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!