First Seoul Soompi Meet!by: the real ginger on: June 29, 2008 1:10am
So last night, I attended my first Soompi meet! I was quite a bit late (my college roommate of 4 years was having her bday celebration at the same time), but I finally made it. It was actually quite chill and I had a great time. Because my friends were still at another bar, I had intended on staying for a little while with the Soompi people, then going back to my other friends after a short time. Next thing I knew, I'd been there for almost 2 hours. Everyone was sweet and friendly--wasn't awkward. I'm relieved that it actually happened so I think planning the later ones will be much easier.
In terms of school, things have been relaxing (for me, anyway). I re-signed my contract, so I *will* be here for another year. As I put the pen to the paper, I couldn't help but feel like I was making a huge mistake. But then, I signed it anyway. It's done, finished. If I find that I can't make it through another year, I'll deal with it accordingly. For now, I'm still having a great time in Seoul and am not ready to go back to America.
My students' final exams start on Tuesday, so the schedule has been shifting around. The teachers' office has a huge whiteboard with all the classes and periods charted out, but teachers have been going up and altering it. So you really have to check after every period. For instance, I usually have a second period on Thursdays, but the kids just didn't show up. I later checked the whiteboard, and that class had been moved to my fifth period because another teacher had borrowed my class. On Monday, I'll only be teaching 2 classes because my co-teachers need to borrow the 2 others to prepare for the exams. From Tues-Thurs, I won't teach any classes, so I'll have a lot of down time. The kids themselves have been studying like maniacs. They keep coming up and reciting completely random conversations that they've memorized. Oh, and pink eye has started making its rounds once again (happens every few months). A handful of students in each class have caught it and one of my students has been cheerfully trying to give it to me all week.
I know monsoon season is supposed to be starting, but it doesn't feel like it. My co-teachers said to expect a lighter season than usual, however. Fantastic! Last year, it was so depressing...just steady rain, rain, rain every day. I woke up to rain and fell asleep to rain. It was humid and the place where I was staying didn't have AC. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that my co-teachers predictions are fulfilled.
The boy and me from yesterday.
Walking back from dinner on Friday, we saw a Paris Baguette cake that was lying pathetically on the ground. :( Poor cake.
When Dean and I go to our neighborhood Krispy Kreme, we like to leave them encouraging notes in their comment box.
Being "charming"...
Dean being cute.
Chillin at Mr. Pizza
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Comments |
just seeing your life in korea, really makes me wanna go study abroad in korea for just a summer. but its ridiculously expensive. oh and congratz on another year in korea.
anyways, how many soompiers attended the soompi meet?
by: lazlyher
Jul 03, 2008 4:50pm
KTZ811: The Soompiers were all American citizens, I'm pretty sure. We had a good time! I would definitely hang out with them again. Yup, there are a few Krispy Kremes in Seoul--donuts are REALLY popular. Dunkin Donuts is EVERYWHERE (like Starbucks is at home), and Mr. Donut is also popular. Writing this post is really making me want to get a donut after work today...
koncettina: "If" Soompi still exists?? It better! I don't think it could close down...it's been going on for so long! The US beef protests have still been crappy. The numbers have dropped significantly since the June 10th protest, but the protests have become more and more violent. It's causing a lot of foreign news to call the protestors "rioters" and a lot of attention has been paid towards how these riots are affecting local businesses/foreign investments. US beef is expected to hit the Korean market as early as this week, so...we'll see what happens.
SimplyMei: Thanks for commenting! Taking a year off after college was something that I never saw myself doing, but as I entered my junior year in college, I realized that I really wasn't ready to enter the workforce or go to graduate school. Coming to Korea has really been a great experience as a recent graduate, and I definitely encourage anyone else who feels like they need some time to have fun/experience another culture to live abroad for a year or two (or more!). Nope, I don't give any tests or quizzes for my class--I have class with each class of students once a week. We do dialogues and I plan games/activities that are (hopefully) relevant to what they've been studying. I also sometimes do powerpoint presentations/quiz games on things like school life in America, American holidays, myths and legends of the US, England, etc.
dizaztre: Like any other place, Korea is fun if you make it fun. Some foreigners have a terrible time here because they aren't open to new experiences or are too shy to take advantage of some opportunities. I've had a great time (with a few lows, like any place). My students have all their final exams this week---ELEVEN of them. Intense!
julanrouge: Yeah, I know that next year will be quite different for me and I'm bracing myself for the change. We'll probably go out less frequently and I also want to travel more in Korea. There are some hobbies of mine that have just been collecting dust for a while that I also need to pursue. This year was more about meeting new people and adjusting. I do have some pictures from the meet, but at the request of some of the people there, I'm not posting them on the web. But there were about 9 of us? Four of us girls and 5 guys. And...you going to Thailand = me sighing wistfully while sitting in my deserted teacher's office.
_stacy_: Thanks for the comment! I'll pass on the bday wishes to my friend. Happy belated bday to your brother!
Cooler als Penn...: My girlfriends from college are all leaving at the end of August/first week of September, but Dean is staying. Also, a lot of the people I go out with on the weekends have re-signed. I'll definitely still keep up with the blog. I want to start doing some short video blogs every now and then, as well. We'll see how lazy I am next year. I haven't been watching the EuroCup (I never see sports on my tv channels! I think sports channels were left out of my cable package...) but it's good to know. A lot of my guy friends here are big football fans.
by: the real ginger
Jun 30, 2008 6:42pm
Congratulations on another year! I do hope that you'll continue with your blog...*wink wink* It's always wonderful reading it! Will any of your friends be staying on for another year as well?
I don't know if you've been watching EuroCup2008, but Spain beat Germany 1-0. I remember that you took Spanish and almost planning on spending vacation in Spain, so I thought I'd let you know that little tidbit if you didn't know ^_^
by: Cooler als Penn...
Jun 30, 2008 4:52pm
Another year in Seoul? Nice. I enjoyed reading your blogs and hearing about your students and experiences in Korea. Even though I don't know your friend, I want to wish her a happy belated birthday (she and my brother share the same birthday). Well congrats again and I'll be back for another blog entry. Cheers!
by: _stacy_
Jun 30, 2008 1:35pm
wow, congrats on signing for another year! i think you will find it to be a great experience - just remember to leave the well trod paths to hongdae and such and explore other lesser known parts of seoul and korea.
you guys had a soompi seoul meetup!!! aww, i wish i could have been there!!! hope you guys had fun! any pics from that?
tell dean i said hello as well and i hope to meet up with you guys sometime soon:) i'm off to thailand in one week, so i am snagging my sister's dslr and maybe i will get some good shots to post here too:D
hugs and kisses!
by: julanrouge
Jun 30, 2008 9:45am
Is korea a lot of fun? i'm planning on going next year, because i have family there. i don't speak the language tho, which is somewhat a problem. but my mom will be with me, so it won't be too bad. Wow. Sounds like your having fun. I'm too young to go to a bar. XD Your students final exam? what do they teach? sorry, i'm new and this is the first blog i've commented on so far. LUCKY YOU!! XD
by: dizaztre
Jun 30, 2008 9:38am
Hi!
:] I've been reading your blog for awhile and I've been wanting to comment you for awhile (because I know how frustrating it is to see how many people are reading but nobody is commenting...) but registration confused me (...took me awhile to realize it was separate from the forum) and then it wouldn't work. Haha... but here I am now! ^^
Reading your blog has totally given me new thoughts on taking a year off after college and going to teach English in Asia....
So you don't give exams/tests out in your class? I've never seen you talk about giving a quiz (I think...), and obviously since you're not going to be even teaching during final exams...
I'm surprised Korea has Krispy Kreme! Taiwan doesn't have it, just Mister Donut? Everytime relatives come, they bring home a box. =]
by: SimplyMei
Jun 30, 2008 1:00am
I am very pleased that you have signed on for another year. Reading your posts give me a boost of confidence each and every time. But if you're happy in Seoul then it can't be a mistake, nothing's a mistake as long as you're happy (that's what I say at least!).
School out there seems so much more strenuous than out here. I just finished school and all my testing and so far I know I passed all my Regents (even though I only had two!). =]
That poor and unloved cake.....=[ I'm not very fond of Krispy Kream....I'm also glad you had fun at the Soompi party. Maybe if Soompi still exists when I go there I'll go to one. :D Even though I'm a huge fan of nonstop rain if it was rainy and humid I would not enjoy it.
Have the anti-U.S. beef protests calmed down? I haven't read much about it recently and I'm pretty unaware of what's going on.
by: koncettina
Jun 29, 2008 3:42pm
Yay! I'm glad that you're staying for another year in Korea! I love reading about your daily life as a teacher there. Anyways, it looks like you had fun at the soompi meet :] Were they Korean Soompiers too? Or foreign Soompiers? Either way that's neat.
And OMG you have Krispy Kreme in Seoul? Ahh an even BETTER reason to stay there c[=.
We don't have Krispy Kreme in Oahu, Hawaii but we do have one in Maui. But I don't get to travel to the islands often so..ehh -_-.
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"Because in this world, love is more hungered for than bread."
by: KTZ811
Jun 29, 2008 1:51pm