Clown Suits

Where have I been for the past 5 days? Its all been so much of a blur its hard to believe that I am actually able to sit down and relax.  I have to get up at 8am to go back to work at YBM for the good ole Saturday classes. They are easier than this rat stomping hay barn that I seem to have gotten myself into a pickle.
This was originally started on Friday night but now its Sunday night and soon I will be going bed to prep for my private session and my first day back at work following the horrific open classes.

The last 3 days had represented the TTI Agency/School Programs whatever rendition of PTA conferences and thus we had OPEN classes.


Here is the Korean way of doing things. Presentation is critical but not where you would naturally think. I was supposed to wear a suit and this was the verdict that was handed down from a source from above but they never directly expressed these wishes to me and to make matters worse the only person to fuss about my attire was my wife. The Korean teachers fussed and stressed all week and frankly made my life hell by not being able to care about regular class instead


I was really bothered by this. I am tired each day because I exert the amount of energy required to teach where the Korean teachers complain that I don't do enough work but they only decide to show up and work when the bosses may be watching. I don't believe giving anyone a 0% effort nor do I think giving a 125% effort is the best way either. If I really want to impress people I will give my best effort each day and hope that its as close to 100% as possible

I worked well on Saturday finishing up the session at YBM and going out for a few nice meals that evening and the next day as well. Its just something about the weekends that make me feel great! I am excited for the up and coming event and just hope I can make my way back to YBM again!


More to come I got much to catch up on yet...

Musings of a former Ummer

         I just thought of this as I was reflecting on my old collegiate days and wishing like hell I could get back there. The general theme of college is a student is damn well close to being broke and is learning not only how to excel at his or her major but live the real life. The days of my college were mainly spent studying and laughing with my best friends. I had no true pocket money but what is really known to all college people is the concept of beer money. Each week I saved 10 dollars a measly amount to treat my friends to a pitcher of beer downtown. Those were the good ole days uh?


Scrounging around the house for quarters in order to do my laundry or buy a cup of coffee at my favorite place-The Food For Thought. Eating some decent breakfast right next to campus was the ideal way for me to escape the daily monotony of the busy college student.


Looking back I wonder how people balanced a high social life, drinking a lot of beer, doing our extracurricular activities and were still able to graduate. Most of us are not fortunate to be born into rich families or have an endless supply of money handy. I never shopped for clothes during my 4 year stay at the University. I always saved money by being as practical as possible.


In many ways I am still that college boy 3 years removed. I still long for a campus setting. I want to walk around the oval that I fervently miss and sit inside the classroom again where Knowledge truly is power. I want to hone in on my skills and show people truth-The truth of what really is behind your education. The incentive that you can truly use any information to your advantage and change the world.


I sit in my home where I have 2 piggy banks. One is for 500won (50 cents) and the other is for 100won (10 cents) these 2 coins are very important in Korea. I also collect 50s and 10s as well but only to convert them to a 100won later. I can buy a cup of coffee just using my change. Its ridiculously cheap. the amount of food I can get at a restaurant is also an extremely high amount for the grande total of the bill. Its amazing how far money will take you in Korea.

I like pointing this one out I have a travel card or money card known as a Mybi card. I can put as much money on it as I want and this is how I travel to work each day. Its a very convenient way to travel as well as live with. Its my new teddy bear that I sleep with under my arm each night. (not really).


As I am interested in my old University life I want to do whatever I can to get back to my roots. I am anxiously awaiting your comments. I would also like to hear more lengthy emails from any of you.


Here is just a random quote that came to my mind

A friend in need is a friend indeed. It makes me think of all the friendships that I have lost over distance over disparagements and silly rivalries. Friendships just like life are always changing and its important to let bygones be bygones and try to move forward into a bigger and brighter future. I would like to rejuvenate each other and use the time we have to catch up.

Live Update thru web forum

        It was a nice 3 day weekend. I had work on Saturday but Saturday work is always very laid back and no trouble at all. I enjoy going to Nampo-dong and feeling the nice morning breeze wake me up. Its a calm before the steady work begins. After working I went home where I enjoyed my first day of rested in sleep in over a week.


As the Rain Season is in loom for the people of Korea I am bracing myself for the trying time ahead. This week is going to be busy. I have 3 open classes starting on Wednesday and ending on Friday. I will be happy when I can say goodbye to Korean parents.

So I want to open a web forum and this is the only place I know where I can do it.

I have some personal feelings about Open class that I will briefly share. I want to pose this as a problem I face and want to hear your thoughts.


I feel that many of my judgements about Korean people are fair. I have been here for 3 years and can in all honesty say that I don't like the go go nature of this society. I can also say that I don't like being judged unfairly or treated poorly whether its disrespected by kids or mis understood by co-workers etc.

I am an English speaker, I am an educator, and whether I want to like it or not I need to adapt to certain cultural practices and rules but the core of my culture can't be changed.

Example, I truly believe in educating kids whether its to show respect, learn English, or just how to behave in society. I grew up with the notion of fixing wrongs and making rights. In Korea the truth is plain and simple that regards of how much Korean teachers want to educate their students its all a ploy to make money. The underlining belief in my system is that the more students the merrier. The more jobs one has the better, depending on where one lives the better that person maybe.


Koreans are always interested about where I live, if I am married, how much I make, and other non-important trivial things like that. I am not saying it doesn't happen in America but I wasn't exposed to it..



here is my view-
when there is open class I feel that all eyes are on me-the foreigner. The overpaid, tall man who is speaking a language the parents may not be able to understand and the expectations that these parents have are way to high. They are making me feel like everything I am is all about their kid and its a selfish  viewpoint. I am there to show their kids how to speak the fundamental ABCs and my life outside of ESL is insignificant.


On a different note-if I eat like an American taking big bites or not sharing one fish (there are 2 fish on the plate) than my wife thinks I am being greedy and a pig. I need to share and slow down. I need to take smaller bites etc etc. I don't understand this because I come from a different background. I do know that regardless of how I feel about Korean people and their beliefs they can think whatever they want.


frankly, I don't care and I couldn't give a shit what some grandma in Korea thinks about me. The only problem is that I am trying my best to educate people so therefore I should care and at the same time they should change their world view as well.


What's your take on this? I may be looking into this too deeply but I also may be on to something that is the core of education-a true development of understanding that can go both ways.

The Korean way of learning ESL is one way. Learn and remember. They may not be able to incorporate new responses.
Hi how are you?

I am fine, and you?


We don't necessarily say things like that and that's what real education is like to me. I was teaching a grammar lesson today and realized that I want to throw the book out the window in order to show how meaningless Grammar is. That's another story...

Passive Voice

Here I am tired again from yet another long day at my day job. I had a few private lessons yesterday 2 of them were at YBM and another was at an apartment near the place I work. Both of these were for Adults. I desperately need my time with Adults because being around kids is a passive art PassIVE is far from PassION
in the dictionary and is slowly taking all of my energy and feelings out of the job. I shouldn't have ever signed up to be an educator its just not working.


Here is some new news. I actually taught Passive Tense today. Passive tense was taught by me today in the classroom. I was always taught that this is a wrong way for people to speak. This is just one reason why grammar is over rated in Korea. See-saw-seen doesn't make a person more English savvy.

Yesterday I had a moral dilemma on my hands. I didn't know whether or not to teach the target grammar (passive) or rather try to fix it and just show them how to ask past tense questions. Changing the object to the subject is bad enough but when the sentence doesn't even read well it makes it hard for me to understand how kids truly learn.


I think that the English language is falling on deaf ears actually. Korean teachers with few exceptions think that their methods are correct and therefore they are not able to fully comprehend how to communicate in English and as a result most of them not only are using poor English but hope that miracles will happen and their kids will love English.


Its all about entertaining the kids and not actually about teaching.  This is the harsh truth. Number crunching is so critical to Koreans.


This week has been a busy one. I worked at YBM 3 times in the morning (one will also be tomorrow) I did this to cover for a friend of mine and racked up some extra cash in the process. This meant that I had to get up at 450 each morning and finish my last class at YBM around 8:45. This job wasn't stressful even though I functioned on 3 hours of sleep and haad to take a subway for 40 minutes. Why do I enjoy it?
Its fresh air, a chance to think about things, and rest and relax in a good environment at YBM^^
I am so happy to be headed there its the greatest feeling I have when working that is!

Passive voice will no longer be spoken by me-------------how does this shit sound? Should we all walk around like that.


Happy Readings!
 

Kite flying and basketball

I never was able to fly a kite when I was a kid. For some reason it wasn't a big fad where I was growing up. Today I found a kite. I tracked it as it floated across the ocean bay and into my outstretched hands. I don't know who lost it I do know that some foreigners were playing with it and they apparently let it get out of their control and it cartwheeled itself into the sea and floated out until the current pushed it back in which turned out to be at the other end of the beach. I grabbed it and reeled it in like an old fishing rod. I will try to play with it at some point. Sundays rest day turned into a little entertainment when we went to PNU and played some basketball. I am getting old in the 25 years of my life I am no longer able to shoot and play basketball well. I remember the street side smarts I had when I was in my youth taught to me by a man named James but now that's all lost on me.


I looked like a dummy trying to shoot I tossed up a handful of bricks, many airballs, and had no rhythm. I actually lost interest because I was doing so badly and my source of enjoyment was a 50 cent piece stuck in one of the gutters.


Its the closure of the weekend and I am now looking forward to a very busy week ahead of me. To begin with I may be working at YBM in the wee hours of the morning substituting a couple classes for Dell who may be really sick right now. I like the fact that I may be able to go to YBM but I just hope I can make everything work out tomorrow.


My free time is so wide but I am still restricted with many appointments that have cropped up lately.


Oh I can't wait until a job change, or new environment enters my life. This scenery of Yeonsan and the kids' bullshit is wearing quite thin on me and right now I don't have a good taste in my mouth as the eve of Sunday is nearly upon me.


Onto the dark we go and were I will lay with dreams in hot pursuit.

Saturdays

            Each Saturday I wake up to a misty morning and a tranquil calm that has bequeathed Korea. I walk out of my house into the nice Spring dewy weather and make my way to the subway. I head to Nampo dong where I will later be engaging myself in the classroom with a few adults and later a handful of kids. There is no need to rush. I left my house at 8:15 and I won't begin until 10am. I have an hour to reflect on the week and try to get my bearing straight.

      I really love Saturdays its one of the few times where I can truly feel at ease with myself. This particular Saturday was no different. I enjoyed a cup of coffee and had time to even check my email and if I had one I would have been able to read the newspaper.


Things from my childhood that I really miss include reading Ann Landers, the comics, horoscope and of course the Sports Section. I never really cared about the other sections of the paper. I always wondered how my parents had time to really read so much news since my father came home around 5 and usually went to bed around 10.


Anyways thats looking back... I am now looking forward again....


Working at YBM has given me a true sense of belonging and confidence with my abilities that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. If it weren't for YBM I wouldn't be able to see good work here-that's not complaining but for me its a sad truth. I can't find satisfaction with my weekday job whatsoever. Its lost to me.



After working an easy 5 hours from 10am to 6pm I went out with Dell and my wife and had a few drinks over Samgyapsal.

The evening went by rather fast ending around 10pm and me and my wife coming home shortly after 11.

Why are Saturdays and Sundays for that matter so different and bearable compared to the go go society that awaits me in only 15 hours?

more posts to follow...

Unwritten work

        This has been a busy week and hardly any different from most weeks other than the fact that this company applies so much pressure to Korean teachers that its amazing that people choose to abide by these situations.
      As each day passes the more I feel like I want out of this. It isn't about the kids' bad manners or poor concepts nor is that I can't work with my colleagues who are so obsessed with money that teaching has a stinky smell behind it but its that after 3 years I am no longer caring. I am going through the motions of teaching and it just isn't fun, except on Saturday.


Yesterday it dawned on me when I was witnessing the grand homework check. Simply copy 5 sentences and get a stamp that's how it works here. Parents look at that tiny piece of paper and see ABCs and think that oh they are learning something today.  That's why we give homework.


i am slipping back into the Gumi days which is very miserable.


I got my wife a job working with me and now I am seeing my wife take her job too seriously in all the wrong reasons. She is having to write my lesson plans for my open class. The deal is the korean teacher must write a lesson plan and I must teach it. She's my wife and since we can't play games, go for a walk or do anything together if she has work I feel obligated to helping her. I don't know why but my efforts are not good enough. Frankly its been a real depressing day when nothing I do has been met with a smile. I thought I did well for her making a template only to discover that I wasted an hour of my time. It isn't worth this stress dealing with this job. I hate seeing this bullshit consume our life and I am praying that a miracle will allow me to leave.



enough said I am very miserable and feel I hit rock bottom this is bullshit. All you get in Korea is work and the work is never good enough. Today I was also told by my co-worker that I need to improve my teaching. Of course I do but a little co-help would be nice. She doesn't take care of the kids while I teach at all. This is garbage. I don't care what anyone else thinks I am tired and feel like I can just throw in the towel anytime.

A jumbled composition

         Here I am its almost 10pm on a Tuesday night. I have just finished my work for the day. I was teaching with my wife today. I had the usual 4 hours of classes and with little problems. As I have repeatedly said until the cows come home Kids are always be mis-behaving and the less concern I have the better since it will never change. I made it out of the classroom keeping my integrity intact for yet another day.


Work continues to be work and there is no sense of brooding over it right? Maybe there is a chance a better job will come and sweep me off of my feet but for now its better to just focus on the here and now.

             Here and now- my wife is getting acquainted with her net book which is simply a mini-notebook and currently she is getting a list of attendance figures down for her TTI meeting tomorrow. TTI I am not sure what it stands for but I do know that its the after school program agency that we work for. This is a new computer that we just bought yesterday. It is hopefully going to document our trips, travels, and tales and mostly it will be for her work. This new computer is mainly in Korean and that's why we ended up buying this.


I wrapped up making a few powerpoints for her and hopefully I don't have to do much more work until next week. This schedule is a killer. I seem to be working from sun up to sundown.

Tomorrow I will go to Yongho where there is a new teacher and where I have only worked 3 times and so therefore I am still adjusting to the new school. I actually don't like traveling as much as I thought it would. I have to go to a new school on Wednesdays and frankly it gives me a good break from the melodrama that is unfolding at my main school.

As I mentioned in my last post you wouldn't believe how snobbish and insecure people are when it comes to their work. I have a woman who hates my wife for some odd reason. I think it has to do with the fact that she can work closely with her husband. This woman needs a head check.


So life goes on and in a place far away from reality (Korea) the sun will come up shining tomorrow.


I am looking forward to a busy day tomorrow that actually has more promise than today.


Other than blogging, teaching and helping my wife I am trying to catch up on my housework, finding some hobbies and exploring... lately there hasn't been much time for that but the future is looking more promising.

Throw me some bones please- as always I welcome comments. I really am hoping to make a site where we could have a discussion for teachers. I look forward to hearing more from you soon.

Digging ones grave

Each day that I go to work now I am being hit more and more with the obvious. The obvious being that the head teacher at Anmin needs to be canned.


She hates my wife for some reason. At the start of the month (May3rd) my wife began working here and thus has worked 5 days including yesterday. Since her arrival Zed has made sure to do everything in her power to not help her.

   She hasn't returned phone calls, accused my wife of not doing her responsibilities and refuses to work together.

In my class she wants me to teach as fast as I can. She is unorganized and doesn't start with efficency. She is constantly being called so therefore its distracting. She flat out isn't a team player and believes herself to be the ultimate boss of this sting.

I hate working with her and I hate the stress that she causes my wife. Its totally unnecessary. I can't do a  lot about it yet but I do want to get her fired if possible.


I think she is digging her own grave this month when it will come to the open class. I will be observed more or less twice this month and therefore I will have to prepare more and maybe in June have a meeting about my complaints.


Karma its a funny thing I truly do believe in it. I don't really think she has good Karma. She isn't making me feel like working harder and its because her teaching methods are piss poor wrong.


I may have shared that I don't care for children much. I may have also said that I don't care what I teach but I do care if they learn. Skipping many pages and going faster isn't going to make them smarter. Once again I am at a school that purely believes in Levels.

4 textbooks all of them the same step by step-I think its ridiculous that they push the kids to finish books that are too hard for them and therefore have some difficulty answering my basic questions.


We are all digging our own graves if we can't be held accountable of our actions then who can? I think its my job to do my job and also try to fix the ugliness at my work place simply because I dont want to be there

Back in the Saddle

So I have another weekend where I have been pretty busy again. It all started with a wake-up call on Saturday morning around 8:30. I had been waiting all Friday night for a call about morning classes but unfortunately didn't receive any. I was planning on sleeping in until maybe 10 but because of this call I was up in adam in a flash.

Since I live in Gwangan it takes 40 minutes to get to Nampo-dong YBM via subway so it was imperative that I leave by 9am and hit the book in order to prep for my class. As it turned out I have a 2 hour class with only one student. I finished at 12 and had lunch at T.G.I.F with a good friend of mine and my wife. After this I had to prepare for another 3 hours of Jr. Kids classes! 

I am happy though because I am back in the comforts of YBM for at least Saturday. 

Let me just share this too-I have done my best to show you the truths about the educational systems I have found in Korea. I like the kids on Saturday because they are older and at least can show proper respect. They don't do a lot. Many of them sit there and are half asleep, some are playing on their phones and others yet may be whispering to their friends some private joke/conversation in Korean but its not disruptive to me. Others are attentive. Some even have asked me questions. If I had been able to have a clear choice I never would have picked elementary kids for my daily job but those were only the cards I had dealt to me. 

YBM made a mistake by letting me go. The new guy knows this and is doing his best to get me back and later I can work full time if I play it right. I like kids but I hate disciplining, babysitting and teaching them when they are not showing any interest. A comment was written about me being God, a crackhead or anything in between and frankly it doesn't matter to kids.-I beg to differ I consider myself a professional I don't do anything in the classroom (like say shut up, show up late, or do anything else that could be construed as a negative response) that would warrant bad behavior. Kids are not educated properly. Their parents truly don't teach them manners. To me they grow up ignorant and naive about many things. 

Whatever your background was or is in Korea it isn't similar to mine. I also learned spanish and I already mentioned I know the basic commands in Korean. I also implemented my knowledge of Korea in my lesson plans. 

ex. I wrote some Korean words in Korean on the board and they actually woke up for 10 minutes, they laugh and showed some interest. This of course is coming from my Saturday students. 

I enjoy teaching them and whatever my bias is about kids I would gladly teach Saturday at YBM all the time! 

I don't hate kids but I want everyone to realize that their are many sides to a story and there are also some painful truths that we can all learn. Its all about building some perspectives. Hate is an awful word to use but its only bad if you act on it. I hate the ideals behind many of the programs specifically the educational policies in this country. 

If I am complaining its because its a big part of my everyday life. I think its important once again to try not to attack my situations because there is no true understanding you haven't walked in my shoes and sometimes maybe you can be glad because of that. 

My post back in the saddle again it means I am back where I liked my life before I had to leave YBM I have an opportunity to grow and maybe get my old job back and that makes me happy. 

It was also Parents day so my enrollment for the day was really low. I went to Gumi later that night and visited with her parents, went shopping on Sunday morning and rode KTX to Gupo station for the first time since I got married and went to Seoul for a quick honeymoon. 

Since getting back in Busan I have been busy helping my wife prepare for her classes tomorrow Yikes another run another week here we go... 

Teachers' View

So today concludes my elementary teaching week. I am free until Monday and another round of weekend stories can and will pursue.

My wife and I co-taught today for the second time. I think the classes went well but she is pushing herself too hard. I am trying to get things straight so I can successfully live here for the next 1.5 years. Right now I don't see that happening especially at this job site. 

My wife and I are going to buy a netbook (mini-computer) and we already have a scanner so now its possible to make some legitimate power points. We are trying to put together a strong teaching program. We are being met with opposition from all tables. 

TTI the HQ of our job is so demanding. They expect the Korean teachers to provide weekly paperwork, make tests, phone calls and be paid by the number of the students. So my wife teaches enough students to earn 1.6 its not fixed. I think its a bunch of bull shit for her since I do half the amount of work and get paid a lot more. Is this fair? 

Its almost like child labor to me. Its either child labor or I am plundering the system with easy greed because I am a native speaker. Aren't I lucky we got it so made we don't have to work as hard and we can earn so much more money. Don't let that fool you there is still a lot of additional Bullshit as a foreigner that I have to put up with. 

As far as a suggestion that I read believe me I tried them. I know enough Korean to make your head dizzy. I know the bad words, the class commands, and some getting around Korea diatribe -I had a girl say NO to my face until I got into hers and said DO IT. Why should a teacher like me put up with such a defiant attitude? 

SO ok I want to kick them out then according to this notion I either lose my job because of over reacting I have to listen to the mulling and puling of the Korean Teachers or I have to in the case of my wife's class I can potentially cause her to lose money if they drop. Each student is about 30 dollars. Through no fault of her own she has already lost 200 dollars this week. 

they dropped because the old teacher left. How selfish? How can any person Asian, American etc. work under a company that's cutting your profit based on their attendance. Of course they will blame my wife and her teaching as a result of losing 6 kids but its ironic because the company isn't strong enough to lure people like the great household names Samsung, LG, Walmart etc. are. 

I hate the business side but it effects everything. 

This is just a little food for thought -I think every teacher deserves credit since they have put up with many students. When I was in school the teachers all had fun and I learned under a much better system than this. When I am in the classroom I can see the business side taking place at all turns. 

Calls are being made, the korean teacher has even told me not to care about so and so since they will drop soon. How galling to only cater to the select few. I tried to get everyone involved. 

I am going to stop here but I would like to hear some positive critiques I am not busting my balls and writing these blurbs for the sake of venting or complaining but rather I am hoping to form a teachers circle to see what others truly think. 

I want you to see a different side of Korea than the ones that you were privy too-if you happen to have been here before. I also want you to think that I just like you would also like to hear from people as a friend perhaps since I have very few these days. That's just a personal note. 

Let me know whats up Thanks for reading

Teachers Corner Part 3

I know I said that I wasn't going to write much more about work but I need to get some more things out in the open. First off, I think if I was going to continue the Teacher's Corner posts this would be a good magazine subscription, don't you think so?



I spent 6 hours at the school today. I had to prepare a little and help my wife get situated. I am sorry to say its still a mess. I am more busy now since my wife is now apart of the working team at Anmin school. She has to be there at 12 which means that she leaves at 11:00, I leave at approx. 1pm and get to the school with 20 minutes to spare before my first class.


Teaching skill is a work in constant progress. It hasn't been easy for me teaching as well as living in Korea I have unfortunately been obvious in my posts about this. Today I had some difficulty controlling the last group of kids-they are the kings of the castle. They are in 6th grade and they are literally the top dogs of the school-when they "graduate" in March they will be 7th grade litte punks but for now they are wearing their pride on their sleeves.

They don't want to be in an ESL class, they are here because they are forced to learn education. I asked the head teacher to please have them listen to me and show some respect since it seriously isnt my job to control them nor guide them in learning manners. The head teacher refused to cooperate with me and thus this lead to a 30 minute meeting with her after class.

She didn't so much as acknowledge my presence but instead we discussed TEACHING methods. 1. She defended the kid's disrespect saying that there is no way to control them when their parents refuse to see the truth. The truth is that kids are allowed to get away with whatever the hell they want. I was told I should confront the head teacher about these such issues and all it got me today was 40 minutes of my time being detained and listening to a dribble of nonsense protecting the kids' blatant disrespect all simply to protect her money. Kids are nothing more than stock.


Please answer this question in your next comment to me

What's more important the enjoyment and disruptive cacophony from the investor (kids) or the mental, emotional and physical health of the teacher?

If kids don't show proper etiquette and Korean teachers choose not to enforce discipline how can I adequately teach? I have been cussed at, hit by kids (sometimes it hurts) tongues are being stuck out at me, they call me bad words, they talk in korean and they ignore the lesson plan meanwhile the Korean teacher just sits there.


She is so over-worked. She has a meeting once a month, she has attendance sheets to update, parents to call, and ppts to make. She can't give me any help even though its her job and when I see her in the classroom it looks ridiculous. The teaching environment is a place to learn  and interact not stare at paperwork all day or answer phone calls.


I listened to excuses today and no one wants to fess up to reality. I heard that kids just can't adapt to my teaching style but she refuses to believe that its because they can't understand every word I say.


Enough said I literally wanted to walk out the door. These people make me feel bad for anything and everything I do. If I had a choice I would walk away now.


I can't its not an option I believe I am entitled to respect and have earned it. Graduating from high school, college, putting in over 3 years in Korea etc. Why am I shrouded with disrespect? If you want to say about my teaching style then please leave me alone.

When I was in Gumi I had many conversations with people who only said Teaching style I feel i have learned a lot in 3 years and my talents can help people if they just listen. My attitude isn't for pity, nor is it unjustified I have had to "fight" to get where I am today and I don't want more disrespect.

Trip down memory lane

I haven't had the luxury of finding time lately. I have been so swamped with work and getting over a slight cold bug that my thoughts have been precariously elsewhere. Let's examine where I have been the last few days.

Well to begin with there is always work but I don't want to discuss much about work happenings. I will mention a few factoids though before we continue... One, my wife and I co-taught together for the first time yesterday. We now officially both work at the same two schools-Anmin and YBM. I still hate the "head teacher" but its a job and just like a job its stressful and full of drama. I write about it too much so from now on I will only stick to essential happenings at work...  unfortunately though its a different drama each day.



I am trying to stick to aspects of Korean culture to report on so you can get a better sense of what its like living in Korea.

I have been busy mainly helping my wife prepare for her classes. We bought a scanner and now are making power points for her class.  As a result of her job I am now having to do a lot of chores around home which is ok but definitely keeps me busy.


I went out to Nampo-dong last night and had a few drinks and galbei with Dell. I learned that I will have 3 classes on Saturday with some possibilities that I may work in the morning as well. My morning classes at YBM were unfortunately not available but I will work 2 classes for Dell later this month. I had a great time with Dell we discussed past stories in college-you know the ones that start out like this " I was so stupid I nearly died blah blah blah the ones that you laugh about later when you are far away from the time you were in college.


Last night was great~ after eating and drinking I came home via subway it took almost an hour since it was the last ride. i unfortunately don't have much of a night life anymore but there's a different feeling waiting for the final subway rather than just an atypical afternoon ride. People are obviously tired but at the same time more alive.


There's a Korean phenomenon on the subway during business hours where people get on the subway and nod off and nearly fall on the person sitting next to them, its really annoying to me and as I told Dell if people put on the tie to go to work then they should be able to do the dance and not fall asleep. They must be over-worked if they are sleepy all the time. .

A trip down memory lane needs to happen more frequently. Today is a rest day Children's day like they really need another day if you ask me but I will post more later. I need some more rest and to eat a lunch with my wife shortly^^

I know this isn't really a great story or at least good conclusion but its throwing some thoughts out there a trip down into the passage of time...