Korea galore!
You know, being here would be great if it weren't for work. It's just like working in any country, really. I am set in a routine, have my alarm for 8:00 am, get up at 8:45 am, get on train at 9:15 am to be with children for ten hours a day. By children, I mean the people running this joint.
Simply put: the principal is a lunatic. She does not talk to us for weeks at a time, leaves us alone and then she tries to stir things up when she is bored just to to make sure we understand she is in charge. "Don't be a bitch, I can, but not you.", "I have a temper, you do not want to see it", "You had an attitude in front of the other teachers, do not do that", "I do not like when people do not follow my directions".She and some of the Korean co-teachers have very high and really unreasonable expectations of us. Private schools almost always only hire people who do not have a professional background in teaching or have had experience in teaching but assume we should still know how classes should be run. Did I mention there is no training? So mishaps happen. I have learned everything by trial and error. I still practically wing each class because I am not clearly told what I am supposed to do. Why don't you just ask the principal, you ask? If you ask too many questions, they see it as procrastination, laziness and insubordination. Also please read my thoughts again of the principal. I have been reprimanded for wanting to be better at my job! Also, if the Korean co-teachers do not like how you are teaching, or simply do not like you, they do not tell you directly. Guess who they go to?
One of the Korean teachers whom I thought was one of the more genuine and trustworthy teachers apparently does not like me because I do not seem to prepare for one of the classes. The class in question consists of three four-year old children...Since I got here, we have been coloring pictures of objects and animals that start with each letter of the alphabet. I also have many new kids songs in my iPod such as "Hello My Sea Friends" (please sing to the "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" song) "Hello, hello, my sea friends, nice to meet you my sea friends. Turtle, fish, starfish, octopuses and shellfish. Good bye, goodbye, my sea friends. See you again, my sea friends". Sooooo....what am I supposed to prepare homie? Get the stick out of your Korean bum and come at me, brah!
The thing is, no one says anything until there is a problem and here I thought I had communication issues....
Remember how I mentioned that Korea is big on image? Since English school is optional and basically just a business, all the kids' report cards cannot be negative even if you teach the devil's spawn him/herself and its cousins. The parents do not want to hear that their children are not doing well or misbehaving since they are paying for the English education. Of course there are parents who will beat the crap out of them for not doing homework (one of the students had bruises all over her body...it's normal here) but those parents are the ones you don't really want to call about their child...so for all my report card comments, I have to shoot out rainbows and unicorn ponies out of my ass, when all I want to do is this:
Thankfully, there are the cute ones that I just want to eat up and make Kimchi out of. Like these:
In other school news, the school has a website where they post pictures and videos and a page dedicated to the foreign teachers (see below). Well, apparently I went to State University in New York. I don't think I care to correct them but I feel like someone has to rep Indy. I bet they've never met a Hoosier in their life....in fact, their conversation probably went something like this:
"Where the fuck is Indiana? She ain't gonna give us some cred with those creds--change that shit to New York". I was also born on July 30th, 1990.
.jpg)
Dating is super easy for foreigners, especially male foreigners. Koreans are obsessed with anything America. They will date the crap out of you, even if you look like a serial killer (this is reliable information, I have witnessed it). I have not seen however, female foreigners with Korean guys. I think it is a universal thing where non-Asian women aren't really attracted to Asian men (unless they're really hot [friends from home don't count]). Koreans will flock to you because you are white and speak English. They will borderline harass you to talk to them, hang out with them or date them. I was actually talking to this guy, he was not harassing at all, he was very nice, almost too nice. I need to see some personality, some spunk in someone. I like chocolate with fudge not vanilla bean with rainbow sprinkles. Anyway, he communicated with emojis. Lots of them. Here are the most famous ones in Korea:
These are some of the texts I received: "have you had dinner (emoji)? was it good (happy emoji)? did you eat enough (fat emoji, eating emoji)? how did you sleep (sleeping emoji)? well I hope ^^. Was your pillow fluffy enough (emoji with pillow)? Make sure you wipe front to back!" (okay, he didn't say that last part). I wished him well and said goodbye...with emojis.
Now to my favorite part: food. Aside from maybe a handful of Korean dishes, I am not that into Korean food. I am starting to miss western food, I want Jimmy John's #16 Club Lulu or grilled cheese and real pizza. Pizza hut, Domino's and Papa John's pizzas are $30! I go to this place called Pizza School which ranges from $5 to $10. They make weird pizza like sweet potato pizza, french fry pizza, mexican pizza with corn and some other random ingredients. They do not use real cheese. Below is their menu:
I will close with some random comments:
Thailand is coming up, so this is a forewarning that your Facebook will be inundated with "Jen and Laura go to Thailand" pics. So I'm sorry I'm not sorry.
Laura found a kitten, no more than 6 weeks old probably. Named her after SoKo's most traditional food dish: Kimchi but we will not eat her.
If you've noticed in many of my pictures I have a peace sign, that's not because I try to be cool it's because all Koreans do it -- even 4 year olds...so since I'm here I might as well act like them. I promise I'm not a tool.
I will leave you with Daniel also known as my crush and this other kid who is obsessed with drawing ships and flying fish
Toodle-loo
P.S.: Birthday shout out to Scott!
Simply put: the principal is a lunatic. She does not talk to us for weeks at a time, leaves us alone and then she tries to stir things up when she is bored just to to make sure we understand she is in charge. "Don't be a bitch, I can, but not you.", "I have a temper, you do not want to see it", "You had an attitude in front of the other teachers, do not do that", "I do not like when people do not follow my directions".She and some of the Korean co-teachers have very high and really unreasonable expectations of us. Private schools almost always only hire people who do not have a professional background in teaching or have had experience in teaching but assume we should still know how classes should be run. Did I mention there is no training? So mishaps happen. I have learned everything by trial and error. I still practically wing each class because I am not clearly told what I am supposed to do. Why don't you just ask the principal, you ask? If you ask too many questions, they see it as procrastination, laziness and insubordination. Also please read my thoughts again of the principal. I have been reprimanded for wanting to be better at my job! Also, if the Korean co-teachers do not like how you are teaching, or simply do not like you, they do not tell you directly. Guess who they go to?
One of the Korean teachers whom I thought was one of the more genuine and trustworthy teachers apparently does not like me because I do not seem to prepare for one of the classes. The class in question consists of three four-year old children...Since I got here, we have been coloring pictures of objects and animals that start with each letter of the alphabet. I also have many new kids songs in my iPod such as "Hello My Sea Friends" (please sing to the "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" song) "Hello, hello, my sea friends, nice to meet you my sea friends. Turtle, fish, starfish, octopuses and shellfish. Good bye, goodbye, my sea friends. See you again, my sea friends". Sooooo....what am I supposed to prepare homie? Get the stick out of your Korean bum and come at me, brah!
The thing is, no one says anything until there is a problem and here I thought I had communication issues....
Remember how I mentioned that Korea is big on image? Since English school is optional and basically just a business, all the kids' report cards cannot be negative even if you teach the devil's spawn him/herself and its cousins. The parents do not want to hear that their children are not doing well or misbehaving since they are paying for the English education. Of course there are parents who will beat the crap out of them for not doing homework (one of the students had bruises all over her body...it's normal here) but those parents are the ones you don't really want to call about their child...so for all my report card comments, I have to shoot out rainbows and unicorn ponies out of my ass, when all I want to do is this:
Thankfully, there are the cute ones that I just want to eat up and make Kimchi out of. Like these:
I hope you noticed that one of them said he was "a handsome boy" and "works hard and plays hard". The one with the dimples likes baby octopus but I don't care, he has dimples.
I am not complaining, I am just making you aware of my working conditions. I am happy to be here, I love it and have not bitten my nails in over a month!
"Where the fuck is Indiana? She ain't gonna give us some cred with those creds--change that shit to New York". I was also born on July 30th, 1990.
.jpg)
Dating is super easy for foreigners, especially male foreigners. Koreans are obsessed with anything America. They will date the crap out of you, even if you look like a serial killer (this is reliable information, I have witnessed it). I have not seen however, female foreigners with Korean guys. I think it is a universal thing where non-Asian women aren't really attracted to Asian men (unless they're really hot [friends from home don't count]). Koreans will flock to you because you are white and speak English. They will borderline harass you to talk to them, hang out with them or date them. I was actually talking to this guy, he was not harassing at all, he was very nice, almost too nice. I need to see some personality, some spunk in someone. I like chocolate with fudge not vanilla bean with rainbow sprinkles. Anyway, he communicated with emojis. Lots of them. Here are the most famous ones in Korea:
 |
| 2nd one from left is my favorite. Sassy fabulousness |
These are some of the texts I received: "have you had dinner (emoji)? was it good (happy emoji)? did you eat enough (fat emoji, eating emoji)? how did you sleep (sleeping emoji)? well I hope ^^. Was your pillow fluffy enough (emoji with pillow)? Make sure you wipe front to back!" (okay, he didn't say that last part). I wished him well and said goodbye...with emojis.
Now to my favorite part: food. Aside from maybe a handful of Korean dishes, I am not that into Korean food. I am starting to miss western food, I want Jimmy John's #16 Club Lulu or grilled cheese and real pizza. Pizza hut, Domino's and Papa John's pizzas are $30! I go to this place called Pizza School which ranges from $5 to $10. They make weird pizza like sweet potato pizza, french fry pizza, mexican pizza with corn and some other random ingredients. They do not use real cheese. Below is their menu:
 |
| #11, 12, 13, 14, 15 are the wtf pizzas |
Thailand is coming up, so this is a forewarning that your Facebook will be inundated with "Jen and Laura go to Thailand" pics. So I'm sorry I'm not sorry.
Laura found a kitten, no more than 6 weeks old probably. Named her after SoKo's most traditional food dish: Kimchi but we will not eat her.
If you've noticed in many of my pictures I have a peace sign, that's not because I try to be cool it's because all Koreans do it -- even 4 year olds...so since I'm here I might as well act like them. I promise I'm not a tool.
I will leave you with Daniel also known as my crush and this other kid who is obsessed with drawing ships and flying fish
Toodle-loo
P.S.: Birthday shout out to Scott!
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