Fish Biting At My Feet: This Should Be My Nightmare.

I wouldn't say the day started all that stellar. Our ritual Friday celebration went on into late saturday morning and I ended up catching the bus at 10am solo. Jenn had bounced about 2 hours earlier leaving me to finish the party with the boys. Not having been to bed yet, I couldn't wait to get home and nap before spa day started.

Apparently I couldn't wait that long. I got on the bus, it passed the Wonder Bread Tribute and I passed out. I woke up an hour later to the bus driver yelling as he got off the bus. My stomach drops. Why is the bus parked?

I sat on the bus for another couple minutes trying to process what had happened here. Why was I sitting on the bus holding a half full pizza box sideways surrounded by snow covered mountains? According to the clock I was only a half hour bus ride from my own stop. No biggie. I'll just catch a cab. Spa day doesn't start for another 2 hours.

I get off the bus and look around. There aren't even any roads here. Where are the buildings? The cabs? I don't even know which direction we came from. I get about a half mile down the street thinking "What would Jenn do?" when it hits me. Obviously the bus stopped next to a bus stop sign. Just stand there and get back on it when it comes around. Jenn is always full of good ideas.

I managed to get on the bus, stay awake, and arrive home safe just shy of 1pm. I'm shaken up from my adventure and worrying that Jenn has gone off to Spa Day without me. I didn't even know where Spa Day was, so I was fervently hoping that when I opened her bedroom door she would be there.

And she was. Still asleep. Guess I wasn't the only one who almost slept through our ManiPedi appointment. She was a little sore about being woken up, but I personally think she should be thanking me for her cute nails. The nail lady can only do so much. Showing up is at least half the battle.

We started our mani/pedis with a dip in the fish tank. Flesh eating fish have never been my favorite thing (pirana what?), but having failed to convince Jenn to go first, I plunged my feet right on in. It was the weirdest sensation ever. It felt like little vibrations from the tips of my toes all the way up to mid calf. My whole body was screaming "Take them out take them out!!" but I held on. If that old lady could do it last week, I certainly could, too. I'm definitely doing it again next month.

Next, I headed over to get my first real manicure while Jenn got her toes done. The whole time I was nervous about the pedicure part. I didn't want anyone touching my feet. Feet are gross.

But, as you can see, my toes are super cute. Yes. Those are frogs. You're all jealous.

Our first spa day was such a success I almost can't wait for our appointment next month. I'm already thinking about what to put on my toes next. And it was all under 50. Even my legs feel softer where the fish were biting them.

After we got out of the ugly shorts, I headed home while Jenn shopped. I needed a nap hardcore and I was pretty confident I would never fall asleep on the bus again.

Although if I did, at least I'd know what to do...

I Got the Keys to the School.

I finally made the attempt to walk myself to school today. Success. Only took 15 minutes. I didn't get lost once, good thing, too, since I definitely hadn't planned in any time for that.

Not that it mattered. I walked up the steps and down the scary glass hallway only to arrive at a dark school. What the H? Where is everyone? I decided to wait around for a little bit, see if anyone showed up. Listen to me, "decided"? As if there was anything else I could've done. Why aren't the hallways heated or lit? That was the coldest 90 minutes ever. By the time they showed up, I had convinced myself that they must have sent me an email telling me to go to the Old School. I was on the point of walking back home to check my email, stood up and there they were. Ruby apologized profusely and rushed to open the door. She set the alarm off and out come the security guards. I'm sure they were already suspicious. They had probably already been watching this foreigner loitering for an hour and a half.

I can't be entirely sure what the guard said to them, but it resulted in me being handed a key and the code to the school. They don't know how often they're going to be able to show up on time and this will allow me to avoid any scary yelling guard situations in the future. Talk about putting faith in a teacher. Anyone else get a key? Nope. Just this kid.

Grunter took me out for lunch again and I decided over the tuna fried rice and bibimbop that I was going to stop calling her Grunter. Maybe I'm just being brainwashed, but I kinda like her now. And, no, it's not just cause she's saving me money. She's just nice. Any suggestions for a name change?

Overall tuesday/thursdays are super easy. Just the Sisters back to back and then I get to go home. I can't do any work after that since they keep turning the computer off, but I do like getting home before 9pm. Sure beats getting home at 11. Because it was pouring I got a ride home, too. It wouldn't have mattered if I had walked though, since I have the Milk Lady's umbrella. Man, is it swanky.

I can't wait to get back to Old School tomorrow, though, 'cause I am going through some serious Old School withdrawal. I miss looking up and having someone to talk to. Now I just sit in my March classroom with the heater on talking to myself. Not nearly as satisfying.

On the way home:

E: "What time should I be in tomorrow?"
G: "Whenever you want to."

I'm torn between trying to see how late I can show up before I get into trouble and showing up early to get some extra work done. Judging from the last 3 days, I won't be able to finish up work before the weekend if I don't do it before they get there.

At least I'll be back at Old School when it's time to celebrate yet another Friday Successful Completion Party. I was worried I'd have to bus it back over to hang out.

No worries.

Erin is the Winner.

I was up early this morning- beyond nervous- waiting for my second first day of school to start. Remembering the first time we did this, I don't think a little anxiety was unreasonable. I still didn't even know which Sibling I was going to be sharing New School with, but I knew tension would be running high for them, too. This is New School. This is what we've all been waiting for.

Around 2pm, Grunter shows up. SWEET. Sharing a school day with just Grunter would be super easy. Being the least scary of the three, she would probably make this the easiest transition yet. So my nerves calm down enough to attempt watching where the car is taking us. I will eventually have to figure out how to get there on my own, after all. The fact that it was raining, though, made me truly grateful for the ride. No one wants to get lost in the rain. Been there.

We get to school and I see Ruby out in the hallway sweeping the floor. Maybe she's just visiting? No. Today will be spent with both sisters. Everyday will be spent with both sisters. This seems like a real nightmare, right? Well, I had a lot of first day of school optimism and I was only thinking one thing: Phew. No Narky. Sucks to be the other teachers!

I start to make my way back to the teachers' room and was told that I had to be the receptionist (or "counter teacher," as the kids say) so that I could keep an eye out for the students. (Ruby: "Receptionist is foreigner, haha, people will think is strange school!") Ruby and her sister had a lot of cleaning to do. They weren't cleaning the inside of the school, though, they were cleaning the hallway out into the rest of the building. They didn't want anyone to think that the school was in a bad area because the rest of the building was dirty.

Speaking of the rest of the building, there doesn't seem to be anything in it. It's three floors and the only one that's hoppin is the first floor. There are three restaurants down there- fish, judging by the smell. Up on the 3rd floor, where the school is, there is only one office space filled. It's probably the only space that's even finished. Looking through the glass walls I saw a lot of crumbled concrete and broken chairs. There're a lot of glass walls to walk past before you get to the school. Mega eerie. The hallways aren't lit or heated, either, so it's like a scene straight out of a horror flick. I couldn't walk into the school fast enough. Once in the school, it's very nice and clean. There are lights aplenty and just as soon as they turned the heat on, I knew the goosebumps would go away.

So back to being Counter Teacher. I sat behind the desk for 2 hours shivering. Like, when are we going to turn the heat on? Am I the only one wearing a coat and gloves? For goodness sake, I can see my breath... Grunter poked her head out of the office every now and then to use the computer or offer me a rice cake. Not the crunchy kind. This stuff kind of resembles a... well, I don't exactly know. Its like a super compressed cake. It's not spongey at all. Just... It kind of reminds me of string cheese. I'll have to bring some home. I like it. And it had this powdered red bean stuff on it. I do enjoy the red bean stuff.

Anyways, at 4:00 exactly, Ruby opens her door, comments on the cold and moves the party into her office. The "party" being me, of course, I jumped on it. They had a space heater and I was too frozen to be nervous about being in the demon's lair. Come what may, I was definitely going to be warm. It was heavenly, I definitely didn't want to leave when my first student showed up at five.

I had picked the March classroom, for obvious reasons, and almost immediately realized what a bad call that was. It's within view of Ruby's office door. Oops. I wonder if I can take it back...

But March has a heating unit up by the ceiling! And a camera dome....? Not that I had anything to hide about my teaching style. I'm pretty loud when I start getting into a book so all they have to do is stand outside my door to hear what's going on. Never been afraid of volume, that's for sure. There's just something about being watched while you're doing it...

I had Sister2 first. She loves talking. Any english she knows she says. Yet again, I was grateful the little girls next door made me watch so much Disney Channel. Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers are, of course, internationally famous.

I was supposed to have Sister3 right away, but Grunter thought I might be hungry so she treated me to some Kimbap, spicy ramen and doboki (sp? pronunciation?) She offered to get sushi for me tomorrow. There's a sushi buffet downstairs, but there was no time for a buffet today. I wasn't watching the clock, but I figured Grunter knew when I had to be back and she didn't seem concerned about the time.

So I was late for Sister3. Not the best first impression. Apparently not a first impression at all. I had noticed with Sister2 that she brought up things I had spoken to PandPGirl about. And this morning, Grunter mentioned that the sisters were all very happy with me. Sister3 did it, too. She talked about things that I'm positive I have never spoken to her about. I know I met them my first day teaching, because they came with Ruby to come pick us up and take us to school. I may have even sat in on a private lesson of Miss Honey's with one of them. I wouldn't say I know them, though.

Sister2 said she saw Jenn and I waiting for a bus on saturday and she yelled out "Hey! It's Sister2!! Hey!!" I didn't notice and even if I had heard it, I'm not sure I would've recognized her. She wasn't one of my students then.

So the Director and her sister both interrupted my class. One to come in and turn on the heater and offer me a glass of water to cool the burning of the spicy ramen. The other to offer me an orange. What's going on here? They've been giving me snacks all day. I offered them both bananas and gave the rest to my students. In Korea, when you have food you're supposed to offer it to whoever is near you while you're eating it. Now I understand what Jenn was saying. You can't just hold a bunch of bananas or a few apples. You have to offer them to the crowd. Got it.

PandPGirl was last and during the lesson I realized we are almost done with the book. That sucks. Jane Austen has been super cool to me. She got me almost 6 weeks of not being yelled at, a whole family asking to have me, and the best reputation I could hope for. Now I have to pick a new book. I kind of feel like whichever book we do next will be a serious step down, though. I don't even have any ideas. Maybe Gulliver's Travels? Any and all suggestions welcome.

After class, The Sisters' Mother came to talk to me. Her girls are all very happy with my lessons. They are so excited that they all get to have me. I guess PandPGirl put in a good word for me. Then the mom offered to give me a ride home. Whoa. Luckily, she didn't know what street I lived on so I didn't have to impose. But seriously. How awesome am I.

Ruby's told me before that the Sisters' mother is her favorite parent. So having that parent on my side is the best thing that could've happened here. Now I just have to avoid screwing up.

Two points for Erin.

I Want to Say "For Real This Time," But It's Just So Risky.

I was supposed to start at the New School today. When I left on Friday I hauled all my stuff home since New School has nothing. No books. Any books I would need to teach, I was going to have to bring with me. It was a lot. The only real downside to having so many private lessons is that each student has their own lesson plan and 2 or 3 of their own books. No biggie. I would only have to haul this mess once.

At 12:45, Narky shows up at my door. Oh Crap. Is he the Korean teacher working at New School? No. He came to get me to show me the New School before giving me a ride to Old School. So I checked out New School. It was freezing, the Teacher's Lounge was awful, it had 12 classrooms and almost all the windows were covered by the giant New School opening banner. The classrooms were pretty big and named after the months of the year. Only one misspelling in the whole school: Janusry. Oops. At least there are enough classrooms that I won't have to worry about teaching in the Dining Room anymore. The teacher's lounge at Old School has all the desks facing eachother so you can talk to other teachers inbetween tasks. The New School lounge seems to have been designed to fix this productivity snafu. The desks are all facing the walls and are separated on either side of the room by about 15 feet. No more conversing with the other side of the room.

What am I talking about. There isn't even anyone there to talk to. Just me. In the teacher's lounge. Aww man...

I watched the clock tick down 2 hours. It was big, but certainly not 2 hours big. As 2pm came and went I couldn't help thinking about how I could've been at school teaching One some serious grammar, and instead I was here watching Narky set up a couple of computers.

Then he took the long way home, almost got us both killed and turned a 30 minute bus ride into a 40 minutes car ride. Why was the car longer? Don't buses make stops...? Yeah, they do. Then he swung by an eel place to show me where to find the best eel in the city. I said something back when we were living with the Director about how I think I like eel.

E: "Oh great, you'll have to write the address down for me so I can find it again."
N: "Address? Ummmm... It will be hard to know, I think."

Sooo... how am I supposed to find it again? What was the point of that?

We get to the old school right about 3pm and I had another day of a class and a half. I know it was only 2 hours, but I missed Old School hardcore. I still don't really know who is going to be at New School with me, but it sounds like MWF its going to be Grunter. She's supposed to be the one driving me back to Old School those evenings to teach my second Pride and Prejudice class. Since I don't have any class before 4 any day of the week, I was kind of hoping they'd say something about bussing me back for One, but evidently Miami hasn't sucked yet, so they're in no real hurry to help me out there.


So it's Super Bowl Monday over on this side of the world and congratulations Drew Brees. I am curious to know, however, why you didn't rock that hard during the fantasy football season. Anyways, Miami and Jenn hit up Speakeasy tonight which is showing the game. It actually happened this morning so Jenn knows who's won already. I don't actually love football and the Steelers were a no go so I came home and enjoyed having the apartment to myself. It is excellent.

That concludes my last full day at Old School. Tomorrow I'm at New School. Quite possibly for real this time. We'll see, won't we.

Pay Day. Not Just a Candy Bar.

I got paid today!! And it was a great feeling.

I had to open up a bank account this morning in order to get paid, though. It was kind of weird. I think they messed up my name on the card since Jenn's is last name first and mine is first and middle name first. First and middle combined as if its one word. It's the super long name I always wanted. No more 4 letter first name for this kid...

In all seriousness, though, lasting through the first pay day was such a relief. Especially since I hit up one of those friday street markets this morning and spent my last 13,000won. Not my most financially responsible move, to be sure, but no regrets. It's a really cute white bag that looks like its covered in newsprint, but upon closer inspection you notice that its not english. In fact, its not any language. Just someone typing on a keyboard and hitting the space bar when so inclined. It's a pretty nice piece. I can't show you, cause my camera charger's in america, but it's definitely a keeper.

A great start to my last day at old school. Man. I'm really going to miss the teachers' lounge. At first I didn't want the day to end. When it got to be 11pm I started to think it never would. Couldn't be avoided. I had to find out when I was getting picked up and ask about which books I was taking and all that good stuff.

And Miami got One. I want to hate him, but I know he's not too fond of me right now. Grammar is his nightmare. He kept trying to explain that he moved to the US in 4th grade, so he didn't especially enjoy grammar. Ineffective. Sorry, Miami. I'd take him back if I could.

The One brought me a set of swanky pens. They are amazing. I love them. I miss him already. Maybe Miami will suck and One's parents will demand to have me bussed over to old school every morning to teach him grammar. Maybe, right?

One also taught me a little something about the Steelers.
O: "There is a Korean playing on that team?"
E: "Umm.. I don't think so...
O: "Oh, Hines Ward?"

Somebody give that kid a sticker! Hines Ward is Korean. Go One! I do NOT want to give him over to Miami...

Speaking of students, I turned Kid1's fate over to Ruby today. I'm done trying to teach some pompous brat who doesn't even do homework. I also trashed the book we were reading. Thanks to me no one will ever have to read that plotless 60pgs of trash ever again. Guess I've successfully made my transition here. When the boss agrees with your opinion on a book she's never read, you know you're safe. For now.

So I packed up the contents of my desk in my green eco friendly Giant bag and said goodbye to Old School.

Yet Again, I Am the Only Member on the Girl's Team.

What the Hockey Sticks. It IS just me. I will be the only teacher in the new school until March. I am the new school. Come monday, I am exiled. Voted off the island. Eliminated.

I am on a team by myself.

Luckily, a childhood of boys team (4) versus girls team (1) has prepared me for just such a situation as this. My new seemingly endless optimism has allowed me to see the forest through the trees. This isn't just an exile. No, this is my escape from Narky. No longer will I have to avoid him all day long. So I guess I am the luckiest of all the teachers. Theerrre's that silver lining. Score one for girls team.

... But what about The One...? I'm resolved to dislike whichever teacher gets him next. They're dead to me.

No, not really, but friday is going to be one depressing day. My only consolation is that The One may be coming back in August and can pick the new school if he wants to. Which I super hardcore hope he does.

And how about being the only teacher? That's gonna be nuts...

Guess I get first pick on classrooms.

No, Your Eyes Do Not Deceive You.

THAT is a bed. I know. I'm excited, too. Let me tell you bout this bed.



Narky screwed up. I knew it, you knew it, we all knew it. Bed guys don't deliver on Saturdays. No one's even sure they deliver at all. Apparently his sisters were unaware that he was so incompetent. Amazing. How did he get so far without anyone figuring it out?

Well, a monster fight ensued between the siblings at school during one of my classes. I was pretty engrossed in what The One was saying so I didn't bother trying to eavesdrop. Jenn walks by the door, as per usual, and gives me a thumbs up and happy face. SAFE. No need for me to worry.

I get out of class and Jenn whispers, "You're getting a chest of drawers today." Not a bed? Wow. Priorities...

The Headmistress calls me into the office and apologizes profusely for what she just kept calling "Narky's very big fault." The Grunter was so upset by his inability to follow up on a bed order that the altercation very nearly turned physical. She tells me they put my chest of drawers into the van and were going to bring it over tonight.

But then they found out that I don't have a bed. So they loaded up miniKim's bed and were going to bring that over. NOOOOOOoooooo..... The very same bed I tried to trade for a floor.

"Is she joking?"

No. She is not. I might still get a different bed by friday, but it's pretty unlikely. I mean, it took me 2 weeks to get the very same bed I thought I had managed to escape from. There's just no running from miniKim's bed.

Its not all bad, though. I feel like it's not as bad as I remembered. Maybe it's because I don't have to wake up with the sun anymore. Or maybe it's the fact that it's in our own apartment. I just can't be sure, but it feels like a cloud. I haven't slept on it yet, but I'm keeping upbeat. The drawers should be here at 10am tomorrow. The boys say I'm setting my self up for disappointment. Jenn says don't get your hopes up too high. "We've been burned by '10am' before. Just don't expect too much."


I'll stay positive, thank you very much, and we'll see won't we?

The excitement didn't end there, of course. I had a lot of free time today. Day school has begun again and a lot of my students have stopped private lessons, I think. I don't know for sure, but I do know that I only had 2 of my usual 7 students today. As long as I have The One I don't have a problem with it. I tried to ask about the new schedules and was told "Tomorrow is too soon to switch to New School, I think." ... Yeah, me too. Am I moving by myself? I'm not used to them telling me anything. And no one said anything to Jenn.

So is this the last week we get to work with the boys? Are they splitting us into Boys Team and Girls Team? Why is Girls Team always smaller? I am going to miss the Old School. Especially if I'm the only one moving...




Anyways, with all our free time today, we decided to finally take pictures of our classrooms. Mine is the Dining Room. Doesn't really matter, I guess. I'm getting a whole new school, right?


There's me at my desk. It looks much better with me behind it. Miami sits to my left, California's directly across from me, Jenn's to his right and New Guy's behind California. For Now. I'm sure once I'm exiled he'll grab my desk. Maybe the desk was cursed...





And, of course, what's an adventure without a nice Hominid face? Hear that, Belize Kids? There're Hominids in Korea, too.



Now I'm off to break in my new-to-me bed. Time to test if absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

Without the sun shining through my window at the crack of dawn I've had to set an alarm. Or try to, I guess. Not so self-explanatory after all, mom. I probably coulda done with a few written instructions. Not worried. I have a mental panic button that keeps me from sleeping past 7.5 hours when I'm in a foreign country. Its a pretty cool feature. A gift, if you will.

I cannot wait to sprawl on my twin bed. Cause its mine. My Bed Day. My Bed.