Sadness and Happiness

Without going into too many details, I will say that I've been pretty down lately... But it's funny what will cheer you up when you are...

I always tell one of my favorite classes that they should all come to Canada to visit my house, and then they can meet my family and my cat and my mom can make them a big Canadian meal. Anyways, the other day we were talking about travelling and different countries and I asked them all "Where would you like to go and why?" and a bunch of the little kids said, "Canada." When I asked them why, they replied, "Your house."

It's funny because sometimes I wonder how much of what I say actually sinks in and makes an impression and hearing that just cheered me up somewhat.

I wore a skirt to school the other day as well, and one little girl gets up in the middle of class, motions for me to bend down, and whispers in my ear, "Teacher look beautiful."

And then of course, in my other class, the girls were all impressed with my skirt so I did a twirl for them.. and one little boy - the king of inappropriate comments - starts to laugh, points at his crotch, and says, "Don't do that, your thing will come out." Umm.. hmmm perhaps time for someone to have an anatomy lesson?? (Not from me of course!!)

So.. never thought I'd say this but in a time of me feeling down, it's the kids that have been cheering me up!

Smiley Princess, The Beef Project and Freedom Fries

Wow, it's been so long since I last wrote and I have so much to say... but will I say it all before I get bored of typing? Let's find out?

Smiley Princess: One of my students shyly told me the other day that she was no longer Sally. I could now refer to her as "Smiley Princess." Between my partner teacher and I, we deduced we should probably phone her mom and ask if she really wished her daughter to have the English name, Smiley Princess before making the name change official.

The Beef Project: For about 3 weeks, I felt horribly run down, tired, sick, and sorta depressed. Well since I am practically an MD I decided that the problem was Anemia.. since I couldn't remember the last time I ate anything with iron in it. So I've initiated the Beef Project, as I lovingly refer to it. I've been eating burgers, BBQ beef, philly cheese steaks and anything else beef I can get my hands on.. and spinach. And you know what? I feel better.. slightly.

Freedom Fries: Remember when the US decided to go into Iraq and France wouldn't support them? So all the crazy fanatical Americans wanted to change the name of French Fries to "Freedom Fries." Anyways, I never really gave any thought to it.. but recently I spent the day hanging out with a friend on the American military base just north of Seoul. We went out for lunch in the cafeteria, where one of the menu items was "Freedom Fries." So I had the pleasure of snacking on them. Sweet, sweet freedom. Freedom never tasted so oily and salty! *Shakes head*

Things of Note

Milestones recent or upcoming:

1) Took a field trip the other day with our school. The driver of the bus asked me to put on my seatbelt, and it occured to me that that was the first time in about 6 months that I've worn a seatbelt.. weird! How will I ever adjust to life back in Canada... if I go back to Canada!

2)Teacher's Day in Korea: the amount of gifts we got was unbelievable... I got, to name a few things, a Burberry scarf, Bvlgari perfume, tonnes of soaps, Clinique and Chanel makeup, jewelry, roses, candies and chocolates, etc.

3) This Saturday will mark my 6 month anniversary in Korea. It struck me the other day - well actually two things struck me. I was on the subway looking out at some Korean signs and surrounded by Korean people speaking Korean, and I didn't feel like I was in a foreign place really - I don't know if that makes any sense.. but I feel comfortable here, despite not speaking the language and whatnot... The second thing - I had a sorta rough day at work - the kids weren't listening to me (must have been the rain - the kids go crazy on rainy days, don't know why!), and I was really grumpy. Anyways at the end of the day, the thought popped into my head that I don't mind my job that much.. and this is after a bad day! So I surprise myself that I honestly don't mind teaching these days - I've hit a routine and things have become very easy for me... And I really do love some of the kids....

4) I had to wipe my first ass this past week. I went into the bathroom and this little girl I teach comes out with her stockings around her ankles and her dress hiked up around her waste. She bends over and sticks her bum at me, covered in poo. (Look at me talking like a kindergarten teacher). I desperatly tried to give her toilet paper and even mimed out some wiping motions for her but she kept insisting that she couldn't do it herself (she is only 3 or 4)... so finally I had to pull up my socks, jump in there, and get 'er done.

5) Not to jinx it, and despite the fact that I've put absolutely ALL my eggs into one basket... I finally sent in my application for grad school at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. I should find out within the month if I am accepted or not. Should I get in, I will have roughly a month and a half between finishing out my contract here and having to head to S. Africa to start in January. Fingers crossed!

And I guess that's it! Also, if you've forgotten about my pictures website, go to http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s307/hilthepill/ to see recent photos of me out and about or in my apartment being an idiot.. the joys of a digital camera!!

Recent Weeks

Okay here goes a brief, bullet pointed post:

• My rugby team has started playing in a touch league on the weekends pre-practice or games for the club... read more here: https://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2007/05/02/200705020021.asp
• Today in the middle of class, a bunch of kids are telling me things.. sorta all at once because they were excited, and this little boy blurts out "Sometimes I touch my grandma here!" (and points at his nipple)... umm... okay? What do you say in that situation?
• Today a little boy (he's about 5 or 6) came in halfway through class, then I turn around and he's run out and is crying in his mom's arms. Then his mom tells me that he is scared of me because he was late and that is why he was crying... Note to self: be nicer to that class (I'll admit they get on my nerves so I'm a little mean to them.. the rest of the kids like me though)
• Another note to self: don't frequent stores or banks around the school when it lets out - I went to the bank today after work and was stopped by a kid's parents who wanted to ask me how their son was doing. Lovely conversation, always! It's the one thing I have managed to avoid before now, as many parents don't speak English...
• I've become like a rock star at school, not sure exactly why. And it seems the amount that kids like me is inversely related(is that the right word??) to how mean I am in class. The classes where I'm rather stern, I see the kids afterwards and they come running yelling "Hilary Teacher!" and give me cookies and stuff... Also, a lot of other little kids come running and calling my name all the time too and I have no idea who they are...
• One little girl, I guess she's 5 or 6 as well, always goes to the bathroom with the door open. And by some fluke I always walk into the bathroom when she's on the toilet with her pants down, walking out of the washroom with her pants down or in some other stage of undress. And she is the most talkative girl. So I walk in the bathroom, and I hear this little voice, "What's your name?" And turn around and see her with her pants around her ankles. So I awkwardly answer, "Hilary Teacher." And she goes "Oh beautiful name. Is it your Korean name?" etc. etc. etc. This has happened three times now.. It's the strangest thing - I have a bathroom stalker!

And that's all for now!

Zoo Trip

Another short post.. Can't seem to get myself motivated for much longer than a little post these days! It's weird trying to write about life when it's just boring old life!!

Anyways, we went to the zoo on Wednesday. I asked my homeroom kids what their favorite part of the zoo was - what animal they liked the best. The only answer they would give me was "Hilary Teacher and Danny Teacher." So despite the fact that I had nothing to do with them at the zoo (we split into two groups and I wasn't part of theirs - I supervised a different class), and I teach then twice a day all week, we were still their favorite part of the day. Weird!!

Gotta love kids!

Korean Taxi Ride

The other day I decided to take a taxi home.. for very important reasons (I had to get home to do phone teaching and I wanted enough time to order pizza and have it arrive before I had to start - REAL important...). Anyways, I get into the taxi and the guy starts talking to me in mostly Korean but with the odd English word thrown in. At this point of my stay in Korea, I can understand certain words in Korean.. not too many I have to say. So he asks me where I'm from, and when I say Canada, he goes, "Oh, goood. Canada, number one!" And repeats this over and over.. then he says some other stuff and I finally figure out he's asking me if I have kids.. Then I say no. And I think from there he was asking me if I have a boyfriend or husband back in Canada. Then if I have one in Korea (either that or he was asking me if I wanted him to be my boyfriend - not sure - this is where it got hazy). Oh, also at some point he goes, "Jesus?" And I say "No!" Hahaha. Good times in broken English and Korean.

Pictures

Okay I finally got a digital camera.. my new baby!! But anyways, in lieu of emailing random images and posting them here and there, I'm gonna put them all in photobucket. You can see them at http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s307/hilthepill/ I should add more soon, it just takes so damn long!!