You Know You're Meant To Be A Teacher When...

So, I've had a really bad head cold since Friday, as you would know if you've been staying caught up on my blogs; if you haven't, SHAME ON YOU! I get these head colds about twice a year when the seasons change, but I'm sure the Yellow dust rolling in and the smoking any where you want in Korea are strong providers as well. *Side Note: Yellow Sand is caused when the sand from two deserts in China and Mongolia blows into Korea. It forms a type of dust that is so bad it actually turns surfaces yellow. People here wear masks that cover their nose and mouths because it has been known to cause many respiratory problems, cancers, and other things.* Monday was actually a good day aside from my throbbing aching head and the need to blow my nose every 5 minutes. *Side Note: It is impolite to blow your nose in public in Korea, but it's not impolite to throw up in the streets, litter, be belligerently drunk and passed out on the streets or hork up phlem and spit it out on the streets.* Anyways, no one told me this, so I just went about my business of blowing my nose, in classrooms and the grade 6 office. Then I was talking to my friend Shana and she was like, "It's ok to wipe your nose, but not blow it." Oops!

The day started off with me finally getting to observe the 6th graders (with my co-teacher Jiny) and the 3rd graders (with Mrs. Kim). Just in case of some of you don't already know, grade 3 is the grade I want to teach once I graduate as an elementary school teacher, so I was very excited to start observing the 3rd graders. The morning started off good with very curious 6th graders. They asked me so many questions during my introduction period at the beginning of the class. "Married?" (too personal, but no I'm not) "You have boyfriend?" (agian, are you really asking me that, no I don't have boyfriend) "Who's your favorite Korean Star?" (Um, I just got here, I don't know Korean stars, yet). "You like kimchi?" "How tall you?" (they measure in cms, so I had no idea) "Weight?" (they measure in kgs, again no idea - seems like a rather personal question if you ask me). I got these questions in every 6th grade class, even the 4 I had today. Some girl even went so far as too ask me what my perfect man would be...Wow, are these kids for real? It's typical in Korean culture to know every single detail of every persons life no matter how personal. I know I will get use to it one day, but when elementary age kids are asking me, it's just awkward.

Now, the grade 3's, they are amazing and I love them. Considering they are the youngest of the four grades I'm teaching English to, they had loads of questions as well. I brought in my pig Lucky to play "What's Your Name?" Basically, I say My Name Is Julia. What's Your Name? I throw the pig to a student and that student then tells me their name and then throws the pig to another student and repeat this until all the students have been given a chance to tell me their name. They absolutely loved my pig and they loved the game because they got to touch the pig and throw the pig to other students. I think I might bring Lucky to every 3rd grade class just as the mascot...hahaha! The best part about this 3rd grade class is that one of the little girls in it drew me the cutest picture. It is a very basic happy face picture, but she didn't even know me and liked me that much that she drew me a picture. I had to post it for everyone to see how sweet it was. Did I mention she was sweet and that I love the 3rd grade? They are also the most well behaved of the four grades I teach. Unfortunately though, I only had one grade three class on Monday, which was disappointing because they are all so charming and cute, but I will have two grade 3 classes tomorrow, so I'm very excited!

When I was done teaching for the day and just relaxing in the office, Jiny told me that the principal wants me to start teaching all the teachers interested, English. I must say I was rather nervous at the thought of having to teach the teachers English because although they are friendly, I'm not experienced in the 'teaching adults' department. I have to teach them 4 days a month, so starting in April it will be every Friday in April. I did feel a bit better about it though when she told me I was being paid extra to teach them.

Today, was a hard day to get through just because I still have my cold and the whole not blowing my nose thing in public is a giant pain in my ass. I did feel a lot better than Friday thru Monday, but I'm blowing my nose (in private) harder now to get rid of everything that is clogging my breathing.

I had two 6th grade classes this morning, which were the most talkative and asked the most questions of the four I observed today. Nothing overly exciting happened in any of the classes. However, in the last 6th grade class of my day another kid asked me about my nose ring in front of the whole class, well my cover is now blown...just kidding. I just told him it was like an earring for your nose, which really is the truth. I didn't feel like going into details for fear I would be asked to remove it and well my friends, that just isn't going to happen. The most joyous parts of my days at school besides the amazingly cute 3rd graders is all the yummy snacks the 6th grade teachers bring to the office and share with me. Yummy!

Jiny told me today on the way to our third class of the day that all the teachers respected me and I was very popular amongst them. I may or may not have blushed a little and was like, "Me? Really? Well, I can be a charmer." Of course, that was not said out loud. This clearly means that the teachers talk about me all the time, which is to be expected when you are the new English teacher from 'white' land. Anyways, again at lunch she told me the students think I'm very popular and really like me. Again, there was some blushing and a, "Thanks, that's good." After lunch myself, Jiny, Park Jung-su, and Yong (another grade 6 teachers who brought me the chocolate covered almonds once) started talking about North American TV shows that they have here. They get a lot of the same shows as us, but dubbed in Korean I imagine (I have no cable yet, so I can't watch TV and prove it). Well, in the middle of Jiny, Park Jung-su and I talking about a show, out of nowhere Yong was like, "One Tree Hill." I got so giddy and joyous that I almost fell of my chair and Jiny and Park Jung-su started laughing at me. I haven't yet mentioned in any previous blogs that I'm absolutely addicted to One Tree Hill, so when I found out that Yong and I had that in common I freaked out. I know they all thought I was crazy, but Yong and I were acting giddy together because she loves the show just as much as I do, how great is that? I was telling her that I watched about three episodes of season 4 (I know I'm behind) last night and she thought I was so great, which I am and started laughing.

Now, on my way home from school today I got bombarded by a bunch of giddy grade 3 girls from the one class I taught yesterday. They were like. "Hello, teacher Julia." I was like, "Hello!" Then they started following me and asking questions as I was trying to hurry to catch my bus, which I missed thanks to them, but they were just too cute to not talk to. I took the freezing my butt off at the bus stop to wait for the next bus over ditching out on them. One little girl was like, "My name is Selena." I'm thinking that she is clearly the cutest thing I've ever seen. Another little girl was like Julia, Julia as I was walking away (before they started following me) and when I finally turned around she got scared and hid behind her friends. Again, insanely cute. I can't wait to start taking pictures of the little cuties to show all of you just how cute they really are and to prove you I'm not crazy. Then while we are all waiting to cross the street, they are like, "Teacher Julia, you home?" Teacher Julia, "Yes, home, bus." Basically, these grade 3 girls followed me off school grounds and across the street before we parted ways, so I could miss my bus and they could go home to the apartments across the street. It really was such an uplifting and enlightening experience though because I realized the moment they started following me that I've already impacted them and I was meant to be a teacher.

Well, tomorrow is bowling day with the all the 6th grade teachers followed by dinner, so I'm hoping this will be exciting and that my cold will let up, so I can enjoy myself. I'm sure there will plenty to blog on after bowling. I mean, it's bowling and when does anything boring happen bowling?

P.S. I put that grade 3 girls drawing on my wall. I've decided to start a wall dedicated to student art work that is given to me. I just hope hers isn't the only one or it will be so lonely :(