- 6:30-7:30am - Get up and take Mags for a walk or a run in the park by the river (ignoring the fact that she does not like running)
- 7:30-8am - Get ready for school, change clothes and redo hair several times to calm nerves
- 8am - Go to breakfast at the kimbap cafe for soup or kimbap or somethin'
- 8:30am - Get a vanilla late from coffeenie before walking to the school
- 8:40am - Catch Bus#1 to get the returnee kindy kids that I'll be picking up for the next year (the 7 year olds starting year-2 of morning English this year)
- 9:10ish - Arrive at school to drink several cups of coffee (thank god for the school coffee maker) while nervously awaiting beginning of 'orientation' for new babies
- 9:50am - Stand 'On Display' (smiling and nodding and appearing the least amount of threatening as possible) in common room while parents and new kindergarten children arrive and stare until the ceremony begins
- 10-11am - Continue on display until end of entirely Korean welcome and orientation ceremony, bowing, smiling and nodding profusely as required until parents and children go home
- 11am-1:30pm - Listen to 5th and 6th explanation from my boss about how I shall teach my classes and what books I will use while nodding and smiling and making agreeable "uh-huh" murmurs
- 1:30-2:50pm - Break with Mags in the park or down at the river before going back to school!
- 3:00-5:00pm - Teach my 2 new classes for 1 hour each "Loving them and making them love English" and the day's OVER!!!
So, I'm a little nervous for the start of the new year. 11 new scared little children who don't know anything in English beyond their ABCs, going to whimper and cry and pee as often as they can manage... I have always really enjoyed teaching, and always done really well, so it will surely be fine. Oh! And since today (Monday) was a holiday I got the skip the super-long-work-'til-7pm day (yay!) until Friday, and I'm all fine with that!! So when the day is done and I've had some kimchi-jigaye I'm off to AK Plaza so I'll have some grocery shopping escapades to share! For now, I think I'll go pick out my clothes for tomorrow so it doesn't take me hours in the morning... Wish me luck!!
Hi Sweetie
ReplyDeleteKudos on your first day of teaching. I bet the kids love you already and are anxious to go to school everyday. And I'm sure your Boss is very pleased and that you passed his expectations.
Fianlly getting some nice weather. We hit double digits on the plus side yesterday.
Thinking of you Many hugs and kisses.............Mom
Thanks Mom, you're the best! While when permitted, most of the children TORE outta that classroom and back to mommy, I'll have them all won over by the end of the week, even Sean!! :) Very jealous of your weather as it was only -2 on our walk this morning, glad you're finally seeing some signs of Spring!
ReplyDeleteOh, and if you want to check out some of my new pictures just scroll down to the "FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM" on the left of my page and click on a picture, it will take you to my photo site... The current collection is "Korea and On" I think... Love you much!!