aybesees

I'm working with 3 students who are learning the alphabet. My co-teacher has a good packet of ABC learning worksheets, but I feel it's monotonous work for them to continuously write letters again and again. Soooooooo, I'm determined to pull out some strategies based on the principles and methods I learned in grad school (FINALLY). I seriously slacked last semester. My co-teacher is using some new strategies, and I've got ample opportunities to expand them into solid practices.  With the alphabet, I found an activity called playdough mats; essentially an outlined letter that you shape playdough in instead of just tracing. It's got the spatial, kinesthetic, and visual going on, and potentially engaging. I'm making my own so I can choose associating pictures myself, and also color it so there is color rather than just black and white. Writing letters in shaving cream could be good too, if my co-teacher gives the okay. Also, wiki sticks, the wax coated string- I've seen them somewhere in this country.

Yeah. It totally snowed here last night.

blooms yet?

I've been in denial that winter hasn't quiet passed since the spring weather teaser a couple weeks ago. Since, I have refused to wear my winter coat; it just feels wrong, all big and shoulder paddy. I got my class schedule Monday. The first two days are packed with 5 and 6 classes, and then the week cools off with 3 classes a day and possibly teacher training. This schedule will support more productive days since the classes are spread out instead of being packed in one long block.


One of the high schoolers learned a new phrase, "come here!" Awesome. 

food post

Today's lunch: pasta sauteed with zucchini, garlic, and butter.
I'm going to attempt galbi jjim again. Here's hoping for tastier results!

TGIF!

At 4 yesterday I was told to go to the school "dining room." And this is where beer, makali (Korean rice wine), and soju (what Anthony Bourdain calls Korean whisky) was being set up. For snacks, dried squid, kimchi, and head cheese. Head cheese.


...head. cheese. 


The fact that the cafeteria staff was setting up for the boarded students' dinner and airing out the hall of the alcohol stench just reinforced the weirdness of this scenario: teachers getting trashed at school, only to leave just in time for their little pupils to come in for supper. I mean, their innocence must be preserved! Though that's probably long gone anyway.


head cheese... ugh.

i-tesol

This is the lecturer for one of my TESOL courses

Looks a lot like...

and 800,000W later...

I just agreed to buy someone's Canon 30D camera for the above price. Also a slew of extra things, comparing it all to Amazon it's a reasonable asking price. It's also, I believe the only way I could ever own(read: afford) a DSLR camera. Now, I just need to make sure that I don't neglect my little point and shoot, which that little beast takes some fantastic shots itself.

proof!

bigwavecurls

I'm currently sitting in a salon, plugged in to a mass of wires, head hot and heavy from the mess rolled into my hair, and paranoid that my forehead is burning, but it seems to have cooled down. That or my nerves are dead. Hopinghopinghoping that this body wave perm will come out well. The stylist knows enough english to communicate some with me, and I brought translated notes (thanks endic.naver!) with pictures to further convey what I wanted. In order to keep my length I had to agree to a "clinical treatment." That length is hair that's been through 2 bleachings and 2 colorings to cover up those bleachings... I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when he mentioned extensive damage considering...

Yeah, so while I'm plugged in a weighed down, I get to use a computer, but I think I may be about done so ciao!(?)

False. There are lockers here where the staff puts your stuff, which is awesome because now I don't have to lug my crap around after me!

My experience with this perm and chemical treatment thing? When all the creams were in, I was wrapped up like leftovers and put under a moving heater that played a lullaby. The girl came at me with a roll of plastic wrap. Like a hot baby mobile. So so hungry. (I dashed over here right after work, and it's 3 hours later btw). I could eat the world... and I think I will try to when I get out of here.

Done! (4 hours in the salon)

점심 matters and some 사랑 (love) for Korea

It just dawned on me that I really do kind of hate the food at school. The soup is usually some form of fish water or seaweed water. Today was particularly awful to me, it looked like algae water. Water from an old pool, but it smelled like dead fish. Or sometimes the soup looks good, until the ladle brings up a tentacle from the murky depths of the pot... And vegetable matter. (Today's was yummy though, fried lotus root. mmm, fried things.) Oh, the many kinds of fermented plants. No wonder Koreans brush their teeth after every meal! :)


On the other hand, Korea also has numerous tasty things that are far more foreign-palate friendly/ picky eater friendly, as I am. 


Like Sunday, eating the usual post late night weekend recovery lunch at Mandoo (만두), I ordered a new dish. It was described as a noodle soup with pork dumplings, and it looked delicious when it came. And I just about freaked out when I stirred up a shellfish. Sadly, seafood and I just don't get a long... it's a torment/hate thing.


Yesterday, a teacher came up to me and said something in Korean. I caught the word for "face" somewhere in his talking, but I had no idea in what context he was talking about my face. Then he stopped talking and just looked at me. Cue in awkward laugh, smile, and subtle gesture that this conversation has miserably failed and we both know it. Nope, still just looking. Nice man, though. 


Okay, here's some things I love about Korea since I've been complaining a lot. 
1. Public transportation. At least, once you figure out the bus schedule a bit. You have to be willing to spend a lot of time in transit though, or else never leave home. But you could really survive here without ever owning a car!
2. The food overall. It's generally much healthier, less salty, usually less processed, and cheaper in restaurants. Breaking into some Korean recipes has revealed the secrets to some sauces, and ingredients really aren't so bad!  Now if I could only get something to taste Korean...

3. The money. It's colorful. I saw some American bills the other day, and man they're ugly!
4. Phone charms. So. Cute.
5. Tax free shopping and restaurant bills/ no need to tip. I'm spoiled. 
6. The flat metal chopsticks. 
7. Stationary stores
8. The fashion
9. Sensory overload parts of town
10. Cheap entertainment
11. Cost of living. So low. It's robbery in America.
12. The occasional friendly bus driver who says hello or welcome
13. The weirdness of it all that keeps life here amusing.


I'm rounding up the courage to get a body wave perm today. Hair salons are also about half the price or less to get things done here. Woman's hair cut? About $15. For a styled cut, with some extra perks thrown in that I've heard about like tea, snacks, and/or massages. 

gogogo!

1st day of the 2010 Korean school year! 
I have no idea what my class schedule is. 
I am indeed signed up for Korean class, they start on March 16, EXCITED. 

Korean stationary stores are my new favorite place to dump money. There is a 4 story shop in Old Downtown, a row dedicated to different pens of all colors and sizes. !! 0.5 size seems to be the most common line size for ink (LOVE IT), but there are pens as skinny as 0.28, it's crazy! The smaller ones don't write as well, though. I have a hoard of colored pens, a new pencil case (a must have here), and a stupid-cute notebook. I've also amassed a sizable collection of stationary. Stupid-cute letter paper like happy donut time or angel hamsters... I have letters half written to people at home, I just need to get them sent... 


Korean quirk: old people and their sense of entitlement to everything. Korean old ladies are obnoxious, and they make me want to be rude to them. It makes me appreciate American old people because they're more humble, and they encourage me to go out of my way to be polite. They're also gracious. Once in a while you get an old person here who is shocked, or at least pretends to be surprised that you're giving up your seat on the bus. Once in a while I see an old person kick a kid out of their seat. Old ladies push their ways to the front of lines everywhere. Seriously, everywhere. They're shameless. Then, you get the occasional broad who goes out of their way to bump into younger people, or foreigners. Like yesterday, for example. Leaving the stationary store, I get run into pretty hard by this hag. She squawked when my 6 foot tall white man friend did the same to her, stopped and looked at us with this expression of "how could you possibly bump into an old lady?" I mean... seriously? The kids here always seem shocked and insulted when they're bumped, I wonder if they'll grow into the kind of people who will do the same or if possibly this behavior will die out. 

And possibly a downside to being the foreigner and bottom rung: I just had to trade chairs with a Korean teacher. The reason why, I'm assuming is because of the squeaking wheels. So while this one is more comfortable to me, I will squeak whenever I move. F. haha. Does this all sound bitter? Not supposed to; take it with a sigh and an "Oh, Korea." Though lately, I've been saying that a lot. It makes me wonder sometimes if I really could do another year here without completely resenting the country by the end, or if I could even survive a second year and not become miserable. In a lot of ways it isn't much different than home, but at the same time it's nothing like it. Some things are just uniquely Korean. 

The new fashion for spring is old woman floral patterns on 90's style dresses. I need to keep reminding myself that they're either indeed straight from the 90's, or too hippie-renaissance wannabe to wear and not regret it later. stayawaystayawaystayaway. And those boots. those nasty immigrant looking boots, flat versions, heeled versions... it's all hipster, and emo, and everywhere. Korean women don't seem to have an in between fashion style that fits in the middle of jeans, hoodies, and Converses, and the high fashion look- decked out in skirts, tights, fancy shirt, or dress, topped- or bottomed in this case, with heels. It seems that the middle school ages where the jeans and chucks, anyone older needs to be in heels. Wearing jeans out in public is almost like the equivalent to sweatpants at home. Simple and classic is boring here, it's all about being flamboyant, super trendy, and SHINY!! The shininess of it all! That part is kind of awesome.