Update 5
Annyong haseyo,
Wow, another week has just flown by over here. This could potentially be the best week here yet. While I got paid on the 5th for one week of work, I didn't actually collect on that until yesterday because the $ was deposited into a co-workers account who then gave me the cash from an ATM. He is heading out of the country for a few weeks, so he just got the chance to get it to me yesterday. I was quite happy to collect that paycheck and it will only be 1/4 of what I'll get on 1-5.
I continue to get more comfortable in front of class, am remembering more students names, etc. It's even more fun when they now come up to me to talk, goof around before class like I saw them do with other instructors in previous weeks. I hate to say I'm developing favorite and not-so-favorite students, but I think that's the nature of the beast. So long as I don't let that show in class, I don't think it's such a bad thing. Even saying that, my least favorite kid from the first week of classes pleasantly surprised me this past week and was a really good student.
I think I mentioned before that I didn't like my intensive listening classes as much as my memory classes, but the listening classes were better this week. I still have a ways to go before I feel very comfortable with them, but I at least saw improvements this week. I came into this week expecting to work the next three Saturdays, including tomorrow, but turns out I won't have to work tomorrow. I will have to work the next two, however. I will at least be a stand-by teacher next Saturday for extra classes and the following Saturday I will be around for the extra classes plus make-up classes for the day we'll get off for America's Christmas. I'd almost rather work on December 25th and have a full weekend off, but it doesn't really matter I suppose. We will possibly get four days in a row off for the Chinese New Year, but the downside to that is two 12-hour days that week to make up for classes missed on the off-days. There is no break in classes or terms here...four 13-week terms year round. I think I'll much enjoy the teaching schedule in America more when I return, giving me summers off to travel and start up a DJ business to keep me busy/bring in extra income.
Went out for a few drinks and pool tonight after work with a few of the co-workers. I'm really not good at pool, wish I had some bags boards over here! It was still fun, though. Tomorrow night will be the first time I really get out and explore the downtown area of the city. I have a friend I met during training coming to visit as well so it should be a really fun weekend.
I love having legal torrent downloading over here. I'm catching up on all the tv shows that I decided I was too busy to watch back in the states. I'm on season 2 of The Office right now and plan to move on to Weeds, The Sopranos, and Entourage after that. Any other recommendations would be welcome!
I got a local cell phone over here this past week. After having a nice, full keypad for texting back home, now I have to get used to the old system of three letters per number again. I have no English instructions with this phone, so it's really just trial and error right now. Luckily, I don't need to use a phone very often.
I realized this week how much I love living by myself. I mean this with absolutely no offense to my past roommates who are reading this e-mail because you know I have love for you all, but this is just awesome. I love being responsible for everything that happens in this place with no potential to shift blame here or there. It's quiet when I want it to be quiet, clean when I want it to be, and just having as much time as I want to myself. I continue to surprise myself with what I can do when I try to do things on my own.
I'm trying to spread the Illini nation even more while being over here. I have the Illini men's basketball schedule up in the room here at school and have a thing with my students after taking attendance and before getting started with the lesson. I remind them that the Illini played the night/morning before and ask if anyone knows the score. If they do, they can write it down and hand it in for a possible 10 CDI point bonus (that they can trade in for small time stuff like candy or save up for bigger stuff like mp3 players and bikes). My best students get about 40-50 CDI points per class for completing their homework and actively participating in class, so 10 points isn't much considering none of the other teachers have anything like this. The kids have now started clapping when I write scores like Illinois 89, Chicago State 50 on the board. It's not important that I mention how terrible Chicago State is. I even have girls who have probably never even seen a basketball writing down the dates of the next game so they can look it up at home. I noticed one young girl, Leah, doing that the other day and it just made me smile. She's a quiet little girl who is very intelligent and always volunteers as much as anyone else in the class. She stayed for a few moments after class on Wednesday to copy down the next few game dates from the schedule. Also, another kid asked me where Michael Jordan played in the NBA tonight...I was happy to offer him details.
I developed into a late nighter this past week. My average bed time was in between 3 and 4 AM, usually rolling out of bed in between 1 and 2 PM. A second shift job is a lot of fun when everyone else I know and would hang out with has the exact same schedule. It also makes for more potential on weekend nights. This weekend, as I mentioned above, will really be my first experience with that though. It's currently 2:50 AM here and I'm just beginning to get tired. That is of course almost noon back in the states. The problem will be getting up at 9 AM on Sunday to get ready for church. All that said, I have been getting up for a short time around 8 AM for all of this past week because there is some really loud construction going on right outside my window. It seems they enjoy doing the loudest, most obnoxious things in between 8 and 10 AM...grr. I may have to have a few inaudible words with them someday. I think it would have been a quieter morning on Thursday had I let them hammer nails or whatever straight into my head.
A funny moment from class earlier this week. After one of our 5 minute breaks, a kid, Mikey, asked if I had been drinking? Not sure if it was the correct response, but the first thing that came into my head was "What, today?" Apparently the only time a Korean face gets red is when they've been drinking. I think I was feeling a little warm because I wore a sweater to work.
I think that's enough for now. I now I'm leaving out a few things, but I can't remember everything off the top of my head. I really need to work on just adding to a draft throughout the week.
Peace, Love, and Annyonghi jumushipsiyo,
PS - Hope everyone in central-northern Illinois is enjoying the snow. ;)
Wow, another week has just flown by over here. This could potentially be the best week here yet. While I got paid on the 5th for one week of work, I didn't actually collect on that until yesterday because the $ was deposited into a co-workers account who then gave me the cash from an ATM. He is heading out of the country for a few weeks, so he just got the chance to get it to me yesterday. I was quite happy to collect that paycheck and it will only be 1/4 of what I'll get on 1-5.
I continue to get more comfortable in front of class, am remembering more students names, etc. It's even more fun when they now come up to me to talk, goof around before class like I saw them do with other instructors in previous weeks. I hate to say I'm developing favorite and not-so-favorite students, but I think that's the nature of the beast. So long as I don't let that show in class, I don't think it's such a bad thing. Even saying that, my least favorite kid from the first week of classes pleasantly surprised me this past week and was a really good student.
I think I mentioned before that I didn't like my intensive listening classes as much as my memory classes, but the listening classes were better this week. I still have a ways to go before I feel very comfortable with them, but I at least saw improvements this week. I came into this week expecting to work the next three Saturdays, including tomorrow, but turns out I won't have to work tomorrow. I will have to work the next two, however. I will at least be a stand-by teacher next Saturday for extra classes and the following Saturday I will be around for the extra classes plus make-up classes for the day we'll get off for America's Christmas. I'd almost rather work on December 25th and have a full weekend off, but it doesn't really matter I suppose. We will possibly get four days in a row off for the Chinese New Year, but the downside to that is two 12-hour days that week to make up for classes missed on the off-days. There is no break in classes or terms here...four 13-week terms year round. I think I'll much enjoy the teaching schedule in America more when I return, giving me summers off to travel and start up a DJ business to keep me busy/bring in extra income.
Went out for a few drinks and pool tonight after work with a few of the co-workers. I'm really not good at pool, wish I had some bags boards over here! It was still fun, though. Tomorrow night will be the first time I really get out and explore the downtown area of the city. I have a friend I met during training coming to visit as well so it should be a really fun weekend.
I love having legal torrent downloading over here. I'm catching up on all the tv shows that I decided I was too busy to watch back in the states. I'm on season 2 of The Office right now and plan to move on to Weeds, The Sopranos, and Entourage after that. Any other recommendations would be welcome!
I got a local cell phone over here this past week. After having a nice, full keypad for texting back home, now I have to get used to the old system of three letters per number again. I have no English instructions with this phone, so it's really just trial and error right now. Luckily, I don't need to use a phone very often.
I realized this week how much I love living by myself. I mean this with absolutely no offense to my past roommates who are reading this e-mail because you know I have love for you all, but this is just awesome. I love being responsible for everything that happens in this place with no potential to shift blame here or there. It's quiet when I want it to be quiet, clean when I want it to be, and just having as much time as I want to myself. I continue to surprise myself with what I can do when I try to do things on my own.
I'm trying to spread the Illini nation even more while being over here. I have the Illini men's basketball schedule up in the room here at school and have a thing with my students after taking attendance and before getting started with the lesson. I remind them that the Illini played the night/morning before and ask if anyone knows the score. If they do, they can write it down and hand it in for a possible 10 CDI point bonus (that they can trade in for small time stuff like candy or save up for bigger stuff like mp3 players and bikes). My best students get about 40-50 CDI points per class for completing their homework and actively participating in class, so 10 points isn't much considering none of the other teachers have anything like this. The kids have now started clapping when I write scores like Illinois 89, Chicago State 50 on the board. It's not important that I mention how terrible Chicago State is. I even have girls who have probably never even seen a basketball writing down the dates of the next game so they can look it up at home. I noticed one young girl, Leah, doing that the other day and it just made me smile. She's a quiet little girl who is very intelligent and always volunteers as much as anyone else in the class. She stayed for a few moments after class on Wednesday to copy down the next few game dates from the schedule. Also, another kid asked me where Michael Jordan played in the NBA tonight...I was happy to offer him details.
I developed into a late nighter this past week. My average bed time was in between 3 and 4 AM, usually rolling out of bed in between 1 and 2 PM. A second shift job is a lot of fun when everyone else I know and would hang out with has the exact same schedule. It also makes for more potential on weekend nights. This weekend, as I mentioned above, will really be my first experience with that though. It's currently 2:50 AM here and I'm just beginning to get tired. That is of course almost noon back in the states. The problem will be getting up at 9 AM on Sunday to get ready for church. All that said, I have been getting up for a short time around 8 AM for all of this past week because there is some really loud construction going on right outside my window. It seems they enjoy doing the loudest, most obnoxious things in between 8 and 10 AM...grr. I may have to have a few inaudible words with them someday. I think it would have been a quieter morning on Thursday had I let them hammer nails or whatever straight into my head.
A funny moment from class earlier this week. After one of our 5 minute breaks, a kid, Mikey, asked if I had been drinking? Not sure if it was the correct response, but the first thing that came into my head was "What, today?" Apparently the only time a Korean face gets red is when they've been drinking. I think I was feeling a little warm because I wore a sweater to work.
I think that's enough for now. I now I'm leaving out a few things, but I can't remember everything off the top of my head. I really need to work on just adding to a draft throughout the week.
Peace, Love, and Annyonghi jumushipsiyo,
PS - Hope everyone in central-northern Illinois is enjoying the snow. ;)
posted by JayD at 1:22 AM
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