Flexibility on the Fly

This week was interesting. I was told that we were not writing Homeletters for our students we were doing Progress Reports. Did they have a date when they were due? Not really, since conferences hadn't been decided yet. When I asked my ESL 1 co-teacher about what she needed from me she told me 2 Homeletters, Overview and the Schedule. That would be fine and dandy if we were supposed to write Homeletters for afternoon class (they are only for morning kids). This system is as convoluted as the idea that memorization is learning. Oh wait, that is their education system.

Anyway, it was a bit of a stressful week at school and to top it off I started to get sick. I had a headache and sinus issues from about Weds to Saturday. I wore my glasses to school for the first time on Thursday and you would have thought I had two heads with the way my kids were looking at me. And of course, because I apparently looked like crap Korean teacher after Korean teacher asked me if I was sick. I politely replied "Just a little". Nothing serious, I just wanted the weekend to be here.

There was a building here when I left for school on Friday.
 When I came back this is what I found. 

During my first time being sick a lovely construction crew decided it was time to knock down the building across from my apartment. Did you know that here in Korea they start work at 6:30am? Me either. So starting Weds I was woken up with pounding and demolition at 6:30am. Did you also know that construction crews do not take off the weekend? They start at 7am, so hey at least I got to sleep in a little, right?

This was what I woke up to
on Saturday.

So amazing. 

This was the week of delicious food.  I made Macaroni and Cheese from scratch. I know! Holy cow! It turned out so good. All I used, since I didn't have many groceries, was milk, butter, cheddar cheese and noodles. I swear it was like Noodles & Company sent me the Mac&Cheese from the kitchen. So amazing. Now I must say, it does not compare to Kraft, because really, what Mac and Cheese could compare to nuclear colored cheese.

Gun Mandu! So yummy

I was also introduced to "gun-mandu" this week. It means fried dumpling, I believe. It was amazing. The only downside to finding this delicious food is that it is fried (which is okay for the moment since I am missing the state fair and I wanted fried food) and it is convenient. It is not far from school and my apartment  which could be bad.

The last thing that I thought was just hilarious was being confronted on Friday about my feet. Now the rules in Korea are that you need to keep your toes covered, at least when you are at school. So everyday (in the hot and humid summer) I have to wear socks and closed toed shoes at school. Normally I wouldn't complain about this (in fall and winter) but it's summer. It's hot and my feet sweat. It's required that I wear socks and closed toed shoes, fine. Here is the best part. Apparently, my feet stink (who knew) and the children can smell them. My Korean co-teacher asked me on Friday if I changed my socks everyday. Yes, I do, is that seriously a question? We went back and forth and she finally said that the children thought something smelled. I was a little bit shocked, but I know confrontation isn't easy for Sue. Sue said she wasn't trying to make me uncomfortable or angry and I said I was neither. There just isn't anything I can do about it. At home, in the summer, I walk around barefoot or wear flip flops and sandals everywhere. My feet sweat, and then they stink. If I have to wear socks and shoes in the summer that's what happens. There is nothing I can do. I think she was a little taken aback by my lack of caring. Oh well, it's not like I am going to get Botox in my feet to make the crazy Koreans happy.



Another eventful week under my belt. I have been here more than a month now and with all the connections I have made I feel like I have been here longer. These ladies have definitely become a little bit of a family here. Strange.