Two days into the four day weekend and it has been fabulous. On Saturday, Ashley and I met for Butterfinger Pancakes (BFP from here on out) and it was freaking fantastic. I had never been, but Loren and Ashley had been raving about it forever so it was nice to have my first BFP experience. We had to wait about 20 minutes before we were seating, but it allowed ample time to look over the array of food on offer. For starters, it is hard to find Western-style breakfast in Korea because most Koreans eat the same thing for breakfast (kimchi and rice) as they do for every other meal. The menu consisted of everything one would want/need for breakfast. All sorts of pancakes, including ginger, pumpkin, pecan pancakes and mozzarella and cream cheese pancakes. I settled for blueberry pancakes and a side of crispy hash browns. We also ended up ordering a desert pancake. Chocolate pancakes with one scoop each of vanilla ice cream and cookies and cream ice cream. The whole thing was drizzled with chocolate sauce. All in all, my first BFP experience was amazing and I will be returning. Later in the day we walked around Itaewon and then watched Burn After Reading.
Today, Ashley and I met at On the Border for lunch and were planning on seeing The Changeling, but we ended up seeing Valkyrie, which was great. I'm not a huge Tom Cruise fan and didn't really like him in this movie, but I liked the movie. I'm a sucker for World War II movies. Anyway, after the mvie it was desert time and TGI Friday's has a great brownie sundae which we split and had a cocktail. We ended the evening in Gangnam at the Rainbow Hookah Bar. This place was amazing. It's in a basement and the atmosphere was really chill. The place was straight for the 60's and had tapestry cloths and scarves hung on the wall. Ashley and I decided on cinnamon flavored hookah. We also had a few drinks and just relaxed in the amazing atmosphere. I wish I could write more about it, but I'll have to go back and take it all in again. It was just such a great day and I'm so glad that I have 2 more days for my weekend!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Grah.
To add to my frustrations: I have to move out of my apartment on the 31st of January. The good news is that I'm only moving up 5 floors and over slightly. Not a big move by any means, but not one I'm entirely thrilled about. The part that pisses me off is the manner in which I was told. My director came to me on Tuesday to tell me that he was going over to my apartment at that very moment. Keep in mind I was in the process of doing laundry and that I REALLY need to clean my place. I was incredibly upset and reasonably so. Anyway, whatever. I'm moving on the 31st. I have to pack up everything, including all the stuff that was here when I moved in . Have I started? No. And I don't intend to until next week. On Saturday Loren, Ashley, Mike and I are going to Incheon to make some pottery. It should be pretty nice and a much needed stress relief. After intensive is over, I'm getting a massage.
As much as I have recently been complaining about my school, I know I could be in a much worse situation and I don't want to make my school seem horrible. In spite of all the trouble, I actually enjoy my job. It could be better, sure, but who has a job that is absolutely perfect. As far as jobs go, this one is pretty good. I'm even thinking about staying past July. I mean, I won't have to move again.
As much as I have recently been complaining about my school, I know I could be in a much worse situation and I don't want to make my school seem horrible. In spite of all the trouble, I actually enjoy my job. It could be better, sure, but who has a job that is absolutely perfect. As far as jobs go, this one is pretty good. I'm even thinking about staying past July. I mean, I won't have to move again.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Stressful Week
This week has been incredibly stressful. We started intensive which means we have to teach about 10 more classes a week while still making the same amount of money. I know I signed on for this when I signed a contract, but it really makes for a demanding, unrewarding time. The classes I was assigned are not so bad. In fact, I am teaching a novel class that I throughly enjoy. I get to read 3 novels and teach them over 7 class periods (the students have to read them too, obviously). We have read a story on Eleanor Roosevelt and will be reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, one of my favorite books. So some good has come of intensive. However, I am also tutoring my director's daughter and NOT being paid for it. It is kind of ridiculous, I mean this girl just talks to me to practice her speaking, but still I should be playing with kindergarteners.
I have reached a point (6 months in Korea!) where I am finding things that frustrate me about Korea or about my job. Mainly my job. For example, we get paid on the 10th of every month, but this month the 10th falls on a Saturday. One would think that we would be paid on the 9th not only because it makes sense, but because it's the nice thing to do. If the 10th were a Sunday, I could totally see why we wouldn't be paid until Monday. However, I don't get paid until the 12th now, which normally wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm broke. I got money for Christmas but I paid some bills and started taking a TEFL course. In retrospect, I could have waited to take the course and to pay my bills, so yes, I got myself into this situation. Now I'll be paid Monday, hopefully by lunch time so that I can go to the bank and transfer my money home. Otherwise I won't be able to transfer it until Tuesday at lunch which would have me on pins and needles as I have a student loan payment due the 14th. I always do this, miscalculate and end up stressing myself out. So maybe, this isn't a problem with my school, but rather a problem with myself. I suppose I could just erase my entire entry. Anyway, I'm also frustrated with the lack of communication between teachers and our principal/director. The other day I came into my classroom and there was a new teacher sitting at my desk. Not a problem if I'm told beforehand. It threw me off and I felt like I was stepping on HER toes in MY classroom. This isn't the first time that things haven't been communicated to us though and apparently I'm going to tutor another student, but I haven't been told about it except for in passing and in an "we already talked about this" kind of way. I have no problems tutoring people, but I need to know about it BEFORE it happens.
On another note...
One of my students yesterday told me that his father had died the night before. He told me he wasn't sad because he wasn't supposed to be sad.
I have reached a point (6 months in Korea!) where I am finding things that frustrate me about Korea or about my job. Mainly my job. For example, we get paid on the 10th of every month, but this month the 10th falls on a Saturday. One would think that we would be paid on the 9th not only because it makes sense, but because it's the nice thing to do. If the 10th were a Sunday, I could totally see why we wouldn't be paid until Monday. However, I don't get paid until the 12th now, which normally wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm broke. I got money for Christmas but I paid some bills and started taking a TEFL course. In retrospect, I could have waited to take the course and to pay my bills, so yes, I got myself into this situation. Now I'll be paid Monday, hopefully by lunch time so that I can go to the bank and transfer my money home. Otherwise I won't be able to transfer it until Tuesday at lunch which would have me on pins and needles as I have a student loan payment due the 14th. I always do this, miscalculate and end up stressing myself out. So maybe, this isn't a problem with my school, but rather a problem with myself. I suppose I could just erase my entire entry. Anyway, I'm also frustrated with the lack of communication between teachers and our principal/director. The other day I came into my classroom and there was a new teacher sitting at my desk. Not a problem if I'm told beforehand. It threw me off and I felt like I was stepping on HER toes in MY classroom. This isn't the first time that things haven't been communicated to us though and apparently I'm going to tutor another student, but I haven't been told about it except for in passing and in an "we already talked about this" kind of way. I have no problems tutoring people, but I need to know about it BEFORE it happens.
On another note...
One of my students yesterday told me that his father had died the night before. He told me he wasn't sad because he wasn't supposed to be sad.
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