I was thinking about communication, I have no idea why you are so shocked!
I went to work yesterday in a positive frame of mind. Admittedly, I was still slightly gutted at losing most of my classes, but a fresh timetable and new challenges awaited me and I was prepared to meet them head on. I wasn’t even flustered by the unmentioned arrival of yet another new student in my Grade One Elementary class, despite the fact it seemed he’d never even heard the English language let alone learnt any prior to that very moment. (As an amend to my last blog entry, I got to give one of the other new students an English name-we settled on Harry and he’s not as bad at English as I initially thought.)
On Friday, it turned out that the Elementary Manager and the Middle/High School Manager had no idea that my evening classes had stopped. It appears Christina hadn’t told them either, so they had no contingency plan for me and apparently still don’t. It seems incredible to me that in such a small department no one talks to each other. So almost as a punishment for a decision made outside of my control, after my Grade Five class yesterday I was told to join Fely in her classes and watch her teach, occasionally getting called upon to read from books and help out the weaker students. I am basically a glorified tape recording substitute monkey, perhaps to save electricity. Yet it would be more constructive if I filmed myself banging my head against a wall while saying the alphabet and random phrases such as “Are you bored?” “Jo Teacher is bored.”
It also transpires that as of today I will share my Grade One/Two class with Fely-she will teach Grade Two and I will continue to teach Grade One-in the smallest classroom in the world. I am hoping that they will see sense and put her in another classroom with the new students because our teaching styles are very different and surely it will be just be distracting for them all. I am not holding my breath though.
Ok, so I am doing a lot less work for the same wage and it’s not as though I am being made to work for 12 hours a day teaching unresponsive students and large classes. But as I have mentioned before I am partly doing TEFL to see if I like teaching and if this continues I will learn more about teaching watching late night Korean television. This involves a double act of a Korean and an American serving up the cheesiest helping of English mac and cheese imaginable, or as an alternative learning English through the study of Celine Dion or Westlife lyrics. Still who knows what today will bring.
Besides, my inability to communicate in Korean often leads to hilarious results. Last Thursday I was teaching my troublesome Grade Five class, when we were invaded by a bird, a sparrow to be precise. I haven’t figured out how it got in yet as the window was shut but the class grew rather frenzied as Ivy screamed and the boys tried to batter it to death with their books despite my stern protests. I opened the window, hoping it would use its instincts and flee to safety, but it continued to fly around the class in a blind panic. In desperation I gingerly opened the door, closed it behind me and went to the teachers section to seek help. “There’s a bird in the classroom” was met with blank stares-even from the Korean English teachers! So I resorted to miming a bird and pointing dramatically at my classroom. Finally, the Manager understood and followed me back to the classroom. I was just hoping the boys hadn’t succeeded in killing the poor thing. I slowly opened the door slightly and the bird flew out, nearly hitting me in the face, I screamed, looked back at the Manager, shrugged and continued my lesson. All in a days work apparently.
I know it could be worse, I just hope the situation improves quickly because the whole mess is putting a dampener on my time here. Still I count myself lucky I don’t work for the Hagwon called “Toss English,” I will get photographic evidence next time I see the school bus! I was too busy laughing last time I saw it.
There and Back Again: Twenty-Something creating herself and then writing about it.
29 July 2008
24 July 2008
Schedule Changeeee
It was bound to happen at some point, after all I was having such a good week.
I was expecting a schedule change today as the Korean government schools closed for the summer, so the children can all get to the hagwon earlier and as a result finish earlier. Everyone’s a winner right? Me, not so much. I am sure in a couple of weeks I will read this back and realise I am just being a big moanster. But at this moment in time I just want to have a bit of a moan, so indulge me.
I have a nice routine, some great classes (see “A Typical Day….”), “three strikes and you’re out” is working wonders with most of the problem kids, and I have finally started taking some Korean lessons. All in all I was having a good week. Then today happened and it’s like I am back at the start.
I got to work early to do some planning and I was sat at my desk for half an hour before my Grade One class started. The first bell rang and I went to get the register only to get two text books thrust into my face along with a mention of “new students” and no explanation. Great, I was finally allowed to move the girls onto the next Fun Fun English book and now we have to go back to start. Maybe it was just first day nerves, but the newbies barely know the alphabet! This does not bode well for my favourite class. I offered to teach two classes, so I can bring the new kids level, but that idea when down like a lead balloon. Now I have to start back at the beginning and contend with some very bored 8 year old girls.
Next, my evening classes, the middle school class and the mixed age elementary class, have been cancelled. Christina, my co-ordinator and Korean teacher, is no longer going to be teaching English so they will stop bringing the students from the other academy. I was told not to worry though, I would be given a new schedule.
Like I have mentioned before, this whole experience is making me very flexible-change is inevitable and if everything stayed the same life would be very boring. But, why does it always have to happen at the last minute? There’s no way the new students (who are 9) were just walking past the academy and thought to themselves “You know, today would be a good day to learn English,” because like I said earlier, they barely know the alphabet. Equally, cancelling lessons is normally not an overnight decision-I would have liked to plan some fun little goodbye lessons, brought my camera, sweets and had one last laugh with the kids.
I know that a lot of it is just part of the Korean culture and mentality, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. It’s also something I will just have to get used to, because I am sure that it will keep happening. I do have a very good deal here, and despite my moaning I do really appreciate it, plus some of my Korean co-workers are finally warming to me. I am just gutted my favourite class is going to become my most frustrating, and just when I get to know the kids the carpet is pulled from under me and I will have to start all over again with new students. Still as a friend pointed out, at least I am not getting locked in cupboards and being constantly insulted (at least not in English!) like some teachers in the UK. Always look on the bright side……
I was expecting a schedule change today as the Korean government schools closed for the summer, so the children can all get to the hagwon earlier and as a result finish earlier. Everyone’s a winner right? Me, not so much. I am sure in a couple of weeks I will read this back and realise I am just being a big moanster. But at this moment in time I just want to have a bit of a moan, so indulge me.
I have a nice routine, some great classes (see “A Typical Day….”), “three strikes and you’re out” is working wonders with most of the problem kids, and I have finally started taking some Korean lessons. All in all I was having a good week. Then today happened and it’s like I am back at the start.
I got to work early to do some planning and I was sat at my desk for half an hour before my Grade One class started. The first bell rang and I went to get the register only to get two text books thrust into my face along with a mention of “new students” and no explanation. Great, I was finally allowed to move the girls onto the next Fun Fun English book and now we have to go back to start. Maybe it was just first day nerves, but the newbies barely know the alphabet! This does not bode well for my favourite class. I offered to teach two classes, so I can bring the new kids level, but that idea when down like a lead balloon. Now I have to start back at the beginning and contend with some very bored 8 year old girls.
Next, my evening classes, the middle school class and the mixed age elementary class, have been cancelled. Christina, my co-ordinator and Korean teacher, is no longer going to be teaching English so they will stop bringing the students from the other academy. I was told not to worry though, I would be given a new schedule.
Like I have mentioned before, this whole experience is making me very flexible-change is inevitable and if everything stayed the same life would be very boring. But, why does it always have to happen at the last minute? There’s no way the new students (who are 9) were just walking past the academy and thought to themselves “You know, today would be a good day to learn English,” because like I said earlier, they barely know the alphabet. Equally, cancelling lessons is normally not an overnight decision-I would have liked to plan some fun little goodbye lessons, brought my camera, sweets and had one last laugh with the kids.
I know that a lot of it is just part of the Korean culture and mentality, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. It’s also something I will just have to get used to, because I am sure that it will keep happening. I do have a very good deal here, and despite my moaning I do really appreciate it, plus some of my Korean co-workers are finally warming to me. I am just gutted my favourite class is going to become my most frustrating, and just when I get to know the kids the carpet is pulled from under me and I will have to start all over again with new students. Still as a friend pointed out, at least I am not getting locked in cupboards and being constantly insulted (at least not in English!) like some teachers in the UK. Always look on the bright side……
18 July 2008
I wear my pants under my trousers.
In keeping with my new found love for nicking the words of others, I want to steal from the fabulous Eddie Izzard (Dressed to Kill):
“They do say Britain and America are two countries separated by the Atlantic Ocean, and it’s true. No, they say, “two countries separated by a common language,” that’s the line; it’s an Oscar Wilde line*, I think. And we do pronounce things in a different way, like you say “caterpillar” and we say “caterpillar,” and… You say “aluminum” and we say “aluminium.” You say, “centrifugal” and we say “centrifugal.” You say, “leisure” and we say “lizuray.” You say “baysil” and we say “bahsil.” You say “’erbs” and we say “herbs,” because there’s a fucking “H” in it… But you spell through THRU, and I’m with you on that, ‘cause we spell it “THRUFF,” and that’s trying to cheat at Scrabble.”
*For educational purposes, it was actually George Bernard Shaw who wrote this, though Oscar Wilde wrote something similar a bit earlier.
Do you like football? (5 puzzled faces)…ok, do you like soccer? “Yes!!”
Don’t worry, this shouldn’t turn into a rant about American English, I did enough of that when I was actually in the States. TEFL should really be TAEFL though-Teaching American English as a Foreign Language. English is the universal language, there is no question about that, and one of the things I enjoy about English is the wide variety of ways it’s used in different countries. Even within the same country one word could have a multitude of meanings. But, even with the strange accent (I was asked by a fellow Brit if I was from Watford over the weekend!?), I speak British English and it has been a lifelong habit of mine. When I say the alphabet I say Zed not Zee, I stand in a queue not a “line”, I play football not soccer, and I wear my pants under my trousers.
I don’t want to teach American English, because I am aware that I am pronouncing the words in a British accent and as such sound faintly ridiculous. On top of that I am teaching from books that spell stomach ache as one word, think that a stage is a “band shell” and confuse the English out of the kids by having about 200 different words for a bin. Z as Zee confuses some of the kids, because it sounds a lot like G-so there are a lot of Gero’s, Geebra’s and Jew’s (for zoo!) I can’t bring myself to say faucet either-it’s a bloody tap! Ok, maybe it is turning into a rant, my apologies. I guess, what I am trying to say is that TEFL should embrace the diversity of English, not to the point of confusing the learner, but letting it be ok to be different and making the children aware that the United States isn’t the only location they can use their new skill. It was bad enough being asked when I was in the States “How long did it take you to learn English?” Twice!
I will end this entry with some words from Steven in my Middle School class. I set him and Jack the task of completing some newspaper headlines….here’s a comedy gem he provided me:
Drunk drivers face………is very ugly
“They do say Britain and America are two countries separated by the Atlantic Ocean, and it’s true. No, they say, “two countries separated by a common language,” that’s the line; it’s an Oscar Wilde line*, I think. And we do pronounce things in a different way, like you say “caterpillar” and we say “caterpillar,” and… You say “aluminum” and we say “aluminium.” You say, “centrifugal” and we say “centrifugal.” You say, “leisure” and we say “lizuray.” You say “baysil” and we say “bahsil.” You say “’erbs” and we say “herbs,” because there’s a fucking “H” in it… But you spell through THRU, and I’m with you on that, ‘cause we spell it “THRUFF,” and that’s trying to cheat at Scrabble.”
*For educational purposes, it was actually George Bernard Shaw who wrote this, though Oscar Wilde wrote something similar a bit earlier.
Do you like football? (5 puzzled faces)…ok, do you like soccer? “Yes!!”
Don’t worry, this shouldn’t turn into a rant about American English, I did enough of that when I was actually in the States. TEFL should really be TAEFL though-Teaching American English as a Foreign Language. English is the universal language, there is no question about that, and one of the things I enjoy about English is the wide variety of ways it’s used in different countries. Even within the same country one word could have a multitude of meanings. But, even with the strange accent (I was asked by a fellow Brit if I was from Watford over the weekend!?), I speak British English and it has been a lifelong habit of mine. When I say the alphabet I say Zed not Zee, I stand in a queue not a “line”, I play football not soccer, and I wear my pants under my trousers.
I don’t want to teach American English, because I am aware that I am pronouncing the words in a British accent and as such sound faintly ridiculous. On top of that I am teaching from books that spell stomach ache as one word, think that a stage is a “band shell” and confuse the English out of the kids by having about 200 different words for a bin. Z as Zee confuses some of the kids, because it sounds a lot like G-so there are a lot of Gero’s, Geebra’s and Jew’s (for zoo!) I can’t bring myself to say faucet either-it’s a bloody tap! Ok, maybe it is turning into a rant, my apologies. I guess, what I am trying to say is that TEFL should embrace the diversity of English, not to the point of confusing the learner, but letting it be ok to be different and making the children aware that the United States isn’t the only location they can use their new skill. It was bad enough being asked when I was in the States “How long did it take you to learn English?” Twice!
I will end this entry with some words from Steven in my Middle School class. I set him and Jack the task of completing some newspaper headlines….here’s a comedy gem he provided me:
Drunk drivers face………is very ugly
14 July 2008
A Typical Day in the Life of Jo Teacher.*
*Subject to change…..a lot, and preferably at the last minute!
After the random ramblings of my last blog entry I thought I would share a typical day in my role as Jo Teacher. As there are rumblings of a schedule change in my not so distant future I wanted to document my early days with pictures of the children and a bit of observation on what my job actually entails.
I start work at 2pm, which of course means lie in galore! I live less than ten minutes from the academy, so it’s a leisurely little stroll into work along the river, followed by greeting my Korean co-workers with hello (in Korean-hark at me) and a little bow each time and fifteen minutes sat at my desk planning my first lesson and searching for flashcards. It would make my life a lot easier if I spent an entire day sorting them all out but other things always come up-for instance, well pretty much anything.
First class: 2.15-3.00. The girls in my first class-Elementary Grade One-are bloody brilliant! The three J’s (there were four when I first started-and no I am not scaring them off!) Jenny, Jane and Joyce. They are all incredibly cute, and all pretty smart-with just the right level of cheekiness. I am trying to encourage the use of full sentences and individuality rather than strictly focusing on spelling and mass word absorption-the staples of Englishee teaching and learning in Korea. The textbooks for Elementary “Fun Fun English” (-read “very random, not so fun, and largely a hindrance English” and you’re close-) are pretty rubbish, but I enjoy working around them and supplementing with games and fun little worksheets. Oh and Bingo, not just number bingo, but picture bingo too! Below is a picture of Jenny, the brains of Grade One.
In between lessons I plan the next ones, drink coffee, and talk to the kids, as well as some of my co-teachers. Especially Fely, who is an absolute gem. I tend to pop up to the kindergarten pretty much everyday to see Rachel and Paul, the other English teachers at my school, as well as the Korean kindergarten teachers who are all really nice and friendly and of course the kiddies-who are so cute and always happy to see me! Now that exams are over, when I am at my desk, the Middle School girls all gather in the teachers section and tell me how beautiful I am (it’s a hard life) and ask me loads of questions.
Dinner break: 5.30-5.50. Time to head down to the canteen and fill up on rice and soup! Still haven’t mastered metal chopsticks completely yet, though I am getting there, and for the most part I really enjoy Korean food. There are days when I would murder for a curry but normally I head down to the canteen and it’s all good! Especially when it’s bibimbap day!
Third class 6:30-7.15 (or 6.00-7.00 on a Friday-and Elementary rather than Middle School) My first evening class is a Middle School class with five great students all aged 14. Three of them (Angela, Sonia and Brenden) are in the Philippines at the moment, so for the next 8 weeks it’s just Jack and Steven-who are very different in ability, but both very fun to teach. I don’t have textbook to teach them from, so I have to make it up myself, which I am finding really enjoyable. The only downside is they have the English ability to tell me that what we’re doing is boring! This is the class where I spend a lot of time correcting “thank you very muchee” and “watch-ed,” but you can have a laugh with it.
After the random ramblings of my last blog entry I thought I would share a typical day in my role as Jo Teacher. As there are rumblings of a schedule change in my not so distant future I wanted to document my early days with pictures of the children and a bit of observation on what my job actually entails.
I start work at 2pm, which of course means lie in galore! I live less than ten minutes from the academy, so it’s a leisurely little stroll into work along the river, followed by greeting my Korean co-workers with hello (in Korean-hark at me) and a little bow each time and fifteen minutes sat at my desk planning my first lesson and searching for flashcards. It would make my life a lot easier if I spent an entire day sorting them all out but other things always come up-for instance, well pretty much anything.
First class: 2.15-3.00. The girls in my first class-Elementary Grade One-are bloody brilliant! The three J’s (there were four when I first started-and no I am not scaring them off!) Jenny, Jane and Joyce. They are all incredibly cute, and all pretty smart-with just the right level of cheekiness. I am trying to encourage the use of full sentences and individuality rather than strictly focusing on spelling and mass word absorption-the staples of Englishee teaching and learning in Korea. The textbooks for Elementary “Fun Fun English” (-read “very random, not so fun, and largely a hindrance English” and you’re close-) are pretty rubbish, but I enjoy working around them and supplementing with games and fun little worksheets. Oh and Bingo, not just number bingo, but picture bingo too! Below is a picture of Jenny, the brains of Grade One.
Second class: 4.00-4.45. There are 14 students in Elementary Grade Five, and they have been broken down into two separate groups based on ability and behaviour. I have class one (the “top” set) Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and class two Tuesday and Thursday. 14 children-and somehow there are two Gharphields….Gharphield I and Gharphield II-yes spelt like that! Class one are a great bunch of kids, see the picture below.-just the right level of rowdiness, but all pretty willing to learn-even Rudy whose main interest is food!
Me: Rudy, how are you?
Rudy: I am very, very, very………hungry! (Everyday!)
The students in class two are more of a challenge, and mixed bunch ability wise. One of the kids is a newbie, and on a different book to the rest of the class which makes planning hard. The saving grace of the class is Ivy, who the rest of the class are horrible to, but she’s a little star and makes up for the rest of them refusing to make an effort, and mocking me at every turn!
Me: Hi Christian, how are you?
Christian: (Stares at me wide eyed until I repeat myself before putting on a baby voice) How are you? How are you? ………..
Fun Fun English!
In between lessons I plan the next ones, drink coffee, and talk to the kids, as well as some of my co-teachers. Especially Fely, who is an absolute gem. I tend to pop up to the kindergarten pretty much everyday to see Rachel and Paul, the other English teachers at my school, as well as the Korean kindergarten teachers who are all really nice and friendly and of course the kiddies-who are so cute and always happy to see me! Now that exams are over, when I am at my desk, the Middle School girls all gather in the teachers section and tell me how beautiful I am (it’s a hard life) and ask me loads of questions.
Dinner break: 5.30-5.50. Time to head down to the canteen and fill up on rice and soup! Still haven’t mastered metal chopsticks completely yet, though I am getting there, and for the most part I really enjoy Korean food. There are days when I would murder for a curry but normally I head down to the canteen and it’s all good! Especially when it’s bibimbap day!
Third class 6:30-7.15 (or 6.00-7.00 on a Friday-and Elementary rather than Middle School) My first evening class is a Middle School class with five great students all aged 14. Three of them (Angela, Sonia and Brenden) are in the Philippines at the moment, so for the next 8 weeks it’s just Jack and Steven-who are very different in ability, but both very fun to teach. I don’t have textbook to teach them from, so I have to make it up myself, which I am finding really enjoyable. The only downside is they have the English ability to tell me that what we’re doing is boring! This is the class where I spend a lot of time correcting “thank you very muchee” and “watch-ed,” but you can have a laugh with it.
Fourth class: 7.15-8.00 (or 7.00-8.00 on a Friday). This is an Elementary Class with four kids, each different ages, but pretty similar in ability. Aron, Angela’s brother (see the cheeky chap above), is the oldest and the smartest. Antony, Jack’s brother, is the youngest, though is pretty good for his age. They all tend to say “Engrish” instead of the more conventional “English” So when we play a game on little whiteboards where they have to write words or draw objects I get a chorus of “Engrish?” each time, which is strangely endearing. The only downside is that by the time they come to me they have been in school over 10 hours already, so they really aren’t in the mood for Jo Teacher and her quest to teach them English.
My fifth class, another Middle School class, was put on hold while the two girls (Merry-who calls me “Teacher Jo” and Stella) had exams. They are best friends and both great girls though, so I am looking forward to teaching them again soon.
The more observant of you will notice I am currently only actually teaching 3 hours a day, which is not a bad deal at all. I am aware though that this will change once the government schools close for summer vacation and the students all come to the hagwon earlier. At the moment though I am taking each day as it comes and find something to laugh about at least once a lesson, even if the kids don’t know why I am laughing.
05 July 2008
Some thoughts on my addiction.
During the week I wrote down a list of things I wanted to blog about, but as is so often the case now I have actually started there are other things my fingers want to type. You might have noticed my Quote Wall to the right of this post, until I can be half as eloquent I will borrow the words of others. So to quote a Korean proverb: 손바닥으로 하늘을 가리려한다 (Don't try to cover the whole sky with the palm of your hand.)
You can only “cover” the sky by closing your eyes, but that doesn’t stop the sky existing-you are going to have to face the issue eventually.
There is so much to see in this world, and I have been fortunate enough to see a small fraction of what this planet has to offer. But like with any addiction, once you have sampled a little there is no stopping your thirst for more, and it becomes an ache that won’t go away until it’s been satisfied. (Though like with any addiction how can you satisfy something that can’t be satisfied?) Two of my biggest reasons for choosing TEFL over backpacking were to see if I liked teaching and to experience a totally different culture first hand. Both of these boxes are being checked by my stay in South Korea. But the backpacker in me has been itching to get out, stay in crappy hostels and be able to do something new everyday.
Perhaps it’s just been a frustrating week. I have been having a few issues trying to sort out a 4 day holiday-apparently Koreans consider 2 weekdays and a weekend a 4 day holiday, as I don’t work on or get paid for the weekends I am sure you can understand why I disagree. As Hagwons stay open all year round there will be no long school holidays for me while I am out here, so I need to utilise the time off that I do get. Plus, just as I start to get into a routine and get settled, I discover my schedule might change again. One thing that I will take away from Korea is the art of being incredibly flexible-and I don’t mean in a Geri Halliwell look at me shaped like a pretzel kind of way! If something new is going to happen, it will happen at the last minute- longer lessons, no lessons, new students you name it…..for someone who likes to be organised this whole adventure has given me a crash course in expecting the unexpected.
What I have needed to remind myself is that I can still do the backpacking, I can still stay in the crap hostels, and this crazy 12 months in Korea will prepare me all the more for it. At the risk of sounding like a line from a coming of age Hollywood movie, we are shaped by every choice that we make. If I was backpacking right now I would never experience some of the amazing things I have discovered about the Korean way of life and mentality. This morning I went to my local shop to get a carton of milk for my cereal (don’t think I can stomach 3 rice based meals a day) and despite the fact I can barely communicate in Korean the owner told me from now on I will get a discount when I buy my regular 2 litre 6 pack of water. On my first train journey to Seoul I met a Korean English teacher called Tony, who told me how he wants to go to Canada and brought me some banana milk when he had to give his seat up. Trains in Korea deserve a whole separate post-from assigned seating to high speed bullet trains-countered by pesky gropers and soju-soaked old men-to the old ajummas receiving calls on their mobiles, and thinking they have to shout for the caller to hear them…there is so much about Korea that I have fallen in love with (no not the groper!), and so much I have yet to discover, and the next 10 months gives me that opportunity soak up as much as I can.
I think I just need to slow down, take stock of what I have already achieved and accept there will be days when I will be frustrated. It’s all part of the adventure. Oh, and I should remember to keep an eye out for scooters on the pavement-last weekend in Daegu I managed to get hit on the arse by one.
You can only “cover” the sky by closing your eyes, but that doesn’t stop the sky existing-you are going to have to face the issue eventually.
There is so much to see in this world, and I have been fortunate enough to see a small fraction of what this planet has to offer. But like with any addiction, once you have sampled a little there is no stopping your thirst for more, and it becomes an ache that won’t go away until it’s been satisfied. (Though like with any addiction how can you satisfy something that can’t be satisfied?) Two of my biggest reasons for choosing TEFL over backpacking were to see if I liked teaching and to experience a totally different culture first hand. Both of these boxes are being checked by my stay in South Korea. But the backpacker in me has been itching to get out, stay in crappy hostels and be able to do something new everyday.
Perhaps it’s just been a frustrating week. I have been having a few issues trying to sort out a 4 day holiday-apparently Koreans consider 2 weekdays and a weekend a 4 day holiday, as I don’t work on or get paid for the weekends I am sure you can understand why I disagree. As Hagwons stay open all year round there will be no long school holidays for me while I am out here, so I need to utilise the time off that I do get. Plus, just as I start to get into a routine and get settled, I discover my schedule might change again. One thing that I will take away from Korea is the art of being incredibly flexible-and I don’t mean in a Geri Halliwell look at me shaped like a pretzel kind of way! If something new is going to happen, it will happen at the last minute- longer lessons, no lessons, new students you name it…..for someone who likes to be organised this whole adventure has given me a crash course in expecting the unexpected.
What I have needed to remind myself is that I can still do the backpacking, I can still stay in the crap hostels, and this crazy 12 months in Korea will prepare me all the more for it. At the risk of sounding like a line from a coming of age Hollywood movie, we are shaped by every choice that we make. If I was backpacking right now I would never experience some of the amazing things I have discovered about the Korean way of life and mentality. This morning I went to my local shop to get a carton of milk for my cereal (don’t think I can stomach 3 rice based meals a day) and despite the fact I can barely communicate in Korean the owner told me from now on I will get a discount when I buy my regular 2 litre 6 pack of water. On my first train journey to Seoul I met a Korean English teacher called Tony, who told me how he wants to go to Canada and brought me some banana milk when he had to give his seat up. Trains in Korea deserve a whole separate post-from assigned seating to high speed bullet trains-countered by pesky gropers and soju-soaked old men-to the old ajummas receiving calls on their mobiles, and thinking they have to shout for the caller to hear them…there is so much about Korea that I have fallen in love with (no not the groper!), and so much I have yet to discover, and the next 10 months gives me that opportunity soak up as much as I can.
I think I just need to slow down, take stock of what I have already achieved and accept there will be days when I will be frustrated. It’s all part of the adventure. Oh, and I should remember to keep an eye out for scooters on the pavement-last weekend in Daegu I managed to get hit on the arse by one.
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