A Weekly Update

Well, it's been a few days.

It continues to be up and down a bit.  More of the same: generally I like Korea, but I'm still struggling with my school situation.  I don't want to complain too much.  I'm sure there are other people out there with much worse schools.  I guess I just expected teaching to be more fun than it actually is.  I didn't realize what a good student I apparently was.  I loved learning stuff.  Apparently, other students did not/do not have as much intrinsic motivation as I did.  They definitely know the English word for "candy" though.  We've started an "English dollar" reward system.   Friday,  we had dollar market, which the kids go nuts for.  So maybe positive rewards will improve class behavior.  Also thinking of a new group discipline system.  I have had a lot of advice about it.  The problem is that I'm the forgiving, pushover type and I make a really shitty disciplinarian.  So I really do need to drag one to the principal and show them I'm serious, I just hate to single one of them out.  Soon...

I'm getting a few things sorted out in the rest of my life.  I finally have a table and chair in my apartment.  I also got a bank account.  Now all I need is a phone.  I feel a bit stressed asking for anything, because I feel like my school is going to think I'm too demanding.  I haven't asked for much, just the super basic stuff that's in my contract, and even that not forcefully or completely. I still feel uncomfortable though, especially when they ask things like, "Why do you need a table?" Why do you think?  I know sitting on the floor is much more common here, but my American joints are not comfortable with that.  I always hate asking for anything, and the fact that I'm sort of helpless here makes it really difficult.

Yesterday we (I and some new ex-pat friends) went to the squid festival.  I gotta say, festivals are probably more fun when you understand more of what's going on, but it was still pretty neat.  Some Korean grandmas were enjoying the festival by drinking soju and singing.  Their business-men looking husbands invited us up for some soju, which was kind of funny. The fish market was really cool (although I felt bad for the various sea creatures awaiting their doom).  I caught a fish in a pool.  Maybe I'm eligible to be on Hillbilly Handfishing now!  Then we climbed quite a lot of steps to get to a lighthouse with a heck of a view.  Then we went to this sweet little cafe owned by a German guy and his Korean wife, who have apparently biked all the way to Europe.  Sorry I'm crap at taking pictures!  I need to get a new camera. 

Well, I'm nursing my first little Korean cold, so that's all I'm writing for today.  I leave you with some pictures:  a random, tasty drink from the convenience store that I bought so I could know what eating beauty tastes like, and a random photo spot up on the mountain yesterday.