A Month Has Come and Gone

In three days is my one month anniversary in South Korea. I can't believe it's been that long. It feels like I was just saying goodbye to everyone and boarding the plane a week ago. As many of you may know or have read, I'm having a really great time here.

My job is going well. I'm really enjoying it and having fun with the kids. I finally don't a have a desk job and I find that I'm trying to challenge myself with new, fun ways to teach. The kids are starting to warm up to me. It's so comforting to have one of your students walk up to you and hug you for no reason. I can never get enough hugs :)


Let me give you a rundown on what it's been like for me at school these past few weeks. To begin, I survived my first week of lunch duty. Amen! Once every two-ish  months each teacher has to cover lunch duty for their classes. This past week was my first. I don't know if a lot of people know this, but I have never babysat in my life. So feeding nine kids all under the age of 8 made me really nervous. All I could think was, "please don't throw food at me". Come to find out, when kids are hungry, they will listen to you haha.


Also, this past week was Body Check Up for our kinder classes. So on Thursday, we had a mock physical. My job was to measure their chest. Many of them didn't want to put their arms up for me, because they thought I was going to tickle them. To begin the day, I had to go through the booklet and teach my Elmo class (ages 5) parts of the body. Good luck on that! They couldn't remember their Birthday and all they wanted to do was sing "head, shoulders, knees and toes".

Here's a few pictures of my Elmo and Tweety classes

My Elementary classes seem to be going well, too. I have one class that is only in their fourth month of learning English. It's a little frustrating only because the communication is harder. I also have a class with all boys. Man, is it hard to discipline boys especially when they think it's funny that "Billy" farted. I'm not sure if it's weird that I get really excited about teaching grammar to kids. I hope not, because I love it! My biggest pet peeve is when people don't use conjunctions properly. Well if god is my witness these kids will know when to use "your and you're".


A lot of people have been asking what the students call me. Well to answer this question, it really depends on the day. Some days it's "Jenn Teacher" and other days it's "pig" or "eskimo". Also, some of the students have found my tattoo on my wrist. I always cover it with a watch, but sometimes it slips. I get a lot of "oh no Teacher what happened". I just tell them I drew on myself.


Aside from teaching, I've been enjoying getting out and seeing a bit of Korea. This past weekend I went to the Sipripo Beach Festival in Incheon. It's an island right outside of Seoul. It was a fun time with good people. It almost was like the Spring Break, I never had. There were lots of foreigners which kind of made me feel uncomfortable. You get so used to only being around Koreans, that when you around a lot of people that resemble you, it's a little weird ha. Also, being around that many foreigners just made me realize just how impatient and rude us Americans are. 


On Tuesday, I will be going on my first field trip with the kids. We're going to a kids cafe which, from what I hear, is basically like a Chuck E. Cheese without games and pizza. I'll have to post pictures and update you all on that. Wish me luck!

Things That Make You Go, Hmm!

Wow! I can't believe I have only been in S. Korea for three weeks. It feels like I have been here longer because I have experienced so much already. I have become a celebrity in my own right with people staring at me and taking pictures. It's pretty funny! Since being here, there's a lot of little things that I have picked up on that I find interesting. 

First, looks and appearance play a huge role in Korean society. How you look is very important! Men's fashion here surprises me a little more than women's fashion. Women's fashion seems pretty expected, being that Asian women are known for their high heels and short length dresses/skirts. Men's fashion consists of a very tailored look and would be comparable to that of the "metro" style in the States. Oh and ladies, the popped collar is still very popular here. I'm still not sure how that was ever an acceptable fashion statement, but I'll try to look over it :)

Another thing that has caught my eye is seeing that the men carry their girlfriend's purses. At first I laughed, but the more I think about it, I wish I had someone to carry my over-sized bag so I didn't have to break my shoulder. It almost seems like the men are rocking out the purses more than the women. They enjoy showing off their Gucci, Prada and Coach purses. To add to this so called oddness, it's very common to see couples in matching outfits. I'm not sure what this symbolizes, but it could possibly be that because public displays of affection remain a taboo here. Matching outfits are a kind of a substitute.

Korean's are also very affectionate.  It's not unusual to see a man putting an arm around a male friend, or seeing two friends walking down the street holding hands. Koreans are more generally touchier than Americans in a same-sex friendship situation. I haven't quite adapted to this yet.

  

One great thing about not having a car is being forced to walk everywhere. Having worked in the transportation industry, I was really excited to ditch my car and put public transit to work. The subway system here is extremely nice. There's really no comparison between Seoul Metro and NYCT when it comes to cleanliness. 

Transportation is also really cheap here. A taxi ride that would normally cost me $35-$40 in the States, is only about $15 here. Also, I travel by bus a lot since the subway is a bit away. Here in Korea, I can transfer from a bus to the subway all by using the same fare. So depending on the distance I am going, if I board the bus and make another transfer within 30 minutes I may not have to pay an extra fare.

I will forewarn anyone that is coming here that Korean's are CRAZY drivers!!! The buses have the right away so usually they will cut in front of a big line of cars just to get to the front of the stoplight. Also, it's not out of the ordinary to have both cars and buses run red lights. So crossing the street can be a bit dangerous, haha. 

Speaking of running red lights, you're probably thinking "well, where are the police?". Well, they aren't really around. Unlike in the States where you see cops patrolling the streets and writing tickets left and right, the cops are almost non-existent. What is also surprising is that the cops do not carry guns with them. There really is no crime here so they don't have a need for them.

Another thing I have learned is that Koreans loves them some coffee. On every street corner you can guarantee to find if not one then two coffee shops here. It's a little absurd but I guess we all need that caffeine fix. Also, I stated in an earlier post about me being able to get my carb fix. Well all the breads here are really sweet. I haven't quite been able to figure out what the strange taste is they put in it yet. For example, if you were to go and buy garlic bread, they put sugar on top of it. It's a little weird, but good!

These are just a few things I wanted to point out that I found pretty interesting while being in S. Korea so far. I'm really enjoying my time here, but I miss everyone a lot. I have a lot of fun things planned for the next few weeks. Can't wait to get out and enjoy more Korea!

Seoul Searching and Music

This weekend was a 3-day weekend for me because of Korea's Independence Day on Monday, the 15th. It commemorates the freedom from decades of Japanese occupation and the formation of the South Korean republic. So to celebrate, I thought I'd go into Seoul with my friend, Sarah, on Saturday for a day of sightseeing. It was pretty awesome! Seoul is about a 45 minute bus ride from my apartment. It's really not that bad considering I can take a nice little nap before and after. ha.

My first reaction getting off the bus in Seoul, was "ahhh, I'm in love". Seoul is lot like NYC. There are vendors everywhere, massive amounts of people and don't even get me started on the shopping.We first walked down a random street to find many vendors selling various sculptures that I would love to go back in purchase. We then happened to pass by a vendor making court cake. It's basically honey, cornstarch, chocolate and nuts. It's really amazing! Here's a video on how they make it:

After, we headed over to Changdeokgung Palace. It means ‘The Palace of Prospering Virtue’. It is reported that Changdeokgung was the favored palace among the many kings of the Joseon Dynasty and has since retained many traditional Korean elements dating from the Three Kingdoms Era – elements that were not taken into account during the construction of the neighboring buildings of Gyeongbokgung.

It's really cheap to visit places like these. Unlike in the U.S. where they'll charge you an arm and a leg to get in, and another body part just for some water.  This Palace was truly a sight to see. The colors and architecture were all very intricate.  I'm so blessed to be able to be here and experiencing this.

On Sunday, we left for Boryeong beach for a 2-day music festival called, The Green Groove Festival. Boryeong is about a 2 hour bus ride from Seoul. We got there around 2pm and checked into our hotel. Unfortunately the language barrier made it hard for us to communicate with the lady at check-in. This just made me realize how much I need to start learning more Korean besides, "Hello, Thank You and Goodbye" haha.

There were a lot of people at the beach vacationing for holiday. I didn't make it into the water, but it was really nice to just sit and soak my feet in the Sea. Also, the beach wasn't quite like my East coast beaches of VB, but it was still relaxing. A random note...apparently Koreans can't swim well, so everyone wears a life vest in the water. It's pretty comical!

 The concert was awesome! Apl.de.Ap. of the Black Eyed Peas was DJing, along with Afrojack and lots of others. There weren't as many people as I had thought to be attending, but it was fun nonetheless.

Oh and The Stories Begin...

It's been a full week here in Soko and I already have so many stories. My first week of teaching went by extremely fast. The kids are adorable and definitely a handful. It helps to be working with a variety of ages. It seems that most of the kids adapted well to me being the new teacher, but of course there are the few that will take some time to warm up.

Two times a week, one of my Elementary classes have to write a journal entry. On Thursday, the students were to write a letter to somebody of their choice. One of the students wrote a letter to me that read, 

"Dear Jenn Teacher,

I love you. Thank you for teaching me.

Your Friend,

Sara"

After reading this letter, I knew I made the right decision to come here. I felt so good about myself in knowing that I'm helping children learn a language that will hopefully help them in their future.

Of course, not everything can be peachy keen all the time. Probably one the most memorable events that I will ever experience happened to me on Thursday. As I was in the bathroom and washing my hands, I heard a voice scream out "TEACHER I'M DOOONE." Knowing what she was screaming about I stood still hoping it was a mistake and just wanted to run. Next thing I know, the door flies open and I get to to wipe a student's butt. Oh the joys, oh the joys! haha 

A side from the teaching, I've been able to go out and experience some nightlife. Not so much Korean,but still a nightlife. There's a really cool bar about 40 minutes from my place called "Travelers". It's a bar where lots of foreigners hang out. It reminds me a lot of some of the bars back home, which is really nice to have. They have pretty much any kind of American food you think of to eat. And props to them for having my favorite beer, Stella Artois.

I also went to my first baseball game in Korea. I went to see the LG Twins vs Doosan Bears last night, which was really exciting. They are professional league teams. What's really cool about the stadium is that you're allowed to bring in anything you wish. They sold KFC, Burger King and had lots of vendors. Also, you're allowed to bring your own booze. They make it even more convenient by having  a small store in and outside of the stadium to buy cheap beer to bring in. The games are really exciting and there's lots and lot of cheering. Each player has their own cheer. Every time a player would come up to bat, the fans would chant. Not to mention there are cheerleaders at the game. Not sure if that's because there isn't football, but it was cool nonetheless.

On top of everything, last night as I was walking back to my apartment after coming home from the bus stop. I witnessed my first Korean streaking. Yup, that's what I said. There were a group of kids and all of a sudden a young guy goes running up and down the street, nude. It was pretty comical. Ohhh Korea :)

I have a 3-day weekend to look forward to, because Monday is a Holiday. I'm not 100% sure of what I'll do, but I'm hoping to get some sightseeing in and possibly window shopping. Considering I live extremely close to Coach, Prada and Gucci, I might as well make the most of it.

It's Almost Like I Never Left Home

Having been in South Korea for only five days, I can happily say that I'm really enjoying it. My neighborhood is very nice. I feel very safe walking home at wee hours of the night alone, if needed. There are many Western amenities here which makes it feel like I never left the States. Just within a 15 minute walk, I'm near Papa Johns, Dominos,  Baskin Robbins and a Dunkin Donuts. Also, directly across the street from my work is a freakin' Popeyes. I mean you can't get more Western than some fried chicken and biscuits :) 

My work is very accessible which makes it nice to be able to walk if I don't feel like taking the bus. There are a lot of really cool places to go around here. There's even an Aveda hair salon that I will most likely be visiting. Sorry Raymond if you're reading this! You are still my #1 hair stylist.

I visited my first Korean BBQ the first night I was here. For those of you who don't know what a Korean BBQ is, it is basically when your group sits either on chairs or the floor in front of a grill. You choose your meat/s and grill them. Along with the meat, you are given different sides. We were given garlic, kimchi, salt/pepper and some other things I don't remember the names of. Then you are given lettuce wraps to wrap around your meats and sides. It's amazing!

 

I had my first Soju experience last night with two of my co-workers. Soju is a very popular liquor here in Korea. It's comparable to vodka. It comes in a beer bottle form and is sold in almost all convenience store.You don't want to drink it straight from the bottle because it's about 20% proof. Also in Korea, they sell liquor in all stores and there are no open container laws.

With my days seeming to fly by, I can't believe it's already the weekend. Tonight I will celebrate Friday eve and join my co-workers for baked chicken and beverages. This weekend I have to go to the hospital to get a physical so I can get my alien registration card. Without my card, I can't open a bank account which in turns mean I don't get paid.

I'll post my address below for anyone who may want to send me a care package :) It's my school's address because I don't have one at my apartment. P.S. - 10 bucks if you can pronounce it ;)

ILS
Dong-chang Plaza 8th Floor
Jung-dong 84-1
Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do
Seoul 446-911 Republic of Korea

"Jenn Teacher, You are the Best Teacher EVER!"

Ok ok so maybe that's not exactly how my first day of teaching went, but it was worth a try ;)

I walked in having somewhat of an idea as to what to expect thanks to Lauren Teacher emailing me very thorough notes on each class the night before. Of course having no experience or training, I was very nervous and scared only because I'm more of a visual learner. I am very lucky to have such amazing co-teachers. They helped me all throughout the day and eased a lot of my worries. 

Let me give you a run down on what my everyday schedule will mostly consist of . My work day begins around 10ish. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday my last class is finished at 7:10 pm. Yes, that's what I said! I think on Tuesdays and Thursday I'll be leaving around 4:30. That I'm not 100% sure yet. Children in Korea are very well advanced and sometimes will go to school until 9 pm. I've noticed in the last few days that the parents keep their children out a lot later than American children. 

I have a total of seven classes. The morning time is when I get to work with two Kinder classes. These are basically the babies. They are so adorable!  The classes are called Elmo class and Tweety class.  During these classes we emphasis a lot on reading and coloring. Sounds like my kind of work! I also have one class, Clifford class, for about 30 minutes on Monday to teach Math.

At around 2:30 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday is when Elementary classes start. Each class is around 45 minutes long and the oldest grade I will be teaching is fourth grade. During these classes we also emphasis on reading, but the reading is more advanced and we discuss the reading with more complex questions.

The children in Elementary classes were very helpful to me today. During one of my classes, one of the girls began to scream and point at my chest as I began to write my name on the blackboard. Of course I thought I had a bug on me, so I started to freak out.  haha Come to find out the children were screaming out because I was using a permanent marker on the blackboard. Oopsie! No worries, I got it off :)

So in a nut shell, that's what I learned on my first day of teaching. I'm sure I'll have a lot more stories to come.