a bathing ape

(one of the most recent shirts i've seen, and easily one of my favorites).

let's talk about school.

it's actually getting better.

since the last time i posted a number of weeks ago, the conditions have ameliorated.

or, possibly, we've become numb to them.

now that i think about it, it's probably a combination of both.

for example, this past week, on wednesday, we went to seoul forest for a picnic and then to coex aquarium.

seoul forest didn't work out so well.

it was a rainy day, so we just had our kimbap picnic on the bus.

then, off to coex.

since that day was also elementary class test day, some teachers went back to the school and some stayed.

since my boss loves me, i got to stay.

and was in charge of 18 kids amongst thousands of people in this aquarium.

stressing. but less than a normal day of class.

more physically tiring, but worth it, i'd say.

field trip days are much appreciated by students and teachers alike.

that diversity of the daily routine is vital for sanity.

next time, the first trip of the year to nature school.

also, next month holds 2 hoildays.

may should be an alright month.

let's talk about life

big ups to my crew that came out to suwon for the bluewings loss.

my first k-league game.

more will be seen for sure.

also, apologies for my night being cut short.

i don't know what happened.

well, i mean i know what happened, i just don't know how.

i'll bring my A-game next time.

even bigger ups to my dad.

i said it once but i'll say it again:

thanks, pops, for the care package.

as for the rest of you, feel free to send me anything anytime.

all packages are much appreciated.

contact me for an address.

no, seriously.

send me something.

stat.

let's talk about weather

the weather this spring is all kinds of cool.

it's like in the 50s and low 60s.

and it's now may!

i freaking love it.

i guess i'll get my share once summer gets here, but i'm so glad i'm not in alabama and 80s they got going on back there.

but i do miss all my family and friends.

i haven't heard from or talked to some of you for a while, so let this be sound word that everything is great over here.

hope all is well with you wherever you are.

lots of love,

jo

i would kill for the atlantic, but i am paid to make kids panic while i teach

(i will refrain from mentioning my school's name just in case somebody in the near future tries to google my school and finds this blog.)

as promised, though slightly tardy in relation to the last post, here is a blog about my school and how that affects my life in korea.

my. school. sucks.

with the start of the new semester, my school has started sucking super hard.

a lot of that has to do with a lot of new kids.

it's hard to control kids who don't know english when you don't know their native language.

who'd've thunk it?

but the kids are getting better.

the workload?

that's not getting better.

as i told kristen teacher not too long ago, recently i've been getting that loverboy song stuck in my head:

"everybody's workin' for the weekend," because i feel as if i am.

at this point, it's also not getting any worse, but it took a sharp turn for the worse just a couple weeks ago.

it all happened when our boss told all of us (the foreign teachers) we have to detail a subject-specific lesson plan, to be updated every week.

i'm talking like we have to write down pretty much everything we're going to say.

and the foreign teachers have to do this every week, right?

the korean teachers? everyday, son.

my first 6 months at my school were totally chill.

pretty much the only work we did was teaching.

we did very little lesson planning.

i could look forward to getting out of the classroom and mindlessly staring at my desk in the office.

nowadays, it's the other way around: i would rather deal with those little punks then sit in the office and be asked or expected to do something.

the lesson planning debacle is the biggest problem.

also, our boss is on a serious power-trip, much as former teacher kim hypothesized.

this probably spurned the lesson plans.

we're made to look busy like all the time.

the other day, she told us to clean up after ourselves after lunch.

seriously? SERIOUSLY?!

(btw, we do it everyday, since the day we arrived.)

this blog is fortunately slightly deflated because of a serious bitchfest/vent-a-thon with former teacher kim and others with the samgyupsal, the hofs, and the noraebang.

there's no telling how much i would rant and rave if that night didn't happen.

so, thanks. a lot. to kim and friends.

needless to say, i've been compelled to commence counting my days left at my school.

my last day will be so sweet for a number of reasons:

i'll get the hell out of my school;

it is also my buddy brandon's last day in korea so there will be some serious emotion near that final day;

my sister will already be here or arriving soon;

i'll more than likely be moving to seoul (though i might like suwon more);

i'll get my 13th payment, thus placing within reach of bring over my parents for christmas.

here's to hoping we get a lot of field trips/birthday parties/non-class days/etc. between now and august 31st.

countdown: T minus 88 work days.

lots of love,

jo