We Will Not Grow Oldby: the real ginger on: September 18, 2008 3:22am
I gave out over a dozen more detentions this week. This class had been asking for it for well over a semester...basically, since the second week of class. As I handed them their asses, their friends and fellow classmates burst into cheers and claps. The punished students sat there, whining, pouting, and protesting while their friends pointed and asked loudly, "Why so serious???" One student actually got on his knees and begged, hands clasped together. "Teacher...please...forgive. I have academy...please...forgive!!!" I smiled, shook my head, and said, "Sorry, no forgiveness." It felt good and bad at the same time. I honestly don't like the idea of doing detentions but...I'd told them to keep it quiet and to stop slacking off for weeks. My Thursdays usually leave me feeling fairly depressed...as if I've lost faith in humanity. Dramatic, I know. But a bad class really makes me feel like a bad teacher and thus, a bad person. Well, not bad, but explicitly flawed. The one good thing that DID happen today was that I got two tickets to see the World Masters B-Boy competition on Saturday. I passed one of my favorite students from the JA on my way in this morning, and she asked what I was doing on Saturday. When I told her "nothing", she reached into an envelope she was carrying and pulled out two tickets. KB Bank is sponsoring the competition, and both of her parents work there, so she got a bunch of free tickets. Big Bang, Kara, Shinee, Dynamic Duo, and Mighty Mouth are the guest performers.
The third years actually have their midterms approaching--they finish their semester in November, as strange as that may sound. But then, they have to stay in school until February...doing pretty much nothing. This always provokes great worry for the Korean teachers, who have to find some way to keep the students from going insane. Last year, most of my classes flat out stopped coming to class a few weeks after the exams, so I was only teaching about two or three classes a day. I'm definitely going to miss some of the students in this third year class. The last group that graduated, I didn't know them as well (only had them for second semester). I'll actually look forward to these kids coming back and visiting, as is practice in the first few weeks in March. They're a quirky bunch and have had a better attitude compared to the previous third years, as well. Even though one of my boys tried to steal my room keys, it was all in jest and as his friend diplomatically put it, "He's just...interested in you." As he reluctantly returned my keys (I lied to him and said that I'd written down his name so I could talk with his homeroom teacher), my co-teacher saw, realized what he had done, and yanked him (by the hair of his sideburns!) to a standing position so she could scold him. Afterwards, he cut out some slips of paper from the textbook and stuck them under his eyes so it looked as though he was crying big, anime-style tears. Actually, this particular boy attempts to give me heavy, seductive gazes every week, and it's getting harder and harder to not laugh. I usually turn a laugh into a cough and turn around to the chalkboard. One day, he'll probably cringe when thinking upon his middle school Cassanova-style.
Um, so my friends and I went out on Monday and had some drinks in my area. After, we did one of those sticker booths...and it was amazing. I had wanted to do it before, but I wasn't sure exactly what to do (all the booths are in one store and it was always swamped with teens). But our Korean friend with us knew what to do, so in we went. We ended up putting on the dirty, old costumes. One of our friends carried his beer with him. Korea doesn't have open container laws (or, if they do, no one cares), so he just carried it out of the bar and into the photo room. We all put the stickers on our phones after and vowed to return once a month.
I also dyed my hair dark reddish brown this week. I LOVE this color but know it's going to be a biatch to maintain. It's perfect for fall/winter.:)
Here is Susan proudly displaying a PUMPKIN PIE that she bought for Chuseok. Our Canadian and Korean friends didn't quite understand the hype ("I mean, it's alright but...").
Before going into the photobooth, we took these.
And here is one of the actual pictures. This one is now on the back of my phone and my students get a huge kick out of it when they see it. Two girls literally grabbed it out of my hands yesterday and next thing I knew, the entire girls' side of the room was squealing and huddled together over it.
We're in the "Garten Bier" "hof" (bar) that has these awesome drink holders. This title is We Will Not Grow Old by Lenka
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Comments |
koncettina: It's difficult to feel bad about being "unmerciful" when you've given the students multiple chances to turn around their behavior in class. -_-; Actually, the suicide rate has jumped exponentionally in Korea--they are now rated higher than Japan. They actual scored in the top for developed countries and suicide. A lot of adults who can't get out of debt...a lot of students who fear failing their college entrance exams. Ugh, very sad.
mUsiCisMYlifEy: Yeah, I would HATE driving in Seoul. The driving here is insane (at any given red light, at least three of four cars will still try to zoom through), not to mention the crazy motorcyclists that drive on the sidewalks. It almost gives me a heart attack on my way to work.
dandredger: There was another fight outside of my apartment last night! I looked across the way (our massive complex forms a T and we are close to the crux) and there were other people just standing there, watching out the window. A bunch of screaming old people at the local squid restaurant. No one quite does drunken old men fights like Korea.
For me, the honeymoon phase has just been a state of mind. So many people will come here, expecting life to be perfect and others come here expecting reality--a country that has many problems and many good things. I've met so many bitter, disappointed foreigners who can't handle how different the real Korea is from what they expected, and it's pretty pathetic, you know? It's all about realizing that every country will have it's fair share of the good, the bad, and the ugly/weird.
kipling: You kind of have to take in a stride, or else they realize that they have some sway over you. If you act like the way they expect you to act (like a teacher), they're fine. But if they realize that you can get nervous by them...it's probably a delicious and "mauahaha"-type of revelation.
bluecat: He's not really that young, though--9th grade. In Korea, that's 16. It's adorable when it's a cute little elementary school kid or even the young 7th graders (oh my god, some of them have these chubby faces that I JUST WANT TO SQUEEEEZE), but from a 9th grade boy? TROUBLE. My fiance has gotten love letters from his students' OLDER SISTERS, which is even more creepy. They come in these fancy little envelopes with lots of expensive stickers/decorations. Weird. as. hell.
by: the real ginger
Sep 29, 2008 12:03am
The Cassanova boy sounds hilarious! I'd find it quite amusing to have a secret admire that young LOL Your students sounds lovely and fun though, which, Im sure, you would disagree quite a bit? I was cracking up reading the bit about the fake tears xD
The picture from the photobooth are cuteeee ^^ I really like you pink themed-oufit
I love reading your entries - your days always seems really fun filled. And lot's of partying, which im hopefully will be doing a lot of when im legal hahah
><
by: bluecat
Sep 27, 2008 5:52pm
hope you had fun at that competition!
LOL you're student sounds actually... freaky for lack of a better word. i would probably be incredibly uncomfortable with someone trying to take my keys but he's just a harmless kid. i'm just awkward. you take it all in stride i assume :)
That photobooth picture is adorable btw
by: kipling
Sep 27, 2008 5:30pm
Hongdae - yeah, that and Sinchon are sort of my old stomping grounds (I spent a semester learning Korean at Yonsei's Korean Language Institute). Love the area - very hip, very eclectic, you know. A good friend just showed me this really cool little jazz bar (live music!) that I've since fallen deeply in love with. I'm totally down to meet up - let me know next time you guys arrange a night out (dandredger@gmail.com works best, or I can e-mail you my number).
My area's very chill. It's sandwiched between two awfully large mountains (Su-rak san is one and I can't recall the name of the other, shame on me). Anyway, the former's about a five minute walk from my doorstep, and the other's just down the road a ways. My apartment's spacious and comfortable and sort of modern (no complaints here); the school hooked it up with all the amenities I could ever want (leather couch, TV, double bed, any and everything kitchen/cooking related, etc.). Still need to buy some hangers, but I'm getting by. :)
As for the work, I couldn't be happier - it's been the most fulfilling, challenging and frustrating three weeks of my life. Don't get me wrong, when the kids are bad or inactive or apathetic, I want to hop the next flight home and forget I ever thought of teaching, but those times are redeemed by the next great class (and I'm learning to disengage a bit, to never take things personally). I know I'm still in the honeymoon phase of the experience, but I'm trying to keep things in perspective.
Speaking of drunk 아저씨's, the other day I spotted two of 'em (most likely drunk as fuck) in the middle of a crowded street slapping each other in the face. The crazy thing is, a cop was standing between them (looked late 20s) and had absolutely no control, no authority to stop the slap fest. Gotta love ineffectual cops in Korea.
If you're interested, check out my blog (dandredger.blogspot.com) for other musings and happenings. The other day, during a lesson on inventions, a group of kids combined Lee Myung-bak with a flower pot ('It makes your home beautiful!') and drew a pretty damn accurate representation of that idea (pic included in the blog post).
- Dan Dredger
by: dandredger
Sep 20, 2008 7:36pm
Ahh. I'm Korean too. I was born in Seoul, but I moved to the US when I was 3 months old. I hope you're having a good time. :] I'm thinking about moving to Korea when I get older because I'd want to explore Seoul without a car. In Korea, you don't need a car as much as you need one in good ol' Sunny California.
So sad to hear that you had to give out so many detentions. At my school, detentions don't exist. Apparently the adminstrative people think we're all angels. [Not a chance.]
You look really pretty. :]
Congratulations on your engagement! [I read the other post.]
^_________________^
by: mUsiCisMYlifEy
Sep 19, 2008 8:13pm
I would have felt bad if a student BEGGED me not to give him detention. But if I was in your shoes I probably would have relished in the feeling!!!!!! Anyway......I laughed so hard when I imagined that boy trying to seduce you with his eyes. Oh funny...
That photo booth thing looks like so much fun! I love Dean's expression, he's very photogenic as are you. =] School there seems to confusing and hard to handle. If the kids in my school went there they would all commit suicide. I don't think I would mind. I like discipline. But not too much. I think it's a little extreme over there. But I guess I'll see when I get there. Teachers can't control a class let alone teach it.....what's worse is that...I'M IN ELEVENTH GRADE!!! You'd think that they would grow up and realize that life outside school isn't all rainbows and chocolate bunnies, but sadistic-out-there-for-myself asses! XD ....i think I was actually serious there....anyway....glad you had fun!
Oh and Big Bang and SHINee! Lucky! <3
by: koncettina
Sep 18, 2008 2:41pm