"ARAZUE TEACHER PRINCESS"

Welp, I'm teaching a kindergarten now and never in my life have I seen so many children pick their nose and try to eat their boogers. When I call them out on it, they hide under the desk and tell me they're looking for their eraser, or they put their other hand in front of their nose as if their hand not in the nose makes them invisible. 

I'm working at a private kindergarten school in the Mokdong area, which is a pretty well off neighborhood and the area that it's in is super residential and super cute with children and families walking around everywhere. 

The kindergarten kids I have are so much smarter than some of my oldest elementary school and middle school kids I had back in Inje. I found it a little difficult at first to teach them. I was used to teaching older kids, so when they did something wrong, I would talk with them and sometimes scold. However when a five year old with higher English skills did something stupid, I forgot that these kids are still essentially toddlers. But these kids are seriously the bee's knees. One of my favorites, Maisy is the only girl in my Pink class who likes to yell "You're a princess!" during class, which is amazing, and sometimes she'll refer to me as "Arazue Teacher Princess" which I love. In my other kindy class, Purple class, I have Kevin. Who is amazing and he looks like a chubbier Russell from the movie, 'Up'. Pictures to be posted soon... as soon as BLOGSPOT decides to let me post more. 

Despite the cuteness of all the kindergarten kids, these kids are nasty and germy (as are all kids) but man I was not used to this, or ready for this. They forget to wash their hands, may or may not poop or pee their pants, and my GAWD they love to pick their nose. Several times I have had to blow kids noses for them (AKA hold the tissue to their snotty nose as they blow) which I never EVER saw myself doing. Today I had a kid with a runny/bloody nose. Oh the HORROR.

So all's good in the land of kimchi, kpop and amazing socks. 

and P.S. do NOT listen to anything happening about North Korea. They are cray cray and anyone who believe they are actually going to do anything is equally cray cray and gullible. The media in North America is hyping everything up, per usual.

Cooking Day: Sandwich Rolls

Another Cooking Day at the Inje English Village, and today's recipe? Sandwich Rolls! As mentioned before, the Western cooking recipes we use are slightly adapted to Korean tastes, and what ingredients Korea has to offer.

The original recipe. Luckily, we modified it.

John is unsure of the Sandwich Rolls

I don't know where the first recipe we had came from. It called for a sauce made with mayonnaise and strawberry jam, and for us to spread butter on the bread before spreading the mayo-jam concoction. Thankfully we decided not to use butter, or the mayonnaise/strawberry jam sauce. We changed the sandwich toppings and used ham, cheese, crab, sliced apples. We also changed the spread to just strawberry jam.

Jenny and Mille

I had the students flatten the sandwich bread with a rolling pin to make the bread thinner and easier to roll once finished. One of my students called it "paper bread". Then we would spread the strawberry jam on the bread. At this point I would yell "spread the bread!" to my students because it rhymed and I love things that rhyme. No one found this amusing. 

Mona, Lilly, and Rose enjoying their Sandwich Rolls

Next, we placed a slice of ham on the strawberry jam. I couldn't control my rhyming self so I yelled "ham on the jam!". Same response from my students: nothing. At this point I gave up. Which was a good thing, because I couldn't think of anything that rhymed with apple. Anyways, we added sliced apples, cheese, and pieces of crab sticks to the roll. Then we rolled the bread up like a tortilla or kimbap.

The inside of my Sandwich Roll

The Sandwich Roll was interesting. Like the Chicken Tortillas and Cheese Canapes, it was unique with so many different flavors that shouldn't go together, but it wasn't terrible. I wouldn't recommend making it at home for yourself, but if you find yourself teaching a cooking class that's making this, try it!

"What Teachers Make"

Thank you Justin S. for posting this. Shout out to Momma Foroozan who is one of the most amazing mothers, teachers, and women in the world.

"Why won't I let you go to the bathroom? Because you're bored. And you don't really have to go, do you?"

Korean Students Speak

Oh wow. This blog is truly inspiring.

http://koreanstudentsspeak.tumblr.com/

"The Korean education system is notorious for "teaching to the test" and not encouraging creative thinking." The group of Fulbright English Teaching Assistants  who created this blog and this project are promoting the freedom of expression. Students writing about anything from their favorite K-pop star to Kimchi to Dokdo, and some express their frustrations with school and the pressure involved.

 
Amazing blog. Check it out.

Teaching and Life

I've failed at twittering on Twitter, so my daily complaints and egotistical yammerings about life will now be featured on my blog! Yay!

Last Thursday, July 12, 2012, was a crazy day. I don't know why but I had all boys in every single one of classes. In my second class of the day, within the 40-45 minute class time, five of them cried. One cried because boys who were younger than him called him a name, another cried because another boy grabbed his hair and slammed his head against the table repeatedly, another cried because he lost all his pieces in a game called "dak chi" (딱지) and I think the other boys cried because they were sleepy. It was so ridiculous, I almost wanted to cry myself.

딱지. It's like pogs where you flip you opponent's piece with your piece, and if you succeed, you  take it

Continuing this note of ridiculousness, I want to tell the world about the team names some of my students come up with. They are epic. In the past two weeks I've had Team Helicopter Jet, Team Ice Dragon, Team Koopa Song, Team Angel, Team Ace, Team Rocky 3, and Team Angry Bird Rio. They're so creative and silly and weird. I love it.

On a another ridiculous, slightly unrelated note, I am on my ninth day of twelve continuous working days. Which isn't so bad considering my coworkers will have sixteen consecutive days or working. Why do I only have twelve days? Because I'm going to Jisan Valley Rock in 2 days, that's why!

Finishing with a completely unrelated note, and signing off with a rant, three of my favorite bands are going to be in Minneapolis when I'm not there! Insert sad face here. I feel like so many of my favorite bands and DJs have made stops in Minnesota while I've been gone, and whenever I go home, no one will be there. 헐. So for you Minnesotans, if you see Two Door Cinema Club, San Sisco, or The xx (who I just featured on my recent Music Monday) please bring my cardboard cutout and install skype on your phone and skype me throughout the entire concert. Thanks.

Oh well. I'm living in Korea! Insert big obnoxious grinning smiley face here.

IN OTHER NEWS: Congratulations to my brother and his wonderful girlfriend on their engagement!! I normally wouldn't make a news announcement like this on my blog, but they've made it Facebook official, so they cat's already out of the bag.

Yesterday Was A Good Day

Yesterday was a brilliant day. In fact, one of the best days I've had in months.

Here's why:

1. We usually have 5-6 class everyday, but the Tuesday schedule had us only scheduled for four.
2. Less students showed up that day, so technically I only had to teach 3.5 classes.
3. My last class was amazing! And it was a small class (about 6 students, and small classes are my favorite).
4. I taught them when to use "a" and "an" and how to say "these are..." versus "this is..." and they understood it!
5. I had yoga, and the crankiest looking ajumma gave me a towel to wipe my sweat off! Friends!
6. Biking home, I ran into fellow teachers at a coffee shop, and we ate ice cream. Even better? When I went to go buy ice cream, I got 2 free ice cream bars. Woo!
7. Everyone went home early, but my friend Connor and I stayed behind to chat while he finished his beer, and we met a Korean, who was born in Kazakhstan. He was awesome; his English was good, he was funny, he talked about soju and pooping, aaand I thought he was easy on the eyes.

How do I summarize this day in one word? WINNING!

Thanks Charlie, me too.

My Life as a Waygook, Episode 2

I loves gifs, that's no secret, and this blog perfectly describes life in Korea as gifs.
Check it out here: Kikinitinkorea
It might not be as funny to you, as it is to expats in Korea, but I hope you enjoy it.

And to make you all jealous, here is a picture I took while walking home earlier this week, jealous? Yes, this is my life, yes those are my mountains, and yes it's much more beautiful in person.

Taken with instragram

My Life As A Waygook, Episode 1

This is an accurate portrayal of a situation I am sure every English teacher in Korea has found themselves in. Those who have not taught in Korea, you may not find it as funny as the rest of us do. This is also pretty offensive, so to any Koreans who watch this, I apologize.

Those who enjoyed this video, should watch related videos in the same cartoon format to get a better understanding of life as an English teach in Korea.

Also, my boss just told me I have old man shoes. But she said that "it's okay". I'm glad I have her permission to wear my old man shoes.