I have finished my first week living in Korea!
Many things have transpired since I have been here. Most notably the incomprehensible response to the medications I take from the Korean government and my host school. No one in my school speaks or understands english tremendously well. They also cannot understand that I cannot just stop taking certain medication (even with two doctors notes). I might yet be kicked out of Korea. It is really fun to explain dysmenhorrea to a Korean man who does not wish to believe that, indeed, my doctors believe my medicine is important to my health.
Speaking of Dave, let me describe this annoyance. I have finally come up with a pretty good personality description of Dictator Dave (DD). He has a weird way of blinking his eyes repeatedly. It reminds me of Gollum for some reason. He also has a machismo problem. Luckily, I think he has figured out that, in fact, I do not like him to touch me, or guide me in the streets, and I don't particularly like to talk to him. Furthermore, he finds himself to be very smart and funny. I can assure you that in english this does not translate. Maybe it works well in his native korean. But, as far as not talking to anyone, even the U.S. Embassy disagrees with DD. In short, everyone thinks he is a moron.
Other than this hang up teaching has been interesting. I am not a good teacher. Most of my students, before they walk in the door, do not wish to be there. I can't blame them. I am not supposed to deviate from the textbooks they use. Basically I push a button on a CD player so that they can repeat after an english speaker. Wait... why am I here again? Oh, so that they can hear me speak english? Hmmm... interesting, I don't get that impression. Making these textbooks fun seems impossible to me. There is no creativity in the learning process they are supposed to memorize and that is all. How to use the language is irrelevant. So, I am frustrated to say the least.
This weekend, I spent time with a high school friend outside of an U.S. air force base. It was great to see her and many other native english speakers (from the U.S. and Canada). It was a fun night and I met new friends, which was awesome. I left early, at about 1:00 in the morning, to return home because I could barely keep my eyes open. But, will hopefully get to hang out with them again.
Oh and amazingly I lived through a typhoon! Not only that, but I slept through the entire thing. Check out the CNN article on it : http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/09/02/korea.typhoon.deaths/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
All in all I really like Korea. Where I work is a bummer, but as I get better as a teacher maybe the students will be more engaged. :)
Hmmm...bummer about DD. He sounds like a character.
ReplyDeleteAre any of the kids fun? Or are they all bored? Other than pushing the button on the CD player, do you get to talk to them at all, or are you completely restricted by the CD player? how are the other teachers? do you eat with the other teachers for lunch? have you tried any korean food yet, or do you just cook for yourself?
and, miss photographer, i do request some photos of this flat, and yourself, in Korea.
I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah I am really bad at actually uploading the pictures.
ReplyDeleteI do get to talk to the students, but most of the time they don't understand or are too busy talking in Korean to their neighbor, and paranoid me thinks they are comparing me to the last teacher because I hear her name all the time. I am not allowed to talk to the other teachers so that precludes the notion of eating lunch with them or interacting with them socially.
I have not tried much Korean food. And the stuff I did try I did not particularly enjoy. I mean why would you take an American, from a state that specializes in raising cattle, to a tofu restaurant. DD is once again a weird and confused moron.
Love you too girl! Keep doing your thang!