Summer Camp

It's on like donkey kong son. I'm back from my vacation in the States. It was nice but I think it was the right length of time. 11 days or so, I never got tired of my Mom cause she's my mom. But by the end of my time and after I saw my friends I was ready to go. Mostly because I knew that I would have to be punished with jetlag. I was, it took me 4 days to get over it but by Monday morning I was ready to go no problem. Other than camp starting and me knowing nothing about what was going on. Anyway back at it. Camp is now a week and a day old, the kids are fun and things are going good. Also Summer is super hot in Korea. It's not so much stupid hot like North Carolina which was reaching the mid 90's by noon while I was there but it's always so humid. Walking to work in the morning when it's around 75-80 I find myself sweating bullets by the end of my 15 minute walk.

What we are

One day at Tokyo Narita International I had a chat with a friend who is smarter than me and she really nailed the expirence in Korea for me personally and for her from the way she was speaking. Basically she said that us, as the Native English Teacher, are pretty easily the least integrated into affairs of anyone at school with regards to everyday life. Many of us don't have the Korean language ability to slide right in and things to be peachy.

On the flip side, some of us when we come over don't exactly land in spots where there are a bunch of other teachers around, also we spend 40 hours at school and at many schools the we don't know about other teachers who can speak English there until some freak occurrence. Like I know my VP can speak English but there are probably 10-15 other teachers at my school who are Home Room teachers with really solid English skills. At the same time these people who we cannot or don't talk to are part of this very important net that we have. We want to be a part of the community, personally thats what I crave, the kids are great but you know I would like to chat with some co-workers. So we have no connection but need and want all the connection that we can get. Anyway I think it's interesting, the relationship between Native English Teachers and our Korean counterparts should be studued by someone. Not me I'm busy trying to learn Korean

I'm back (but not really)

Hello Four months later. I'm sitting in my bedroom in my Moms house in grandold Charlotte, NC no my vacation. I've been home since this past Tuesday after a remarkable da of travel and I will be here until the 27th when I get on a plane to return and do Summer Camp.

So what happens when I return? More Summer Camp as I said and then my contract is up, that's pretty much it. Also I'm renewing for another at the same school with the same great kids and co-teachers. Also I've got exciting news. I work harder, teach way more and better I think (and according to my coteachers if they aren't just flattering me) and things are just better. Funner a little easier. I really think that I've fought through tough times had a really great conversation about who we are and what we are trying to accomplish in Narita in Tokyo with a friend during a layover and I want to keep going cause I think that this year I can make a serious push towards a more stable future. You can catch all the excitement with at least 3 posts a week and with more pictures maybe. We'll see. bye-bye!

Changes

Toady was the first day of the Spring semester. Classes didn't start today (for me) and probably won't start for another day or two. But the changes are already obvious including things I knew and things I didn't know.

1. Since I was given the chance to choose my own destiny basically and pick schools I choose Samyang. I like the kids and I like my co-workers that I actually work with here. My Co-teacher at Jukhyang was at the end of her time there and is moved to a different school, the Principal at Jukhyang retired. Combine that with the fact that I haev already told my Co-teacher at Samyang that I would like to stay and the Principal here is as awesome as the known quantity at Jukhyang was AND he's staying and it's easy.

2. Since I have only one school now I get to teach more grades. This comes at the price of potentially loosing some of my students from Winter Camp because they opened a new school close to mine and split the student population. I don't get to teach those kids because the Office of Education got 4 new teachers. 3 of which are in newly created position replacing no one.

3. The teacher for 5th grade has changed. This was a little surprising. I didn't know Mrs. Kim had to change schools and had assumed that she was staying with the other 2 teachers. I also figured that I would be teaching 3rd, 4th and 6th grade ENglish now because we have a TALK scholar who was teaching the 5th grade with Mrs. Kim. But nope she is gone so now the face at the desk across from me is a.different and b. actually at the desk. Mrs. Kim liked to spend most of her time in the classroom and it's possible that the new teacher will do the same. I should probably learn her name and start talking to her since we'll be teaching a class together now. Also I should ask about my schedule.

4. Half the kids are at a differen't school. Also the main Teachers office that I sit and work in is different. THere are new people in new places and some people gone and moved into what I can only assume is their own permanent classrooms. Bully to them! Every teacher should have their own classroom.

Anyway these are just some of the obvious changes that I notice at the moment. I still haven't actually met any of the new Teachers though I think I saw one on the street yesterday after I got back into town and was walking to the bank to pay rent. Also they moved desks and are currently standing over me and choosing new furniture for the newly open space behind where I sit. They did not pick an exciting color. This is slightly dissapointnig.

Cambodia

I'm in Cambodia, right now. Vacation is awesome if not a little isolating. Got to hang out with some other teachers from Korea for a few days. Anyway I'm in Siem Reap, the location of the magnificant Angkor Wat Temples. I think I've taken somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 pictures so when I get back I will have to sort thru them and post the really good ones here. They bulk will end up on Facebook because thats a picture dumping ground. Not a lot of drinking done on vacation. Partly cause of the location, partly of because of all the walking around you do here but mostly because of the staggering heat. This is probably as hot and heavy as I've felt heat all my life. My hostels computers our outside and I'm in a pretty profuse sweat typing this.

I leave Cambodia the morning of the 27th to get back to Bangkok for my flight. I will recount all the gripping details of the trip upon return and will share photos.


P.S. - I miss my kids

Vacation

Tomorrow I start vacation. Well about 24 hours and 25 minutes from now. Tomorrow I leave for Seoul at 3, then I catch a bus to Incheon and the airport. Not to sure how long it takes but I'm just going to play it safe. I could take a bus straight to the airport but I don't want any potential delays although that might change, between now and then. Anyway tomorrow I'll wake up and call home, let Mom know whats going on and that I'll be fine fun times

There they go...

It's done. My 6th graders are now no longer 6th graders. Starting next month they are 1st grade middle school. I got to go to their graduation today. So I wrote 5 notes. 4 were to some kids that came to English Camp so I got to know them much better plus their English is great.



The other note was to the little girl in Pink here.

Why her? Because before I set foot in the classroom she gave me a note and was an absolute angel. She isn't the best speaker but she is apparently great at dictation(she got high marks on the exams) but like I said she was really nice to from the get go. Shes also smaller than most of the kids but like I said very nice.

I also got some news from my co-teacher about the next semester. Let me give you a little info about Korea. They like to build up. You see these high rise apartments. Thats basically a subdivision or neighborhood back home. There aren't any of that stuff like we think of it.



I live in a tiny town. There are 3 or 4 buildings overthere and the school is right there, in Daejeon the city next to us one friend I have lives next to 3 schools, literally 2 Middle Schools and an Elementary School. We were driving in her car once and I asked about one of the schools, she said it was a middle school, then I asked is that the one your daughter goes to? Nope! The school was a 5 minute walk from their apartment. There is a middle school that is closer!!!!!!!!!!! That is INSANITY!!!!! They might be building schools on top of schools at this point. My point is there is another school that is opening near my main school. As far as I know I'm the only teacher at the school on that side of town. This mean that according to my co-teacher I may move from my rural school to this one. Also this school will split the population of my school. I am torn about all of this to say the least.

The Next Week

My vacation starts on the 17th. That is a fact that doesn't matter right now. For the next 5 days I am going to be an absolute emotional trainwreck. I already am now just thinking about it and knowing that it is here. I love the kids I teach. They are so smart and so ambitious. I know that they can and will do things that will amaze and surprise people for many many years to come. That's why I wish they didn't have to go. For the past 6 months they have been what I live for, I have tried to give them everything I got, for better or worse. Now here we are My Sixth graders are going to graduate to Middle School and I won't even be able to be at the ceremony because I'll be at my second school saying "Good-bye" to My OTHER kids. I know that the rising 6th graders will be awesome and fun and just as mind blowing to me, but that doesn't matter right now because I'm loosing the divine inspiration for my life here. They are moving up and I will be left behind.

All the years in school growing up, I never once considered how my elementary school teachers felt about us going on to the next grade. I don't know if this impending sense of greif is what they get but if it is they are immensly stonger than I am because like I said I'm going to lose it at least once this week. Well I should say at school because I've already lost it. These first 15 classes of the week will be the hardest and longest and worst moment in my entire life so far. I just hope I can articulate to them in a way for them to understand how much they mean to me, as my first class of students

Music

My tastes in music are evolving. Being here and having been through English Camp where after class some girls would stay around and listen to music on the computer I got to here alot of heartthrob boy band stuff. I can say very easily that in America I hated boy bands, but I think Justin Timberlake is great. Maybe it's the SNL stuff and him not being to great to try and occasionally suck at acting but I find him and his music way more tolerable now than I did when he was in N'Sync or the other one. So anyway I was at an open mic night here with one of my fellow Okcheonian teachers who was playing and we were talking about the music scene here.

I don't know he mentioned how at a dinner with some of my co-teachers they talked about music and how it was for them in school or should I say University and the name Park Jin-Young came up. I was like "holy crap I know that guy" I knew him not as a singer but as a producer cause he does some of the bigger acts of Korea including one of the girls favorite groups, 2 P.M.. His entertainment company is actually called JYP Entertainment. He chooses the Western way of doing that and also goes by those initials as opposed to you know, PJY. I guess JYP flows better. Anyway apparenly this guy was a sex symbol back in the day. When he was in his mid to late 20's now he's 38 and still going and I'm listening to his music and other Korean things as well.


-I went to a Korean Punk concert a few weeks ago. Let's just say it was interesting. First thing it made me appriciate English language music. I may think it's trash but it's only cause I understand what they are saying. GRRRRR, If I would have stayed up front I would have know but I was a wuss on so many levels. This band was interesting though they used accordian and flute. I'd go again and I would stand near the front.

-Went to Seoul last week and saw an art exhibit of Andy Worhal's work and I don't mean to be an art critic or overly critical but a bit of the stuff there was like "C'mon, what were people doing back then? Oh, right lots of acid, lsd and pot, carry on then"

-We were supposed to go to the Kimchi Museum in Seoul but we were too late. It's on the south side of the city. So now I'm going to lead an expidition of at least 2 and probably more back to Seoul for the sole purpose of seeing the museum. I have some other plans after that but that weekend is oh, 6 weeks away. Why in Gods name would I plan something so far ahead you ask??? Am I a control freak?? Is there someone I'm trying to impress?? Do I have some sinister plan???? Yes. Yes. No. And mostly because for the next 5 weeks stuff is going on. Friday-Saturday I get to do something where I'm hanging out with Koreans, FINALLY. All it took was a church retreat and their desperation to have me do things. The next weekend might be spent skiing. Then the next weekend is Korean New Years and I might end up in Busan. Then I go on vacation and am gone for 2 Sundays then I get back work a week and WOOOO Kimchi Museum and more.

Ready for Vacation

So here I am. January 26 about 22 days from my vacation. Today I bought my ticket to Bangkok. But the actual vacation is in Cambodia cause I don't want to be some weirdo wandering around Thailand by myself. Also I don't want to think while I'm on vacation so I'm basically going to let others think for me. If I could just switch off my brain and sleep for 10 days I would but this seems like a good alternative.

I'm not sure of how the school calender works here so I don't know when Summer Break is but I do know that by taking vacation in February at the last possible moment I open myself up to a shorter second half of the year. My vacation will fall one day before exactly 6 months after departure from the States (if that makes sense). Other people were taking vacation in December which kind of blew my mind. The job can be rough but unless you were in some sort of hellish situation all you've been doin this winter is Winter Camp, which is funner than regular school in just about every situation, sitting at your desk 8 hours a day and surfing the internet or sitting in your apartment for 11 working days. It should be noted that those day aren'counting against the vacation if they let you have them and you can travel the country if you want to. Speaking of which I think I might have lost my co-teacher. I sent her a text with a question about my vacation and she hasn't responded which leads me to believe shes outta here. I probably should have asked her. Anyway I'm going to meet 3people in Siem Reap, Cambodia on like the 18th or 19th.

So since I've started why don't I just start from the "top". Feb. 17, I go to Incheon to catch a plane that leaves at 9:25pm. It should arrive in Bangkok at 1:20am. I'll stumble around the Bangkok airport for an hour or two then go to the train station to catch the 5:55am train to the Cambodian border. That arrives around 1pm and then I have to get a visa, if choose not to get the online one, and cross on foot or bus I'm not really sure. Either way cross take a taxi to the first town then take another taxi or a bus for a 3-5 hour bus ride to Siem Reap from there I pass out and stop thinking let the thinkers think and plan just follow.

Of course before any of this I have 2 weeks of school including the graduation of my 6th graders which will be a sad event. I will miss them alot.

Camp is done...

... and I am having a good time. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'm not sure how I went this long, thought I had posted more recently but apparently not. I am in the middle of getting ready to buy my ticket to Thailand from where I will take a train and bus to Cambodia. Meet up with a couple people and kick around Cambodia for a week until it's time to head back.
Camp was fun here are some pictures. I got to meet and talk to many awesome kids, the best part I actually got to learn some of my sixth graders names and then I really got to learn some of my future kids names. The rising sixth graders are awesome.



This is outside on our soccer field. We are lucky to have what appears to be a new gym and very new-ish soccer field and track at the school. Several days we went outside and played "Pigu" which is Korean dodgeball. It's different from American dodgeball in that when you are hit you just go to the other side and throw at the other team from there back so basically it's more active. The 2 girls in the forground are 6th graders the boy they are taking aim at is a 4th grader.





This picture is interesting because I am a tourist attraction in it. It should be noted that I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 pictures from this 4 week event and I probably only took half of them. The kid were good and I think they did take some very nice pictures.



These 5th grade girls were particularly hard to crack. I'm not sure how they made it into my class, the top class in the cause they did almost nothing. I look forward to bribing them to be active with candy and punishment in the future.




No real point of this picture I just like this kids shirt.




This is from our cooking class day. I wanted to make rice krispie treats but my co-teacher told me she couldn't find marshmellows. Me and the other teachers went out and found them in a local grocery store. We ended up making cookies it was fun.


Anyway I've got one week to spend as little money as possible in an effort to save as much as possible so I can pay my bills and still run to Cambodia with $300 or so. I'll probably make it easily but it'll be nice to push myself this week. Also I should mention that I'm not actually going to work now, there is nothing for me to do and they said I can stay home until Feb 1 the only thing they said was I couldn't leave the country. Easy enough

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year to you and yours! While many people went up to Seoul last night I went with the other locals to Daejeon to party with other locals. It was fun. So much fun that I took like 200 pictures. Too bad facebook is being kind of a dick and not letting me upload them except one at a time and it's taking forever. So we got back to Okcheon at apparently 5-5:30. Mind you that's not anything special here cause bars and clubs are always open and beers and soju is always flowing. Anyway I feel like crap I've been inside most of the day but I'm going back out in 2 hours because tomorrow is Saturday and we don't exactly get a bunch of 3 day weekends thrown at us so you gotta take advantage.