Walking to work every day requires me to cross the street several times. One such crossing occurring about a block from my school. There is another private school on the opposite corner. A crossing guard helps the children safely cross the road. Every time I see him he gives me a huge smile and says "hello" to me in English. We then proceed to have a short and jumbled conversation until the next green "walk" sign begins flashing and I am on my way. I look forward to this interaction every day. It is such a small gesture and I don't even know this man's name, but it always brightens my day.
People are always wanting to practice speaking English with me because I am a westerner. Most of the time this happens to me on the subway. Often times older men approach me and make me a little uneasy. I realize that more than likely they just want to chat, but sometimes I get a feeling that they may be trying to hit on me... one of the perks of being a 'partial' (fake) blond in an Asian country. Sometimes children will come up and speak with me to practice their English. This happened to my friend Sara and I one time on the subway. These children were 'spying' on us walking around and around us trying to scope us out before approaching us. Sara and I just watched them laughing the whole time. They were not inconspicuous at all. They finally approached us and said "hello". The next time it was a "how are you?" When we got onto the subway car with them they told us their names and asked for ours. With each interaction they would run back to their parents and report what we had said in Korean. I would normally find this annoying, but it was actually quite adorable.
Korean people have no trouble being naked in front of strangers. Public baths here are very popular and no one has any issues striping down and baring it all to others. The locker room in my gym is stocked with naked ajumas running around all over the place. I am always ducking, turning my head, and trying to avoid them at all cost while shyly getting into my work-out clothes in the corner. Trying to work up the nerve to visit a jjimjilbang.
Winter camp is 3/4 of the way done. I thought my fourth grade students' English would be significantly better than that of my third graders, but is not the case. Some students are very easy to communicate with and others are a little more difficult. Luckily I have some great students who help me out as translators. Teaching has been enjoyable, but spending the afternoons in the office with 3 or 4 other co-workers at most has been making my time drag by slowly. I get frustrated sometimes thinking about how all the other Korean teachers are on vacation and I have to sit here all day with nothing to do in the afternoons. Most days they do not keep the heat on and I am freezing. The other Korean co-workers in the office order and pay for my lunch everyday. I feel really bad, but it is just the Korean custom for someone to buy food for everyone. I definitely feel like an outsider when there is no one here who speaks English because I have no idea what is going on in the conversation around me. Sometimes they will ask me things in Korean and I have no idea how to answer. I just smile and laugh a lot. It is really tough sometimes being the only foreigner. I will be grateful to have my regular schedule back at school, but will miss the small, well behaved classes from winter camp.
making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
eating some not-so-hard boiled eggs on Dr. Seuss day
Dr. Seuss day
Frankensteins on 'monster' day
boys with their mummy on 'monster' day
girls with their mummy
Check out the students doing a mummy race on 'monster' day: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10100140459983929
Thoughts of my future are always running rampant in the back of my mind, but after 4 months in Korea the 'next step' has really got my head spinning. For Dorothy it was as simple as following the yellow brick road. She eventually make it back to Kansas by clicking her heels together. My wanderlust is growing day by day and I cannot wait for my next adventure, but I do miss family and friends dearly. After all, there is no place like home. Maybe I just need some red sparkly shoes.
Namaste
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