Update of not much

Friday June 28.
This week went really quickly.  Like incredibly quickly.  I missed another 2 classes.  One France and one Australia.  We had good manners education.  Good manners is where the students learn things in korean. Today we learned about the human body and sex ed.  Yes for our kindergarten students.
The class had anatomically correct dolls.  A girl and a boy and a man and a woman. Literally anatomically correct. Anus, penis, vagina, breast, pubic hair. As a bonus the teacher could reach into the woman's vagina an pull out a baby with placenta attached.
I did not sit in with france class because I had work to do and I had no idea what it was about.  I walked passed to see if they were done and I saw the teacher holding up a doll with a penis. I had to do a double take. I sat in with my Australia class.  I had to be incredibly mature. I was. The korea co teacher I was in with giggled a bit... I think its because she understood what the kids were saying. Luckily I could not. I was talking to the other teachers and they were saying that it is actually a good way of doing it.  If nobody makes a big deal out of it, then the kids do not think it is a big deal. If you treat the human body just like you treat anything else you learn about, there is less of a "oooh, thats dirty" mentality.

Not much else happened for the rest of the day, which isnt really a bad thing. Canada was pretty crazy, but that is expected on a Friday, and I had to finish up my tests for Greece class.

At night, we headed to see Soundbox in the park. Soundbox is a very ecclectic group of musicians that play pretty cool music. I have heard a lot about them, but never got to experience them. They have about 12 members playing different things, they also have some people that tapdance. In all it is just good ole fun music to listen to. We had dinner at a Korean BBQ joint. Good as always. We went back to the park for drinks, then we went to B2 and dances and then to FF and danced. Far more exercise than I am used to getting. Got some Taco Bell before we headed back to Bobo.

Saturday June 29

Not much of anything happened today. Woke up and started cleaning my room. We are planning on going to a water park next week and Rob and I did not have swim trunks. So we and Sarah decided to go to the department store to buy some trunks. I got a pair, they fit in the waist, but the legs are a bit skinny. Oh well... thats what I get for being big.

We had cold noodles for lunch.

Headed back to Bobo, and we played 2 games of settlers (one with complicated rules that made the game boring). Then Eva and one of Robs friends came over and we played Apples to Apples and some poker. Just a simple Saturday.

Sunday June 30th

I left bobo to go pick up a Pikachu costume someone was selling. It turns out the person selling it was Paul. Paul used to live in Bobo and work at Mokdong ECC. He knows Ama and Rob.  Paul bought it off of a guy named Chris that bought it when he worked at Mokdong ECC. Complete coincidence... but maybe the costume is meant to stay at ECC.

I walked toward home and I walked over Mapo Bridge. No big deal... except it is. Here is a video about Mapo bridge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYMWPSKpRpE I did it during the day. It was so amazing and powerful. I had no idea what most of this was saying... but still. It was a genius thing to do. Just walking across the brigde opens your eyes. Just seeing the signs reminds me of how desperate some people are. I really want to go see it at night.

I know sometimes we can all be jaded... but this... it gives me so much faith in humanity.

As I was walking along the bridge I found a note with a phone number and a time on it. I snapped a picture of it and sent it to one of my Korean friends. I just wanted to make make sure it was not a persons cry for help. It wasn't. Walking across it, it is such a strange feeling... or it was for me. So awesome and serene at the same time.

I ten walked through Yeuido park, whent back to Bobo, went back to Yeuido where the little wading pools that we go to. We saw this guy. There is supposed to be a class somewhere on the Han that teaches you how to do this and you get to do it for 20 minutes. So we all want to do this... it would be fun. 

Ama, Rob, Heyjin, and myself all went to see World War Z. It was entertaining. Not the best movie ever, but I enjoyed it.

I came home, did laundry, talked to my parents, and that was the day.

Monday July 1st

Start off the day, not 15 minutes in the start of it and Sharon cries. No tantrum. We were cutting stuff out in class. She says she is done (the second one done to be exact). After everyone finishes, I take away all of the scissors. She I guess decided she was not done (aka, cutting the paper smaller and smaller). So it was a crying offense. I did not coddle her, I still took the scissors away. Then I told her to pick up all of the trash she just made. I brought the trash can over to her so she could pick it up. When I did that, the crying stopped then she just had sniffles.

Julie was not feeling well. Since she got to school she was holding her stomach and moaning. She was doing this all class. I took her to to Christine, then desk teacher. Then I took her to desk teacher again. Julie, to what I understood, said the desk teacher called her mom, so I was taking her to desk teacher to find out and hopefully lay her down. I guess desk teacher did not call her mom, but did when I took her a second time. Mom calls later and said Julie was not acting sick at home... You can tell when a kid is faking it... she did not seem to be for me. She normally laughs, is talkative, eats her snack and asks for more. She had her head down groaning the whole time. So I didnt get in trouble per se, but I was asked why I took her to desk teacher and asked about calling mom. So if I do nothing I get in trouble, if I do too much I get in trouble.... Maybe ECC should get a school nurse that can decided what to do instead of a teacher (me) or desk teacher (a receptionist). 

I did not have lunch with Australia class. I have one month of no lunch with students. It was glamorous. I got to relax, eat at a normal pace, and not be interrupted. 

My afternoon Canada class is not my afternoon Denmark class. They moved the kids closer to the teachers room because the kids always get in trouble when there is no teacher present. Its okay, but Denmark class is a lot smaller than Canada class. So everyone is in there a little bit tighter. I also have on MWF a break between Kindy and 1st grade. On TR I go straight from Kindy to 1st. I actually dont mind it. It is a change and will keep things interesting. I like interesting.

I need to work on my afternoon Greece class. I need to find a way to get through to them. I just the the book is not put together well and the way we split up the book is so difficult. to teach.

I came home and ate a big bowl of cereal and then took a nap. Sarah wanted everyone to get together tonight. She sent a message asking what everyone's plans were... but most of us did not want to (Rob was the only one partially interested). She then tried the guilt trip. "I guess I am the only one that wants to be social. sorry" I just responded "I was social Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday". I work with great people, but sometimes sitting in you apartment naked watching a movie is just more appealing than hanging out with the same people I see every day during work and most of the time after work and the weekends. I think most people feel that way. We all need 'me' time. 

So that was all of today, now I am going to continue with my plans of sitting naked and watching a movie.