OH KOREA

It has been exactly two months since I last posted, WHOOPS! I have been reminded (harassed) by my one faithful reader (my mom) for the past few months to update. SO here goes, first of all I was going to try and review the last two months but that IS impossible. So if you want to hear about my trip to China, you will have to just ask.

Major updates: My friend Chelsea's contract has ended and she has gone to live on the island with her boyfriend for a few months before heading back to Canada. Chelsea and I would hang out sometimes in the "women's lounge" of her school and vent about our students/staff. The women's lounge is an area where the women staff can go eat or take a nap. For the men it is acceptable to sleep in their chair in the teacher's room, but women must go to this room to take a nap. OH KOREA!

Carla from California is her replacement and now I have a lunch date :) Its nice to have someone to chat with over lunch. Both of our staffs asked the first day if we had brought a friend to lunch. OH KOREA!

One of my assignments involved the students writing about their future dreams whether it be a career or travel. I was checking papers, and one students wrote "wants to mate" She isn't a student who typically gives me a hard time, and she also has limited English knowledge. So I said "man" "woman" (using my hands combined the two) and said "baby." She started to giggle and said "teacher, no!" Further discussion, it turns out she wants to work on a ship. So we changed it to "wants to be a mate on a ship." OH KOREA!

Koreans never do/plan anything in advance.

A few weeks ago, a teacher walked into my room five minutes into my class and say "Lin-Ji, I need your room, go." I am expected to pack up all my stuff and my students and go to another room, because the air conditioning is out in the English building. (which my classes are not in)

Today, a teacher walked in to tell me that tomorrow she would be taking my picture for the school pamphlet.

Translation: A korean teacher's comfort is more important than the students English education. More important than that is my appearance in the school's pamphlet.

OH KOREA!

Besides all the culture differences, I do enjoy my life in Korea. I have so much less stress than in the US. Life is more affordable. When I go home from work, I don't obsess over my clients/students well being. When the students/staff say rude things to me, I can't understand them.

OH KOREA ! Thank you, you are just what I need at this point in my life :)

Are you where you need to be in your life right now?

If not, then do something about it!