Inside the school
My co-teachers and colleagues are great! Only the co-teachers (Korean English Teachers) can speak good enough English to hold a conversation. One in particular speaks English almost fluently, with few errors. The other teachers know a little English, and the rest know none at all, except for "thank you" and "Good morning". Also, they brush their teeth in the staff room after lunch. Apparently, it's common to brush your teeth in public in Korea. Also, the students go in and out of the staff room all the time.
Everyday, I get free tangerines! They're fresh from Jeju island! The box on the right is full of Korean sweets :)
On my first day, one of my colleagues gave me this roll of toilet paper...I don't know why
My desk at work
The teachers have it made here. We get free lunch in the cafeteria everyday, and it's really good! There's no set time for lunch and no duration. Everyone eats quickly, drinks tea, and goes back to work. Sometimes we eat with the students in the cafeteria.
Dinner with my co-teachers
The students are very respectful and bow to the teachers. I'm only about 5 years older than my students, but they don't know that. High school in Korea is from age 17 to 19. Grade 1: 17, Grade 2: 18, Grade 3: 19. I teach Grades 1 and 2. The girls are very giddy and excited when they see me, especially when they're in a group. They will say "hello" and "where are you from?", and then before I can answer, they start giggling uncontrollably. It's pretty funny. The other teachers get a kick out of it too.
Korean kids have it bad! They go to school from 8am to 10pm!! They basically live at the school. The cafeteria serves them lunch and dinner. After school, some students have extra classes until 12am. Some students go to school 7 days a week. Most go from Monday to Saturday.
On top of that, they have to clean the staff room everyday. They probably have to clean the entire school. I've seen a few students sweeping and mopping the floors. It's completely normal here. The school doesn't employ janitors.
The Classroom
Boys
Girls
There's one student, Justin, who stands out as the best English speaker. He's better than most, if not, all of the Korean English teachers. He comes to the staff room everyday after lunch to talk to me. He wants to study in the U.S., so he needs his English to be perfect. I asked him why he's so interested in America and learning English. He said that when he was young, he saw an American show on television. He didn't think I'd know the show because it's not popular at all in Korea. The show was the O.C. I told him that the show is very popular in Canada. He was shocked! He really wants to leave South Korea. I don't blame him, boys have to complete 2 years of mandatory military service when they're 22.
Another student, one I don't even teach, gave me a letter, a key chain, and a tea cup
For the first week, I wanted the students to fill out a short questionnaire...what's your name, what are you hobbies, favourite movies, etc. There was also space for the students to draw a picture of themselves. Most students didn't draw anything, but a selected few did. Many of the pictures are in wtf territory, as you'll soon find out...
"lost mother" ?? I don't know..
A fox, why?
Mr Burns: "I bring you love"...that's what this reminds me of--creepy but funny.
I don't even know
I laughed so hard at this one. I don't know what it is, but it kills me.
A true likeness...
Yup, that's a picture of a bear dressed like a girl
Read what he wrote for "I want to be a.."
"First show me the money, second, I need teleport"
Q: Brothers and Sisters?
A: No, I lonley
Brother: Jung yu suck
He'll never know how funny this is.
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