My new broom...

So I took my hoover back to Homeplus today. It was easier than I thought it would be, so easy in fact I never uttered a word. I walked in and put the hoover on the counter, straight away the lady serving looked like she was going to have a panic attack. She called a young guy over who looked just as worried and I handed them my receipt. She was already counting the money to hand back to me even before I could look up ‘broken’ in my English-Korean dictionary. I got the impression they just wanted rid of me ASAP. I didn’t mind as it made my life easier.

After I popped downstairs to get myself a brush, as I swore never to trust cheap hoovers again. I upgraded to the premium range (think ‘Extra special’ for you ASDA shoppers) for the cost of 17,000 won (£8). I know you’re thinking I’ve got crazy with my money and am living the high life, but don’t worry people. The reason for my spending spree was merely because the other brooms had hard bristles and we all know hard bristles are only good for brushing outside. Anyways, there I sat on the train home with my new broom (Oh yeah! Living it up in Seoul!) and some adjummas (older women) kept talking and looking my way. Of course I thought they were just saying in Korean ‘Wow look at that cool English girl with her cool new broom!’ Well guys I will shock you and tell you that I was half right.

I got off the train and so did one of these adjummas. On my way down the steps one of these ladies started taking to me, in Korean of course. I replied with a simple ‘young-kuk’ (English person) in a hope of translating to her – ‘I don’t speak Korean so I can’t understand a word you’re saying to me’. She replied with ‘ahhh, English’. I thought I got my message across when she started talking again. This is when I noticed she was checking out my awesome new broom. She said ‘Homeplus??’. ‘Ahhh’ I thought, ‘she wants to know where I got my awesome broom’ so I replied with a simple ‘ne’ (yes). She continued to touch and check out my broom for a few more seconds. Seriously though, the broom is nothing special apart from being made of wood instead of plastic.

On another side note, I finally went for my ARC card interview. The last time we went the immigration office stopped issuing tickets so my co-teachers had to book an interview. My school also finally asked for my bank details then after told me I might not be able to get paid until I get my ARC which is 2 bloody weeks away. Seriously talk about telling me last minute!! Pay day is TOMORROW! I shouldn’t be happy but I have enough food to keep me for two weeks and I saved 200,000 won (£100) in case of emergency (aren’t you proud mum!). I did want to start exploring South Korea but that will have to wait… L It’s my travel card which spends most of my money. I hope my principal allows me to get paid without my ARC as only he can give permission.

Everyday Korean Life fact thingy – How bloody much is mince in supermarkets!?!?! It’s about £9 for a normal sized portion of mincemeat. I was hissing and spitting at the meat counter. I finally found a small portion in the ‘eat that day’ section for £1.80. I also found some steaks for £3 and my thinking is beef can’t really make you ill so I’ll freeze it. If you don’t hear off me for a while then you know why……(I probably fainted over the chicken breast prices).

Every foreigner gets sick when they first come to Korea….

….and it turned out true for me. Today I woke up at 4:30 with my throat burning and itching. I thought maybe it was the yellow dust cloud from yesterday, so I’ll just take some halls to sooth me throat throughout the day. But things are never so simple in my life…

1^st period –  throat burning.

 2^nd period –I started getting the shivers.

3^rd period – ‘Why is it so cold???’

4^th period – ‘I need my bed!’

5^th period – ‘why is the room spinning and why is it so cold?’

Then I had to wait 3 hours to go home!! And today of all days I had to go to a teachers meeting in which they talked for 1 hour in Korean. I was half dead by the time I got to my apartment and I slept for 11 hours that night.

On Wednesday, I had got worse and could only do part of the lesson before my co-teacher took over. She then took me to the school nurse who gave me some traditional Korean medicine, which is full of boiled herbs etc. I had to drink the whole bottle and they were all laughing at me gagging as I drank it.  I went out with Kao that night for dinner as I had to eat and I have nothing in my apartment. I was home by 7.30pm and fell asleep straight away. Woke up at 11:30 as my neighbour brought his noisy girlfriend back and she is just as noisy during sex as she is when she is laughing….My neighbour is either a sex god or she is a loud faker (think of the ‘when Harry met Sally’ scene in the café).

Thursday was the worse day. I couldn’t say one word and I just felt like curling up and crying. I couldn’t eat anything and my throat hurt much. I got sent to the teachers lounge were I slept all morning before being sent home around 2pm. I fell asleep until 6.30pm and popped out to see if I could eat anything (I couldn’t). I feel like I’ve been ill forever!!! Also started taking the ‘Lemsip max capsules’ I brought with me instead of what the Korean nurse gave me.

Friday - I have taken the day off as the school told me to stay off if I still can’t talk. I don’t feel so feverish today (thanks ‘Lemsip max capsules’). I can’t stop coughing and I have a runny nose but I’m seeing this as a good thing as it means by body is fighting off whatever I have.

Saturday!! – I think I can eat at last!! I’m sure I can feel my bones poking out after 2 days of not eating -_- O well it may be a sexy look in Korea but not where I’m from, so I’m going to drink my banana milk I’ve been saving :p I just wish this runny nose and cough would go now as I don’t want a Rudolf nose.

Someone has been playing too many video games. . .

Co- teacher – ‘I want you all to get into pairs and ask what’s your name?’ Student – ‘What’s my f***ing name?’. Let’s just say someone got shouted at.

P.s Happy white day! Today guys buy chocolates and candy for their GF/crush. On Valentine’s Day girls buy/make gifts for the guy they like. Today I ate a whole pizza and ate cake because I’m so cool. Oh, yeah!

It’s nearly the weekend!

Friday at last!! Today dragged on so much. The classes were good and they did what they were told, but my neighbour had his loud GF around again last night so I’m so tired! Came home and my bed was here at last!! I’m so happy J It’s as hard as nails but it’s a bed! I only got told it was coming today when my co-teacher asked for my door code. So. . . .  I hadn’t planned on anyone coming into my apartment today so I had my washing on the drier and my room was messy!

After work and making my new shiny bed, I went to Kao’s for dinner! It was so good ^-^. We all then watched Korean TV even though we didn’t understand what was being said (well I didn’t anyways but T.O.P was on! Yay!!).  And when I came home I had a new shiny table and set of chairs waiting for me. Though the delivery men left my toilet seat up!! >-< Yuck!

Random fact about Korean Life – Nearly every car is black, white or grey/sliver! Fact! It’s strange. I haven’t seen one blue, red or green car. I read it’s because black etc. look classier and more expensive but who knows…

My first proper lesson

Today I taught my first proper lesson to grade 5. It wasn’t just an introduction lesson but a lesson I had planned. The first lesson my co-teacher taught and I observed and the next classes I taught with her watching and translating when necessary. They actually went really well and all of the class had to speak at English at one point, so I think it was a job well done.

On the way home my ipod kept giving me electric shocks… It first happened last week but I thought it was my old headphones but it happened again today with my new ones. Dam you Apple yet again!

Anyways, tonight I went out with a meal with some friends from orientation. We went to sot of chicken/red pepper spice/grill type of place. I don’t know the name... The food was so good but so spicy. I know I say this a lot but I love Korean food <3. Leanne enjoyed the soju *cough cough ;) But I have decided I hate soju apart from when I’m already drunk. When your sober it taste like ….bleugh. After eating some of us went to karaoke (when I get the internet I’ll start putting the Korean names on my blog). I’m still so shy at singing but I’m starting to sing more and more.

Just opened the parcel containing my curtains……………………..-_-………………………….*faints….. My co-teacher either: (a) hates me, (b) has really bad taste or (c) got them in the sale. See the picture!! They are worse in real life. Like a cheap material you use in kids costumes for fancy dress! If I stay longer than a year I am so changing my curtains!! I don’t know what I’d rather look at, the garage over the road or my new curtains.

Random fact about Korean life – Korean people either walk really fast or really slow in subway stations… Arghhh!

Meeting the dreaded sixth graders.

About 5 different teachers have warned me about the six graders. The things said to me have included cocky, think they know it all, hard to control, they don’t care, uncontrollable and they think they own the school.  So on Monday morning I was feeling slightly nervous. I thought the first class wasn’t so bad until I was walking around the classroom and saw written on the table ‘Mother f****’ and other bad language. I think these kids have been watching too many American movies! The other classes weren’t so bad, exempt a few boys, but it was only orientation day (Me and my co-teacher introducing ourselves and the classroom rules). I have a feeling next week will be a different story so watch this space…..

On Tuesday I had another warning from a Korean teacher about the six graders. She said they had made her cry in the past!!! Went out to Leanne and bumped into another SMOE teacher in my apartment! We all went out to a restaurant and I ordered Kimchi rice (my favourite). It wasn’t bad for 4,500 won (just over £2). I went to Homeplus again. It’s strange that I know where everything is in the supermarket after 1 week….

On Wednesday I walked into school to find about 50 kids inside the school entrance shouting with banners. At first I thought some sort of protest was going on, but then I realised the posters had different kids’ faces on them with their grade number. Yes, it was voting day for the year leader or whatever they are called. This meant my first 3 classes were cancelled so I had chance to research good TEFL websites. The only class of the day was so hyper! It was also full of jokers. My co-teacher – ‘Why do we learn English?’ Student – ‘Because the USA stopped Japan’. Of course the whole room burst out laughing with me looking lost.

I’m always so tired at the moment, so it was one of those days where you think ‘What am I doing half way across the world by myself’. I could easily fall asleep on the train if I wanted to but I don’t want to be robbed. So in need of sugar, I popped into my convenience store for crisp and what did I find??? Toffifee! Yes, it’s cheap worldwide! 1,500 won (75p) in fact! Take that pound shop in Stafford! I also got some Korean crisp, so I’ll write if they taste good or not. I had a choice of Chilli, onion, plain or some sort of fish flavour. Naturally, I went for the fish flavour and the chilli (not together!). Who wants to be boring and have onion or plain?! (I say that now but wait until I try them).

Some random advice! Don’t ever buy a film off itunes unless your computer is super-fast with lots of memory. I brought some films off there so I didn’t need to bring a separate DVD drive. Big mistake! It jumps, stops and I hate it!!! Arghhh I want to punch apple in the face. I packed my DVD drive in one of the boxes (my parents are moving house) so my mum won’t be able to send it me. I think I will have to go to Homeplus again. But I haven’t seen DVD’s anywhere…..Strange!

Finally I can sleep!

Woke up at 9:30am! Was so nice to have a lie in and not worry about anything. Spent the day doing laundry and catching up with this blog as I hadn’t written anything for 5 days!! Later on I met Leanne for dinner and shopping! <3 I love shopping!! But this shopping trip was essential as I needed some warm clothes as my classroom is freezing. We went to Hyehwa for dinner which was grilled pork (you cook it yourself over hot coals!), I love this style of dining J. I also tried the famous beer and grilled pork combo but I can’t make myself like beer (even if the Korean beer is very weak).

We then went shopping to Dongdaemun. I got two jumpers for 24,000 won which is about £12-14 pounds. I then got a scarf, a phone charm (the shopkeeper gave me a candy – everyone keeps giving me food it’s ace!) and some tights. We went to the more expensive (normal price in the UK) department store over the road. I got a black jumper for work (28,000 won - £13-15), a pink dress (55,000 won - £26-28) and a jacket to match my new dress (78,000 won - £38-40). I was surprised how much I got for my money and I haven’t even shopped at the markets yet!

On Sunday, I went to Homeplus again. This mostly was to get out the apartment. It took me so long (well over 1 hour) to get the ingredients for my beef and tomato soup and that was with my English-Korean dictionary on my phone. I also got some cleaning products and spent the evening scrubbing my kitchen. The apartment was clean-ish when I arrived, but it was, as my mum calls it ‘a daddy clean’.  This means it looks clean but if you look closer you see all the dirt etc. And don’t mention the stove! Covered in grease and oil that looks like it’s been left there for a year. It took me about 40 minutes to clean the bloody thing! I’ve still got to get a brush and mop one day but I might leave it until payday as I get a discount with my Korean bankcard.

Only 1 day until the weekend and sleep!!

I was really tired on my second day as I haven’t been able to rest since coming to Korea. My voice is still really bad and I have to keep telling the teachers my voice isn’t like this normally. The day went quite fast as it was a repeat of yesterday. I have two grades 5 and 6 and each class only sees me once a week, as they have reading and writing lessons with their homeroom teacher. My job is speaking and listening. I only have to prepare two lesson plans a week and use each lesson plan about 11 times each. This may sound easy but I don’t know their level yet. In fact I don’t know anything yet and feel I’ve been thrown in at the deep end. But I think in the long run this is for the best as I will learn through trial and error.

Lessons finished at 2:30 and I started my lesson plan by going online and trying to find an English translation of the textbook on the EPIK website. I finally found one but was worried as the first chapter is far easier than the rest of the book. I think I’ll ask my co-teacher on Monday…

Some teachers won’t start school until Monday!! So not fair!!

Went to Homeplus to get a spoon and chopsticks (thanks old teacher for leaving me with nothing!!) and discovered a knife and fork set! Yay! On the train journey I offered my seat to an adjumma (older woman, don’t know how to spell it!) and she randomly gave me some almonds and smiled. Little things like this make me love Korea even more! Everyone seems friendlier than in other big cities.

 I arrived home and started preparing dinner when I discovered my gas wasn’t working….. That was it, all the stress and lack of curtains (still not been delivered, I’m guessing I will get everything on Monday now?) got to me and I had a little weep. I think most of it was tiredness and not having time to breath between leaving England to now. During my mini crying session, I remembered in Japan you have to turn a knob to turn the gas so maybe it is the same in Korea?! I was right and felt silly for crying. Ate my first meal in my new apartment and watched ‘Sense and sensibility’ on my laptop. I better get the internet soon because I only have 6 movies on my laptop so I am going to be bored silly without a TV or internet.

First day at school!

Woke up at 6.00! It was quite easy to wake up early as I’ve had to wake up early every day at orientation (takes me ages to straighten my hair!!) plus I have no curtains so it was bright in my room. I woke up this early as I didn’t know how lost I would get going to work (due at work at 8:40). Had breakfast and popped to the bakery to buy the English department a cake to share. So far so good, it was7:35am. Got on the train and was proud of myself until I saw I was at some random stop! I looked at my metro app on my ipod and got off to go back in the opposite direction (8am). I got off the train then realised I was back at the stop where my apartment is not my school (yes I’m stupid!). I got back on the train, going in the right direction this time (8:10am). Did the train change halfway with no problems (thank god!) and arrived at my station where my school is. I followed the hundreds of kids and made it to the school in one piece.



My classroom



The next problem was finding where I was supposed to go. I phoned my co-teacher and I made it there at 8:38am! Go me!! The journey was supposed to take 25 minutes…

The lessons went okay. The kids just were very shy (with a few exceptions!). Lunch was good except all the kids were looking at me eating and waving! Haha So cute!! =^-^= At 3:30 we went to apply for my ARC but they were so busy they had stopped issuing tickets for the day. My school said they would book an appointment for me over the internet. My co-teacher and another English teacher took me for dinner which was so good (I love Korean food!!). It was kimchi rice, dumplings and other dishes that I don’t know the name of. The dumplings are supposed to be famous and had meat and noodles inside! Yummy!

I then went home but just outside my apartment I bumped in to Clare who is a SMOE teacher from orientation!! I told her about Homeplus and we decided to take a trip there together. It was only 3 stops away from our apartment and you can’t miss it when you come out of the station. We spent well over an hour in there getting food and other essentials. The people in the supermarket level were so friendly; I think I will like shopping in Korea.

Goodbye Orientation, Hello School!

Today is the day we left our bubble and went into the big wide world. Breakfast was empty because a lot of people went out drinking the night before and had hangovers (I know this because I heard them running and shouting until 1pm). We loaded our suitcases etc. on to the coaches. Then went to a lecture on Korean food customs, which wasn’t as useful as it may sound. I think they were just trying to burn time. We then had the closing ceremony which was a video with videos and pictures that the staff had filmed throughout the week. It was really good and we all got a copy on a cd (I have no cd drive but I’ll try and figure a way to put it on here). We had our last lunch which was packed due to 50 more teachers arriving (they couldn’t come to the main orientation due to lack of space). Finally we all said our goodbyes and got on separate buses L

After a short ride we arrived at a building where our teachers were waiting for us. At this point everyone’s faces were white and nervous looking. It was like the first day of school over again. Not all the co-teachers were there yet including my teacher, so we waited. I was waiting when I heard someone say roura cooper (r’s and l’s are difficult to pronounce for Koreans so my name is really hard to say). I turned around and there were two young women. At this point I calmed down a bit because previously I was worried I was going to get a man, a much older woman or even worse an older man. We greeted each other and got into the school bus. During the drive, I learned only one of the ladies was going to be my co-teacher. Her name was Mina and she was really friendly. I also discovered the area of the school is not well off but the government invest a lot of money in to the school. But most importantly I learnt I wasn’t going to my apartment first but to my school.

When we arrived at the school the van drove off with my suitcase etc. (I didn’t know where it was taking my things! In fact I didn’t know anything and I felt like a lost little lamb). We went to go greet the teachers and my principal. I gave them the gifts I prepared and got a shock when there was not just one but two vice-principals. I’m not joking when I say the school is big, in fact it’s huge. The teachers told me from the mountains it looks like a university. I was also told it was supposed to be a joint elementary and middle school but the middle school backed out. There are also 2 more English speaking teachers and they are getting one more in the summer (if you’re thinking of applying for SMOE August 2011 you might be at my school!).

After meeting the principal we had to go to the first teachers meeting of the year. I wasn’t the only new teacher; there were around 10 new members of staff. I was told I needed to introduce myself to everyone but luckily I had prepared for this during Korean classes at orientation. I said in Korean ‘Hello, It’s very nice to meet you. My name is Laura. I come from the UK. Thank you. Please take care of me’.  My principal gave me the thumbs up afterJ. The meeting went on for so long (Maybe 30 minutes to an hour) and because it was in Korean I was just staring in to space.

At 5pm my co-teacher and the head of the English department then took me to my apartment. The apartment was really nice but there were a few problems or should I say a few missing items. These items included a bed, curtains, a TV and a microwave. Fear not my UK readers, I had a kettle ;). My co-teacher and boss made a few phone calls to find out what had happened. From what I can gather the last teacher left and the bed disappeared??? They told me maybe tomorrow or Friday I will get a bed and curtains. My boss asked me to stay at her house but I had been living out of a suitcase for a week and a half and just wanted my space. I told them if I could get a comforter (goes between you sheet and bed to keep you warm in the winter) and blanket I would be ok. They were both worried still but at the end they agreed.

My lifesaver

My boss told me she would take me out for some dinner so we went to a boiled pork restaurant (I don’t know the Korean names yet so forgive me!). The food was really good. It was a Korean style restaurant i.e. no shoes/sit on the floor. I discovered my boss had lived in Singapore as an English teacher and her best friend is British. Her English is of a top level and my co-teacher informed me that my boss has the highest level English certificate. My co-teacher speaks good English too. During the meal my co-teacher told me she had told her boyfriend about what had happened and he was going to pick us all up and take us to Homeplus (Tesco/Samsung shopping centre that sells everything). My co-teachers boyfriend drove us to Homeplus and I got a blanket/comforter/pillow. I also got some rice and breakfast for the next day. My boss brought me some thick tights as she was worried I would be cold at school (I told you everyone at my school is soooo nice!).

After helping me bring my things to my apartment, everyone said goodbye. By this time it was 9.30pm! Such a long day! O I forgot to mention that I was told I would start work the next day…..

Day 8 Orientation – Presentation day!

Today we presented our lesson plan and got feedback. Today of all days, I had to lose my voice! Typical! My ears are also blocked! The presentation went ok, we forgot our lines at the beginning but 5 minutes in we got a lot better. I was told to speak louder during the feedback (I know what you’re thinking! Laura quiet? Crazy!).

After all the presentations were finished we got told where we were going and what grade. We got a piece of paper in Korean, so we still had no idea where we were going. Our teacher pointed to the map of Seoul but just said around this area (she pointed to a section that was about 1/5 of Seoul). So after all that, all I knew was that I was on bus 1 and going to teach elementary.  We got our bank cards and medical checks during the last lesson. I am healthy! Yay!! I think 2 people got sent home for having drugs in there system. Remember kids! Don’t do drugs!

We had our farewell dinner at an ‘all you can eat Japanese sushi restaurant’. It was so busy and everyone was spread out so it didn’t feel like a group farewell meal but the food was so good! Two thumbs up. After the meal (we were only there for thirty minutes as it was so busy), we went to a bar for a few drinks then back to the orientation site to take our suitcases downstairs. We then went to karaoke. I actually sang! I am tone deaf so I apologise to everyone who was there.