First week of school…
Ok so the first week of school was last week. It was ok. First graders are cute but evil. Co-teacher basically the same.
We had to take a staff picture. I wore a skirt (for the first since like middle school…yes seriously) and a nice blouse. Got a ton of compliments. Blah blah blah yada yada yada. A welcome dinner was that night at the BBQ place not too far from home. Went and was actually moved up a table with the head teachers. That was a bit odd. Principal came around and did her toasts like normal already partially drunk. Got to me and said that my clothes remind her of Spring. I started wearing some brighter colors, wearing such dark colors since November kinds of depresses you. Then she continued saying I’m getting more beautiful as time goes by and blah blah blah. Then bam~ told me not to lose weight so quickly they all worry about me.
I’ll make another post about how I feel about my weight and stuff later.
Eat and the new teachers have to make toasts with teachers who are senior to them at the school. I’m sitting there ignoring everything. I don’t have to do it since I’m the “foreign” teacher. Then randomly one of the new guy teachers wanted to do a toast. Everyone was shock I accepted soju. I’m like what? I drink more beer than them and just sit there. I can handle a shot of soju if I can drink gin, vodka, and whatever else. Like come on. Give me a break. Ever since then though everyone was more “HI~!”
I like the new teachers though. They are nice. Say good morning and everything. Like half the staff are new people….even my home girl the secretary is gone. Replaced by a guy. *sigh* I want her back. He’s nice, but I enjoyed her.
Which reminds me the ahjusshi that’s like a guard for the school guiding kids in and such started saying good morning in English. I was like O.o. He always said it in Korean until last week. It makes me smile each time. He looks so happy too.
Kids…they seem happier about coming to class. They speak a lot in the halls. They sing songs we’ve done in class. It’s pretty good.
Co-teacher drops me off where I can walk a few blocks in less than 15 minutes, so I can get in some more exercise. It’s funny because she decided to do it. I didn’t ask her (I ask no one) and she had set up where the third grade teacher would take me. Yet for whatever reason she decided to do it this time. I guess she figures if she signed for a year and she wants me to stay she has to be nice.
She bothers me over little things though. Like how to save things on the computer, where to buy milk. I helped her move, which was not easy. She lives on the 5th floor of a building without an elevator. Going up those things more than 5 times in less than an hour was a killer for my legs. I’m always helping her with something while doing most of the preparing for classes.
Doesn’t help I do afterschool classes myself on top of all that. I get tired and frustrated quickly when she keeps bothering me. Then I realized it seems she doesn’t have a lot of people close to her. Which will explain a lot of things. Especially why she had no one else available to help her move or just about anything else. Like people at work talk to her. But I think the fact of how she acts (she’s kind of out there compared to most Korean ahjummas) make some not talk to her as much.
Slowly I’m seeing more of her and understanding. It’s still irritating because I have a lot on my plate to do. In the end as long as the kids are learning and happy. I’m happy too.
Until next time~