Wise Old Harabuhjee Worm

While I sit here having my kimchi dinner, I figured I would catch you all up on my second full week of teaching here! Well- I've made it! I've learned a lot, caused a few problems for the Korean teachers because I haven't done things the right way, and at the same time I think I've taught some English? Although, I've noticed that mine has gotten worse, which seems to be a common theme after bringing up this concern with the other western teachers. I've stopped myself a few times speaking with the students in fluent "cave man": "You don't bring homework?", "Why you sad?", "open book page 50". I'm really working on not doing this so my kids learn the correct way to say things!

Let's see...new adventures for this week include a field trip with school to a Blueberry Garden! The strange thing was that throughout the whole day I didn't see a single blueberry...The kids made some blueberry cookies, but in the form of a purply/green/grey dough (mmm) to roll out and cut into shapes. I was hoping to stock up my fridge, but alas my apartment is still blueberry-less. Anywhoo, the Blueberry Garden consisted of a big room with long tables for the students to sit and make their cookies, and then connected was a surprisingly expansive botanical garden with trees, plants, and animals around for the students to walk through.

When we arrived the students sat at the table and the owners discussed what they would be doing for the day...well at least that's what I think they were saying because this whole field trip was conducted entirely in Korean...aka lots of blank stares and lost faces from the western teachers. The confusion was only then heightened by the way-too-long-for-kindergarten-attention-span cartoon that was shown after the welcoming speech. Just to give you an idea, here is a photo...

1. Yes, that is a worm with a Fu Manchu mustache
2. Yes, this seriously happened. 
The video's purpose was to teach the students how important worms are to the earth. Basically, if any of them kick a worm at anytime in the rest of their lives they will be afraid of an old-man (haranbuhjee) worm turning them into a worm as well. The video covered topics such as worm-love-making, worm-violence, and worm-defecation. The students perked up a that latter bit of the video, otherwise for the rest of the time they looked like little zombies. Once that bit of cinematic genius had finished we got to begin making our "blueberry" cookies!

Some of the kids were much more into the cookie making than others. Some just felt like playing with the dough, others found that the rolling pins made much better percussion instruments than baking tools. Hey, to each their own!

After the little chefs had cut their last cookies, we ventured into the botanical garden side! Through a trail there was an alcove with wooden platforms and trenches filled with what looked like the red clay from tennis courts. Turns out it was a kind of seed from a tree that they heat up and you place your feet into? It supposedly helps with relaxation and circulation (I need to find out how to get back there during the freezing winter!). The kids liked it for a while, but again, the timing was not well thought out for the age group and the clay began to make its way into other students hair, socks, and mouths...aannnddd that was our cue to move onto snack time.

Lunch was sushi, yayyy(well gimbap, but whatever)! The students also brought snacks of their own- mainly candies and cookies. The interesting part of lunch/snack time was the actual promotion of sharing your food with your friends! Schools in the US would have a pink hairy cow if they heard of their students actually sharing their food *Gasp!* but here it is all but required! The students trade and bargain their treats (2 gummy bears for a Pepero stick!). Poor Kelly with her fruit bowl did not make many trades during this time...I would have if I wasn't 99.9% positive that she has a cold!

After lunch we grabbed our cookies that had been baking throughout second half of the field trip and headed home. The bus rides consisted of 40 mind-numbing-minutes straight of "rock, scissors, paper" or "I spy". Although I did teach a student his name in American Sign Language! It's amazing what little sponges these students are. He could already spell some of his classmate's names by the time we pulled up to the school!

After school I had adventure number two! A trip to Costco! Woo! (*cricket*...*cricket*..) Well I thought it was exciting at least. Amanda, Shanna and I took the bus about 20 minutes away to look for some items for our beach trip this weekend. Apparently this bus is notorious for not having any seats open. Sorry Shanna!

 While we didn't find everything we were looking for I got to see the Costco with its maze of cart escalator ramps and strange food items that one commonly stumbles upon over here- and in BULK no less! *shiny rays of sunshine from the heavens* Some of these items include "stick cheese candy" and dried fish.

Overall this second week has been a bit more stable than the first! I know how to get around confidently now, I've gone on a few more adventures both on my own and with chaperones, and I feel much more comfortable with my students' lessons! I think what has saved me is just tagging along with any trip another teacher is taking even if I don't need to get anything. For example, the Costco trip, or my first trip to the U-plex (or mall) tonight! Basically, if another teacher says, "I'm going [insert location] today, would you like to come?", my answer is automatically "yes". That might backfire on me one of these days...hmm...

Headed to Muuido tomorrow morning stocked with food, bubbly, a mini-gril, and prayers for good weather! I will have my camera as well to document everything. Amanda was researching some old-school games to play- Charades (pronounced char-ahhhhh-ds, mum you're not the only one!) and guess-who or 20-questions! Can't wait to relax and enjoy some days off.

Korean phrase of the post:
저를 어디로 데려가십니까?
(jaw-reul aw-di-ro de-ryaw-ga-sim-ni-kka?): Where are you taking me?

xoxoxox