TEACHING. IS A BIG WORD.

Fact: teaching takes a lot of time and energy, especially when the vice principal asks you to create plan and hand the students a booklet every month. so. That is what I have been doing.

Things I have learned at school: Korean high school girls are cute, but they can also be obnoxious. Always have tissues because you never know when the bathrooms (squat toilets!) will have no TP. Bow to everyone. Smile at everyone. Don't be embarrassed when your students treat you like a celebrity, or if they say "Hi teacher!" and immediately run away or start laughing. Don't be afraid to ask for things. Don't hide alone in the hot English Lounge, even if the computer in there actually works and the one in the teacher's room doesn't.

I can't really think of anything else. A lot has happened this week, I feel, especially in terms of me settling into this routine that is my job in Korea. By the way, routine is a word most Korean high school girls do not know. But now (hopefully) they do!

aigooo, I am so tired. Last night, i met a violin teacher in Daegu, which is I think the 3rd largest city in Korea. About an hour away. So first, we left about 45 minutes later than planned and arrived at his apartment an hour late. When we got there, we sat for a few minutes and talked to the violin professor, Professor Yu, who teaches students at Andong University. Then he took me into his music room, which made me feel right at home. It was funny how his apartment was just so Korean (I can't really explain exactly how) and then the cluttered music room with the 25-year old fan and wooden music stand made me feel like I was back in my violin teacher's house. Or at home. Musicians. Anyway, we played for about and hour and a half, then talked for another hour, and by then it was 10pm. My host parents were still determined to visit their friend from the US, a Korean woman who is currently studying in Daegu, and of course before doing that, they had to buy her a toaster. So we went to E-mart (it was good to go back, there is no Emart in Gyeongju) and bought her a toaster and some breakfast foods. Also, i took advantage of being there and picked up a pink yoga mat with my gift certificate (thank you, linguistics study!). Soon! I will start exercising more! Yay! Then we drove all the way across Daegu, which took about 45 minutes, and by the time we got on our way back home it was close to midnight. We got back at 1am. And i woke up at 6:30 to go teach. I don't do well on this lack of sleep! Today was hard. But it's okay. Totally worth it. I will start practicing more and have an excuse to go to Daegu, which seems like a pretty cool city.

This past Tuesday night I had dinner with all the English teachers at my school, the principal and vice principal. It was fun! I ate well, as usual :). My co-teachers are so nice! They really take care of me and are so sweet.

Soon I want to take pictures of the school and post them. I have my own classroom, actually my own building, the English Lounge, which is pretty cool but also a big responsibility. There's been some scrutiny of my lessons and teaching already, and now I have to plan ahead for every month. Oh well, I guess that's something I should be doing anyway. I think the first graders (10th graders) that I have are a little shy about their English. The second graders (juniors in high school) are more willing to talk to me and enthusiastic about class. Hopefully I'll be able to reach the first graders, and continue connecting with the seconds! They're very funny kids. One wrote to me today: "I want to trip on Italia!" and another "My face have many pimple." The first day, when I was all dressed up they said "Emily teacher you are so pretty. I think you have boyfriend." or "You have Korean star face." "You look happy and Korean." Cute. So cute.

Anyway, time to make up for lost sleep this weekend! But also to plan my semester....wheeee....

Will put up more pictures soon, I promise. Sorry this teaching update took so long!