My Job at Cheongju English Center-Restaurant

 

I spent the whole first 2.5 months of my Korean life teaching "library" where I taught students how to check into the library and check out.  I also taught them several games and talked about some of the popular English books ("TEACHER I LOVE TWILIGHT").  It was such a wonderful change from what I was used to in the States.  I'm a little bit luckier than most of the other teachers I know here for several reasons.  The first being, I know what its like to be a real teacher in my home country.  I hear a lot of my buddies complaining about their jobs, but if only they knew what life was like when you are actually a real teacher and your content areas are tested!  Try being an algebra teacher!  Because of this, I have a deeper appreciation for my job here and the lack of stress I am under.  The second reason is because I teach more of a summer camp than a real school.  Our students come in on Monday and we bid the adieu on Friday, starting the whole process over the following week.

This is a blessing and a curse because it causes me to have to have high energy at ALL times (because I only physically have students in my class once) and it makes my life completely redundant.  At the same time, I know that certain kids that annoy me will be out of my room in 50 minutes or less and I will never have to see them again!  Its beautiful!

Now, I teach "Restaurant".  We cover the types of restaurants- fast food, buffet, dine in- we cover the meals in a day- breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch - and several other things.  Majority of my time is spent having them repeat after me and asking them fun questions like "What do you eat for breakfast?" "Yummy!  What is your favorite dessert".  Then we have a role play where the student have the opportunity to be waiters/waitresses and customers.  They take orders, have menus, get the food from the cabinet, pretend to eat, pay, and tip.  They have an excellent time and so do I.  At the end of the role play we have a boys vs. girls memory game where they have to match cards together.  They get so into it and they do all of this for a few reward points that I stamp into their "Passports".  This is my day. 

People have been wondering why I am so happy... its because I know what my life could look like right now had I done what most people urged me to do and stayed in Phoenix within the comforts of normalcy.  I know how bored and utterly dissatisfied I could have been had I listened and not done what was in my heart for the first time ever.  I know how much I could have been hating my job had I not just said Fuck it!  And I am going to happily keep doing things that make me happy, and Korea is definitely this first of many!

Random Things to Know about Teaching in Korea

My first real...ALL ABOUT KOREA BLOG!!  I figure its time to start adding more information about how life is, and not just what I get into every weekend lol.  So here are a few things I've picked up!

• Koreans do everything ass backwards-- They have next day deadlines, random pointless meetings (that could be easily discussed in an email), they give you options that are not really options "Would you like Monday or Friday off...but we prefer you take Monday, sooooo take off Monday" wth??, they are obsessed with child satisfaction over what is actually practical, and they invite you on Thursday to events on Friday... "I'm sorry I wont be attending that event!"

UPDATE AT 2:17-  they are telling us right now, that they told us something... THAT THEY DIDN'T TELL US!  

• It's impossible to count calories--Remember that this is a DIVA's view of South Korea lol.  I can't possible keep my calories counted when I eat Korean Food.  1. I cant read the damn menu so I have to point at the pictures! 2. Who the hell knows what its cooked or what they add to it... Needless to say, I unhappily gained about 4 pounds during my first 3 months here, but I have lost those and a few more.  DEDICATION!
• You can't wear sleeveless shirts-- I am a great big fan of showing off my arms, neck, and my cleavage, but not distastefully of course lol.  I have so many shirts in my closet that I can't wear because they are sleeveless.  They are very business casual and generally nice shirts, but because of the cultural differences here I cant wear them without a wrap of jacket of some kind.  Which is another problem entirely because none of their jackets fit my arms.  Wasted clothing :( I don't like it.  But THEY can wear shorts up their asses all the time.  It sucks.  This Cartoon Captures it in its entirety.
 

• Kids are Kids are kids...EVERYWHERE-- I was under the impression that I was coming to heaven.  Little Asian baby geniuses that were soooo ready to soak up all this knowledge I had to offer.  WRONG.  Korean kids are just that... kids, and just like kids everywhere else, they are a pain in the ass. "PITA" if you will.  They talk when they shouldn't, they curse under their breath, they play fight like crazy, they hate school, they hate homework, and they would much rather NOT be learning English.  There is a geek that knows all the answers, a teachers pet who is always volunteering, a Diva who is always trying to go to her phone in the locker room, girls who gossip, a boy who is confused, a fat girl who is shy, a fat boy who is loud, a Rico Suave who has his hair dyed lighter and thinks he is the bomb... I could go on and on...  Kids are Kids (but they are still better than the kids in the states... no doubt)

But even with all of that.... I love my job

More to come...Trust me...

25 so far... I like it!

Sexy??? I know lol

Ajumma Hats from Nick!

So I have literally been 25 for 2 weeks now and I've got to say that I have brought it in pretty well.  I had the best weekend with my buddies that included much laughing, drinking, eating, and half naked debauchery on the pole between me and my Robert lol.  The korean men didnt know what the hell to do with what was going on between us in Frog Rain this time.  And I was a mess as was to be expected.

Everyone

Dinner was awesome and everyone was there except a few people so I was sooooo happy because for me, dinner was the most important part of the night.  Anyone can go to the bars afterward.  The dinner was the part that I felt was really for ME.  ANNNND they had free beer so everyone was happy (except me).

The Bars were great and the club was NASTY (like I like it) and the company was awesome.  The next day Rob and I just stayed in the bed except to get a Kabob from Shinnae.  It was a lovely weekend!

Work is awesome and working out is kicking ass... Last weekend I ventured off to the land of gunsan once again where Rob and I spent another weekend wrapped up in eachothers arms making jokes, having laughs, and watching movies.  AND THANK CARL FOR THAT! LOL!

This weekend will be spent in Seoul getting my hair done and taking myself out to dinner before my VACATION!!! WHOOOO!!!  Such a wonderful life I have! 

What better way to start...Day 1

As promised, I am capturing my 25th year on film and there can be little to no pictures of me. (No self portraits anyway, unless they hold a specific purpose. ) Here is the first shot...
No Editing done...just raw material for this one

This is a picture of what was left of my bowl of fruit cake given to me by my lovely adult students. They turned out the lights and sang to me and made an otherwise lack luster day fabulous. It was wonderful and completely unexpected. I took a nice bite out of the chocolate oval that said "Tous Les Jours" which means "everyday" in french. Too bad Les Jours doesn't mean something cool by itself, it just means "day" lol... that would have made he picture even better. To top it off, I actually had 2 cakes! One from my Korean teacher and then another from my students. The day wasn't great but they definitely made everything wonderful. I love this shot, and it was a perfect way to start my 25 on film. More sure to come!

Going to keep them all HERE IN THIS BLOG

Shay