10 Things I Know on a Tuesday Night

1. We're coming close to the 200 posts mark. Measly, for the 4 years I've been writing at this address. Awesome, because it's a MILESTONE, GODDAMIT.

2. We started class today, with our own classes and everything. Yesterday (Monday) turned out to be the end of the summer intensive, so the three new teachers at our school were in charge of covering the class of a guy whose contract was over. Nice to meet students, totally lame to be in class with 3 groups at the end of the semester, after they've had snack parties to celebrate the end of the semester, trying to play 'games' with them to reinforce school rules. Today was much, much better. Real lesson plans, books, new classes, fresh semester.

I taught a group of kids who are basically between kindergarten and 1st grade level at our school about 's' and 'm,' at the beginning, middle, and ends of words. I discusses families, the calendar, and the words 'meet,' 'pleased,' 'hobby,' 'interest,' 'where,' and 'too' with some 1st grade level kids. All of these kids know more English, and more about everything, than I would ever have guessed. Including the kids who don't want to raise their hands and answer questions. I've already figured out the kids that I'll need work on sitting in their chair (no, not the chair next to you, no, not the desk, YOUR chair), and the ones who don't want to offer up answers, even though they know it exactly. Hopefully I can find some way to get them to sit down/engage them.

Um, also, we played a lot of hangman. Because one of our books for the classroom wasn't delivered today. And hangman is AWESOME.

Tomorrow I teach those two classes again, and add my other class, a 2nd grade level class. The 2st graders were so freaking smart (and rowdy), I can't even begin to guess what will happen with these guys tomorrow. I've heard that one of them always vetoes game time in favor of studying; I've read a couple of her essays, she's clearly amazing. So, tomorrow will be yet a new adventure.

3. I still haven't figured out my zip code. I'm sure you're all dying to send me mail, right?

4. Soju (liquor cheaper than water, good for toasts and numbing your mouth after totally, riotously, righteously spicy food) is also good to pour on bug bites to get them to stop itching. At least until I get to the pharmacy and properly articulate 'mogi' in order to get some sort of tincture.

5. There was an adorable, new, cute little boy who was a. doing the robot or b. being a dinosaur when he was not sitting in his chair today. I only managed to ask him to sit down once, because whatever he was doing when he was standing was so fascinating. Don't get trapped by the cute, dude, just don't do it.

6. I went out to get a drink on break and one little girl gave me a hug for 2 minutes while another held my hand. All while I still got a drink from the cooler. And I had three kids give me a hug who weren't in my class (who I met yesterday), and another 7 say hello to me by name in the hall. These kids are AWESOME. And know how to write and spell. Even if some of them refuse to do it. I hope I can hold up my end of the deal and help them learn more and do good tests and stuff. Yeah.

7. I got a huge bed, but now I really need a mattress topper of some sort. That thing is as hard as my mom's bed, which defies some kind of physics in being harder than the floor.

8. I'm not jet lagged anymore, I don't think, but my sleep schedule is not what it ought to be, that's for sure.

9. I had an adventure on Sunday that included a market, a mountain, makkoli, and a mineral spring. Pictures to follow when it's not so late.

10. Any suggestions for cool/informational stuff I can hang up in my classroom that at different times will house kids from post-kinder to 2nd grade? I'm a little freaked out by how many grammar posters are up right now - that's great teaching, but I don't know if I know what all of it means, which seems shady. Taking suggestions. Alright.

11. How do I get Google to stop being in Korean? Like, completely? Not good enough at hangul for this yet; I'm hopeful that someday...

It's 1 AM in South Korea. I'd probably better go to bed.