...teacher game

...don't leave a bear costume out at a bar. this will happen!

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Just like the PC room, the Training was a HAPPY TIME!!!

Wednesday Jan. 20^th

9:12 AM

Woah, its been a while but this month and a half has been NUTS. I went literally, from having 2 months off to…one week, to one month…back to two months off. Now it looks like I’m done next Friday until March. Giving me all of February off. Which is good…

Again, its hard to complain when ya got a month off…

Anyway, we’ll start in Seoul for this ‘orientation’ that would have been BRILLIANT 3 and a half months ago – but after doing this, I knew a lot of what they were lecturing us on.

For instance, we were told how to co-teach for 3 hrs. Cool pics outside the dorm though.

Basically, be professional. I met some good people up there, the most interesting a guy named Jim.

Living the American dream – 9 to 5, nice car and house, 33 years old working in Insurance. Making damn good money…but he ended up bailing for Korea about a month ago. Gotta love that.

I met a bunch of South Africans too, mistaked them all for Australians…which is kinda near it eh? (eh: gotta stop haing out with canadians). It was rough, 8 in the morning til 8:30 at night. We had a midnight curfew too. Like, they would lock the doors with a chain…seemed like a fire hazard if ya ask me. All I'm saying, make sure not to leave a bear costume out a bar, someone WILL put it on...

Then got back to Moggie, and started my English camp. Last week was all 3^rd graders which were ADORABLE. God they make me laugh. Taught them 4 non-blondes, “what’s going on”

Ahaha, hahaha….HAHAH.

First we went to the National Museum of Korea:

Haha, a friend of our's Brian got talked into talking to students. He was hysterical!

The frozen "swimming" area...

The old school coffins. They were never Jewish...right?

I like to think, that if I lived in that time, and there was a statue made after me...I'd be this guy.

We went to the Korean War Museum:

Quick pic of the DMZ...not the real one ;)

(A mash unit)

I think that's hawkeye above!

...woah

It says: fight or die. there was a huge battle a middle school in Busan before the UN got involved. this helmet was recovered off a middle school girl who was fighting. once the north took over busan, the UN and everyone got involved. I do mean everyone. Its crazy how far this country has come.

A lot of countries were involved...

The total casualty report. Including the UN and Korea

Just the people killed from Texas....

This was a tear drop of dog tags of the soldiers killed - if you can see it, the sand makes a ripple.

Friday Jan. 22^nd

1: 54 p.m

Week went well, lessons kicked some buuuut! Kids had fun. Vice Principal had fun watching me, bit intimidating. I think he’s trying to learn too…I don’t know.

...never give a camera to the kid in the first row. this will happen, i was in the middle of saying: "exactly"

We were playing this game called 'directions' (be sure to air quote on that). Kid puts on a blindfold, and the students YELL "left, right, strait, backwards." Then, it was Mike teacher's turn to go. So, I look at the clock, its noon.

I get taken outside by a 3rd grader, says: "mike teacher, goodbye, i come back..."

Then, they created a maze for Mike teacher to go through. Requiring, kneeling (not crawling, just knelling). Then, crawling...then I had to pass the 'gate keeper': rock paper sissors. Had to win first. All whilst blindfolded. Kids are loving it and SCREAMING english, it was pretty amazing. They knew every word for every action Mike teacher was doing.

The vice principal was watching the whole time, laughing his little korean booty off.

Have my back man, help me out, the maze was tricky.

Anyway, this is my: "what are you trying to say little one" face.

Well, anyway, that's mike teacher...

목포에서 환호!!!!!!!

Dad I hope you read this from Korea!

Predictibility is Boring

Opie (a korean guy) also said my head is like texas - no plants (no hair) and no animals...and VERY BIG

Monday Dec. 21^st

8:33 A.M

According to Friday, the 18^th….I’ll know nothing what kind of teaching I’m looking at during the ‘vacation.’ (don’t forget the air quoting)…

8:43 A.M

Oh how I hate it when my co-teacher’s on the phone – looking at me, saying my name…

에 따르면 어떤 가르침을 바라보고 금요일, 알고 있는 어떤 가르침을 바라보고 있어를 방학 동안겠습니다."(을 잊지 말Mike을 인용해 공기 오는 걸 보면 직장 동료와 교사 전화를 - 내 얼굴을 보면서 얼 어떤 가(miker teacher)르침을 바라보고 굴을 보면서

8:58 A.M

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, nothing yet…gotta teach!

12:44 P.M

Good lunch, still no word! No worries, just a bit nervous. Here, look at pics between Mokpo and Seoul, good train trip!

Still no idea about January…

3:44 P.M

Hahhaha, ohhh poor homegirl. So she comes over to me with a piece of paper, written WORD for WORD about what she wants to get across to me. The exact transcript of our conversation I feel so bad, so, so bad.

Poor, poor girl.

Anyway, I’ve commendered the piece of paper that she wrote down what to say to me. She just left to go give my new schedule to the Principal.

Mike,

Are you busy now? I am sorry to say, but our principal has decided on a different plan that you and I have chosen to take. I feel very bad to say this on you but its time to deliver the news. Please don’t hate him or me, but you must have a mandatory teaching time in January. The Vice Principal said you must teach 2 and a half weeks, he said like that. I’m sorry, but I hope we can work an out.

…sigh.

Oh well, what are ya gonna do? Now, for the days that I'm not teaching. Do i have those days off? Am I staying from 9-5 but only teaching from 10 to 12:30....?

(its hard not to love it here)

Tuesday Dec. 22^nd

12:22 P.M

Poor kid, he’s been ‘chosen’ to compete in the district wide English Speaking Test. Homegirl didn’t know about it til 3:30 yesterday and she asked me to write out a dialog for him. I made it as simple as I could and everything would be perfect.

Well homegirl wanted something harder.

And he had to memorize it…

And I have to come up with 26 to 32 lesson plans in a week and a half.

And go to a conference…

Sigh, now they want me to teach 3^rd graders…

Make that 40 lesson plans in a week and a half.

Or lots, and LOTS of hangman.

3:13 P.M

Woah, so after an interesting day to say the least. Looks like I have to teach from Jan 14^th til Jan 29^th. Still no idea yet, I could end up teaching the 3^rd graders from Jan 3 til the 6^th. Still no idea, but I’ve been lesson planning for 3 hours.

Trying to get ready, for something…not that I know what it is?

3:58: P.M

Apparently there’s a new and old contract now. Hopefully my school doesn’t expect me to sign into a new contract, but they (national offices) are trying to make all the proviences do the same thing. So I may have a new contract….hmmmm.

Honestly I can’t say I’m that worried about it. I just expect 26 days off in February, my pay – my rent paid, and a bonus at the end of the year. And the 22 hours of teaching a week, as I signed into.

In America, lots to expect, Korea…could be the same pretty soon…:-\

Here's my take on it all:

At the end of the day though, I’m having a hard time bitching about not having January off. I came over here to teach, and figured I’d be doing it. Besides, predictability is boring…I wanna see how far I can be pushed in a Korean classroom. Teaching alone is one thing, but for 2.5 weeks, could be another. Plus, no co-teacher...or CD to go off of. All me...There is only one way to find out if I can handle it/do it…

I’m ok with teaching, just don’t take away my ‘mandatory vacationing time.’ This is crazy, but fun. I feel weird complaining about what I do here.

I see the private teacher’s who’ve got 10 days off the ENTIRE year. They also don’t have a co-teacher, or a curriculum to work with. They’ve gotta do what I just did all day – for a year. Its hard to bitch when ya hear some of their stories. Friend of mine just got fired from her job because no one liked her, and she’s the sweetest person in the world. We’ll just see what happens over the next few days – it’ll be fun!

Sunday Dec. 27^th

Ok so I’ve got the next week and a half off, not as I assumed…I’d be teaching. I thought.

Right before I left Friday, I was told I AM teaching 3rd graders, but for the week I was going to teach 6th graders. So now I must re-lesson plan...I like to push these kids, but thats a bit much.

I’m stuck with the old contract, which is a good thing.

Apparently there will be no more suprises.

We’ll see…

Strait answers are overrated!

oh how I love KOREA!!!

Tuesday Dec. 8th

8:43 a.m.
The vacation goes like this. Dec. 24th til March 2nd….buuuuuuuuut.

So I may have just lost all of January, I may have to teach when my school is closed. I'm not sure (of course) yet. And neither co-teacher knows whats up. I got an email from the director over here saying something about teaching while I'm on 'vacation' - that most every school will do the same thing. So I may have to do an english camp….

4:23 p.m.
After Kor-english with homegirl, I've understood that I'm obliged to do a camp for parents and teachers of the school. It could be in January, maybe Feb. maybe even every Friday in March. No. Idea. Yet.

it is snowing though...

Haha, sooo, there's no point in planing….EVER. Either way, I will have off for 26 days in february, maybe all of it depending on what happens with January.

The school doesn't know about the 'mandate' to make us English teacher's come in when the school is closed - if I MUST teach, I'd rather do it when the school is 'open.' Maybe teach every Friday in March for an hour or two. Open to who ever wants to come. Now its up to tomorrow to decide if that is 'ok.'

4:51 p.m.

I've been trying to kill a fly for 10 minutes…

it snowed ALOT

Friday Dec. 11th

Still no idea what I'm doing in January...but I'm off to Seoul tomorrow!

Sunday Dec. 13th

Woah, good times in Seoul...

So here's the deal, it was amazing. We didn't get in til about 7 PM in Seoul so we didn't have anytime to go see stuff...but I'll be up there again in January so we'll do much sight seeing then...







I'll be honest though, I got some GREAT pictures on the way back...

Noribong

Monday Nov. 30^th, 2009

8:47 A.M

So I wonder if teachers in America are that worried about their lesson plan. I’ve got a general idea of what I’m doing, God knows if its gonna work. Only one way to find out!!!

Worst case scenario…hangman.

12:24 p.m.

sigh, long day. Those kids were crazy…lesson plan worked well though

7:17 p.m

Son’s of anarachy is awesome!

http://one-tv.net/tv/sons-of-anarchy/

Tuesday Dec. 1^st, 2009

8:41 a.m.

This is probably the most stressful time in the Korean life I live. if homegirl (hunni) doesn’t show up…what, happens? Do I teach alone? Do I teach a lesson that I haven’t been told about? Nor do I know what lesson it is…I’m just not supposed to worry about it…Do I teach with homeboy? Do I teach at all?......It always feels good when she shows up.

I’ll trade 20 minutes of stress for this Korean life though – that’s for damn sure…haha

8:47 a.m.

She’s here, no worries....

8:54 a.m.

Hm, teaching alone. Didn’t expect that…haha. This is fun man, ya gotta keep on your toes!!! Monotonious? Not a bit.

Wednesday Dec. 2^nd, 2009

…taught some english, found sportscenter.com

checked the facebook….the norm

Thursday Dec. 3^rd, 2009

It was just a matter of time before my co-teacher got in a fender bender. Dwoode, this chick does NOT know how to drive…haha. Its cross cultural that women have a hard time doing the whole…driving thing.

Thank GOD she’s ok though, she’s a tough cookie.

Anyway, word around the campfire is there is some type of conference for all public english teacher’s to learn about the Korean culture’s work place. Here’s a snap shot of my work place:

4 teacher’s: all on ebay....co-teacher: reading a book...me: blogging

I wonder what’s gonna happen? Either way, I’ve gotta work 4 days out of 2 months, that’s not too bad. Not to mention, I’d love to learn about what I’m supposed to do. Really, what AM I supposed to do…haha. I don’t lesson plan. I've actually gotten yelled at for trying to get ahold of the CD we use. Homegirl told me to 'finally relax' ....haha. I allow my co-teacher’s to teach their class, I’m their co-teacher…they’re not mine.

Anyway, so homeboy (k-won) just told me a story about his honnymoon…christmas 2004. He was supposed to go to Bali, instead he went to Vietnam because something came up at the last minute – didn’t tell his family.

Remember what happened Dec. 26^th, 2004??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake

…woah

Saturday, Dec. 5^th

So it is time to show you around Mokpo. A few friends of mine and I went to “Peace Park” but must be said as “piss park” in order for the taxi drivers to understand ya. Freaking snowing, SNOWING, when we got there…and about 17.84 mph winds.

I had a wind-o-meter on me…I take it everywhere.

Then, it was time to show these rookies Moes and Noribong. Baha, Noribong is kareoke Korean style as you should WELL know by now. Its WAY too much fun. (there’s a fly on my screen – its massive…)

Then we grabbed some dunkas (fried pork with cheese in the middle) and it was off to Moes...

then it was time to teach about Noribong - karaoke, Korean style.

you get your own room, and a free bucket of 'fries'...actually, not bad

adam had lots of fun...

Anyway, noribong was great. Noribong is a collection of great hits done by...myself. such as….

My girl, bohemian rhapsody, walk this way, hey jude, piano man and i was actually…living on a prayer. (haha, get it) I’m sure I lost my voice at some point during THAT song….hah

Sunday Dec. 6^th

Wow UT…really? Only by a point?!?

Hey Jude

That's me and Plan (p.laaaaaan)
He's a goofy guy, he's the music teacher

Monday Nov. 15

8:30 a.m.
Damn its cold. I wore under armor underneth my 3 piece suit today. Don’t judge, I can’t feel my fingers as I type. Under armor is the stuff that football players wear when its cold. I know im no football player, but damn its cold, and I don’t wanna be cold. So…HA. It’s a bit of a tool thing to do to wear under armor…but then again I’ve got a black shirt with really dark black pokadots. It’s the only black dress shirt available in asia, seriously, I checked.

So…umm, is Korea making me soft?

Fantastic weekend though, gotta say…I met my neighbor Joel, really good guy…very interested in what I’ve got to say. He cooked some bbq, which was FANTASTIC!

8:37 a.m.

I’m supposed to teach with homegirl all week but homeboy just let me know that I’ve gotta teach his two classes after I teach with homegirl. So, 6 classes. 4 with fifth graders and 2 with 6th graders. Yeee hawwww!!!

So funny story from this weekend, I hopped a cab from my apt to Moes and the cab driver started speaking english to me…kinda went like this….

Me: New York Bahhh (bar, but the ‘r’ is a bit weird here)
Cab driver: Sounds good man
Me: Uh, you know English?
Cab driver: ohh, very little
Me: Nice, you’re very good
Cab driver: thanks! (then he turns up the music)
Radio: …don’t make it bad, you can take a sad song and make it better. Remember to
Cab driver: LET HER INTO YOUR HEART
Me: to make it better, better better BETTER BETTER BETTER WAAAAA
Cab driver: naaaa, NAH NAH NAH NAN NAN NAAHHHH NAHHH
(THEN the radio cuts off, at the best part of anysong in the history of ever, didn’t stop mr cabbie though, he kept jamming out. Show must go on guys!! )
Cabbie: NANANAHHHHHH HEYYYYY LOOOOOODDDEEEEEEE
Me: Dude, uh…its Jude.
Cabbie: HEY LODE LOODE LOOODDDIEE LODDIE LOOODIE
Me: Uh, we’ll go with it…

Then it we pulled up to Moes as about 12 of my friends were watching us just, make a complete ass out of ourselvs. It was AWESOME!

10:44 a.m.

ANNNNYWAY, little Jason has a brother. Jason is a 3rd grader from San Francisco and his brother is Jordan. They look A LOT alike!!! Apparently Jordan doesn’t like being called Jason. Haha, whoops.

Jordan says to me: dude, you’re from texas but you don’t have an accent. I explained the differences between ‘cool’ texas and…well the rest of texas. You should know what I mean. Jordan’s a 6th grader with a bit of a chip on his shoulder about learning english…wonder why?

9:48 p.m.

The Dallas Cowboys suck. Ugh.

Tuesday Nov. 16th

8:32 a.m.
I just got a big pat on the back from my principal. Literlly, he smacked me on my back…a bit harder than I would have expected. I got here like 5 minutes ago and I pulled up a psyche article I’ve been reading. I’m at that point with all the graphs and stuff. The stuff I usually skip over (no one understands it, really)…and principal man goes: you work very hard, I like this. Smack!!!

Honestly, it kinda hurt.

11:01 a.m.
Thank god no ‘thatta boy’ from the prinicpal. Got one of those from an old lady and a collegue of mine. Big test today for all my kids…so I’m done at 11. Hm. Now what?

Wednesday Nov. 17th

8:48 a.m.
So, big trip planned for sometime today. No idea where, or with who, or when or…well a majority of the: who, what, when, why, how…haha, oh how I love Korea. Seriously its awesome.

1:47
Ahhh dankas. Gooooooood stuff. Man dude for real its this deep fried steak (pork), cheese in the middle. Covered in ‘bar-b-que’ sauce. Num. freaking. NUMS!!!!

Friday, November 20

2 months ago, I was supposed to leave for Mokpo. I remember sitting at Sean Patricks drinking a Ziegen Bock thinking: SHANE CALL ME!!!!!!!!!

Sigh, all is well.

Anyway, I’ve got the morning off then I’ve got 3 classes of third graders. Little munchinks who are SO SCARED of talking to me. I feel so bad. They talk REAL loud in groups, especially when I say…what?!? But one on one, they’re just intimidated. As any 3rd grader, in any culture. Would be talking to a foreinger, using their language.

Anyway, its time to teach…But I’ll leave ya with this: North Korea has reported NO cases of Swine Flu.

…hmmmm I wonder why?!?

I shall also show you around my apartment:

...my (dirty) kitchen

ya walk in, around a fridge to the....

couch...then

hop in your un-made bed (who makes beds anymore?!?)

Its time for an update

There's Hunni (aka homegirl), me and the gym teacher (no clue what his name is)

Wednesday 11-4

I taught alone today….it was uh…interesting. The co-teacher bailed on me half-way through the first class, so…I was alone…like ALONE alone. 30 korean kids, 4 times in a day….and just me. Not like last time alone. Like, the REAL definition ….of alone. I was a little weirded out by the whole thing. I guess I never realized that the kids would take me so seriously. When I talk. They stop. It was weird. Its all good, I've got my random stuff from home like my trusty cowboy woody:

it wasn't til recently that i found out i accidentally bought a doll of my good friend Josh....

its UNCANNY

...annnnyway

Theres this teacher here, she hahah, shes got this 2nd grader. Shes about, 6, I think. She always walks with her mamma to school and everytime they pass me on the way, the teacher asks her daughter to say hello. So I bend down and say: Hiiiii

Little girl: ….teeee heee
Me: hiiii
Little girl: …..tee heee hee
Me: good morning
Little girl: hello michael(r) teacher.

Friday 11-6

Uh, yeah, taught some english. Ate some great food. Got on Dallascowboys.com.....then facebook....That’s my day.

I just got a guitar though

I've named her Tracy. I don't know why...


Monday 11-9

Pardon the lack of bloggage, but there hasn’t really been anything going on. I’ve had a great weekend, with all my Canadian/British buds. Met a girl from Seguin on Friday, we spent most of the night making fun of Seguin. It’s a small freaking world. Seriously, like 92.55% of the foreigner’s here are from Canada. Remember, from just outside Toronto. Not, toronto.

…ey

(that's Neil..the tall one - he's from canada, tricks everyone, and Joe...good guys)

Anyway, the kids go to school from 9 AM til 2 PM with us. Then they’re off to private academy’s to learn whatever. Math academy, English academy, Karate…whatever. They’re there til like 10 PM!!! Poor 5th graders have 13 hr days, and like 5 hrs sleep. Poor kiddos!

Tuesday 11-10

Well yesterday was quite productive, taught 4 classes of energetic, borderline crazy 4th graders. They’re fun though!!!! Funny moment in class when we were going over “sorry, I can’t.” Homeboy (just found out how to say his name…Kwon…pretty easy :-\...) anyway, K - won and I were going over “sorry I can’t” and he was playing a song that is still stuck in my head. I was kinda out of it all day, and wasn’t really ‘paying attention’ (air quote!!)…and, uh…yeah…He goes: mike….mike ….mike ….mike, can you pronounce this?

Its not good for the teacher to have a.d.d

Wednesday 11-11

11:44 a.m.
Haha, whoops on yesterday. Happy vet’s day!! Great lunch today, I was supposed to teach 6 times today – it changed to 2 classes this morning. Homie’s gotta go to a wedding…(who has a wedding on Wednesday???)

5:55 p.m.
Ahhh, just got my hair cut at the E-mart (I think it stands for everything mart…haha) Old korean lady shaved my head and washed my hair for me. Rubbed my ears and used a que-tip to dry off my ears. It was kinda odd, “I’m like dwoode, hows a towel ay?”

I just said (typed) ay – I gotta stop hanging out with canadains…next thing I know I’ll be loving hockey and afraid of the dark…haha

Thursday 11-12

Quick week so far, all the sudden its Thursday. Taught a few kids the ‘rock on’ sign, similar to that of the longhorn. In case you don’t know….. Again, phenominal lunch today!! Good gravy that’s like, the second best part of my day. For. Real.

The best is when I get to teach one-on-one with the munchins. Theres this left-tackle kid in one of my classes. I’m sure I’ve mentioned him before. Who is he?!? Well I’m glad you asked…

About 11, maybe 12. 5 ft. 7in. 160 to 190 lbs. Dude, is, massive. He’s got a very, like ganster – laurence fishburn voice….and I call him left-tackle because one day…he WILL play left tackle for UT.

Anyway, he’s having a hard time with this lesson and I love it when I can teach him one-on-one and he finally gets it. It’s a pretty cool feeling. Then (as reinforcment) we always ‘fist-bump’ or as fox news called it…’terrorist bump’ (air quote!!) when he gets something right. I finally taught him to blow it up…going….

…boooooomahhhh (not a fart sound…you know what it sounds like…whatever)

Friday 11-13

9:12 a.m.
Lucky 13, I’ve got the morning off then its 4 classes. I had plans to go to Seoul this weekend but they fell through, we’re gonna try again next weekend. Stupid rain. I handed in my man card at a convient mart when I bought an umbrella. Its for my backpack that I carry my computer in. Seriously, Korea’s making me soft.

12:50 p.m.
So, apparently no more teaching today. Rock on. Wow.