Day 316

Thursday October 29

I didn't really teach anything today. I had 2 classes with the elementary students and one with the pre middle school.

Today they started making everyone wear masks. This swine flu is getting out of control. If the students dont have a mask we have to give them one. The mask is very uncomfortable and hot.

I didn't really like our "halloween party." All I was doing was watching the kids make masks, paper bags for candy and jack o lanterns on cups for 50 minutes. At the end of class I gave them candy. I helped the students some. I didn't like that the teacher's assistant was in the room the whole time. He was making a video. He was recording the kids doing their crafts. I attempted to stay out of the video. Every time I'd see him coming anywhere near me I'd move out of the way so I wouldnt be in the video. The CCTV is messed up in our room, too. Today we were combining classes. I normally have 5 in the 1st class and 2 in the 2nd class. 2 of the students from the 1st class were present and one of them brought her friend along. Then there was only 1 student from the 2nd class was present. The girl from the 1st class brought along her sister which is in my MWF class. So in first block I only had 5 students.

Then I took a break while the korean teacher was in there doing whatever she was doing.

At 6pm I went back for my 2nd block. I would have only had 3 kids in 2nd block but I ended up having 10. The team leader had some of her math students in my class. Plus some students from MWF showed up for this class. My boss came in during class and checked the kids temperatures. He had an ear themometer. They don't use the things like the doctors do where you cover the tip with a plastic shield. He just put it in their ear and then wiped it with a tissue after each one. Sometimes he would dip it in water to clean it. I saw him check the Korean teacher, but he didn't check me. The TA was recording this class also. Just recording the kids making their crafts. I wore my witch hat during the class. I just watched the kids make things and helped them. We didn't have enough materials for everyone so I had to keep passing things around. Waiting till one person was finished with the glue stick or the scissors. There weren't enough scissors so some of them were using blades similar to a box cutter. I had to keep going back out to my desk to get things because some of the masks broke and they were missing pieces to something. When my team leader was in the room she was telling me to start talking like I was giving some presentation. I don't know what she wanted me to say. I'm glad she left the room actually. Nobody wants to listen to me give a lecture about halloween. I gave them a handful of candy at the end of class.

At 7pm I had to go to my pre middle school class. They all wanted candy so I took my suckers to the class. I told them they could have 2 and most of them complied but there are two naughty boys who got more than they should. At least they didnt try to hide the fact. I saw one of them had 5 in his hand and I asked "you got 5?". He said "No, I got 8". At least he was honest. then he wanted to switch colors and he had a handfull of red suckers. I had a new student today. He didn't actually get to learn anything because I was giving a test. I think it was a waste of money to make him buy the book when the class is over in November. He'll only get to study 3 lessons. I could have made copies for him. whatever. I gave them their test today. They are mischeivous as always. Talking during the test and playing on their cell phones. At least I left out the part where they have to listen to me and fill in the blanks. Last time they would keep having me repeat things and ask me to spell them. I just gave them listening from the cd. I played it a lot of times so they could get it. I gave them situations from the book, but since they apparently don't study or pay attention I had to explain it to them and I still don't think they did it right.

Then I had a break from 8-9.

I went to see "This is It" last night. Lesley found out and wanted to know why I didn't invite her. I didn't even think of it. Plus I wouldn't have known if it was something she would be interested in. And I didn't make plans in advance. It was a spur of the moment thing. really I'm so used to doing everything alone and I don't think about inviting people along. I offered to go with her tonight and see it with her if she wanted. She decided it was a waste of money for me to see it again and she wasn't really a fan of MJ anyway. I had suggested that we get something to eat before the movie so she still wanted to get something to eat. I picked a place in Gusan for samgyeopsal.

We met at 10pm and ate at my favorite samgyeopsal restaurant. It was delicious. I love the corn salad. I actually ate the entire meal with chopsticks! I'm not great at using chopsticks but I made it work. We got 500g of samgyeopsal for 9,900 which is about $9. That's a good price for a meal for 2 people.

Then I went home and started packing for my trip tomorrow. I'm excited to meet new people and see something outside of Seoul. I think there will be about 40 of us on the trip and I don't know anyone! So I'll get to meet other people who like travel and culture. I'm going with a meetup group. I'll be gone all weekend so there won't be any blogs from me until late Sunday when I get home.