in Ohori Park, Fukuoka, Japan[taken March 13, 2007]
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
or not...
I've had a busy week. Every night it was something different... and my home is still not arranged, as the closet that my school got for me is about 2cm bigger than the space I told them it had to fit in. So, I have to rearrange my entire room in order for it to fit somewhere; anywhere. The table they got me is also too big. I asked for a little Korean style fold up table, as my home is so small. They got me a normal height table.... with only one chair.
Word itself is good. I am enjoying it, and I love my kids. I think my class is the best in the school (and not just because they are my class).
SO.... TODAY I am flying to Japan. I found that out only YESTERDAY!!!!! I was supposed to go in 2 weeks, but they found out yesterday that because my other school sent in my release forms on February 28th, my VISA actually finished then, instead of the 9th, as my actual VISA says. There is a 2 week grace period after the VISA ends, which would put it at the 14th.
I am going to Fukouka. I'm not exactly sure where it is... somewhere in the south of Japan. The other times I have gone on VISA runs, I've gone to Osaka. I don't know where anything is in Fukouka. I had told them right from the beginning that I wanted to go on a weekend so that I could actually do something there, or see something while I am there, rather than just going and getting the VISA. I hate going to a country and not seeing anything while there. It seems like a waste (I did that the last 2 times, as I had no money then).
AND... they booked my tickets yesterday afternoon and only booked my hotel for Monday night, as I have to pay the others (the VISA run now takes 2 days). I had asked them to just add the other two nights but they said they couldn't as it was too late. AND... I asked my boss to print out my e-ticket for me. He said okay, went and printed out a page and handed it to me. I assumed that it was my e-ticket. It was only my itinerary. I HAVE NO PRINTER. I would have done it myself, but I didn't get the email until later that evening. So NOW I have to go find some place that will print it out for me. I also didn't have a chance to figure out what I can do when I am there. I was going to use the next couple of weeks to look it up. Now I am going to a place that I know nothing about. AND I don't yet have a hotel for tonight. I am hoping that if I go to the hotel that they booked me in for Monday, that maybe they will have a room available. And I haven't yet checked what I am allowed to take on the plane. I haven't yet packed anything and I have to leave my home less than 4 hours.
Word itself is good. I am enjoying it, and I love my kids. I think my class is the best in the school (and not just because they are my class).
SO.... TODAY I am flying to Japan. I found that out only YESTERDAY!!!!! I was supposed to go in 2 weeks, but they found out yesterday that because my other school sent in my release forms on February 28th, my VISA actually finished then, instead of the 9th, as my actual VISA says. There is a 2 week grace period after the VISA ends, which would put it at the 14th.
I am going to Fukouka. I'm not exactly sure where it is... somewhere in the south of Japan. The other times I have gone on VISA runs, I've gone to Osaka. I don't know where anything is in Fukouka. I had told them right from the beginning that I wanted to go on a weekend so that I could actually do something there, or see something while I am there, rather than just going and getting the VISA. I hate going to a country and not seeing anything while there. It seems like a waste (I did that the last 2 times, as I had no money then).
AND... they booked my tickets yesterday afternoon and only booked my hotel for Monday night, as I have to pay the others (the VISA run now takes 2 days). I had asked them to just add the other two nights but they said they couldn't as it was too late. AND... I asked my boss to print out my e-ticket for me. He said okay, went and printed out a page and handed it to me. I assumed that it was my e-ticket. It was only my itinerary. I HAVE NO PRINTER. I would have done it myself, but I didn't get the email until later that evening. So NOW I have to go find some place that will print it out for me. I also didn't have a chance to figure out what I can do when I am there. I was going to use the next couple of weeks to look it up. Now I am going to a place that I know nothing about. AND I don't yet have a hotel for tonight. I am hoping that if I go to the hotel that they booked me in for Monday, that maybe they will have a room available. And I haven't yet checked what I am allowed to take on the plane. I haven't yet packed anything and I have to leave my home less than 4 hours.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!
I FINALLY got my net and phone line installed. After more than a week of waiting. Now I just have to wait for my closet and book shelf, pots and pans and other such things. I was told to expect them today/this evening sometime (my boss told me before I left work today). Hopefully that won't be postponed yet again. My home is still a mess, as I can't really organize anything without the shelves and closet and such. I need to know how much will fit before I do anything else.
Today was the second day of classes. It went fairly well, I suppose. I am still not yet into the hang of it, as it is very different from the other schools I have worked in.
The schedule isn't very strict. It is basically:
9:00-9:40 welcoming students, getting coats and bags put away, etc.
9:40-10:40 class time with 6 year old Milky Way A class (my homeroom class)
10:40-11:00 snack time (with my homeroom class)
Today was the second day of classes. It went fairly well, I suppose. I am still not yet into the hang of it, as it is very different from the other schools I have worked in.
The schedule isn't very strict. It is basically:
9:00-9:40 welcoming students, getting coats and bags put away, etc.
9:40-10:40 class time with 6 year old Milky Way A class (my homeroom class)
10:40-11:00 snack time (with my homeroom class)
11:00-11:30 class time with 5 year old Moon class (younger 3 year olds)11:30-12:00 class time with 5 year old Rainbow class (older 3 year olds)
12:00-1:10 lunch time (with my homeroom class)
1:10-2:10 class time with 6 year old Milky Way B class
2:10-2:30 circle time with my class and getting kids organized to leave (getting coats, etc)
We don't have to follow that schedule exactly... It depends on the kids, really. Today I didn't start the Moon class until around 10:10 and then finished the Rainbow class at around 11:45. I basically let Stephanie (a Kyopo: Korean that grew up overseas - she is from New Zealand), the Milky Way B class teacher decide, as I do things the same time as her, only opposite.
I am surprised at how much work it takes to fill an hour of class time with a bunch of 4 year olds (the Korean 6 year olds are Western age 4).
I love my class. They are all so sweet and relatively well behaved. I have 12 now. Almost the entire time I am with my class, my Korean partner (she doesn't speak much English) is there. The Milky Way B class is a bit more problematic. There are a few boys in there that are very obnoxious and overbearing. So far, the Korean teacher that is in that room has not done much to stop such behaviour. If it continues much longer, I will complain about it. It can get a bit stressful trying to deal with things like that without neglecting the other students that actually want to learn and pay attention. Ignoring them is not an option, as they are extremely loud. Both days so far, they were shouting "Panties" instead of every word in the songs we were singing. I asked them if they were babies. That stopped it for a little while, as they didn't like being called babies, but then they got over that and started again.
Today's snack was not milk and cookies or anything like that... it was milk and little dried fish that the kids here seem to love.
Yuck.
Yuck.Monday, March 05, 2007
Saturday's entertainment
Saturday I went with a couple of friends to see the Vagina Monologues. They had a bilingual performance here in Seoul (some monologues done in English, some in Korean, with subtitles on a screen up above the stage). It was a small venue, packed full. The show was a lot longer than I had expected, but it was quite enjoyable. They were even selling vagina shaped cookies. I didn't manage to get one, though I had planned to, to give to a couple of friends. Oh well.
Then, after dinner at a little Italian restaurant in Itaewon, it was out for an evening of drinks and such... the usual.
Then, after dinner at a little Italian restaurant in Itaewon, it was out for an evening of drinks and such... the usual.
still waiting...
I have to wait yet another day for everything to be set up... my phone, net, cable... and I am still waiting for my water cooler, closet, bookshelves, etc.
Frustration.
The students started today. I am the 6 year old (Korean age... so for the rest of us, 4 years old) class teacher. There are a total of around 20 6 year olds, split into 2 classes. I have one and Stephanie, a Korean from New Zealand has the other. We do switch for one hour after lunch. My group is great. I have 11 in my room, and they are all fairly well behaved. Stephanie has some very over active boys with attitudes in hers. For one hour during the day, I also teach the 5 year old (actual age 3) classes (half an hour each). They really are babies. A couple of the kids were crying the whole time. One of mine was crying for a little while after arriving in the morning, but got over it fairly quickly. Many of them have never really been away from their moms, so it is not unexpected.
I still want to post some pics from the last school (the graduation, etc) before I post ones of my new school. But I have to have my net set up do to anything.
It was so cold here today. It rained almost all weekend, and today it was snowing. I hate the cold.
Frustration.
The students started today. I am the 6 year old (Korean age... so for the rest of us, 4 years old) class teacher. There are a total of around 20 6 year olds, split into 2 classes. I have one and Stephanie, a Korean from New Zealand has the other. We do switch for one hour after lunch. My group is great. I have 11 in my room, and they are all fairly well behaved. Stephanie has some very over active boys with attitudes in hers. For one hour during the day, I also teach the 5 year old (actual age 3) classes (half an hour each). They really are babies. A couple of the kids were crying the whole time. One of mine was crying for a little while after arriving in the morning, but got over it fairly quickly. Many of them have never really been away from their moms, so it is not unexpected.
I still want to post some pics from the last school (the graduation, etc) before I post ones of my new school. But I have to have my net set up do to anything.
It was so cold here today. It rained almost all weekend, and today it was snowing. I hate the cold.
Monday, February 26, 2007
busy
Well, I am now moved into my new home. I don't yet have my telephone or net set up. I'm hoping to get that done this week, but I'm not sure if that will happen or not. Moving is sooooo stressful. I didn't really sleep all weekend, due to packing and such. Now I have to figure out where to put everything. My new home only has one small wardrobe that is only shelves. Maybe 1/4 of my clothes fit in it. There is no where to actually hang up clothes. I have to ask my new school to get me a closet or dresser or something like that. I am still waiting for my water cooler, too.
It will take me a while to figure out the area. Where my home is, it is like a maze of little streets, some too small for cars to go down. It is in the hills, almost at the top of a hill. There are two entrances to my building. One on the first floor, where my home is, and another on the 3rd floor. Once I am settled in I will post some pictures. It is really an interesting area. It is almost right below Namsan Tower (Seoul Tower).
It will take me a while to figure out the area. Where my home is, it is like a maze of little streets, some too small for cars to go down. It is in the hills, almost at the top of a hill. There are two entrances to my building. One on the first floor, where my home is, and another on the 3rd floor. Once I am settled in I will post some pictures. It is really an interesting area. It is almost right below Namsan Tower (Seoul Tower).
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
graduation
Yesterday was supposed to be my last day working at the kindy... the last day that I'd have to get up early (until I start my new job, that is). However, during my last day of work at the kindy, I was told that it wasn't actually my last day of work; that I DID have one more day. Today is the graduation ceremony for the 7 year old classes. Since there are so many of them, they have to do the ceremony twice. AND... I have to go onto the little stage and speak infront of all of the parents for both. The way I found that out was when they told me I had to come today, they handed me a little piece of paper with my name on it and a bunch of Korean writing. They told me "make some words". What is that supposed to mean?? It took me quite a while to get them to actually explain that I had to give a mini speech. Some of the students got an English award, and on the award was a little blurb in Korean. My speech has to be similar to that. I got the Korean English teacher to translate it for me and then I fixed it up a bit. After work yesterday, I had to come to the kindy to do a trial run of what I was going to say. They had basically just told me that I had to do it, and then wanted to know what I was saying, and were confused that I hadn't already planned and memorized some sort of speech. ACK.
Anyway, the first ceremony is now finished. It wasn't too bad, I suppose, but those that know me well know that I am not a public speaker. I am a very reserved person. Actually, public speaking terrifies me.
The kids all have little graduation gowns and caps to put on. Outside, there are people selling bouquets of flowers and candies. It is a huge deal.
One down, one to go.
I will miss these kids. :(
Anyway, the first ceremony is now finished. It wasn't too bad, I suppose, but those that know me well know that I am not a public speaker. I am a very reserved person. Actually, public speaking terrifies me.
The kids all have little graduation gowns and caps to put on. Outside, there are people selling bouquets of flowers and candies. It is a huge deal.
One down, one to go.
I will miss these kids. :(
Roe Deer Class
Today was the last day of classes at the kindy.
I will miss my kids soooooooooo much. All ~350 of them.
I will miss my kids soooooooooo much. All ~350 of them.
This is my Roe Deer Class. They are now Korean age 6 (4 years old).
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
She is so tiny. She is 4 years old, in the Hippo Class.
Monday, February 19, 2007
moving II
Tuesday will be my last day teaching at the kindy, so until the 28th, I'll have my mornings off. I'll need them, since I'll be spending my evenings trying to organize my things to get ready to move next Sunday. I'm still not quite sure how I'll be moving, or how my stuff will fit into the new home. Right now I have a small closet with 2 drawers on the bottom, as well as 3 fairly large 3 drawer drawers. My new home only has a small closet with 2 drawers. Plus, I also have another set of drawers with stuff for my computer, stuff for Tokki and other misc. things. I'm not sure where I'll put them. I have a tv table and coffee table set, which I'm not altogether sure will fit in the new home. I guess I'll find out when I get there. I'll have to get a few things (or get my new school to get them) to help me organize after I move (book shelves, etc). They are supposed to be help me move my stuff on the 25th, but I want to be all packed up and ready to go by the time they get here. I'm going to have to find some boxes or such to put my stuff in. I'm still one suitcase less than when I came.
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