inhaled nann bread and Indian food, but I kept my eyes forward on the goal: Monday at 6:45pm was gonna be a burrito blow out. ha! anywho, I was thoroughly upset Sunday morning when my coworker said when he bailed out on us early that night he went to a Mexican restaurant and got himself a burrito. I wasn’t leaving until Tuesday so I kept my cool, I still had more chances.

We went to an all American rest for brunch, but my heart was set on a burrito. Besides, I was resentful to pay $9.00 for two ‘average’ size pancakes. So I ditched my friends to go to the Mexican restaurant next door: closed. Just my luck. Sunday and Monday in Korea were Chuseok, equivalent to Thanksgiving holiday. I went back and ordered those pancakes, asking the waiter if they could ‘biggie size it.’ He denied the request.

Before I knew it, the weekend had came and went. Nevertheless, there will still 2 days to be enjoyed–for Chuseok and an extra day of “overwork” was given from the workplace.  Anyways, in an attempt to make my verbose stories as short as possible let’s end this lengthy intro and cut to the chase:

When I arrived in Itaewon Monday night to meet Dani, a friend from college, there will two people with her. They had both been craving Greek like no other, even though one guy has only been in Korea 3 short weeks. I’m sure my burrito craving outweighed both their greek cravings combined, but they were 2 and I am but 1. Tough luck. We went to the Greek place.

Honestly, I had a late lunch at an all-u-can-eat salad bar, so I wasn’t even hungry; I would only make room for a burrito. Fortunately, they only ate appetizers so we could hit up the Mexican restaurant for entrees. Good compromise. So we get to Amigos, obviously the Mexican restaurant. Live Spanish music, Spanish-themed decorations–it was promising.

Usually I am super indecisive. This time I didn’t even need to open the menu to order: “bean and cheese burrito jusayo (Korean word w/ incorrect spelling for ‘give me please’). When the burrito came, I allotted enough time to take a picture before proceeded to tear. it. up.

(Dani and I in Amigos Mexican Restaurant in Itaewon neighborhood, Seoul, Korea. The drink was just a prop–it wasn’t mine)

Took a big huge first bite of that sucker and my mouth filled with tiny chunks of, none other than, loads of ground beef!I was disgusted and spat it into the napkin. The waitress apologized and said if I wanted a bean and cheese it was going to take a long time. I asked “how long?” She left and then returned with the devastating answer: “a looooooooooooooooooooooooong time.” Clearly, she didn’t want me to order the bean and cheese. Besides that, my people were already taking their last bites of their meal. The only correct answer was, “that’s OK.” I left disappointed.

Dani offered to wait with me while I ate my burrito from ‘Tacos,’ the other Mexican restaurant. I was stressed out and disappointed with Korea’s lack of burritos at this point (not to mention tempted to return to OR with Dani since she leaves early in two weeks as well).  Nevertheless, when am I gonna get the chance to eat a burrito again in the next 8 months? I took her up.

Again, barely glanced at the menu and ordered a bean and cheese right away.

“With Vegetables?”

“No, that’s OK. Just bean and cheese.” (Inner thoughts: did I SAY vegetables? No. man, i sure was grumpy by this point).

“Well we don’t have bean and cheese. We have rice and cheese.”

Fire must have been coming out of my eyes when I looked at the menu and re-read “rice and cheese.” Yo I was so worked up for a bean and cheese my eyes literally played a little trick on me and I thought I was reading “bean and cheese.” NOPE.

“And” added the worker, “We are out of rice.”

WHAT THE HECK!!!!! WHO RUNS OUT OF RICE IN A) ASIA B) A MEXICAN RESTAURANT????!?!?!?!?!?!? OMG that is a double no-no. I was getting irate, things were getting ugly.

“OK. All I want is a bean and cheese burrito. No rice. Just put the bean in instead.” (I was saying this with a normal, tactful tone of voice mind you. I didn’t go ballistic on the worker lolz).

“Well…” the start to the sentence was not hopeful. “Well, we can’t just do bean and cheese because the beans are too watery and they’d just fall out the ends.”

There was just one inkling left of composure in me, long enough to say, “OK,” and turn around. Looking at my friend Dani, who spent a year in Mexico so also speaks Spanish–my secret language in Korea–I blew up. Watery beans? I had had it! It should never be this hard to come by a burrito. “La *********************!!!!!! Porque es TAN dificil encontrar un freakin’ burrito aca!!!!”

Dani was there for the worst of my tantrum: “What kind of Mexican restaurant serves watery beans first of all, does not even have a ‘bean and cheese burrito’ on the menu, and RUNS OUT OF RICE–IN ASIA!!!!!!???????!!!!!!! Besides to see you off before you go back to the states, I traveled to the other side of the COUNTRY in search of a burrito and TWO different Mexican restaurants don’t even have bean and cheese burritos!!?!?!?!? I have had it with Korea!” Yes, I did say Korea.

“No,” Dani said both sympathetically and empathetically. ” I completely understand.” She, too, understands the frustrations of this oppressive society and knew the burrito was icing on the cake. “That’s why I am leaving in two weeks…” she said, fronting a smile at the thought of leaving.

I was already in a terrible mood by this point, and it didn’t end. If you’ve hung out with me for a day, you may notice I have an addiction–a Chap Stick addiction (and yes, there are additives in ’em to keep you lip smacking. There could be worse addictions, but not that I am trying to justify my actions or anything ;-p). Anyways, I popped open the stick ready to soothe at least my lips if not my mind. Go figure! The actual Chap Stick went flying and landed face down on the subway train’s floor. A nice, young Korean man picked it up for me and even stuck it back into the tube. Even so, he shook his head understandingly when I tossed the tube into my garbage sack. Tired, grouchy, sans burrito, and with dry lips I left the subway and stormed back to my friends apartment at the Seventh-day Adventist institution.

I was so worked up about the disappointments of South Korea I was doing ‘math’ in my head (counting the days left in Korea and how long I had gone sans-burrito). Additionally, it was the first time walking back to the institution alone–and it was late night. By the time I got out of my head and looked around, I realized I was a little lost. THANKFULLY (especially since I am a traveler), I took a deep breath and followed my intuition; it led me right back to the institution, no problems.

When Tina answered the door, she was expecting to see a bright eyed, full tummy, happy lil mixed Asian-American woman saying “que rico.” Instead, I barged in asking, “do you have any of that corn bread left?” After explaining how the night went array and how I was tempting to leave this burrito-lacking country. “but it’s about more than just a burrito,” she added. She pinned the tail on the donkey. It IS just about more than a burrito. On a bigger scale, WHY is there a lack of foreign food? Are we expected to just conform?

I’ve realized I can’t go into Seoul for 3 or 4 day weekends and I’ve figured out why: the Seomyeong church keeps me centered on Sabbath. Secondly, I start loosing perspective when I go more than 2 or 3 days without my kids–I love ’em so much, they are like my drug. Again, there could be worse addictions. ❤

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Update: Monday I tested my luck one last time in Itaewon. Went to Panchos but they weren’t opening for a few hours so it was a no-go (was meeting a friend from the states in the airport). The owner directed me to another Mexican restaurant, but it was closed for Chuseok holiday. I decided go to to the water bean burrito place and order the rice and cheese burrito. “We are still making the rice.” Go figure. I waited 4 months already; waiting 5-20mins was not a problem. I do have to admit, it’s the best burrito I’ve had in S. Korea (haha meaning the ONLY burrito). After this burrito, I was content. “Now,” I took a deep breath, “only 8 more months left in Korea to go.” I had my little fix, now I can press on towards the finish line.

Week 18: August Birthday Girls!

2 of the 9 students in Newton are Leos, just like their teacher! Of course, we had to celebrate in royal fashion. Check it!

Little Princesses Cindy and Amy. Of course, modeling after their teacher who was also princess in 2003.

Birthday Princesses: Teacher Phoebe*, Amy (pink), and Cindy (looking like she needs to be in a wedding!). I LOVE my girls!

Lest we not forget Little Cindy ~ 3 of my girls are August Leos ~ man we rock this!

Individual photo opp! Aren’t they adorable? No need to answer–I already know. (I’m a bit proud of them, no? hehe)

Birthday Princesses taking our Royal Birthday Walk. Happy Birthday to US! Yay =D

OK now it’s time to blow out the candles! Nice! High 5 on the candle-blowing skillz!

Bday cake cutting take 1take 2

and one more for good measure 🙂 Teacher Phoebe and Cindy; we are August Bday girls =)

Yes, you can probably see/tell I love my kids a lot. I’ll post another blog in the near future of my nine newton loves. They are my sunshine every day here in Korea.